Every Beijinger worth their MSG knows the best restaurants, clubs and iconic China sites for entertaining guests during the summer tourist season. Visits are not just a time to show friends and family a good time, they are a time for showing off. With recent jaunts to China by both of my parents, I became aware of the need to showcase certain aspects of life in Beijing (camping trips to the Great Wall) and avoid others (Playboy bunny night at Bling). Here, I’ve culled advice from expats around town on how to impress when the ‘rents come calling.

First, go zhongguotong. Even if you’re the farthest thing from a China hand (unless you’re an ABC), you are much more so than your parents. “I engage in a lot more conversations with cab drivers and market vendors when my parents are in town,” says Annie Ly of the Jump Foundation. “My move is to let my parents buy something at Yashow, and then swoop in and negotiate the price down,” says energy analyst Even Pay. “Doing it once or twice let’s people know you’ve got stuff under control.” There’s no rule on being honest about your language skills. You may have just told the cab driver to turn left at the next intersection, but that doesn’t mean you can’t tell mom you two were debating the merits of the Harmonious Society.

Go authentic. Showing off Solana and The Place may be nice, but your folks may wonder why you don’t just move to San Diego. “I eat lots more Chinese food than normal when my parents come to town,” says marketing manager Tara Eriksen. “When my sister came, I skipped a night out at Sanlitun to go see Jackie Chan perform at the Bird’s Nest,” recalls fashion consultancy My Way West co-founder Allie Weisberg.

Finally, go to Yunnan. Nearly every expat I spoke to rounded out a parental visit with a trip south. “No pollution. Lots of nature,” says Pay. “Plus, the contrast blows people’s minds. Ancient villages co-exist in one country with metropolises like Beijing.”

By Jonathan Haagen