Self-driving 6-day tour from Shanghai to Rizhao, Qingdao, and Lianyungang in 2011

Since obtaining my driver's license and buying a car in April 2010, I have taken many self-driving trips, but I have never driven beyond Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. After seeing many friends online who have driven thousands of kilometers, I especially admire their courage and perseverance. Taking advantage of my wife's annual leave, I arranged a 6-day self-driving trip to Rizhao, Qingdao, and Lianyungang. Among them, Qingdao is one of my favorite cities and the highlight of this trip. This blog is mainly in the form of a route log, recording the entire journey in a running account style.

This trip happened to coincide with the Qingdao International Beer Festival, making hotels very tight, with accommodation prices generally rising to over 400 yuan per night. To save costs and ensure accommodation quality, I chose to stay at the Home Inn in Jiaozhou, commuting back and forth between Jiaozhou and Qingdao for 3 consecutive days, with a round trip of over 120 kilometers each time. In addition, when traveling from Shanghai to Qingdao, I stayed overnight in Dongtai, Jiangsu. When leaving Qingdao, I passed through the newly built Jiaozhou Bay Undersea Tunnel and visited Huangdao, bringing the total number of cities visited on this trip to 6, covering a total distance of 2,064 kilometers. First, let me post a photo of the Qingdao beach scenery taken from the Huashi Building, which is the Second Bathing Beach, misty but quite beautiful.

August 12, 2011 (Dongtai weather: showers, 25 to 30 degrees Celsius)

17:00 Depart from home in Pudong, Shanghai, taking the Outer Ring Expressway to the Hujia Expressway.

18:10 Arrive at Nanxiang Toll Station on Hujia Expressway, cumulative mileage 55 km.

18:27 Arrive at Zhuqiao Toll Station on Yanjiang Expressway, cumulative mileage 75 km, toll 20 yuan.

18:37 Arrive at Taicang Toll Station on Yanjiang Expressway, cumulative mileage 87 km.

18:50 Arrive at Shaxi Service Area for a short rest, cumulative mileage 103 km.

19:10 Arrive at the south toll station of Sutong Bridge on Shenhai Expressway, cumulative mileage 121 km, toll 20 yuan.

20:05 Arrive at Rugao Service Area for a short rest, cumulative mileage 194 km. Refuel with 93-octane gasoline for 200 yuan, price 7.45 yuan/liter.

20:59 Arrive at Dongtai exit on Shenhai Expressway, cumulative mileage 269 km, toll 95 yuan.

21:15 Check in at Home Inn Dongtai Wanghai West Road Branch, member discount price 135 yuan/night. As of that night, cumulative mileage 283 km.

August 13, 2011 (Qingdao weather: cloudy, 25 to 29 degrees Celsius)

09:05 Depart in the morning, first take a photo of Home Inn Dongtai Wanghai West Road Branch as a souvenir.

The following two photos were taken on Wanghai West Road in Dongtai city, which is a major commercial street. Dongtai is a county-level city under Yancheng, Jiangsu.

Since Yancheng and Lianyungang in Jiangsu use ethanol gasoline instead of the unleaded gasoline used in Shanghai, I planned to refuel at the Laowei Service Area on the Ningjingyan Expressway, which belongs to Xinghua, Taizhou, and is the closest to Shandong. However, when I got there, I was told that it was already the first stop using ethanol gasoline, and unleaded gasoline was only available in the Rizhao area of Shandong. Fortunately, my new Elysee on the expressway is fuel-efficient, and the gas I added at Rugao Service Area lasted until Rizhao Service Area.

The following photo was taken on Provincial Highway S333 from Dongtai to Xinghua.

09:47 Arrive at Xinghua Toll Station on Yanjing Expressway, cumulative mileage 313 km.

10:08 Arrive at Laowei Service Area on Yanjing Expressway for a rest, cumulative mileage 340 km.

The northern end of the Yanjing Expressway intersects with the Shenhai Expressway. Turning onto the Shenhai Expressway heading north, within Sheyang territory, I saw the distance sign to Qingdao for the first time.

11:15 Arrive at Binhai Service Area on Shenhai Expressway for a rest, cumulative mileage 442 km.

11:46 Cross the Guanhe Bridge, which is the boundary between Yancheng and Lianyungang, cumulative mileage 491 km.

11:58 Arrive at Guannan Service Area on Shenhai Expressway for a rest, cumulative mileage 512 km.

13:40 Arrive at the Jiangsu-Shandong provincial boundary toll station on Shenhai Expressway, cumulative mileage 617 km, toll 140 yuan.

After passing Lianyungang, the Shenhai Expressway changes from 6 lanes to 4 lanes.

14:03 Arrive at Rizhao Service Area on Shenhai Expressway for a rest, cumulative mileage 650 km. Refuel with 93-octane gasoline for 250 yuan, price 7.50 yuan/liter.

14:18 Turn from Shenhai Expressway onto Rilan Expressway, soon arriving at the Rizhao exit, cumulative mileage 658 km, toll 15 yuan.

In Rizhao, I mainly visited the Lighthouse Scenic Area. Below are some photos along the way. After exiting from the Rilan Expressway Rizhao exit, go straight along Yingbin Road and Haiqu East Road, then turn right onto Lvzhou Road to reach the Lighthouse Scenic Area by the sea. Along the way, I passed the Olympic Water Park but did not stop due to time constraints.

This photo was taken in front of the Rizhao City Planning Exhibition Hall.

Across the street is Wanping Seafood Food Street.

Lighthouse Scenic Area, one of Rizhao's main attractions, free admission.

16:25 Arrive at Rizhao Toll Station on Rilan Expressway, cumulative mileage 685 km.

16:41 Enter the Qingdao section of Shenhai Expressway, cumulative mileage 711 km.

17:07 Arrive at Jiaonan Service Area on Shenhai Expressway for a short rest, cumulative mileage 755 km.

17:39 Arrive at Jiaozhou exit on Shenhai Expressway, cumulative mileage 801 km, toll 45 yuan.

18:05 Check in at Home Inn Jiaozhou Guangzhou Road Branch, member discount price 155 yuan/night (includes breakfast for two).

As of that night, cumulative mileage 820 km. In the evening, we had dinner at Hongji Dumpling Restaurant on Hangzhou Road in Jiaozhou. Besides dumplings, there were many seafood options. Because the prices were reasonable and recommended by locals, we ate there for the next three consecutive nights.

August 14, 2011 (cloudy, 25 to 30 degrees Celsius)

08:40 Depart from Jiaozhou to Qingdao, visiting May Fourth Square, Taiping Point, Badaguan, Shilaoren Bathing Beach, and Little Qingdao in Qingdao. In the evening, return from Qingdao to Jiaozhou.

09:08 Arrive at Jiaozhou Toll Station on Qinglan Expressway, cumulative mileage 832 km.

09:28 Arrive at Shuangbu Toll Station on Qinglan Expressway, cumulative mileage 857 km, toll 10 yuan.

This is my first time driving into Qingdao. The road layout in the old city of Qingdao is complicated, but it is not difficult to get from the expressway exit to May Fourth Square in the city center. Continue along the Qinglan Expressway (the section from Shuangbu Toll Station to Hangzhou Road is free), enter the Hang'an Elevated Road, turn right onto Shandong Road, and go straight to May Fourth Square.

Along the way, I saw the newly built Jiaozhou Bay Sea-Crossing Bridge, which connects to the Qinglan Expressway.

This photo was taken on Shandong Road, between Xianggang Middle Road and Donghai West Road. To visit May Fourth Square, you can park on the roadside for a fee of 10 yuan.

The Third Bathing Beach adjacent to Taiping Point.

Huashi Building, the core attraction of Badaguan. Admission is 8.5 yuan; if you only want to take photos in the yard without going upstairs, no ticket is needed.

Shilaoren Bathing Beach.

On the right side of the image, there is a blurry stone in the sea that is Shilaoren. I encountered a foggy day, so the photo is not clear.

15:25 Refuel at a Sinopec gas station on Xianggang Middle Road with 93-octane gasoline for 165 yuan, price 7.50 yuan/liter, cumulative mileage 914 km. Little Qingdao, admission 15 yuan.

Gate of Little Qingdao Scenic Area.

Next to it is the Naval Museum, with many retired warships parked by the sea.

Through the fence, I took a "scavenger" photo of the Naval Museum.

After purchasing a ticket, you can drive along the seawall into the core area of Little Qingdao Scenic Area.

18:15 Arrive at Shuangbu Toll Station on Qinglan Expressway, cumulative mileage 959 km.

18:50 Arrive at Jiaozhou Toll Station on Qinglan Expressway, cumulative mileage 984 km, toll 10 yuan.

19:17 Check in at Home Inn Jiaozhou Guangzhou Road Branch. As of that night, cumulative mileage 999 km.

August 15, 2011 (Qingdao weather: overcast, 25 to 29 degrees Celsius)

09:50 Depart from Jiaozhou to Qingdao, visiting Zhanshan Temple, Xiaoyu Mountain, and Zhanqiao Pier in Qingdao. In the evening, return from Qingdao to Jiaozhou.

Before leaving in the morning, I took a photo of Jiaozhou cityscape from the 8th-floor room of the Home Inn.

10:15 Arrive at Jiaozhou Toll Station on Qinglan Expressway, cumulative mileage 1,012 km.

10:35 Arrive at Shuangbu Toll Station on Qinglan Expressway, cumulative mileage 1,036 km, toll 10 yuan.

Zhanshan Temple. This is the only key Buddhist temple in Han areas recognized by the State Council in Qingdao.

Xiaoyu Mountain. Admission 15 yuan.

Former site of the Jiaozhou Governor's Mansion, a national key cultural relic protection unit.

Follow Yishui Road to Dexian Road, then go down to Zhongshan Road. When I first came to Qingdao in 1995, the pavement of this street left a particularly deep impression on me.

A photo of the Catholic Church taken on Dexian Road.

Afterward, I parked on Rizhao Road and walked from Jiangsu Road to the seaside on Taiping Road.

Taiping Road along the coast.

Qingdao Daily building.

Chunhelou, a time-honored restaurant on Zhongshan Road.

When in Qingdao, it is hard to resist cravings. After enjoying seafood in restaurants, I also wanted to buy dried seafood to take home. My wife saw that live seafood was very cheap, so she bought clams and brought them back to the hotel, cooking them with a hot water pot. They were especially delicious. This is the Qingdao Aquatic Products Wholesale Market on Xianxian Road near Xiaogang Pier.

Outside the market is the sea, with fishing boats moored at the pier.

18:18 Arrive at Shuangbu Toll Station on Qinglan Expressway, cumulative mileage 1,112 km.

18:35 Arrive at Jiaozhou Toll Station on Qinglan Expressway, cumulative mileage 1,136 km, toll 10 yuan.

19:05 Check in at Home Inn Jiaozhou Guangzhou Road Branch. As of that night, cumulative mileage 1,149 km.

August 16, 2011 (Qingdao weather: overcast with light to moderate rain, 23 to 29 degrees Celsius)

09:50 Depart, first go to Jiaozhou New Century Shopping Plaza to buy drinks, then head from Jiaozhou to Qingdao. In Qingdao, visit Lu Xun Park and Badaxia, then pass through the newly built Jiaozhou Bay Undersea Tunnel to reach Huangdao, visit Golden Sand Beach. Then, go from Huangdao to Lianyungang.

When checking out, take a photo of Home Inn Jiaozhou Guangzhou Road Branch as a souvenir.

10:50 Refuel at a Sinopec gas station on Haier Avenue in Jiaozhou with 93-octane gasoline for 190 yuan, price 7.50 yuan/liter, cumulative mileage 1,161 km.

11:00 Arrive at Jiaozhou Toll Station on Qinglan Expressway, cumulative mileage 1,167 km.

11:20 Arrive at Shuangbu Toll Station on Qinglan Expressway, cumulative mileage 1,192 km, toll 10 yuan.

Park on a small road and walk to Lu Xun Park.