New York City has FAO Schwartz, London has Hamleys and Beijing has the Hongqiao Toy Market.
Beijing’s Hongqiao Toy Market is made up over a hundred small individually owned stalls, each selling its own selection of goods.
The toy market is connected to the Hongqiao Pearl Market, which aside from pearls has a huge selection of stalls selling souvenirs aimed at tourists. This makes it a great stop for adults as well as the kids. You can even enjoy a decent coffee or sandwich in one of the café’s nearby.
Aside from non-branded toys there are plenty of name brand toys from Disney to Barbie to Wii video games. Scooters, roller blades and other wheeled devices are abundant. Lego, puzzles, stuffed animals, magic sets, wooden toys, infant play things and more are to be found in the rows of stalls.
For older kids, there are sporting goods, video games as well as radio controlled cars, helicopters, planes and boats. You have to watch out for the helicopter demonstrations in the aisles from enthusiastic stall workers.
The Hongqiao Toy Market is located close to the Temple of Heaven, the Kungfu Show theater and the Beijing railway station. It can be visited in conjunction with these nearby attractions.
The China Guide is experienced at building family friendly tours custom tailored to suit your needs.
About The China Guide
A western owned and managed travel agency, The China Guide aims to treat its guests like family. There are no factory shopping stops, meals are in quality local restaurants, guides are carefully screened and client satisfaction is the priority.
To find out more about The China Guide’s private tours as well as other offerings, please visit www.TheChinaGuide.com
