15 Jun 2025 - PEK Day 2: Beijing Olympic Park (Bird's Nest - 鸟巢 and Water Cube - 水立方)

From Summer Palace, we took the metro to Beijing Olympic Park.  Late afternoon is the best time to be there so that we could see the stadiums in daylight, then watch them light up spectacularly at night.

When Beijing hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics, it didn’t just stage a global event. It reshaped its northern landscape into a futuristic zone of sports, culture, and leisure. Today, Beijing Olympic Park (北京奥林匹克公园) remains one of the city’s most impressive landmarks, drawing travelers who come for its iconic architecture, open spaces, and the lingering spirit of the Games.

We were a bit hungry, so we decided to have our dinner at Yonghe Soybean Milk store below before exploring the area.

Beijing Olympic Park is more than just a relic of 2008. It’s a showcase of China’s ability to blend modern architecture, urban design, and cultural leisure.

Perhaps the most recognizable symbol of the 2008 Olympics, the National Stadium, nicknamed the Bird’s Nest (鸟巢), is a feat of engineering and design. Designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron with Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, the lattice of interwoven steel beams gives the stadium its nest-like appearance. At night, it glows with a warm red hue, making it even more striking. With 80,000 seats, it hosted the opening and closing ceremonies, track-and-field events, and football finals in 2008. It was also reused in the 2022 Winter Olympics, proving its adaptability.

Bird's Nest is also a popular concert venue for many global artistes.  When we were there, we could hear familiar songs coming out from the stadium. And guess what, Stefanie Sun (孙燕姿) was holding her concert right in the stadium when we were there.

Right across from the Bird’s Nest stands its aquatic counterpart, the National Aquatics Center, affectionately called the Water Cube (水立方). Its bubbly, translucent façade looks like a cluster of giant soap bubbles. By day, it reflects the sky; by night, it is illuminated with shifting blue lights, creating a magical effect. This was where swimming legends like Michael Phelps made history in 2008. The acoustics and pool design were considered among the best in the world. After the Games, the Water Cube was partially converted into a water park, making it one of the most family-friendly attractions in Beijing.

Nearby is the National Indoor Stadium.

Beyond the iconic stadiums, Olympic Park City has grown into a lively commercial and cultural hub. The wide boulevards and landscaped squares give it a grand, modern feel, perfect for evening strolls. The central Olympic Green axis stretches for miles, with fountains, gardens, and sculptures along the way. Malls, souvenir shops, and restaurants cluster around the park, making it easy to combine sightseeing with local snacks or a sit-down meal.

We took a break at the Park City and had a bowl of soup bao called 肉燕.

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