3 Relaxing Weekend Getaways for Parents and Kids

As a mom who spends every week figuring out how to travel "light" with my kids, I have to share these 3 hidden gems with you all today—no need to rush to attractions or follow travel guides. Adults can chill on the sofa with a coffee, and kids can run wild and burn off energy. Here's the perfect "relaxing family trip" template! 1. Around Beijing | Gubei Water Town: Night Tour of the Great Wall + Family DIY, Have Fun Staying in a B&B I just took my kids to Gubei Water Town last week, and my biggest takeaway was how easy it was to plan! We chose a family-friendly B&B in the scenic area. Just push open the window to see the trickling water. My kids chased pigeons barefoot on the stone road, and I could watch them running around from the balcony, feeling totally safe. ✅Must-Do 1: Simatai Great Wall Night Tour (open after 17:30) Take the cable car up just in time to catch the sunset glow. The Great Wall lit up with lanterns looks like a string of red agates. It was the first time my kids had seen a "glowing city wall," and they were so excited they kept jumping up and down. The best part! There are fewer people at night, and it's not too hot. You can also watch the water dance show after going down the mountain. During the 19:00 show, the lights and shadows on the water curtain made my kids say it was like watching a "live-action cartoon." ✅Must-Do 2: Kite Shop & Dyeing Workshop Family DIY The next morning, I took my kids to the kite shop to paint kites. The owner will teach you how to tie the frame with bamboo strips. Kids over 4 years old can follow along and paint. After you're done, you can fly it directly in the square. The dyeing workshop next door is even more therapeutic. Choose a piece of blue and white cloth and learn tie-dye from the auntie. You can take the finished product home as a small tablecloth, which is full of ritual! 🍜Foodie Must-Try: Bridgehead Cake! The freshly steamed rice cake is filled with red bean paste. Take a bite while it's still hot, and the aroma of rice mixes with the fragrance of osmanthus. My kids ate two pieces in a row. We ordered a hot pot set at the B&B at night, ate mutton while looking at the stars, and my kids watched cartoons while munching on corn. The old mother finally got to drink iced milk tea~ ⚠️Tips: Bring a pair of non-slip shoes! The stone road is a bit slippery when it rains; remember to choose a B&B with children's toiletries to save yourself from packing. 2. Around Shanghai | Chongming Island · Ruihua Orchard: Rent an Entire Farm, Picking Cherries + Feeding Small Animals is Super Relaxing I went to Chongming Island once last May, and this year I found that Ruihua Orchard has been upgraded! The new "Cute Pet Interaction Area" is simply a paradise for kids. We rented a family bicycle (CNY 30/hour) and stopped along the way. The kids chased the little sheep and fed them carrots, and I spread a picnic mat under the shade of a tree and munched on freshly picked cherry tomatoes, breeze~ ✅Must-Do 3: Cherry Orchard Picking (ripe in mid-May!) Eat as much as you want in the orchard, and take away for CNY 50/0.5 kg. The trees are not high, so kids can reach them themselves. Remember to wear light-colored clothes, so you won't feel bad if the juice drips on them~ After picking cherries, go to the peacock garden next door. Buy a bag of feed for CNY 10, and the kids chased the peacocks for half an hour. I took the opportunity to take a nap on the bench. It was so great! ✅Lazy Itinerary: Drive 1.5 hours from the city to the orchard at 9am, first pick cherries + feed small animals, have farm dishes in the restaurant in the park for lunch (recommend stir-fried grass head with gluten, Chongming old rice wine braised river shrimp), go to Yingzhou Ecological Park next door for cycling in the afternoon, go to the riverside to watch the sunset at 4:30pm, the sunset glow dyes the river surface golden, and the kids don't want to leave while picking up shells~ 👜Travel Gear: Be sure to bring mosquito repellent spray! There are many flowers and plants in the orchard; prepare a set of replacement clothes, so the kids can change at any time when playing in the mud and water; choose a lightweight stroller that is easy to push on the pebble road. 3. Around Guangzhou | Huizhou Shuangyuewan: Digging Sand on the Beach + Catching the Sea in the Fishing Village, Watching the Sunrise from the Sea View Room is Super Healing Last month, I teamed up with my best friend's family to go to Shuangyuewan and accidentally found a "relaxing paradise"—Howard Johnson Resort Huizhou Shuangyue Bay. Downstairs is a private beach. The kids put on swimming rings and splashed in the shallow water. We ordered a cup of coconut jelly on the beach chairs and watched them build sandcastles and chase the waves. We were too lazy to even take out our phones~ ✅Must-Do 4: Xiaoxingshan Snorkeling (book a boat with local fishermen in advance, CNY 200/person) Go out to sea at 8am, and arrive at Xiaoxingshan in 20 minutes. The water is so clear that you can see schools of small fish! Rent a children's snorkeling mask for the kids (CNY 30/set), and follow the coach to touch starfish and pick up shells (note that only dead shells are allowed). When you are tired, lie on the boat and bask in the sun. The kids said, "It's like being in the sea in a cartoon~" ✅Must-Do 5: Port Fishing Village Early Market (6:30-8:00) The next day, get up early and take the kids to the early market. Buy the mantis shrimp and clams that just came ashore (remember to bargain!), and take them to the food stalls next door for processing. The boiled shrimp is so fresh and sweet that the kids ate three in a row. After eating, stroll around the fishing village alleys. The mugwort glutinous rice cakes sold by the old woman are CNY 10 for 3, soft, glutinous and fragrant, perfect for breakfast~ 💡Notes: Self-driving navigation "Shuangyuewan Xiwang", Dongwan is crowded and the beach is dirty; bring a set of sand digging tools for the kids (expensive to sell near the hotel); remember to apply physical sunscreen for snorkeling to protect the marine ecology~ After testing these three places, my biggest feeling is to "slow down the pace": no need to rush to attractions, let the kids play with curiosity—chasing lanterns in the water town, feeding lambs on the farm, and picking up shells on the beach. These seemingly "unplanned" times have become the happiest memories for the kids. Moms, don't think about "having to take beautiful photos". Occasionally put down the camera and paddle in the water and daydream with the kids. That's what weekends should be like~ Have you recently discovered any good places to take your kids? Tell me in the comments, and next time we'll change places and continue to relax~ 😉