2015 Year in Review: Our Best Discoveries from Exploring Beijing

As every year, we partook in plenty of exploring of Beijing and whether it was seeking out historical or cultural pockets, different restaurants and dishes we hadn't thought of trying, or simply the nightlife, and in doing so we discovered even more to love about the city. Take a look at what we found in 2015 below.
 

The Outdoors
When the air is nice outside, it's important to get out there and explore, while you can! We looked at some of Beijing's outdoorsy stuff: mostly ice skating, skiing, biking, and general air-related activities. 
 

Winter Warmers: Beijing's Best Winter Foods
We also explored Beijing in terms of its food, looking at some of the best Chinese dishes to eat throughout winter. Includes Chinese names and where to get the best renditions of the dishes for easier access. If you're a foodie and want to explore China's regionial cuisines, check out this Year in Review blog of Beijing's provincial government restaurants that we've tried so far.
 

Hail Mary: Beijing's Best Bloody Mary's
Yet another, but still vital type of exploring led us to check out Beijing's best bloody Mary's. Have you got a brunch emergency? These locations will have you covered.
 

Dazhalan: Creative Culture in the Heart of Beijing
From their previous residential importance, Dazhalan and its hutongs have transformed into a hub of tourism and everything creative-and-art-related. We stake out some of the best things to see, do, eat, and drink in the area, and help you plan a tentative day trip.
 

Huguosi and Baitasi: Xiaochi and Stories in Xicheng
The hutong areas around Gulou are well documented, but fewer people venture slightly further to the area west of Shichahai. Spiraling out from Ping’anli and Xisi subway stations, this area holds one of the best attractions for budding Beijing foodies – Huguosi. Think of it as the Nanluogu Xiang of food, but without the flag-toting tour groups. Get exploring.
 

Caochangdi: Where the Artists Go to Art
Unlike the more commercial 798, you get a sense from exploring Caochangdi that people are not only exhibiting and selling their work in this area but producing it here as well, making it a super exciting place to explore. The past 15 years have seen Caochangdi drastically evolve from a small farming village into an international hub of creativity, with artists not just from Beijing but from around the world migrating here to set up shop. While it is quickly outgrowing the “up-and-coming” label often used to describe it, the “grass field,” as it’s known, is also well on its way to becoming one of the most exciting areas for experiencing art in China. Here are some ideas on how to maximize your time in this creative Mecca.
 

Beijing Sideways: Beijing with the Wind in Your Hair 
If you think you’ve grown tired of this city and that you’ve been here long enough, let us tell you now: you haven’t. In fact, you haven’t really seen it at all until you’ve cruised through the hutongs and along the ring roads in the sidecar of a 750cc motorbike.
 

Nuts for Buns: Amazing Food We Forget IKEA Sells
We remembered IKEA also sells a bunch of Western food items, and explored it in depth, bringing home lots of salmon, cinnamon buns, and herring.
 

Practical Around the Clock: Off-Hour Solutions to Non-Emergency Issues
The large number of late-night frolicking between bars and eating establishments around Beijing aside, there are other tasks that need to be accomplished outside of regular business hours. That’s why we’ve looked at the practical things that are open late at night, should you want to fend off boredom with a film at 1am, go swimming at 2am, go to the gym at 3am, buy water at 4am, or find yourself needing to buy electricity at 5am.
 

Beijing Bungee: Jumping into the Jing's Abyss
We spoke to those who are not too scared to bungee jump, and gathered the intel on where around Beijing is good for jumping. If this is something you've always wanted to do: why not here in Beijing?
 

The City’s Best Climbing Spots and the People to Show You
If jumping off of cliffs isn't your forte then how about climbing up them? Whether you’re looking for bouldering, traditional, top-rope, sport or lead, there is an abundance of climbing opportunities in and around Beijing as popularity for the sport grows.

More stories by this author here.
Email: margauxschreurs@truerun.com
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Photos: Margaux Schreurs, Uni, Beijing Sideways, Kipp Whittaker, Joey Guo, Chris Meehan