I've been to Yantai twice, so let me share a two-day leisure travel guide for Yantai
Here, mountains meet the sea, and within the city lies Yantai Mountain; the bustling commercial street from a century ago still bears the marks of time; enjoy the water and waves at the beach, pick up some shells; walk along the boardwalk, listening to the wind, rain, and waves; there are also artistic elements: the whale fall on Golden Beach is a niche check-in spot; taste the rich flavor of red wine here; Shandong cuisine flourishes here, with sea intestines and chives being a perfect match... This is Yantai!
Yantai Leisure Two-Day Travel Guide:
Day 1: Yantai Mountain -> Ideal Bookstore -> Chaoyang Street -> First Seawater Bathing Beach -> Pier
Day 2: Golden Beach Seaside Park -> City Exhibition Center Whale Fall
1️⃣ Yantai Route 17
This route covers all the attractions on the first day, and you can experience the romance of a double-decker bus ride for just 1 yuan. Sit on the upper deck, feel the sea breeze, listen to music, and relax completely.
2️⃣ Yantai Mountain
With an altitude of only 42.5 meters, it's a great place to view the sea, surrounded by water on three sides, featuring mountain, sea, city, and port views. There are many consulates from various countries on the mountain, with distinctive architecture. As a 4A scenic spot, it surprisingly doesn't charge an entrance fee, making it a great value!
3️⃣ Ideal Bookstore
Located inside the Yantai Art Museum, this bookstore has a simple yet artistic design. Order a drink, pick a book, and sit by the window to spend a relaxing afternoon.
4️⃣ Chaoyang Street
Chaoyang Street was a bustling commercial street in modern Yantai, with famous foreign firms and shops gathered here. The street is filled with signs in both Chinese and English for factories, shops, banks, and entertainment venues. Strolling down the street, the luxurious decorations of Western-style buildings and the faint foreign letters on the walls can still evoke a sense of nostalgia, allowing one to fully appreciate the deep charm of this century-old street.
5️⃣ First Seawater Bathing Beach
Here, people can fully enjoy the sunshine, air, beach, and sea breeze. Stroll along the beach and play in the water.
6️⃣ Pier
The longest sea pier in China, walk along the boardwalk, listening to the wind, rain, and waves...
7️⃣ Golden Beach Seaside Park
Known as the 'Ten Thousand Meter Golden Beach,' the sand here is fine and soft, making it the best natural seawater bathing beach in China, often referred to as the 'First Beach in the North.'
8️⃣ Whale Fall
'When a whale falls, all things thrive.' This whale sculpture has half of its body submerged in the sand, with the back designed as a climbable slide, combining artistry with entertainment. It's perfect for check-in photos.
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🍽️ Food
1️⃣ Busan Pork Bone Soup Rice (💰58/person): Authentic Korean cuisine, stone pot bibimbap, soup rice, delicious side dishes, very cost-effective.
2️⃣ Hongxing Clay Pot (💰46/person): Various clay pots: catfish clay pot, rib clay pot, shrimp clay pot... served with refreshing cold dishes and a bowl of rice, very filling! The portions are generous, and one clay pot is really too much for one person.
3️⃣ Seafood Bureau (💰108/person): The seafood is very fresh, reasonably priced, with must-try dishes like sea intestine rice, seafood in sauce, and large mackerel dumplings.
Note: All the above restaurants have been personally tried.
🛌 Accommodation
Both times I went to Yantai, I chose to stay at the Sheraton on Golden Beach. The beach is right downstairs, with super large sea view rooms, very affordable during the off-season. There's also a Hilton nearby which is also good.