As icy winds sweep through Beijing’s historic hutong alleyways this February, locals and travelers are embracing the chill at the city’s frozen lakes. From ice-skating grandmas to giggling sled-riders, these urban ice rinks have become 2026’s hottest (or coolest?) hangouts! 🛷⛸️
At Houhai Lake, visitors can now:
Rent rainbow-colored ice bikes 🚲
Join impromptu ice-dragon dance groups (a viral TikTok trend!)
Snack on bingtanghulu candied hawthorns between laps
"It’s like winter carnival meets ancient poetry," says Zhang Wei, a university student teaching visitors traditional ice games. "Even my Gen-Z cousins put down their VR headsets for this!"
With temperatures holding steady at -5°C, the fun shows no signs of melting. Pro tip: Night skating under red lanterns? Pure magic ✨.
