Traveling to Dalian with Kids: Honest Thoughts

About Photography ✔️ Great for photos and fun, easily accessible places worth visiting: Dongguan Street / Nanshan Cultural Street / Fengguang Street 🙅‍♀️ Good for photos, but not worth a special trip if it's out of the way: Donggang / Xiong Dong Street / Gorky Road Summary: These impressions are based on traveling with a 4-year-old. Older kids might enjoy Xiong Dong Street more—consider your own situation! —————— About Kid-Friendly Activities ✔️ Perfect for preschoolers: Natural Museum / Baiyun Mountain Park / Beachcombing at various beaches / Local markets (kids love fruit tasting, opening sea urchins, and exploring markets) Summary: Dalian isn’t a city that requires strict itinerary planning—it’s a laid-back coastal town. Renting a car is ideal for families, as parking is manageable. For a quieter experience, visit Lüshun for its beautiful architecture and fewer crowds, plus some patriotic education spots. ————— About Dining ✔️ Memorable spots: Suiyi Restaurant / Erqi Youming Menzi / Mendou Dao (Japanese dipping noodles) ✔️ Delicious picks: Qunfang Yuan Restaurant (Wafangdian) / Minghai Snack Bar / Daming Fresh Fish Pot (Jinzhou) ✔️ "Lost a Shoe" has become a trendy spot, styled like Wenheyou—super fun! The coolest part? A membership card from seven years ago still works and shows the balance. 🙅‍♀️ Zhenghuangqi is hard to judge… the food is good, but after visiting local markets, the prices feel 😅. Their sea intestine rice is worse than random neighborhood spots. 🙅‍♀️ Riyueming Xiaoyucun is just meh—nothing special. ✔️ Local bubble tea: Yuanye Fengcha, so good! Summary: Dalian’s shellfish is unbeatable—sweet, crisp, and tender with zero rubbery texture. The yellow clams are delicious [Hurt] We even dug some up at the beach!