Long known as the northern gateway to Beijing, this historically significant city and its surrounding countryside provide a number of excellent weekend-trip possiblities from the capital. Comprising a whopping 36,947 square kilometer (14,237 square miles) and situated at the meeting place of three mountain ranges—the Hengshan, Taihang and Yanshan—greater Zhangjiakou's peaks, valleys and plains offer a number of options for hiking, sightseeing and skiing. The city itself, an increasingly prosperous industrial center, is a fairly typical northern Chinese urban area with some fascinating history that makes for a good break from the intensity of the capital. Among the scenic and recreational areas worth checking out  in Zhangjiakou are Bashang Prairie, a Qing-era hunting ground that provides a taste of the wide-open spaces of nearby Inner Mongolia; the... more >>

Its pristine beaches, sleepy coastal town feel and great location make Qinhuangdao a great escape from the hustle and bustle of the nearby metropolises of Tianjin, Beijing and Chengde. It has long been a favorite getaway for government officials, factory bosses and bigwigs from neighboring cities. Qinhuangdao is divided into three districts, Beidaihe, Haigang and Shanhaiguan. Over the last couple of years the local government has made great efforts to spruce up the town with the expectation of receiving more than 2 million tourists during the Olympics. So now is a great time to go and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and have some fun in the sun while the renovations are still fresh. more >>

Chengde is best known for Bishu Shanzhuang (also called the Imperial Summer Villa and Mountain Resort), a summer getaway for the Qing emperor and his court that grew to be larger than the Forbidden City and Summer Palace combined. The selection of Chengde for the emperor's summer home also led over time to the establishment of an impressive series of temples.  Chengde is worth several days to take in all its sights. The great Qing emperors Kangxi and Qianlong, responsible for the glory of Bishu Shanzhuang, used it not only for their own pleasure but as a way to symbolically bind together imperial China's far-flung and restive ethnic minorities. As a result, Chengde's temples and Mountain Resort buildings include wonderful replicas of Tibet's Potala Palace and various Tibetan and Mongolian Lama temples, along with indigenous Manchurian-style... more >>