it was a rainy day in September 2007, inspite of the rain i went there with my wife and daughter (3).
the park is mgnificent, so beautiful so green so weel kept.
we stayed hours in garden, no knowing we didn't even see half of the place.
go back again - i wish i could...

What a beautiful and peaceful place. Even the little gift stalls do not take away the beauty of the Summer Palace. Plan on spending most of the day here and rent a boat on your own to spend a peaceful hour or so cruising the shoreline of the lake.
So beautiful!

Plan to spend at least a half a day since even that amount of time won't permit you to really see this serene estate, beautifully sited on Kuming Lake. We walked along Changlang, the long (very long) and colorful covered corridor, that follows the lake shore, saw the stone boat and various buildings, and took the 'dragon boat' back to the main entrance. While we had many views of the palace afar, we didn't make it up the hill to visit. Many many people seemed to be spending a more restful afternoon there, sleeping on the banks of the little canal or river that runs along Changlang, resting on the low walls of the corridor itself, picnicking, etc. Were I fortunate enough to ever return, that is what I would like to do on my next visit.

Beautiful and a nice change of pace from dirty hussle and bustle of Beijing. Read up on your Chinese history of Cixi, the Dragon Lady, to get more out of it, and definitely take a boat ride - relaxing and great views - and walk down the long corridor - the ceiling really is amazing! Def agree Summer Palace is a must see- allow 2-3 times as much time for it as you do for the Forbidden City, so you can take a leisurely stroll and soak up the culture.