8-Day Self-Drive and City Walk from Beijing to Dalian

Sep 26-27: Cloudy with rain.

After boarding our cat at home, we set off on a self-drive trip from Beijing to Dalian.

We took the Jingha Expressway then the Shenhai Expressway, over 800 kilometers, driving for ten hours. We stayed overnight in Jinzhou, and the next day arrived in Dalian, staying at the Xilaide Sea View Apartment Hotel (Dalian Convention Center) in a deluxe sea-view room, with the convention center (one of China's top ten theaters) and the open sea right outside the window. In the evening, we walked to the nearby Dalian Kaidan Plaza on the fourth floor for dinner.

Sep 28: Cloudy.

Walking: First to Dalian Botanical Garden, then out of the garden via Zhongnan Road into Shanling Lane, up Paotai Mountain to see the battery ruins. The mountain is not high; walking along the ridge, you can see the convention center and the open sea in the distance, quite reminiscent of standing on Lion Rock in Hong Kong looking at Central. Soon we saw the battery ruins and various fortifications, built by the Japanese during WWII to defend against a US landing in Dalian. On the way down, we took a small path past many mountain graves.

Above: Battery ruins.

After descending the mountain, we walked through Shanluan Street onto Yingbin Avenue, where the plant landscapes on both sides are beautifully manicured. There are specially built pedestrian boardwalks along the roadside. Occasionally, dignified police motorcycle patrols passed by, but unfortunately we didn't see the legendary handsome female mounted police of Dalian.

We entered Bangchuidao Binguan Scenic Area (ticket 20 yuan). At the entrance, people may guide you to other attractions, like boat rides to islands; just ignore them. Passing several mansions, we reached the pebble beach. Many tourists were playing in the water. This sea area belongs to the Yellow Sea, with clear water. Opposite the beach is a stone island whose shape immediately explains the name "Bangchuidao" (Pestle Island). While gazing at the sea, my wife and I played a game of stacking pebbles on the beach.

In the evening, we watched "Tango of Flowers" quintet (violin, accordion, guitar, cello, piano) at the convention center. The original ticket was 380 yuan, but we bought an internal ticket from scalpers near the center for 100 yuan. The main pieces were tango music, the last one being the familiar "Por Una Cabeza."

Sep 29: Sunny to cloudy.

We took the bus to the south gate of Forest Zoo, then walked the Xinghai Bay Cross-Sea Bridge. The bridge has two one-way levels; the top deck is wide and has well-laid pedestrian pathways, very comfortable to walk on. The weather was clear. On the right was the city skyline, yacht marina, and recreational beach; on the left was the boundless Yellow Sea meeting the sky, with occasional rocky islets. Each lamppost had a seagull perched on it, either preening or resting, quite amusing. The bridge walking length is 6.8 km, taking 1.5 hours.

On the way back, we took a taxi to Dayu Haikao Restaurant on Southwest Road for charcoal-grilled seafood. We ordered large prawns, scallops, and oysters. The restaurant decoration and seafood taste were good.

After lunch, we crossed the road to Xinghai Park, strolled along Xinghai Beach, passed Xingyu Street to Xinghai Square. This oval square is incredibly vast—truly a grand urban design. The lawns and greenery are excellently maintained, with many magpies foraging in the grass.

At dusk, we took Metro Line 2 to the Yoga Hui flagship store on Renmin Road to see world brands, then had dinner on the ninth floor of the Friendship Store nearby.

Sep 30: Cloudy.

We drove to the Western Suburb National Forest Park, located on the outskirts. The scenery is charming and the environment quiet. After getting out, we walked along the wooden boardwalk by Wangjiadian Reservoir. The air was fresh and moist, with clear green water nearby and green mountains surrounding us in the distance. There is an attraction called Nine-Bend Flower Street; walking through it felt quite like San Francisco's Lombard Street. We passed by Peach Blossom Drunk Coffee House, ordered juice, and sat by the wooden house to enjoy the scenery—truly a moment to savor life.

At noon, we returned to the convention center and ate Nanshan Fresh Shrimp Noodles at the Oriental Water City nearby. For 48 yuan, a bowl of noodle soup with two large prawns and a soft-boiled egg—delicious broth and great value. After lunch, we strolled along the nearby coast, watching a beautiful woman feeding seagulls and singing live-stream. In the evening, we had a Cantonese-style tea meal on the fourth floor of Kaidan Mall. The taste was authentic. After dinner, we watched the musical fountain at the convention center to celebrate National Day.

After several days of walking through streets and lanes in Dalian, I felt the locals have good quality: for example, at red lights, very few pedestrians cross the zebra crossing; cars stop to yield to pedestrians; when a car signals a turn, others slow down to give way; the city is clean and tidy, and environmental management is commendable.

Oct 1: Overcast.

Last night, Dalian was hit by a severe hailstorm. Fortunately, our car parked outside the convention center was unharmed.

We drove to Jinshitan Park, stepped on the beach to leave footprints, and grilled a mackerel skewer to taste the sea flavor.

Then we went to Paishi Landscape. We parked by the roadside; the scenic area is free. We walked along a relatively flat path to the coastline. Suddenly, the rock face in front collapsed steeply—it turned out we were standing on a rocky platform tens of meters above sea level, jutting out into the sea like a horn. A huge slanted rock rose from the sea toward the sky, with a heroic air. The rock face seemed within reach yet far away. Behind it, a row of isolated rocks in the sea rose sharply toward the sky, like disciples of the large rock, until they disappeared into the sea. Due to sea erosion, the edge of the platform was vertical rock walls. I dared to approach and peek at the surging waves hitting the rocks below, feeling dizzy and unsteady, as if being pulled. I quickly stepped back to feel safe. At that time, the setting sun cast golden light on the sea, and the red glow illuminated the rocks—a magnificent sight. Near the scenic area, there were many small stalls selling sweet potatoes and corn, likely local specialties.

At night, we stayed at the Qiyue Hotel Apartment in Bayuquan District, Shanhai Square, Yingkou.

Oct 2: Cloudy.

We drove to Tuanshan Ocean Park and walked along the coastal erosion landscape boardwalk. Occasionally, we went down to the beach to closely observe the sea-eroded rocks and listen to the millennia-long conversation between tide and rock. We reached an aerial glass bridge, offering a full 360-degree view. The glass underfoot was wide and transparent, giving a wonderful feeling of standing in the void. Each step felt like we were about to fall into emptiness—unreal yet thrilling. After passing Beihai Zen Temple, there was a boat graveyard and a vast red beach. Throughout the park, vendors sold boiled stone snails, both large and small.

We returned to the beach near our apartment at Golden Beach. Near the Pearl Observation Deck, there were several amusement facilities. I rode the pirate ship, which swung very high. Sitting at the front, I felt completely airborne at the highest point—very thrilling.

Oct 3: Rainstorm.

We drove to the Honghaitan National Scenic Corridor. On the expressway, we encountered a hailstorm. The continuous explosive sound of hail hitting the windshield was terrifying, as if the windshield would be smashed at any moment. I also worried about the car's sleek exterior getting dented. We crawled forward through the hail and rain, anxious. Luckily, we found a bridge and stopped underneath to take shelter. Soon, many cars crowded together, blocking the expressway. I was extremely worried that a large truck behind might not brake in time, causing a pile-up. After ten minutes, the hail stopped, and we hurried on. Under dark clouds, we arrived at the north gate of Red Beach. I quickly checked the car's exterior; fortunately, it was intact, and I felt relieved.

We took a small train into Red Beach. We got off at the first and second stops to view the scenery. From the third stop onward, dark clouds rolled in, and then a torrential rain swept across us with crosswinds. Our carriage was completely open on the windward side, letting the storm ravage. Passengers opened umbrellas to fend off the rain, but it was hard to cover both ends, and soon the benches were soaked. The situation was miserable. We lost any desire to get off at stops. When we reached the south gate, the rain and wind abated slightly, so we directly took the return train and got off at the second stop (south to north direction). Here, the red beach stretched to the sky and sea, boundless. Clusters of red grass spread like a red carpet welcoming the heavenly emperor. Across the road, there was an endless golden rice field. We walked along the boardwalk into the rice field, seeing full and heavy grain clusters; I couldn't help but gently touch them, feeling the grace of heaven and earth, and the beauty of sun and moon.

We boarded the train again, but this turned out to be our last ride. Soon, overwhelming crosswinds and rain tried repeatedly to overturn our train. We wished there were more heavy people on board to weigh it down. The train had to anchor in place. All passengers huddled in the swaying car, resigned to fate. Everyone, young and old, gripped the handrails tightly, faces pale, determined to share the train's fate. The raindrops weren't falling vertically but horizontally like bullets, and thunder cracked overhead, lightning splitting the misty void. It made a mockery of saying "my fate is in my own hands."

Under the young female driver's arrangement, we waited for breaks in the rain. When the wind eased, we moved; when the wind strengthened, we stopped. After a long, slow ordeal, we finally returned to the north gate. As we got off, our feet plunged into a pool of knee-deep—actually, ankle-deep water. Nearby, several female tourists were hiking up their skirts and pushing through the waves. The thoughtful driver noticed and told us to sit back down; she would find a better landing spot. The train, carrying shivering passengers, crawled slowly near the north gate like a worm, while the rain steadily increased. Inside, I stood on tiptoe, watching the rising water coldly, preparing to snorkel from a submerged train to the parking lot. Fortunately, the driver didn't let us down—maybe someone recited the six-character mantra to move the heavens—and finally pulled us to a place with less water. As I stepped out, I wanted to hug the young female driver to thank her for saving me and, indirectly, saving the universe, but someone with longer legs beat me to it...

Anyway, we then searched for our car in the rain. My ten-year-old BMW umbrella broke its ribs in the wind—how sorrowful. We drove off and stopped by the roadside to eat rice field hairy crabs (four females, top grade, 115 yuan per jin) to calm our nerves. Continuing on, we encountered multiple rainstorms over nearly three hours, with dark skies and poor visibility. We passed two car accidents—truly a miserable drive.

At night, we stayed at Dongdaihe Shanhai Tongwan Sea View Apartment in Huludao City.

Oct 4: Overcast with rain.

The morning temperature dropped to 14 degrees Celsius, feeling cold. Yesterday, the storm was still over 20 degrees. From Douyin, we learned that yesterday, Yingkou, Panjin, and Huludao all suffered hailstorms.

We drove to Changli Grape Valley. The valley is on the back slope of Jieshi Mountain, mentioned in Cao Cao's poem "Eastward I gaze at Jieshi, to see the vast ocean." The exposed sandstone of the mountain is quite scenic—shaped by long exposure to storms and waves, no wonder Cao Cao felt such grandeur upon seeing it. We entered a farmyard to see a 152-year-old grape king tree, its thick branches intertwined on the ground like a coiled dragon. Walking up the grape corridor, we admired the arbor-shaped trellis laden with fruit, feeling joyful. On the way down, we bought Sunshine Rose grapes, very sweet. Other varieties like Kyoho and Muscat were slightly less sweet due to too much rain this year. We had lunch at a local restaurant called Jadeite Pavilion. At 7 p.m., we drove back to Beijing in the rain, ending the trip.