Ski and Hot Spring Guide for Beijing, Spring Festival 2027

Spring Festival 2027 Dates and the Ski Season Window

The 2027 Spring Festival falls on a Friday, with New Year's Eve on 5 February 2027 and the first day of the lunar year on 6 February 2027. The Lantern Festival arrives on 20 February 2027, closing the holiday period. Because the exact number of statutory days off and any adjusted working weekends are set by the government, check the official State Council notice before you fix flights, hotel nights or shuttle seats.

Resorts around Beijing usually open from early December and run until the end of February, so the holiday sits in the second half of the snow season. Expect machine-made snow as the base, topped up with natural snowfall whenever the temperature drops far enough. Coverage on the main runs is normally reliable through the holiday, though thin patches can appear on south-facing slopes during a warm spell, and staff will close a run rather than leave it open in poor shape.

Book the trip around 1 January 2027 as a soft milestone: that is when many hotels publish Spring Festival rates and when shuttle operators confirm their holiday timetables. Waiting until late January leaves only the expensive rooms and the awkward departure slots. If your dates are flexible, the days just before 5 February 2027 are quieter than the stretch from 6 February 2027 onward, because most families travel after the reunion dinner.

Choosing a Resort: Nanshan, Huaibei, Jundushan and Yuyang

Nanshan Ski Resort sits in Miyun District, roughly ninety minutes by car from central Beijing on the Jingcheng expressway. It has the most complete spread of runs in the region, with a large number of intermediate pistes that suit skiers who already control their speed and turns. Holiday lift tickets commonly fall between 300 and 500 yuan, and packages that include rental gear work out cheaper than buying the two separately. There is a dedicated children's zone and a teaching programme.

Huaibei International Ski Resort in Huairou District is closer to the city, has moderate vertical drop and a high share of beginner slopes, which makes it a sensible first mountain for families. Jundushan in Changping District sits next to the Ming Tombs, is easy to reach and runs a night session that many day-trippers use. Yuyang in Pinggu District offers wide, open runs for skiers who want space, but the two-hour drive each way is a real commitment.

For hot spring pairing, Jundushan with Changping's springs and Huaibei with Huairou's resorts are the two smoothest combinations, both within about thirty minutes by car. Nanshan and Yuyang have fewer hot spring options nearby, so they work better as a same-day return or as a standalone overnight stay. Choose the mountain by the skill of the group: beginner families do well at Huaibei and Jundushan, while stronger skiers get more from Nanshan and Yuyang.

Beginner Slopes and Lessons

Every one of these resorts sets aside a gentle learning area, usually a short magic-carpet lift over a wide, low-angle slope, separated from the main flow of traffic. Beginners should stay there until they can stop on demand and link a few turns, rather than drifting onto a run that looks easy from the base. Staff mark the boundary of the learning zone, and it is worth respecting it, since a fast skier arriving from above is the most common cause of a collision.

A half-day lesson is the single most useful purchase for a first-timer. Group lessons usually cost 200 to 400 yuan and put two or three students with one instructor, who starts with how to put on and take off the skis, how to walk on flat ground, how to brake and how to make a snowplough turn. Two hours of that is often enough to ride a beginner slope unaided. Self-taught beginners fall more, tire faster and pick up habits that are hard to correct later.

Instructors also explain the layout of the resort, which lift serves which slope and where to exit safely, saving a lot of wandering. Ask at the desk whether the lesson is in Mandarin only or whether an English-speaking coach can be arranged, and book ahead during the holiday, because the popular morning slots fill quickly. Children's classes usually group by age as well as ability, and a short session of ninety minutes suits younger skiers better than a full morning.

Lift Tickets and Gear Rental

Holiday pricing at Beijing-area resorts typically follows a weekend or peak-day rate rather than the weekday rate, so the ticket on 6 February 2027 will cost more than the same ticket in mid-January. Buying online in advance locks the price and usually lets you skip the ticket window queue, which matters when the base area is busy. Many tickets are timed for a morning, afternoon or night session, and a full-day pass is only worth it if you genuinely plan to ski from opening to close.

Rental happens in the gear hall, where skis, boots and helmets come as a set for roughly 50 to 150 yuan, with a refundable deposit on top. Try the boots properly: too tight and your feet go numb, too loose and you cannot control the ski, so aim for about half a size to a full size above your street shoe. Check the edges and the bindings before you leave the counter and swap anything that looks worn, rather than discovering a problem halfway up the lift.

You do not need to buy a full outfit for one trip. Ski jackets and trousers can be rented, and a waterproof shell over a fleece layer works for most casual visitors. Gloves should be waterproof, because knitted gloves soak through and then freeze. Wear a moisture-wicking base layer instead of cotton, which holds sweat and turns cold against the skin. Families with children should pack one spare set of clothes, since snow play soaks through faster than anyone expects.

• Documents: passport or ID, booking QR codes and a printed copy of the resort confirmation.
• Layers: moisture-wicking base layer, fleece mid layer, waterproof outer shell.
• Extremities: waterproof gloves, warm socks plus one spare pair, a neck gaiter.
• Protection: helmet from the rental desk, goggles to cut glare and wind.
• Hot springs: swimsuit, swim cap, flip-flops and a dry bag for wet clothes.
• Extras: lip balm, a thermos, a power bank and a waterproof pouch for the phone.

Getting There: Roads, Shuttles and Trains

Driving is the most flexible way to combine a mountain and a hot spring in one day, and the expressway network makes both Changping and Huairou reachable in about an hour from the northern edge of the city. Leave before seven in the morning to clear the urban ring roads, because the outbound jam on the Jingcheng, Jingzang and Jingping expressways builds between nine and eleven on holiday mornings. Returning after dark on mountain roads is slower and less forgiving, so plan to descend before dusk.

Several resorts run paid shuttle buses from downtown pickup points during the season, and some hotels bundle a seat with the room. Holiday schedules are thinner than weekday ones and seats sell out, so reserve a place when you book the room rather than turning up at the stop. Suburban rail lines and long-distance buses reach the district towns, but you still need a local taxi or a resort transfer for the last stretch, and those are scarce when a large crowd leaves at the same time.

Parking fills early at the popular resorts, and the difference between arriving at half past eight and half past nine can be twenty minutes of circling. Ride-hailing works on the way out but is unreliable on the way back from a mountain in the evening, when drivers are few and surge pricing is common; agree a pickup time with a local driver or keep the number of a car service. If snow is forecast, check road conditions before leaving and allow extra time for a closed or restricted expressway.

Hot Springs in Xiaotangshan and Changping

The Xiaotangshan area of Changping is the densest cluster of hot spring resorts near Beijing, with Jiuhua Resort, Longmai and several smaller spas drawing on the same geothermal belt. Jiuhua is large, with many indoor and outdoor pools and facilities aimed at families. Longmai is known for its outdoor pools and garden setting, which is memorable when snow is falling on the water. Day tickets usually run from 100 to 200 yuan on weekdays and rise over the holiday, and meal-inclusive packages need their serving hours confirmed in advance.

Huairou and Shunyi also have hot spring hotels, which is convenient if you are coming down from Huaibei in the late afternoon; the drive into Huairou town is short and you can check in straight after soaking. When choosing a spa, look at two things: the balance of indoor and outdoor pools, since indoor pools are easier with older relatives and small children, and the closing time, because a late soak leaves little margin for the drive home. Some venues limit entry by time slot, so call ahead.

Keep each soak to forty or sixty minutes in total, rising to drink water and cool down between pools, rather than staying in hot water for a long stretch. After a morning of skiing the muscles are tired, so lower water temperatures and shorter sessions help recovery more than a long bake. Pool decks are wet and slippery, so walk slowly, hold the handrail on steps and keep children from running. Shower before entering the pools and remove jewellery, since metal can discolour in mineral water.

Skip the hot spring if you have been drinking, have not eaten, or have just finished a heavy meal; leave at least an hour after eating. People with high blood pressure or a heart condition should ask a doctor first and avoid the hottest pools. If you feel dizzy or your heart races, get out, sit somewhere cool and drink water. After soaking, dry off and dress warmly before stepping outside, and do not schedule anything strenuous for the rest of the evening.

One-Day and Two-Day Itineraries

The classic one-day plan runs on the Changping line. Leave at half past seven, reach Jundushan by half past eight and ski the morning session until noon. Eat at the resort or drive down into the valley, then reach a Xiaotangshan spa by two in the afternoon for a two-hour soak, and start the return journey around five. Total driving stays manageable and the day works for a self-drive or a hired car with a driver. It suits office workers with a single free day and families with older children.

Two days take the pressure off. Ski and soak on the first day, sleep at a hot spring hotel, and spend the second morning on a nearby sight before heading back to the city. The advantage is that nothing is rushed: the soak can last as long as you like, and the second day can hold a short ski session or an easy walk instead of a hard second shift on the slopes. If time is tight one day is enough, but for a group with children and grandparents two days is more comfortable.

On the Changping two-day route, ski at Jundushan and soak at Xiaotangshan on day one, then stay at a hot spring hotel in Changping. On day two, spend the morning at the Ming Tombs or the Juyongguan section of the Great Wall, both a short drive away, and return to the city after lunch. The order matters: sightseeing first, traffic second, so you are driving against the flow rather than in it.

The Huairou version is gentler. Ski at Huaibei on day one and check into a hot spring hotel in Huairou town in the late afternoon. Day two begins with a leisurely soak and a walk through a nearby village, then a midday drive home. Because the distances are shorter, this route leaves more slack for a slow breakfast and a late start, which is what many families with young children actually want from a holiday.

• One day, Changping: Jundushan morning ski, Xiaotangshan afternoon soak, return by early evening.
• Two days, Changping: ski and soak, overnight in Changping, Ming Tombs or Juyongguan in the morning.
• Two days, Huairou: Huaibei ski, overnight soak in Huairou, village walk before the drive home.
• Family version: children's zone and a short lesson in the morning, indoor pools in the afternoon, no night session.

Spring Festival Crowds and Booking

Spring Festival is the busiest stretch of the ski year, and the peak arrives between the second and fourth days of the holiday, roughly 7 to 9 February 2027. Between ten and eleven in the morning the base area is at its worst, with long queues at the rental counter and the boot-fitting benches. Arrive for the opening bell or take the afternoon session and leave the morning for the hot spring instead. Either way, buy tickets online so you are not standing in a second queue once you are through the gate.

Book accommodation early, because hotels near the resorts and the spas raise rates sharply over the holiday and the good rooms go first. Packages that include breakfast and dinner are often better value than booking a room and meals separately, and they remove the need to hunt for a restaurant at nine at night. If your dates can move, the days after the fifth day of the holiday, or New Year's Eve itself on 5 February 2027, are noticeably calmer, since most families stay home for the reunion dinner that evening.

Check the cancellation policy before paying, because many holiday rates are non-refundable and some require full prepayment. Confirm whether parking is included and whether the lot is likely to fill, and ask about lift ticket bundling, since a room-and-ticket package can be cheaper than either element alone. For a two-day trip, a hotel between the mountain and the spa shortens both drives. If you are travelling with older relatives, request a ground-floor room or confirm that the building has a lift.

Children and Older Travellers: Alternative Plans

Children do well with a short, structured day. Book a ninety-minute lesson in the children's zone, let them play in the snow after, then move to the indoor pools at the spa in the afternoon. Avoid the night session, which is cold and tiring for small bodies, and keep the day's total outdoor time under four hours. Pack a spare set of clothes, a snack and a warm drink, and expect that a five-year-old will be done long before the adults are.

Grandparents who do not ski have plenty to do. Many resorts have a heated lounge or cafe with a view of the slopes, and some spas offer quieter indoor pools and rest areas that suit older visitors better than the busy outdoor sections. Check whether the venue has step-free access, handrails and seating near the pools, and choose a hotel with a lift. A short soak, a long lunch and an early return is a better day for most older travellers than a packed schedule.

If the snow is poor, or the group simply wants a lower-effort day, swap the mountain for an indoor ice and snow park, which many families use as a backup, or spend the day on the hot springs plus a nearby sight such as the Ming Tombs. The Great Wall at Juyongguan and the villages around Huairou work as gentle add-ons with short walks and clear paths. Having a Plan B matters in February, when a warm spell or high wind can change the day's plan on short notice.

Not everyone in the group needs a lift ticket, and the savings are real. A grandparent who soaks while the others ski pays only for the spa, and a small child who plays in the snow zone may not need a full pass. Ask at the ticket desk about spectator or non-skier rates, which are sometimes available and rarely advertised. Build the day around the people who are actually skiing, and let the rest of the group move at a slower pace.

Snow Conditions, Weather and Safety

Check the resort's snow report the night before and again on the morning of travel. Machine-made snow is the usual base, which means a firm, sometimes icy surface that is harder to fall on than fresh powder, so wear the helmet and consider wrist guards. A warm spell or rain turns the surface wet and sticky and makes turning heavy work. High wind can shut chairlifts, so confirm which lifts are running before you buy a ticket for the upper mountain.

Winter weather in the mountains can close expressways, and snow on the road changes a ninety-minute drive into a much longer one. Check road conditions before setting out and build in a buffer. If you are not confident on mountain roads in snow, take a shuttle or hire a car with a driver rather than testing your skills on ice. Carry water, a warm layer and a phone charger in the car, and keep the fuel tank above half in case of a long detour.

Beginners should not move onto an intermediate run until they can stop reliably and turn both ways on a gentle slope. Wear the helmet, control speed and keep a gap from the skier ahead, because the person downhill has the right of way. On the hot spring side, do not soak straight after intense exercise, on an empty stomach or after drinking. When conditions are poor, sliding the plan toward the spa and a short sight is a sensible trade rather than a wasted day.

Packing List and Budget

A realistic single-day budget for one person runs roughly 300 to 500 yuan for the lift ticket and rental gear, 100 to 200 yuan for a spa ticket and about 100 yuan for meals, before fuel and tolls. That puts a comfortable day in the range of 500 to 800 yuan. A two-day trip adds one night at a hot spring hotel, which over the holiday often costs 500 to 1,000 yuan and includes breakfast and sometimes dinner. Children and non-skiing relatives reduce the total, since they skip the lift ticket.

If comparing prices and stitching together the route feels like work, a local operator such as Beijing Wanyou Tianxia International Travel Agency can combine a resort and a spa around your group size and ski level and book the transport and rooms in one step. Whether you self-drive or use an agency, read the resort and spa announcements the night before departure to confirm opening hours and shuttle times, since holiday schedules change and a five-minute check saves a wasted morning.

• Day trip: lift ticket and rental 300 to 500 yuan, spa 100 to 200 yuan, meals about 100 yuan.
• Overnight: add a hot spring hotel room, often 500 to 1,000 yuan with breakfast over the holiday.
• Savings: online tickets, package deals and non-skier rates for grandparents and small children.
• Buffer: keep 200 to 300 yuan for tolls, parking and the odd taxi.

Cash is rarely needed now that most venues take mobile payment, but keep a small amount for a rural taxi or a car park that has not updated. A thermos of hot water is worth more than it sounds on a cold slope, and a power bank keeps a phone alive for the return navigation. Pack a dry bag for wet swimwear so it does not soak the rest of the luggage, and keep the ticket QR codes saved offline in case the mobile signal is weak at the mountain.

Practical Checklist Before You Go

Confirm three things before you leave the city: the resort's opening hours and which runs are open, the spa's slot or closing time, and the weather forecast for the return drive. Save offline copies of the booking confirmations and note the phone numbers for the resort, the hotel and the driver. Fill the tank, charge the phone and check that the car has an ice scraper and a warm blanket, since February nights in the mountains are cold and a breakdown is easier to handle with supplies on hand.

For public transport, plan the last leg carefully. District buses run less often during the holiday, and the gap between a train arrival and the next local bus can be an hour. A resort shuttle tied to your booking removes that uncertainty, and it is usually the cheapest option for a solo traveller who does not want to drive. If you take a taxi from the station, agree the fare or use the meter and keep the receipt, because mountain routes are sometimes priced by negotiation rather than by meter.

Build the day around light and warmth rather than around ambition. In February the sun sets a little after five, the temperature drops quickly on the slopes and the roads cool fast. Starting early, skiing through the morning, soaking in the mid-afternoon and driving home before dark is a rhythm that suits almost everyone. It also means you arrive at the spa before the evening rush, when the pools are quietest and the changing rooms are empty.

Final Notes

Watch the official State Council notice for the confirmed holiday dates, since the adjusted working weekends affect both traffic and staffing at resorts. Book rooms and shuttles against the confirmed dates, then re-check the booking once the notice is published. The calendar points that anchor this guide are 1 January 2027 for the start of holiday-season bookings, 5 February 2027 for New Year's Eve and 6 February 2027 for the first day of the lunar new year, but the notice should be the final word.

Keep the plan flexible. Snow, wind, road closures and a tired child can all reshape a day, and a schedule with one backup option absorbs those changes without stress. If the mountain closes, the spa and a short sight still make a full day; if the spa is full, an earlier drive home and a good dinner work just as well. The point of the trip is the change of pace between cold and warm, not a ticked list of venues.

Prices quoted here are typical ranges for the holiday period and will vary by resort, date and package, so treat them as planning figures rather than fixed rates. Confirm current rates on the official booking pages when you commit. The same applies to opening hours, shuttle times and which runs are open, all of which change with conditions. A short call or a look at the official app the day before travel answers most of these questions quickly.

With dates fixed, rooms booked and a route that pairs a mountain morning with a warm afternoon, the 2027 Spring Festival becomes an easy trip rather than a logistical puzzle. Go early, buy online, ski within your level, soak in short sessions and drive home before dark, and the cold and warm halves of the day support each other. That balance is what makes this combination work for families, couples and mixed-age groups alike.