Maybe you’ve already booked the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, and now you’re wondering where Beijing actually goes out for dinner. The answer is Sanlitun. It’s the international, design-forward side of the city, right beside the embassy district in Chaoyang District, and it feels a long way from the palaces. Think open-air plazas and concept stores, with cafe terraces in between.
Nonstop flights from Los Angeles take roughly 13 to 15 hours, so you’ll want your evenings to count. Sanlitun covers both halves of the day: shopping and coffee until dinner, then bars, rooftops and live music after dark. Here’s how to split it, where to eat and whether to sleep here. Still building your trip? Start with things to do in Beijing.
Sanlitun by day: shopping, coffee and people-watching
Mornings are slow in Sanlitun. Most shops open around 10 a.m., so there’s no rush to get out the door after a late arrival. Start with a coffee on a terrace and let the street style walk past.
Beijing shopping feels different here than on Wangfujing Street, the city’s best-known shopping strip. Wangfujing is a classic pedestrian street with big department stores and snack stalls. Sanlitun leans toward open-air plazas, concept stores and independent designers, so it suits you if you’d rather browse than hunt for souvenirs.
Taikoo Li Sanlitun: South, North and the in-between
N509FZ, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Taikoo Li Sanlitun is the main event, and it’s easy to lose half a day here. The open-air complex opened in 2008 as Sanlitun Village and splits into two zones, a few minutes’ walk apart. Plan on three to five hours if you like to browse.
Taikoo Li South (the Piazza) is where the global flagships live, including a three-story Adidas store and a Vivienne Westwood shop. Taikoo Li North (the Deck) has local designer boutiques, concept stores and contemporary art galleries. Prices match the brands, so this is a place for browsing, not bargains.
Address: 19 Sanlitun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Klook Tip: Stores run roughly 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Hit the South side first thing and save the North side for the evening, when the lights come on.
Sanlitun by night: bars, rooftops and live music
Acrobatics show at Chaoyang Theatre
Sanlitun shifts gears around 9 p.m. Music spills out of doorways, lines form at the popular clubs, and this is the neighborhood to head for if you want Beijing nightlife. Cocktails at mid-range bars run about USD 8 to 17, and rooftop spots can climb to around USD 28 a drink.
Sanlitun Bar Street runs just east of Taikoo Li along Sanlitun Road. The old strip closed for safety renovations in early 2023 and reopened in early 2024 with more bistros and cafes than before. Longtime names like Red Moon are back, but it’s less of a free-for-all than it used to be.
Rooftop terraces are the move on a clear evening, since the good ones pair a skyline view with live music or a DJ. Book a table ahead if you want a seat near the speakers. Hours vary by bar, so check before you go.
Would you rather sit than stand? The acrobatics show at Chaoyang Theatre is a short ride away and makes an easy early-evening plan before drinks.
Shichahai is Beijing’s other big nightlife district, set around the old-city lakes. It’s quieter, with lakeside live bands and a more local crowd, and it tends to wind down earlier than Sanlitun. A guided Houhai night tour saves you the planning.
Where to eat: Sanlitun restaurants and Chinese food nearby
Sanlitun restaurants cover most of the globe, which helps when jet lag has you craving something familiar. Carmen Tapas on Sanlitun Bar Street serves Spanish small plates, and the Nali Patio courtyard, a short walk from Taikoo Li, packs in more bars and restaurants. For a steak night, Cha Niu Steakhouse at the InterContinental is the splurge.
Good Chinese food is close by. Fuhe Noodle Restaurant, in the sunken plaza at Sanlitun SOHO, is the quick, cheap option at about USD 7 a person. Shanlitunli Straw-Grilled BBQ on Gongti North Road costs more, around USD 22 a person.
For the classics, the hutong night tour with food walks you through the hutongs (traditional Beijing alleys) and the local bites along the way.
Workers’ Stadium Beijing and the Liangma River
Two easy add-ons sit beside Sanlitun, one loud and one calm. The rebuilt Workers’ Stadium Beijing reopened in 2023, seats about 68,000 and is home to Beijing Guoan. Match days and big concerts fill the streets around it, so check the schedule before you go.
For a calmer evening, walk the Liangma River. The old waterway is now a riverside path through Chaoyang District, lined with cafes and paddleboards, and it links Sanlitun with the Solana shopping area. Go around sunset, when the lights come on, and grab a coffee at a riverside spot.
Getting to Sanlitun and getting around
Sanlitun is easy by subway, but the best station depends on where you’re headed. Tuanjiehu (Lines 10 and 3) is closest to Taikoo Li, about a 5 to 10 minute walk. Workers’ Stadium station (Lines 3 and 17) suits the stadium and the south end, and Dongdaqiao (Line 6) works too.
From the Forbidden City, it’s roughly 40 minutes by car or an hour by subway plus walking. From Capital Airport, take the Airport Express to Sanyuanqiao, switch to Line 10 and ride to Tuanjiehu. Plan on about 50 minutes and around USD 4. If you’d rather skip the transfers, a private airport transfer takes you to your hotel door.
Klook Tip: Most subway lines stop between 11 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. After that, ride-hail home, and walk a block or two off the bar street before you request the car.
How Sanlitun fits into your Beijing itinerary
Do the big sights by day and save Sanlitun for night. Spend the morning at the Forbidden City, head east in the late afternoon, and be at Taikoo Li by dinner.
Short on days? The Mutianyu and Sanlitun tour pairs the Great Wall with time in Sanlitun, so you get both in one day.
Where to stay in Sanlitun
Stay or just visit? If your trip is mostly the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, a hotel closer to the old center saves you transit time, since the sights are roughly 4 miles away. Stay in Sanlitun if nights out and walkable dinners matter more to you. Rates below are starting prices and change by date.
InterContinental Beijing Sanlitun by IHG
InterContinental Beijing Sanlitun by IHG
Rooms at the InterContinental Beijing Sanlitun start around USD 340 a night, making it the splurge of the five. Pick it if you want a polished base with a pool, spa and club lounge, about 0.3 miles from Workers’ Stadium station. Breakfast costs extra, roughly USD 37 per adult, so factor that in.
Address: No. 1 South Sanlitun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Check-in: 3 PM | Check-out: 12 PM
Four Points by Sheraton Beijing Sanlitun Workers Stadium
Four Points by Sheraton Beijing Sanlitun
At around USD 112 a night, this is the sweet spot if you want a newer hotel. The Four Points by Sheraton Sanlitun was renovated in August 2025, and Dongdaqiao station is a 4-minute walk away. The catch is that it has only 23 Klook reviews so far.
Address: No. 20 Gongti East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Check-in: 3 PM | Check-out: 12 PM
Crystal Orange Sanlitun Taikoo Li Beijing
Crystal Orange Sanlitun Taikoo Li Beijing
If you’re traveling with kids, the Crystal Orange Sanlitun is a mid-range pick with two-bed rooms and Tuanjiehu station a 2-minute walk away. It opened in 2024, so the rooms feel fresh. The downside is that it has no guest ratings on Klook yet.
Address: 1st Floor, Building 1, No. 12 Nongzhanguan South Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Check-in: 2 PM | Check-out: 12 PM
Atour Hotel Beijing Sanlitun Gongti North Road
Rooms start around USD 85 a night, the lowest on this list, so it works if you plan to spend your days out. Some rooms at the Atour Hotel Gongti North Road are only 18 square meters (about 190 square feet), and Dongzhimen station is a 14-minute walk. Check-out is 2 p.m., which helps on a late flight.
Address: 1st Floor, Building 24, Xingfu’er Village, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Check-in: 2 PM | Check-out:2 PM
Atour Hotel (Sanlitun Tuanjiehu Subway Station), Beijing
This mid-range Atour Hotel Tuanjiehu suits you if you’ll live on the subway, with Tuanjiehu station about a quarter mile away. Rooms run 22 to 30 square meters (about 240 to 320 square feet), so it’s cozy for two, and there’s a family suite. It has no Klook ratings yet, and Sanlitun is about half a mile away.
Address: No. 17 East 3rd Ring North Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Check-in: 2 PM | Check-out: 12 PM
FAQs about Sanlitun
What is Sanlitun known for?
Sanlitun is known for Taikoo Li Sanlitun, Beijing’s most famous open-air shopping complex, and for its nightlife. It sits beside the embassy district, so it feels more international than most of the city, with plenty of cafes, bars and restaurants.
How do I get to Sanlitun by subway?
Take Line 10 or Line 3 to Tuanjiehu, or Line 3 or 17 to Workers’ Stadium. Tuanjiehu is the closest stop for Taikoo Li, about a 5 to 10 minute walk.
Is Sanlitun worth visiting in Beijing?
Yes, especially for an evening after the Forbidden City. Skip it only if you want temples and old Beijing, since you won’t find those here.
Is Sanlitun a good area to stay in Beijing?
Yes, if you want nightlife, shopping and easy dinners nearby. The trade-off is distance, since the Forbidden City is roughly 4 miles away, about 40 minutes by car.
What time do bars in Sanlitun close?
It depends on the bar, because there’s no citywide closing time. Many stay open past midnight, but the subway stops around 11 p.m., so plan to ride-hail home.
What is there to do in Sanlitun during the day?
Start with shopping at Taikoo Li Sanlitun, then grab coffee on a terrace and browse the concept stores. Add the galleries in Taikoo Li North or a walk along the Liangma River before dinner.
Your Sanlitun plan
A good Sanlitun day looks like this: coffee and shopping at Taikoo Li, a noodle lunch, a river walk at sunset, then drinks on a rooftop. Book your hotel near Tuanjiehu or Workers’ Stadium first, then add the Great Wall and hutong food tours on Klook. If Beijing is one stop on a bigger trip, browse more of Mainland China on Klook.
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