A Northern Alternative to Sanya: Yantai’s 'Golden Coast' Full of Surprises

📌 Popular Itinerary Recommendation (3 Days 2 Nights) Day 1: Relaxing at Golden Beach - Morning: Golden Beach Park (Free! Wading, photography, playing in the sand) - Noon: Mong Kok Fishing Village (Must-try: sea intestine rice, salt and pepper mantis shrimp) - Afternoon: Lian Yantai Chapel (Instagram hotspot, stunning white seaside church) - Evening: Housha Square (Watch the sunset + trendy glass plank road) Day 2: Penglai Pavilion + Ocean World - Morning: Penglai Pavilion (5A scenic spot, legendary site of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea) - Noon: Jianxing Restaurant Penglai Noodles 🍜 (4 yuan per bowl, local favorite) - Afternoon: Penglai Ocean Polar World (Great for kids, beluga whale show is super healing) Day 3: Yangma Island Day Trip - Rent an electric scooter 🛵 to circle the island (50 RMB/day) - Must-visit spots: Zhang Island wooden plank road, Lotus Flower Sunset (jelly sea!) - Before heading back, eat at: Xinyang Restaurant (warm scallop edges, mackerel 🐟 dumplings 🥟) 🏨 Accommodation Recommendations 1. Near Golden Beach (sea view from the window) - Yantai Golden Coast Hilton Hotel: prime sea view, family-friendly - Yantai Bainaruitin Tianyue Bay Hotel: cost-effective, walking distance to the beach 2. Yantai City Center (convenient transportation) - Yantai Shimao Hilton Hotel: city center, near train station - All Season Hotel (Yantai University Branch): top choice for students, clean and affordable --- 🍽️ Must-Try Foods 🦞 Seafood Trio: - Sea Intestine Rice (Mong Kok Fishing Village) - Mackerel Dumplings 🥟 (Penglai Chun Restaurant) - Salt and Pepper Mantis Shrimp 🦐 (Rongxiang Seafood Hotel) 🍜 Specialty Snacks: - Penglai Noodles (Jianxing Restaurant) - Yantai Menzi (street stalls) - Changyu Wine 🍷 (China’s oldest winery!) --- 🚗 Transportation Guide - High-speed rail: Yantai Station/Yantai South Station, 4h direct from Beijing / 5h from Shanghai - Plane 🛫: Yantai Penglai International Airport, taxi to Golden Beach about 40 minutes - City transport: Bus 🚎 Route 17 directly to Golden Beach, taxi starting fare 8 RMB --- 💡 Travel Tips ✔ Best season: June to September (swimming allowed), September to October (fewer people, seafood is plump) ✔ Tide hunting time 🕑: Check "Yantai Tide Table," you can pick up little crabs 🦀 at low tide ✔ Must-bring items: sunscreen (strong UV!), slippers, sand digging tools --- 📢 Notes ⚠ West section of Golden Beach is less crowded, east section has more recreational facilities ⚠ Ask prices before eating seafood, recommended restaurants have clear price tags ⚠ When renting electric scooters 🛵 on Yangma Island, remember to bargain and check battery level --- 🌟 Why is this route so popular? 👉 Fewer people, beautiful scenery — fewer crowds than Qingdao and Weihai, equally clear sea! 👉 Super cost-effective — 500 RMB per person for three days, seafood for 50 RMB per person until full! 👉 Perfect for photos 📸 — chapel, glass plank road, Yangma Island, easily fill your social feed grid! 📩 Save this article and head straight here this summer! 🌞🦀