[Dalian Free Travel] How to enjoy Dalian travel in 3 days and 2 nights, a comprehensive itinerary planning guide!
Contents
- Dalian itinerary planning overview
- Dalian Day 1
- Dalian Natural History Museum
- Dalian Sun Asia Ocean World
- Xinghai Bay Cross-sea Bridge
- Xinghai Square
- Day 2 in Dalian
- Water Chestnut Bay
- Fisherman's Wharf
- Bangchuidao
- Haizhiyun Park
- Dalian Day 3
- Dalian Russian Style Street
- Zhongshan Square
- Venice of the East
- Donggang Music Fountain Square
- Trip Planning Assistant
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This guide carefully plans a perfect 3-day and 2-night trip in Dalian for you. Covering local attractions, authentic food and popular shopping areas, you can easily travel around Dalian and enjoy a worry-free holiday. Whether it is an in-depth exploration of history and culture or a fashionable check-in in a modern city, this guide can meet your needs. Come and start your wonderful trip to Dalian!
Explore the underwater tunnel at Ocean World, see the cross-sea bridge at Xinghai Bay, take photos of the European-style harbor at Fisherman’s Wharf, walk on the beach at Bangchuidao, and experience Dalian from both land and sea perspectives.
Visit the Russian-style buildings on Russian Street, feed pigeons at Zhongshan Square, ride a gondola at Oriental Water City, and enjoy the musical fountains at Donggang. All European styles are gathered in one place.
| Date | Journey |
| Day 1 | Dalian Natural History Museum->Dalian Sun Asia Ocean World->Xinghai Bay Cross-sea Bridge->Xinghai Square |
| Day 2 | Lingjiao Bay->Fisherman's Wharf->Bangchuidao->Haizhiyun Park |
| Day 3 | Dalian Russian Style Street -> Zhongshan Square -> The Venice Of East -> Donggang Music Fountain Square |
Dalian Natural History Museum is located on the Heishijiao beach southwest of Dalian Xinghai Park. It is a magnificent European-style building. The exhibits of Dalian Natural History Museum cover many fields such as geology, paleontology, animals and plants. The exhibits are very rich. Among them, the Psittacosaurus fossils and black right whale specimens are very rare collections. The number and variety of biological specimens and fossils in the Dalian Natural History Museum's collection are among the best in the country, including many rare and precious exhibits.
Address: No. 40, Heishijiaoxicun Street, Shahekou District, Dalian
Business hours: Open from 09:00 to 16:30 tomorrow (no admission at 16:00)
evaluate:
| The Dalian Natural History Museum is divided into three floors. Because large whale exhibits are displayed on the second floor, the layout of the exhibition hall is a bit like a maze. Once you go up to the second floor, you can enter the exhibition hall from the middle or from both sides of the staircase. It is quite interesting. There are also some exquisite carving exhibits in the middle of each staircase. After looking around, it seems that the only way to get a free stamp is to ask the front desk on the first floor, and they can get a free museum stamp. It is worth reserving more time to visit the Dalian Natural History Museum, because there are many real specimens, which are really fresh. After visiting, you can go to the nearby beach. |
The Dalian Natural History Museum is amazing! A national first-class museum, it features European-style architecture by the Heishijiao seaside. The museum boasts a rich collection of specimens, with the whale and dinosaur fossils being particularly impressive. Admission is free and definitely worthwhile—a great place for science education and sightseeing. Most importantly, admission is free with just your ID card! Definitely worth a visit!!!Dalian Sun Asia Ocean World is created by Dalian Sun Asia Tourism Holdings Co., Ltd., an A-share listed company. It is the pioneer of the third generation of oceanariums in the country, as well as a cultural industry demonstration base and a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.
There are five major venues in operation, including Ocean World, Polar World, Coral World, Galaxy Sea, and Powerful Tower; and three major performance programs: the romantic mermaid fairy tale water show "Love in Dolphin Bay", the two-person and two-whale underwater show "Legend of Moby Dick", and the funny human-animal interactive show "Sea Lion Hi Show". Special viewing products include: Antarctic penguin breeding base - Antarctic Penguin Island. The scenic spot tracks the development trends of theme parks and tourists' consumption experience needs in real time, and constantly updates and transforms the scenic spot's software and hardware. It has created an ocean-themed "Dalian's City Living Room" that integrates cultural and creative life, ocean-themed dining, specialty hotels, entertainment and leisure experiences, and is open 365 days a year.
Ocean World Venue: A situational ocean theme park and a fantastic underwater journey. The museum has several core play areas, including the Shark Cave, the Union Undersea Work Station, the Undersea UFO, the Shark Dancing Zone, the Undersea Flying Vehicle, the Undersea Passage, the Discovery Story Corridor, the Courage Steamship, Havana Avenue, and the "Dolphin Bay Love" performance area. It has unique marine historical and cultural characteristics and brings tourists an ocean adventure from land to the seabed and back to land.
Polar World Venue: Spanning the North and South Poles, the polar animal alliance, and the ice and snow kingdom with endless fun. The museum houses many rare polar marine animals, including beluga whales, Arctic wolves, Arctic foxes, Antarctic penguins, spotted seals, and two wonderful performances, "Legend of Moby Dick" and "Sea Lion Hi Show", allowing visitors to enjoy a joyful "polar" journey.
Galaxy Starry Sea Venue: An adventure world of the sea of stars, exploring the infinite mysteries of animal resurrection. The entire venue is designed to be a space battleship called "Shengya" with the ultimate plan to explore the universe - "Galaxy Star Sea Project". It houses rare animals such as polar bears, fur seals, sea lions, Arctic wolves, Antarctic penguins, otters, etc. In 2024, a variety of land animals, such as capybaras and raccoons were newly added. Most of the animals can be fed interactively, starting a wonderful science journey for tourists.
Coral World Venue: The secret world of coral technology, an immersive underwater aquarium garden. In 2021, the Coral World venue was fully renovated and upgraded, combining coolness and intelligence, and perfectly matching high technology with ancient marine life. It has more than 100 coral reefs, fish and other biological communities from all over the world, six core sightseeing areas, high-tech LED screens, touch-screen guide systems, holographic imaging and other digital multimedia technologies, allowing tourists to have fun in a different scientific ocean.
HOLY HIGH: A "HOLY HIGH" tower that opens with a mural and has both artistic value and entertaining qualities. It also has a very cool English name, HOLY HIGH. It uses art to empower tourism, and the United Nations' trendy artist Wen Na to shape the scenic area's mountain and sea cultural theme products. By utilizing the existing vacant building space and rationally adjusting the layout, Dalian’s unique “mountain and sea culture” is perfectly presented in the form of murals, allowing tourists to enjoy fresh and exciting technological experiences while appreciating the traditional Chinese painting art.
Adhering to the working spirit of "innovation, pragmatism, service and loyalty", taking "serving the society" as the corporate mission and "marketization, rule of law and internationalization" as the business philosophy, Dalian Ocean Park will "provide tourists with high-quality tourism products and services" as the criterion, and continue to focus on the renovation and upgrading of venues and facilities, planning and construction of new business formats, innovative design of tourism projects, etc., gradually upgrading from a traditional oceanarium to a full industrial chain layout of marine culture and tourism, and building a diversified, full-time new Ocean Park industrial matrix; driving the transformation and development of scenic spots across Dalian, and contributing to creating a new situation of high-quality economic and social development in Dalian.
Address: No. 608-6-8, Zhongshan Road, Shahekou District, Dalian (500 meters west of Xinghai Square)
Business hours: Open from 08:50 to 17:30 tomorrow (ticket sales stop at 17:00; admission stops at 17:00)
evaluate:
| One of the must-visit places in Dalian, the experience is super good, there are many animals, they are also very smart, they can interact with the audience, there are also many kinds of underwater fish, the walruses are very smart, I like the performance very much, it is very interesting, and the interaction with the audience is very interesting. |
The cross-sea bridge is the Dalian Xinghai Bay Cross-Sea Bridge, which is parallel to the Xinghai Square coastline and is China's largest offshore anchored suspension bridge. The middle section of the cross-sea bridge has sidewalks on the north and south sides, and is separated from the carriageway. At the same time, because the bridge has two floors, steel escalators are installed on each side to facilitate bridge maintenance and personnel passage.
Address: 1 km away from the Dalian Centennial City Sculpture, parallel to the coastline of Xinghai Square and perpendicular to the central axis of Xinghai Square
Opening hours: 24 hours a day, all year round
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| As a major transportation project in Dalian, Liaoning Province, China, Xinghai Bay Cross-sea Bridge has many remarkable highlights. The following is a summary of its highlights: Engineering design and construction: 1. Main bridge structure: The main bridge of Xinghai Bay Bridge is a double-tower three-span ground-anchored suspension bridge. The main beam adopts a steel truss structure. This design makes the bridge both strong and beautiful. 2. Double-deck traffic: The bridge is designed for double-deck traffic. Both decks are two-way four-lane urban expressways with a design speed of 80 km/h, which greatly improves traffic efficiency. 3. Grand scale: The total length of the bridge is 6 kilometers, the main bridge is 820 meters long, the main span of the main bridge is 460 meters, the side span is 180 meters, and the main tower is 114.3 meters high. These figures all demonstrate the magnificence of the bridge. Technological innovation and records: 1. Many national firsts: Xinghai Bay Bridge is the first gravity-anchored suspension bridge at sea in China, the first double-deck steel truss suspension bridge in China, and the longest double-deck offshore bridge in China. These innovations make the bridge unique among similar bridges. 2. World First: The bridge is also the first bridge in the world to adopt riprap lifting caisson foundation construction, and the first prestressed concrete bridge in the world to adopt prefabricated frame construction, with the upper bridge using main beams and cross beams consolidated, and supports set between the cross beams and piers. These technical innovations provide strong support for the construction of the bridge. Landscape and night view: 1. Beautiful landscape: The bridge spans the Yellow Sea, connecting Ganjingzi District and Xigang District. Tourists and citizens can enjoy the boundless sea and the brilliant lights of the city on the bridge, and feel the gentleness of the sea and the prosperity of the city. 2.Charming night view: The bridge is decorated particularly beautifully at night by more than 30,000 small lights and the light strips on both sides of the approach bridge, becoming a beautiful landscape of Dalian's night view. During the festival, the bridge will also stage various spectacular light shows. Tourism and Leisure: 1. Hiking Tour: There are sidewalks on both the north and south sides of the bridge, which are separated from the road and are convenient for tourists and citizens to visit on foot. Visitors can go directly to the bridge from the High-tech Park, the south gate of the Forest Zoo and other places. The entire hike takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. 2. Observation and Photography: Xijianshan Park and the south gate of Dalian Forest Zoo are the best observation and photography spots for the cross-sea bridge, where visitors can capture the beauty of the bridge. To sum up, the Xinghai Bay Cross-sea Bridge has become a bright business card for Dalian and even the whole country with its unique engineering design and structure, technological innovation and record, beautiful scenery and charming night view, as well as tourism and leisure value. |
Xinghai Square, located on the southern coast of Dalian, is the city's landmark, boasting beautiful sea views and charming night views. The lighthouses, sculptures and seawalls here are all great backgrounds for taking photos. In summer, an international beer festival is held here, when major beer merchants and tourists from all over the world gather in the square.
Address: No. 572, Zhongshan Road, Shahekou District (Southwest intersection)
Opening hours: 24 hours a day, all year round
evaluate:
| Xinghai Square is really worth a visit! As the largest city square in Asia, it has both magnificent scenery and a romantic and cozy atmosphere. The white marble stele in the center of the square is solemn and majestic, and the reliefs of centuries-old footprints around the square record the footprints of hundreds of Dalian people, allowing people to feel the historical accumulation and cultural heritage of this city. Walking in the square, the sea breeze caresses your face, and when you look up you can see the vast ocean. Seagulls fly by in groups, sometimes circling, diving, forming a beautiful picture with the blue sky and blue sea. After night falls, the lights come on, and the bright lights are reflected on the sea, colorful and gorgeous. The musical fountain dances to the melody, and the light and shadow interweave, like a dream. There is not only beautiful scenery here, but also a variety of special foods and entertainment activities. Whether you are cycling along the beach or taking your children to feed seagulls and play in the sand, you can have a lot of fun. Xinghai Square is like a bright business card of Dalian. With its unique charm, people don’t want to leave once they come here. It is a treasure trove for travel check-ins! |
Water chestnut bay is located on the south side of Laohutan Fisherman’s Wharf. It is named after its water chestnut-like shape and is a rare natural bay in the urban area. This place is famous for its pristine reef coast. The strange rocks formed by sea erosion are scattered in an orderly manner. At low tide, the moss-covered reefs and the turquoise sea water can be seen contrasting with each other, presenting a texture like an oil painting. It is called "Little Santorini of Dalian" by photography enthusiasts. The embankment extending into the sea on the east side of the bay is a recommended spot for sea viewing. On a clear day, you can see the outlines of Bangchuidao and Sanshandao in the distance. In winter, seagulls occasionally circle, adding vitality to the scenery.
It is recommended to visit in the early morning or evening when the light is soft and there are fewer tourists. You can experience the fun of catching seafood during low tide. There are no commercial facilities around. It is recommended to bring your drinking water and light meals. Non-slip shoes are required when walking in the reef area. It is close to Laohutan Ocean Park and Binhai Road Wooden Boardwalk, suitable for planning in conjunction with the city's coastline tour.
Address: Dalian Laohutan Ocean Park, No. 9 Binhai Middle Road, Zhongshan District, Dalian
Opening hours: 24 hours a day, all year round
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| Don’t miss Lingjiao Bay when you go to Dalian! It is near the Laohutan Ocean Park and is named after its water chestnut shape. It is a rare natural bay in the urban area. There is no entrance fee here and parking is free, which is conscientious! Once you get here, the scenery in front of you is like a beautiful oil painting. The pristine reef coast, the staggered rocks and the turquoise water are so beautiful that you can't take your eyes off them. When the tide is low, you can see the reefs covered with moss, which contrasts beautifully with the seawater. Standing on the embankment extending into the sea on the east side of the bay, you can see Bangchui Island and Sanshan Island in the distance on a clear day. The view is amazing. If you are lucky, you can also see seagulls circling in the sky, which is a very healing scene. The colorful houses at Fisherman's Wharf opposite are very eye-catching, as if you are in a European town. Any photo you take will turn out great. It is recommended to bring a telephoto lens to take better photos. There is also a retro coffee cart next to it. You can order a mint latte and enjoy the scenery while drinking it. It is very comfortable. Although the place is not big and you can finish visiting it in about 30 minutes, it is really worth a visit. If you come to Dalian, you must come here to experience this beauty! |
Fisherman's Wharf is located in the Tiger Beach Fishing Port of the Tiger Beach Ocean Park. Various cruise ships are docked in the harbor, and there is also a beach for playing and relaxing. There are various European-style buildings on the shore, including a variety of specialty restaurants and cafes. The entire pier is quiet and leisurely, where you can enjoy the sunshine and beach, feel the fishing style, or have a wonderful afternoon in the characteristic blocks.
Address: No. 66-2, Binhai East Road, Laohutan, Zhongshan District, Dalian City, Liaoning Province
Opening hours: 24 hours a day, all year round
evaluate:
| 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹It is worth a visit. The sea view is beautiful and the surrounding environment is pleasant. There are places to rest, drink tea and eat desserts. You can also pick seafood by the sea. The food is credible and the price is high. It is a trustworthy and favorite place for tourists🌹🌹🌹🌹👍🏿👍🏿 |
Bangchuidao, also known as Bangchuidao Hotel Scenic Area, is located at the eastern end of Dalian City. It mainly includes Bangchuidao Beach, the hotel villa area and Bangchuidao isolated in the sea. It is recognized as a famous leisure resort with some of the clearest seawater and cleanest beaches in Dalian city and charming coastal scenery. Take a walk here, bask in the sun, feel the sea breeze, and watch the children picking up shells and pebbles on the beach.
Address: No. 1 Yingbin Road, Zhongshan District, Dalian City, Liaoning Province
Business hours: Open from 08:00 to 17:00 tomorrow (no admission at 16:30)
evaluate:
| The scenery is beautiful. If you have limited physical strength, it is recommended to take a sightseeing bus on the way there, but not on the way back. It is all downhill and it only takes about ten minutes to walk. You need to go to the beach when the weather is good. The sea water is very clear and the pebble beach is very beautiful. |
Haizhiyun Park, formerly known as Donghai Park, is located in the eastern part of Dalian Coastal Scenic Area. Haizhiyun Park has beautiful scenery, charming views and a long coastline. It is a seaside park with mountains, forests, blue sea and other natural landscapes as its main features. There are two wonderful attractions on the long tour route: one is the Eighteen Bends that winds left and right across the mountain, with unique scenery, known as the "Underwater Grand Canyon"; the other is the attraction called "Strange Slope" after crossing the Eighteen Bends, where cars go uphill and downhill in an abnormal state, which is very interesting. In addition, there are charming landscapes such as the "Haizhiyun Square" and antique warships.
Address: No. 1, Binhai North Road, Zhongshan District, Dalian
Business hours: Open from 10:00 to 19:00 tomorrow
evaluate:
| I actually came to this park many years ago, but I didn't have any impression of it at all. This time I came back and was deeply impressed. It's not because it was so beautiful, but because I felt it was very interesting. There are models of various marine life hanging around the park, as if you are walking in a tunnel in the ocean. However, it still takes strength to walk through the park properly, after all, many places are ups and downs, as if you have climbed over a hill. |
The Russian Style Street is Tuanjie Street, northwest of Shengli Bridge, not far from Dalian Railway Station. The old Russian-style buildings on both sides of this street were built by the Russians more than 100 years ago and are still well preserved today. Walking in from the street entrance, you feel as if you are in a European city street. Tourists who like to take pictures of old buildings should not miss it. You can also appreciate classic old buildings such as the former site of the Dongqing Steamship Company and feel the vicissitudes of this city's history.
Address: No. 19, Tuanjie Street, Xigang District, Dalian
Opening hours: 24 hours a day, all year round
evaluate:
| A perfect encounter between history and romance Dalian Russian Style Street, located north of Shengli Bridge in Xigang District, is the first street in China with Russian architectural style from the 19th and 20th centuries. This century-old street has witnessed Dalian's tremendous changes from a small fishing village to a modern metropolis. It has now become Dalian's cultural business card and tourist destination.The Russian Style Street retains 38 buildings from the Far East Belarus period. These buildings have diverse styles, including the neoclassical-style town hall and the Gothic-style site of the Dongqing Steamship Company. These buildings bear witness to the history of Dalian’s founding and are symbols of the city’s origin. Walking through it, you feel like you are in a European town, and every building tells a story of the past.Diverse Fusion Russian Style Street is not only a street with a unique architectural style, but also a melting pot of cultures. Elements of Russian, Japanese and Chinese cultures are brought together here. Visitors can enjoy Russian dance and music performances and taste authentic Russian food such as borscht, kebabs and Russian cakes. At the same time, the local cultural characteristics of Dalian are also preserved here, such as Dalian's special snacks fried buns and stir-fried squid.The Russian Style Street has rich and diverse tourism projects. Visitors can buy various Russian specialties here, such as nesting dolls, chocolate and wine. In addition, there are many cultural exhibitions and interactive activities, such as the "Russian Street Garden", where visitors can appreciate large-scale floral art installations and experience street-style interactive music. The commercial reconstruction project is also progressing continuously. The future Russian-style street will pay more attention to tourists’ experience and consumption, and create a representative block of “Dalian that never sleeps”. Russian Style Street is conveniently located, only 800 meters away from Dalian Railway Station and can be reached on foot. Visitors can also take the 201 vintage tram to experience the retro beauty of Dalian. |
Zhongshan Square, located on the east side of Dalian Railway Station, is one of the famous squares in Dalian. This circular square is the intersection of ten roads. There are many European-style buildings built a hundred years ago around the square. You can feel the exotic atmosphere by strolling here. The square itself is an open green space and leisure trail, which is usually a leisure place for citizens.
Address: No. 552, Zhongshan Road, Zhongshan District, Dalian City, Liaoning Province
Opening hours: 24 hours a day, all year round
evaluate:
| Dalian Zhongshan Square, a treasure check-in spot you cannot miss! It is completely free and open to the public. The square is surrounded by old bank buildings of various styles, including Gothic and Baroque. It is like an open-air architectural art museum, carrying the weight of history and the accumulation of years. Spend 5 yuan to buy 2 bags of pigeon feed, stand in the square, and white pigeons will fly towards you, showing their freedom in the flapping of their wings. Whether you are a photography enthusiast capturing light and shadow, or a tourist experiencing the customs of Dalian, Zhongshan Square can give you an unforgettable city tour. |
Haichang Oriental Water City is modeled after Venice, with more than 200 European-style castles running through it. Gondolas travel among the castles, and being among them makes you feel like you are in a foreign country. Here, you can experience exotic customs while writing your own water city story.
As night falls and the lights come on, the blurred lights of the buildings in the water city of Venice seem to have brought you to the Pujiang River in Shanghai. You can see the unique walls of Bruges and many European-style castle buildings scattered on both sides of the canal, each of which is reflected on the surface of the water city. The gentle breeze, the swaying shadows of the trees, the winding water lanes, the flowing clear waves, indulge in the dream of rippling blue waves, the poetic and picturesque scenery of the coastal city, and the romance of Dalian is exaggerated here. The charm of the blue sky, the starry sky at night and the rippling water will sweep away the summer heat and make you feel like entering a beautiful dream.
Address: No. 20, Gangpu Road, Zhongshan District, Dalian City, Liaoning Province
Opening hours: 24 hours a day, all year round
evaluate:
| It's a free attraction with beautiful buildings and canals, it's exactly like Venice. It has its own characteristics during the day and at night, and is well worth a visit. There are also many restaurants and night markets nearby. |
Donggang Music Fountain Square is adjacent to Dalian Port Jetty in the west and International Yacht Harbor in the east. It echoes Dalian International Conference Center in the distance and is a landmark square of Donggang Business District and even Dalian City. Looking down from the air, the outline of the entire square resembles a flying seagull. This is the shape radiating from the International Conference Center designed by the Austrian Blue Sky Combination, which fully demonstrates the romantic and enterprising marine culture, the colorful coastal scenery and the green and modern development theme.
Address: Gangpu Road, Zhongshan District, Dalian (near Dalian International Conference Center)
Opening hours: 24 hours a day, all year round
evaluate:
| It's a big square with a children's playground. Near the water city of Venice, you can walk all the way here and enjoy the sunset at the seaside. The opening hours of the music fountain are changed to 8 o'clock on weekdays, and two shows start at 7:30 on weekends. |
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