Residents of Beijing and parts of Hebei will start to enjoy the windfall of 6-day holiday beginning Friday, thanks to the on-going APEC meeting.

Many people made travel plans soon after the holiday announcement, and several travel agencies are reported to have sold out package tours leaving from Beijing.

If you happen to be a parent who hasn't made travel plans, take the chance to do something different and fun with your children, as the schools will be closed during this period, too.

1. Watch autumn leaves

Late autumn makes Beijing a paradise for watching autumn foliage, from the scarlet maple leaves in the Fragrant Hills, golden ginkgo leaves at Tsinghua University of Beijing, to a mixture of all colors at the Botanical Garden. If you visit with children, try to make it more fun by adding some small games, for example, to spot many kinds of leaves.