vacation in China ... need some hints (Shanghai)

Hi,

I got a lot of help for my last question - about home hunting - and also based on your recommendations we've taken an apartment in the SRC in Minhang. A perfect fit to our requirements, so we are feeling really OK here. Now, after 6 months in Shanghai we start planning some vacation in China. During the last two weeks of June we want to see more from China than only Shanghai. Our idea is to start in Beijing and to visit the northern part of the country (including Beijing). Now I hope you can help us with two questions:
(A) What do you think we have to see (culture, history, 'real life', landscape, ... )?
(B) Do you have a recommendation for a kind of travel agency (our Chinese is very bad, so we will always need some help, wherever we will be)?

Would be absolutely great, to get some recommendations.

Armin