We came here for a run on a Saturday evening in August and were amazed by the number of local people out and about dancing, doing aerobics, flag waving, skate boarding etc! A really fun place to see a different aspect of Beijing and the Olympic venues looked great lit up from the outside too!

Living down the street from Olympic Park and working inside Olympic Park has been an amazing experience but it took me over a year to go and check out the Birds Nest and Water Cube end of the park. The Birds Nest Stadium is commonly used for concerts and other large events so if you want o go inside you'll need to make sure one of these events is not being packed down or set up. But I recommend just doing the stadium yourself. Buy your tickets near the gate 80rmb ($15aud) and head inside. Everything is signed in English and Chinese and it's not difficult to find your way around. You can climb to the roof and get some decent photos. It's beautiful to see such a large green parkland in the northern centre of the city. I also recommend hanging around until night time to see the stadiums all lit up and to dance with the different groups in the square - everyone from teenagers skating around and learning hip hop routines to grandma's dancing and traditional fan dances. I think it comes alive at night time. There is a shopping complex attached to the train station where you can grab a bite to eat and wander around between afternoon and sunset. If you can get up the towers for clear sunset it's worth the price. It is worth noting that. preparation is in full swing (and has been for a while now) for the winter Olympics 2022. Beijing has maintained most of its park buildings as well as finishing the Olympic Tower. They are adding more for the winter games, a new ice rink has sprung up at the end of my street. They have put up their countdown clocks and are hosting performances and small festivals. There are souvenir shops full of 2022 merchandise as well.