The best times to visit Beijing are spring (April and May) and fall (September and early November), when, on average, the weather is the most pleasant and the views are the most spectacular.
However, good weather also means increased costs and tourists. Is there a time that has good weather while benefiting from smaller crowds and affordable prices? Take a look at our weather tips and recommendations below.
Content Preview
- Best Times for Weather
- Best Times for the Great Wall
- Best Times for Family Trips
- Best Times for Low Prices
- Best Times for Festivals
- The Worst Times
- Guide by Month
Best Times to Visit Beijing for Good Weather
The best times to visit Beijing for pleasant weather are spring and autumn.
Spring (April to May) offers mild temperatures with usually 13–26°C (55–79°F), clear skies, and blooming flowers, making it a delightful time to explore the city's historical sites and parks.
Autumn (September to early November) offers crisp, dry air and comfortable temperatures ranging from 13–23°C (55–73°F), creating a picturesque backdrop for your sightseeing adventures. It is also good to take a city walk.
Accordingly, these periods usually attract more tourists and see higher prices.
Our tips:
Traveling before or after the most popular times is a smart value-for-money choice, such as late March or mid November.
These are transition periods. The weather won't vary very much, which means you could enjoy a less touristy environment and a better price while still enjoying decent weather.
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
|
|
Amazing and Effortless Experience Overall!
China Highlights is totally legit and they planned our visit in Beijing perfectly, they were also great with being flexible to meet our unique needs and timelines, with multiple changes on the fly. Our guide in Beijing, William, was amazing as well! William was friendly, kind, thoughtful, funny, and also was great at keeping us on track timing-wise (as we didn’t make this particularly easy for him lol). Cannot recommend both China Highlights and William to anyone else looking to visit China for the first time! more
Jun 2025, jamesrkable
|
A culture of hospitality and smiles
Beijing was prettier and far less crowded than anticipated. Colin aka Po Po, our guide, enhanced the experience with his knowledge and wicked sense of humour. He made every moment special for us.We spent about three days in Beijing and surrounds. China highlights offerings were high quality, including accomodation, car, driver, guide and selection of real local restaurants. Being vegetarian wasn’t an issue at all. Visiting historical quarter of Beijing along with Hutong walk and Confucius Beijing temple were unique experiences- which became more special with Colin’s interest in philosophy and wonderful global perspective. Despite language barriers- we were greeted by scores of locals with genuine smile and curiosity. We shall be back (hopefully with Colin) to explore this wonderful culture. more
Jun 2025, Inderjeet
|
Beijing group tour
We had a group tour for our clients and William was our guide. He was knowledgeable, kind and flexible throughout the tour. Our clients loved the way he explained diverse topics. We would recommend him for our future groups too.Thank you William and God bless! more
Jun 2025, Prima Rodrigues
|
Best Times to Visit the Great Wall
The best time to visit the Great Wall is from September to early November, with less rain, comfortable temperatures, and more clear days for you to enjoy hiking and photography.
We highly recommend visiting the Mutianyu Great Wall in late October or early November to enjoy the vibrant red leaves covering the mountains, especially at sunset.
Red leaves in the MutianyuThe Great Wall could be visited in any season, as each has its charm, such as flowers in Spring and white snow in Winter. See more on The Best Times to Visit the Great Wall.
Best Times to Visit Beijing for a Family Trip
For families with children in school, your travel time would usually need to be matched to your children's school timetable. The summer vacation (June to August) is usually the available time for a trip.
Among these months, June is the most pleasant. The weather is warm but not too hot, tourist crowds are lighter than in July or early August, and prices tend to be more reasonable.
If June isn't possible, you could consider traveling in mid-to-late August, when domestic travel peaks have passed and many local students are already back in school.
If you are planning a family trip to China, you could get ideas and tips from our How to Plan Your First-Time Family Trip to China and How to Plan a Family Trip to Beijing from Singapore.
You could also contact us to customize your itinerary to meet and balance your whole family's interests and requirements without any hassles.
Best Times to Visit Beijing for Low Prices
Winter (December to February) is the off-season in Beijing. Hotel prices are relatively low and there are fewer crowds except for in late December because of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
The temperature in winter is usually -5–4°C (23–39°F), cold and dry, but winter also brings its own travel charm. You could explore the Forbidden City dusted in snow, go ice skating at the Summer Palace, or relax in hot springs at Gubei Water Town.
See our 6-Day Beijing Winter Tour with Skiing.
Snow scenery in the Forbidden CityBest Times to Visit Beijing for Festivals
If you want to experience traditional Chinese festivals and culture in Beijing, the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), usually celebrated in February, is the most vibrant.
You could join lively events like the Ditan Temple Fair. Lanterns, spring couplets, paper cuttings, and dragon and lion dance performances create a sea of red that reflects the local people's eager hopes and joyful celebrations for a good new year.
Lion dance during the Spring FestivalFor a deeper immersion in the festival, you could also learn how to make dumplings, a must-eat food for Beijing locals during the Spring Festival.
If you have interest, join us 6-Day Beijing Chinese New Year Tour.
Our tips:
Book your hotel and flights 2-3 months in advance, as prices are higher during the Spring Festival.
The Worst Times to Visit Beijing
We generally don't recommend visiting Beijing during peak tourism periods, as the city gets very crowded, especially at popular spots like the Great Wall and the Forbidden City.
These busy times usually fall in July and August, plus China's two golden weeks for tourism: May Day (May 1–5) and National Day (October 1–7).
Our tips:
Choose to travel before or after these holidays. That way, you could avoid the crowds and enjoy a more reasonable price.
Feel free to contact us to arrange your trip. We will design the best itinerary for you based on your interests and requirements.
Beijing Travel Guide by Month
Click the links for each month below to check out more detailed Beijing weather and travel guide information.
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- November
- December
Beijing in January
- Average daily temperature range: -6–3°C (21–37°F)
- Average rainy days: 5
- Average sunny days: 26
In January, Beijing experiences occasional snowfall with cold temperatures, but indoor heating systems keep things cozy.
January is Beijing's off-peak season, except for the New Year holiday (January 1–3), making it a cost-effective choice.
Visiting the Great Wall and the Forbidden City during this time offers magic snowy landscapes. Ice skating, skiing and enjoying hot springs are also good options.
See more on Beijing Weather in January.
Recommended Beijing Tours
We are ready to solve the problems of planning a complex trip in an unfamiliar region, saving your time and effort while ensuring that your travel needs and desires are met. Just contact us.
Or start from a recommended itinerary — all of our tours can be customized: