Located far to the north on the way to the Summer Palace and the Western Hills, HaiDian is now known as the capital's university district (site of China's Harvard, Beijing University) and the location of a new aquarium, the zoo and an old temple that now houses the Beijing Art Museum. Formerly the home of merchants and farmers, it has been considered a prime location for sightseeing and relaxtion for millenia. Its towering West Mountain, near garden-like forests, rivers, and water springs have inspired poets, scholars, and visitors alike. The lovely mountains and rivers in this district have long caused, HaiDian to be selected as the location for seasonal residences of China's emperors, as well as temples, synagogues, mosques, churches, and royal gardens.

Construction of gardens reached its peak during the Ming and Ch'ing dynasties. The Shao Garden (now part of Peking University) and the Tsing Hua Garden (of Tsinghua University) were once universally acclaimed destinations during Ming Dynasty. Among the dozens of private gardens still here are the Yuan Ming Yuan, once a royal garden (known to Westerners as "the Garden of all Gardens"); the Summer Palace at Wanshou Mountain, which is now included as a world cultural heritage site; Jingming Garden at Yuquan Mountain; Jingyi Garden at the Fragrance Mountain and Changchun Garden.

Today, HaiDian is not only the university but the high-tech district, referred to locally as "China's Silicon Valley." However, it's also the jumping off point for many easily reached scenic attractions—such as the Great Wall, the Ming Dynasty Tomb Valley, and the former Imperial Summer Palace. The zoo is another of its famous attraction, as well as the new aquarium and an old temple that houses the Beijing Art Museum.