Yantai Three-Day Travel Guide

📅 Best Season: May to October (swimming in summer, seafood is fresh and abundant after the September fishing season opens)
🚄 Transportation Guide:

High-speed trains directly to "Yantai Station" or "Yantai South Station," 20 minutes by taxi to downtown
Recommend renting an electric scooter in the city (35 RMB/day), very free to ride along the coast

🏖️ Day 1: Old Town + Popular Coastal Walk Mode
🌅 Morning: Yantai Hill Scenic Area (Free)

Must-do: Climb the lighthouse for a city view (10 RMB), explore former consulates of various countries
Hidden tip: At low tide in the reef area of Houhai, you can find starfish (check tide tables!)

🍽️ Lunch: Mong Kok Little Fishing Village (60 RMB per person)
✅ Must order: Sea worm rice (Yantai specialty!), mackerel dumplings, spicy stir-fried baby abalone
❌ Avoid: "Seafood stalls" near the scenic area (rip off tourists)
🌊 Afternoon: Chaoyang Street + Suochengli (Free)

Popular photo spots: Wine wall, bear wall, century-old courtyard teahouse
Fun fact: Suochengli is a Ming Dynasty garrison site with an ancient well underground

🌇 Evening: First Seawater Bathing Beach (Free)

The "Yantai Blue" filter at sunset is stunning, with a popular piano installation on the beach

⛵ Day 2: Penglai Fairyland + Changdao Island Hopping
✨ Morning: Penglai Pavilion Scenic Area (100 RMB ticket)

Must-see: The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea spot, Qi Jiguang Memorial Hall, Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea dividing line
Bargain tip: Tell taxi drivers "to Penglai Passenger Port" to save on shared ride fees

🚢 Noon: Take a boat to Changdao Island (45 RMB ticket)

Remember to feed the seagulls on the boat (buy ham sausages in advance, 5 RMB/pack)

🏝️ Afternoon: Jiuzhang Cliff + Crescent Bay (combined ticket 70 RMB)

The sunset at Jiuzhang Cliff is considered the most beautiful in Bohai Bay
Pro tip: You can find heart-shaped stones on the pebble beach at Crescent Bay

🍻 Night: Changdao Seafood Stalls (80 RMB per person)

Must-eat: Steamed sea urchin egg custard, garlic scallops, steamed blackfish

🌄 Day 3: Yangma Island + Artsy Off-the-Beaten-Path Route
☀️ Early Morning: Yangma Island Ring Road (Free)

Rent an electric scooter to circle the island (50 RMB/day), check in at the "Little Maldives" glass sea
Photo spots: Zhang Island wooden boardwalk, Qin Feng Cliff, Island Diary Café

📸 Morning: Fisherman’s Wharf (Free)

Pretend you’re in Europe: Prague-style pointed roofs, Spirited Away railway tracks
Hidden benefit: The seafood just landed by fishing boats at the wharf is the cheapest

🛍️ Before heading back: Joy City (souvenir shopping)

Recommended: Changyu red wine (30-100 RMB), Laiyang pear syrup (15 RMB/bottle), ready-to-eat sea cucumber

💡 Insider Tips to Avoid Pitfalls
⚠️ Beware:

Fishing farms claiming "free pick-up and drop-off" (hidden charges)
Roadside "wild sea cucumbers" (actually farmed)
Avoid Changdao on windy days (ferries may be suspended, stranded on the island)

🎁 Must-grab deals:

Yantai Citizen Card offers 50% off attraction tickets (borrowable by non-locals)
"Yantai Culture & Tourism" WeChat official account gives seafood discount coupons

📌 Lazy Traveler Optimized Itinerary:

For families with kids: Replace Day 2 with "Yantai Whale Shark Museum" (120 RMB ticket, half price for children)
For couples: Add a visit to "Moon Bay" for love lock photo ops