In March, winter jasmine in Yongding town blooms first. Along national highways 108 and 109, mountain peaches appear.
Local tourism authorities recommend Miaofengshan town and Tanwang road for photo-taking.
In late March and through April, Tanzhe Temple, founded in the Jin Dynasty (265-420) and one of Beijing's oldest Buddhist temples, is home to magnolia trees approximately 400 years old. Known as "er qiao" magnolias, named after two legendary beauties from the Three Kingdoms period (220-280), their pink and white petals bloom through April, Guo points out.
In mid-to-late April, Jietai Temple, first established in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), is an ideal site for visits as it maintains over 1,000 lilac trees, some dating to the Ming and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, as well as the peony courtyard containing varieties traceable to Prince Kung's era.
From May onward, crabapple blossoms in Junzhuang town, roses in Mencheng area, peonies in Yongding town, herbaceous peonies in Qingshui town, and apple blossoms in Yanchi town follow in succession.
Blooming landscapes will continue to enrich through June, when the district's Miaofeng Mountain's alpine roses bloom, Guo recommends.
For those who prefer to do more than just drive past these landscapes, Mentougou has opened two designated greenway routes that connect to the ancient temple and surrounding hills.
"It's ideal for cycling, meandering, and experiencing local folk customs," Guo says.
To help visitors navigate these many options, the Beijing culture and tourism bureau has collaborated with Baidu Maps to create a Beijing flower appreciation map.
"We aim to provide more than just navigation — it's one-stop flower appreciation service," says Wang Yixuan, product operations specialist at Baidu Maps. According to Wang, the map integrates blooming time data from the Beijing Meteorological Service, 10 officially recommended routes from the culture and tourism bureau, AI-generated route planning based on user searches for specific flowers and locations, and location data for parking, charging, gas stations, and public restrooms near viewing areas.
According to Wang, similar seasonal features have previously generated millions of daily clicks during peak periods. On social platforms, including Xiaohongshu (RedNote), users have begun sharing their experiences using the map.
When explaining the map cooperation, Zhang, with the culture and tourism bureau, says that the goal is to "present various lifestyle scenes integrating Beijing's culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and exhibitions, bringing more beauty and aesthetic value to everyone's spring life".
The city's cultural and tourism officials promise that the flower appreciation season extends a standing invitation to visitors: dismount, savor, and find beauty and stories in each flower.
