If you’re visiting Beijing with kids and want a day packed with action, fun, and a little Olympic history, you can’t beat a visit to The Cube Water Park, followed by a wander through Olympic Park. This day ticked all the boxes for us thrilling slides, iconic sights, and a relaxing treat to finish it all off.
We kicked off at The Cube Water Park, located inside the National Aquatics Center better known as the Water Cube, originally built for the 2008 Summer Olympics. After the Games, part of the building was transformed into one of Asia’s largest indoor water parks, and it’s brilliant for families.
Inside, you’ll find giant slides, a lazy river, a wave pool, and splash zones for younger kids. The design is impressive a mix of Olympic legacy and modern fun. The atmosphere is lively but well managed, and there are areas to relax as well as get soaked. We spent about 4 hours there, and the kids would’ve happily stayed longer but that’s long enough.
After drying off and grabbing a quick bite, we headed out to Beijing Olympic Park. The park is massive and home to landmarks like the Bird’s Nest Stadium, the Ling Long Pagoda, and the Cube itself. We took a relaxed walk, snapped some great family photos, and enjoyed the wide open space. It’s a great contrast to the buzz of the water park and adds a cultural layer to the day (honestly took me back in my mind to 2008 olympics) nostalgia at its best.
To top things off, we treated ourselves to ice creams from a local stand just outside the park. Sitting in the sunshine, enjoying our ice cream and chatting about our favourite slide from the day, it was the perfect end to a great outing.
The kids were wiped out in the best way, and we left with smiles (and wet towels) in our bags.
A water park and Olympic sightseeing made this one of our most enjoyable days in Beijing so far. (Apart from the great wall) It’s a great reminder that travel with kids doesn’t always have to be museums and temples sometimes the best memories come from splashing down a waterslide and sharing an ice cream in the sun.
