Six‑Day Tour from Beijing: Qingdao, Penglai, Weihai

Route: Beijing – Qingdao – Laoshan – Weihai – Yantai – Penglai – Beijing

Total distance: over 2,089 km

Fuel consumption: 10.3 L/100 km

Cost: about 3,000 yuan

Day 1: Beijing – Jingjintang Expressway – Yangcun (Tianjin) – Jinghu Expressway – Jiqing Expressway – Qingdao

5:40 Left home with a full tank of petrol.

6:00 Jingjintang Expressway, Dayangfang toll gate, collected toll card, reset the trip meter.

6:50 Jingjintang Expressway, Yangcun exit, toll fee: 25 yuan (67.2 km).

7:18 Reached Tianjin Outer Ring, free of charge.

There was road work near Yangcun, but you can still easily find the signs for Tianjin Outer Ring and the Jinghu Expressway by following the small road signs. The overall road condition on the Tianjin Outer Ring was terrible – avoid driving in the innermost lane (there are sudden left‑turning vehicles and pedestrians who appear out of nowhere).

7:34 Jinghu Expressway, Jinhai toll gate, collected toll card (103.9 km).

8:05 Jinghu Expressway, Hebei toll gate, collected toll card, paid: 30 yuan (157.1 km).

* Rested at Qingxian service area, had breakfast.

9:50 Jinghu Expressway, Shandong toll gate, collected toll card, paid: 60 yuan (297.2 km).

10:45 Directly from Jinghu Expressway, took the Jinan Ring Expressway, then followed the signs straight onto the Jiqing Expressway.

* 11:30 Stopped at Zouping service area for lunch and refuelled (44.29 litres, 4.29 yuan/litre, total 190 yuan).

Note: Zouping service area is very average. Service areas on the Jiqing Expressway are relatively few; if possible, avoid this one. For example, you can’t eat your own food in the rest area outside the supermarket – you have to buy from the supermarket. The restaurant only offers a 20 yuan/person buffet, very mediocre, with indifferent service.

12:27 Near the Binbo Expressway exit on the Jiqing Expressway, road works forced us onto a contraflow single‑lane section.

13:11 Near the Shouguang exit on the Jiqing Expressway, road works again, onto a contraflow single lane.

14:43 Jiqing Expressway, Qingdao toll gate, paid: 185 yuan (728.1 km).

About 20 minutes later, following the signs for Qingdao city centre, we reached the Luojuanjian toll gate on National Highway 108, toll: 10 yuan.

Tips:

1. Get to the Jinhai toll gate early to join the Jinghu Expressway and bypass the chaotic city streets and Tianjin Outer Ring.

2. Between Tianjin and Shandong, the Jinghu Expressway is sometimes signed as the Jingfu Expressway; just cross‑check with the map and follow the signs, you’ll be fine.

3. Road conditions improve after entering Shandong, but on the Jiqing Expressway traffic increases, there are occasional works that block lanes, and service areas are fairly scarce.

4. Total expressway tolls from Beijing to Qingdao: 310 yuan. Distance: 750 km. Time: 9 hours (including proper rest and meal stops). Fuel consumption: roughly 9 L/100 km (air‑conditioning on almost the whole way).

Day 2: Qingdao city centre – Laoshan Scenic Area – Mingxia Cave

Started from the southern district of Qingdao, drove along the coast or along Hong Kong Road heading east. After entering the Laoshan district, clear signs point to the Laoshan Scenic Area. The drive is about 32 km, roughly 50 minutes. At the foot of Laoshan there is a ticket booth that looks like an expressway toll station; you can drive straight up to the cable car station. Small cars pay 5 yuan per vehicle, entry ticket is 50 yuan per person. Park the car near the Taiqing cable car, then you can choose to hike or take the fully enclosed cable car – round trip 50 yuan per person. From the cable car top station you can climb further; in just over 10 minutes you reach Mingxia Cave, ticket 4 yuan per person. It’s actually a Daoist temple, but the courtyard has a cave – you can “tunnel through the mountain” and climb all the way to the summit. After coming down and returning to the city, we continued sightseeing: the Zhanqiao Pier, the cathedral and other city spots.

Day 3: Qingdao Badaguan – Huashi Villa – May Fourth Square – Zhongshan Park TV Tower – Weihai

In the morning, went directly to Badaguan and visited Huashi Villa (ticket: 5 yuan). Then went to Music Square and May Fourth Square – basically two seaside city squares that almost connect; about 30 minutes to see both. Yesterday, while taking a taxi, the driver recommended the TV tower in Zhongshan Park – for 39 yuan you get a panoramic view of Qingdao plus a buffet, sounded good. After May Fourth Square we looked at the map and asked our way there. You can drive right up to the tower gate, but the route is tricky; you need to ask directions frequently. Mainly, find “Shangqing Road” and you’ll find the way up the hill.

After coming down from the TV tower, we headed straight for Weihai – and then began the most headache‑inducing afternoon of the trip. From Qingdao city centre, get onto Ningxia Road, then you’ll see signs for the Qingyin Expressway. Take the Qingyin Expressway; after about 20 minutes the expressway ends, toll 15 yuan. Then it’s mostly first‑class roads. Ask for directions all the way: you’ll pass the Jimo toll gate (10 yuan), Haiyang (10 yuan), Rushan (10 yuan), Wendeng (10 yuan) and Wangjiatuan (10 yuan) before reaching Weihai. The road alternates between first‑class highway, expressway stretches, and sometimes driving straight through towns. As long as you keep asking, it’s easy enough to stay on track – the only challenge is the local accent. A tip: you can ask a traffic policeman (JCSS) for directions, they tend to explain more clearly.

Tips:

1. Some maps show Qingdao–Weihai as a full expressway. Judging by the current state, it’ll need another three or four years of construction. So once in Qingdao, it’s best to buy the latest Shandong map.

2. Some first‑class roads look exactly like expressways, but they have gaps in the median where vehicles and livestock can cross, so be very careful. However, from Haiyang to Rushan the road is excellent and nearly fully closed. After Rushan, because of expressway works, you need to detour onto National Highway 309 – good surface, light traffic. The Rushan–Weihai expressway should be finished very soon.

3. Qingdao city centre to Weihai city centre is about 300 km. Total tolls: 65 yuan. Driving time: 4 hours.

Day 4: Weihai – Liugong Island – Development Zone – Weihai International Beach – Yantai

In the morning we visited Liugong Island. Afterwards, we drove around the Weihai Development Zone to see the new part of town and perhaps Shandong’s best beach – Weihai International Beach (long sandy shore, clear water, and very few people). A pity that time and weather didn’t allow a swim. From the Development Zone you can easily get onto the Yanwei first‑class highway.

Day 5: Yantai – Penglai

It was already 6 pm when we reached Yantai city centre. We drove along the coastal road looking for a hotel, but during the summer peak season every beachfront hotel was fully booked. A four‑star still had rooms, but a non‑sea‑view standard room was 600 yuan plus. So with no choice, we moved a bit further into the city and checked into a three‑star called the Machinery Tower Hotel – standard room 320 yuan, fairly clean and hygienic, with a free enclosed car park. After dropping our bags, we went to the only big food stall along the coastal road for dinner. The food was terrible and hideously overpriced – a plate of shredded potatoes cost 15 yuan. We ate quickly and then walked on the beach opposite, only to find the water very murky and the beach filthy. Further on we found a huge seaside square, newly built, designed by the Tsinghua University Design Institute. The musical fountain was nice, and several landscape features were quite interesting. Strolling on the square with the sea breeze was rather pleasant. Around 10 pm we went back to the hotel and had another meal at a food stall right outside the door, then slept.

Yantai summary: Due to time constraints we didn’t properly explore Yantai’s cityscape or attractions, but the overall impression was average. The city isn’t particularly clean, and the coastal environment doesn’t feel like a tourist city. There’s apparently a Yantai Hill where you can see a panorama, but we’d lost enthusiasm and didn’t go.

The road from Yantai to Penglai is also very easy. Just follow the road that cuts straight through Yantai city centre and you’ll get onto the first‑class highway to Penglai. Distance roughly 130 km, drive time a little over one hour. The road surface is excellent; if conditions allow you can cruise at 140 km/h. On both sides of the road there are many grape trellises – the scenery is superb.

Arriving in Penglai, we checked into Lao Chuanzhang Fishermen’s Inn, a short walk (10 minutes) to Penglai Pavilion. We bought the combined scenic‑area ticket (￥100), which covers the Naval Headquarters, Penglai Pavilion, Tianheng Plank Walk, the Bohai–Yellow Sea boundary, the Ancient Ship Museum, Dengzhou Museum, and the Panoramic Cinema. We visited the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea spot, the Ancient Ship Museum, the Water Fortress, Tianhou Palace, and the Penglai Fairy Pavilion. On the Tianheng Mountain plank walk we saw the dividing line between the Bohai and Yellow Seas. In the evening we ate at the Fishermen’s Inn – all the seafood was alive, the most satisfying meal we had in this coastal city. The Fishermen’s Inn is called Lao Chuanzhang Fishermen’s Inn. Highly recommended – it really is good. The owner’s phone number is 13864588098, Xiao Jiang.

Day 6: Penglai – Weiwu Expressway – Weilai Expressway – Jiqing Expressway – Jinan Ring Expressway – Jinghu Expressway – Beijing

To return to Beijing, first get onto the Weiwu Expressway. In Penglai, just find the KFC, then follow the road next to it straight ahead until you can join the Weiwu Expressway at Penglai toll gate. However, because of current road works, it’s blocked. So continue along that road; when you see a giant billboard on your left, turn left there, follow that road and you’ll join the Weiwu Expressway at the Weifang West toll gate. We entered the expressway at 10:00 and began the high‑speed journey.

10:00 Weiwu Expressway, collected the toll card.

11:00 Switched onto the Weilai Expressway, direction Weifang.

11:40 Switched onto the Jiqing Expressway.

13:10 Entered the Jinan Ring Expressway.

14:10 Arrived at Yucheng service area for lunch; it’s newly built and good – recommended for a rest stop.

15:18 End of the Jinghu Expressway Shandong section, handed back the card, paid: 205 yuan.

16:30 End of the Jinghu Expressway Hebei section, Qingxian toll station, handed back the card, paid: 60 yuan.

17:03 End of the Jinghu Expressway Tianjin section, Jinghai toll station, handed back the card, paid: 30 yuan. Drove across the Tianjin Outer Ring and joined the Jingjintang Expressway from Yangcun.

18:54 Dayangfang toll station, paid: 25 yuan.

Tips:

1. Total time: 10 hours. Tolls: 320 yuan. Distance (to home door): 857 km. Fuel consumption (trip computer, A/C on all the way): 10.3 L/100 km (computer reading 1; reading 2 was 9.4 L/100 km). Average speed: 85 km/h.

2. The Weiwu Expressway road conditions are superb – we cruised around 160 km/h most of the time.

3. Signposting is very clear along the entire route; you can navigate easily with a map.

4. The Shandong expressways are on a networked toll system, so take good care of your toll card during the journey.

5. Once again, be warned about the chaos of the Tianjin Outer Ring – keep a safe distance between vehicles.