3 Days and 2 Nights in Dalian | Unlocking the Romantic Code of the Northern Coast

| Unlocking the Romantic Code of the Northern Coast. 📅 Itinerary Overview Day 1: Xinghai Square Light Chasing + Binhai Road Hiking Day 2: Laohutan Ocean Adventure + Fisherman's Wharf Sunset Day 3: Lingjiaowan Secret Realm + Black Stone Reef Beachcombing 🚗 Transportation Guide • Main Transportation: ✈️ Plane: Fly directly to Dalian Zhoushuizi Airport, Metro Line 2 directly to the city center (💰CNY 5, 40 mins). 🚄 High-speed train: 3 hrs direct from Shenyang/Harbin to Dalian North Station, taxi to Xinghai Square approx. 💰CNY 35. • Scenic Spot Transportation: 🚌 Xinghai Square → Binhai Road: Bus 16 (💰CNY 2, 30 mins), or taxi (💰CNY 25). 🚕 Binhai Road → Laohutan: Taxi (💰CNY 40, 25 mins), coastal cycling is more recommended! 🚗 Lingjiaowan → Black Stone Reef: Bus 2 (💰CNY 2, 40 mins), or taxi (💰CNY 30). 🌅 Day 1: Xinghai Square Light Chasing + Binhai Road Hiking 🎫 Tickets: Xinghai Square free, free viewing platform of the Cross-sea Bridge. 📸 Photo Guide: • Xinghai Square feeding seagulls (mobile stalls sell small bread 💰CNY 10/pack), capture the moment of seagulls diving! • Use a wide-angle lens for the night view of the Cross-sea Bridge, take a cinematic feel at the blue hour (18:30–19:00)! • Wear a long white dress on the Binhai Road wooden boardwalk, the skirt fluttering in the wind is super fairy-like~ 🚌 Route: Xinghai Square → Cross-sea Bridge → Lianhuashan Viewing Platform (1 hr walk) → Black Stone Reef (sunset) → Night tour of Xinghai Bay. 🍜 Food: • Lunch: Xinghai Square "Open Mouth Dumplings" (💰CNY 68/person), must-order sea urchin dumplings + shrimp siu mai! • Dinner: Black Stone Reef Night Market "Dalian Old Street BBQ", grilled squid whiskers + stew with sesame sauce is amazing! 🏨 Accommodation: • First choice for sea view: Xinghai Holiday Hotel (💰CNY 500+/night), 5 mins walk to the square, sea view from the window! ⚠️ Avoid Pitfalls Guide: • Don't use your own food to feed the seagulls, vendors will sell "added packets" at high prices! • There are many steps on Lianhuashan Mountain, wear sneakers, and bring trekking poles to save effort! 🐳 Day 2: Laohutan Ocean Adventure + Fisherman's Wharf Sunset 🎫 Tickets: Laohutan Four-Pavilion Package CNY 220 (CNY 30 off when booking on Trip.com), Fisherman's Wharf free. 📸 Photo Guide: • Shoot upwards in the beluga whale tunnel of the Polar Pavilion, and use a slow shutter to capture the floating feeling in the jellyfish pavilion! • Wear a yellow raincoat in front of the colorful houses of Fisherman's Wharf to form a contrasting color with the blue sea~ 🚌 Route: Laohutan → Coral Pavilion → Marine Animal Pavilion → Bird Language Forest → Fisherman's Wharf (take a cruise 💰CNY 50). 🌊 Featured Experience: • Feed the beluga whales in the Polar Pavilion (interactive time 11:30/14:30), listen to them "sing"! • Take a sailboat to sea at Fisherman's Wharf (💰CNY 80/person), it's super fun to cast a net to catch fish! 🍱 Food: • Lunch: Laohutan "Seafood Family Portrait" (💰CNY 98), must-order crab dumplings + sea urchin fried rice! • Dinner: Fisherman's Wharf "Pinhai Building", garlic scallops + mackerel dumplings are so delicious! 🏨 Accommodation: • Literary choice: Fisherman's Wharf Homestay (💰CNY 350+/night), see colorful houses from the window, walk to the pier! ⚠️ Avoid Pitfalls Guide: • Parrot show at Bird Language Forest is suspended in winter, confirm in advance on the official website! • Choose the official pier for renting a boat at Fisherman's Wharf, private boats may increase the price! 🧊 Day 3: Lingjiaowan Secret Realm + Black Stone Reef Beachcombing 🎫 Tickets: Lingjiaowan free, Black Stone Reef Park free. 📸 Photo Guide: • Use a telephoto lens to compress the space of the colorful houses in Lingjiaowan to take fairy-tale blockbusters! • Take pictures of small crabs in the gaps of the Black Stone Reef rocks, a wide-angle lens will produce better pictures~ 🚌 Route: Lingjiaowan → Fisherman's Wharf → Black Stone Reef (beachcombing tool rental 💰CNY 20/set). 🌅 Featured Experience: • Go beachcombing at Lingjiaowan during low tide, and look for sea urchins by turning over rocks (wear gloves to prevent scratches)! • Take pictures of the "Dinosaur Exploring the Sea" strange rocks at Black Stone Reef, which is super shocking under the afterglow of the sunset! 🦀 Food: • Lunch: Black Stone Reef "Yujiao'ao", iron pot stewed mixed fish + seaweed buns (💰CNY 78). • Souvenirs: Buy "Dalian Shrimp Paste" in the supermarket (💰CNY 25/can), it's great with porridge! 🏨 Accommodation: • Convenient for return trip: Atour Hotel Dalian North Station (💰CNY 400+/night), free pick-up and drop-off at the high-speed rail station! ⚠️ Avoid Pitfalls Guide: • Check the tide table before beachcombing (WeChat mini program "Global Tide"), the best time is 1 hr after low tide! • The rocks on Black Stone Reef are slippery, wear non-slip shoes, and don't risk climbing! 🍤 Versatile Tips 1️⃣ Dressing: The temperature difference on the beach is large, prepare a windproof jacket + sunglasses, and sunscreen is essential in summer! 2️⃣ Tickets: Laohutan + Xinghai Square joint tickets save CNY 50 on Trip.com, book 2 days in advance! 3️⃣ Transportation: Use Amap to take a taxi in the city faster than DiDi, carpooling between attractions 💰CNY 10-15/person! 4️⃣ Specialties: Lvshun cherries (best in June), Dalian cherry meat, sea urchin dried, it is more affordable to buy in supermarkets! "Dalian is a perfect concerto of sea and city—the pigeons in Xinghai Square are the commas in the sky, the sound of the waves on Binhai Road is the poetry of the coast, and the lights of Fisherman's Wharf are the period at night. This May Day, follow the guide and put the northern sea into the amber of memory!"