Dalian Travel Guide: 3-Day Trip with Kids

When you were single, you loved traveling with your best friend. After getting married, you traveled with your husband. After having a baby, you traveled with him. However, your future trips will be all about your little one’s interests. This guide is for you!

Xiao Xiao Su stood in front of a huge aquarium window, captivated by the magical and dreamy underwater world. He was so excited that he suddenly turned around, gave me a warm hug and said, “Good mommy.”

Dalian is so similar to Qingdao. Many friends asked me why I went to Dalian. The answer was simple: cheap flights. The flight to Dalian was only 120 yuan, and the return flight was 80 yuan. Duo Duo’s mom and I were in agreement. Even though there might not be anything new to see, taking two little kids to a different city for a few days of eating, living, and playing together would be nice.

Moreover, this was not just a trip with kids, but also a trip with a best friend. We have been friends for 25 years, and this was the second time we traveled together. The scenery along the way was no longer as appealing as sharing a blanket and talking until midnight.

Therefore, we didn’t plan anything for this trip to Dalian. We just quickly booked our flights, reserved two hotels for three nights, and set off with our luggage. We weren’t going on a trip; we were going to a friends’ gathering.

Friendship is something that is polished by time. Our interactions with our friends and our positive attitudes towards life will quietly influence our children. Child-rearing happens naturally.

Duo Duo’s mom said, “These two little ones have known each other since they were in their mothers’ wombs. As long as life exists, so will their friendship.”

Stay——Dalian Friendly Happy Moon Hotel

The price we paid for cheap flights was arriving in Dalian and checking into the hotel at midnight. The room had a double bed, a single bed, and a large sofa in the middle. The space between the beds was perfect for a play fort, which was meant to prevent the kids from falling out of bed but ended up being a source of endless fun for them.

Our night was filled with laughter and continuous attempts to catch dolls. How and when we slept is a blur.

Play——Whale Coffee

We first visited the Shengya Ocean World. It was decent, but we were pleasantly surprised by a coffee shop we stumbled upon. The huge floor-to-ceiling windows offered a direct view of beluga whales and dolphins, and a tatami mat in front of one of the windows became the perfect place to let our kids play. A few rock-shaped cushions and a pile of foam building blocks, along with the swimming dolphins and belugas, kept the kids entertained. We ordered a pot of tea, enjoyed the aroma, rested, and took in the view.

Play——Laohutan Ocean Park

I preferred Laohutan Ocean Park to Shengya Ocean World. It truly lived up to its name “park,” covering a vast area with four pavilions scattered throughout the park. The scenery along the way was beautiful, with many cartoon sculptures, amusement rides, and aerial cable cars. We arrived after lunch and played until dusk, becoming the last group to leave the park.

It’s quite a distance to walk between the different marine animal pavilions. Luckily, there were sculptures everywhere, so the kids were able to walk and play, and they didn’t need us to carry them. We debated for a long time before leaving, but ultimately we decided not to bring a stroller. With the energy and stamina of these two kids, a stroller would have been a burden. It’s crucial to have realistic expectations about your child’s capabilities.

In Xiao Xiao Su’s world, dinosaurs looked like Mr. Dinosaur from Peppa Pig. Seeing such large dinosaur models for the first time, he was ecstatic. He ran around the dinosaur, shouting with joy. We were about to enter the Coral Pavilion, but seeing how much he loved dinosaurs, I decided to let him play there and enjoy himself.

As the sun set, painting the sky with golden hues, I spent the time while waiting for them running around the big dinosaur with my son, and then we bought an ice cream that was made entirely by a robot, which left us both speechless. We found a beautiful fallen leaf, and Xiao Xiao Su chased me around the square, holding onto it. At that moment, I could hear the rustling of the wind blending with the happy notes of music. The golden light bathed our faces, just perfect.

Play——Forest Zoo

It’s said that the Dalian Forest Zoo has an African animal free-range area where you can take a sightseeing train. We went for that, but didn’t get to experience it. As soon as we entered the zoo, the two kids were drawn to the amusement park and couldn’t be pulled away.

Kids have absolutely zero resistance to carousels. Carousels all over the world are the same, but as long as you have a child’s heart, they’re all different, even every ride is different.

Continuing forward from the amusement park, we reached the Little Animal Village, designed for younger children. We didn’t spend much time looking at the rabbits, hamsters, ponies, and tigers. The two kids were completely engrossed in the castle slide, going up and down over and over again. By noon, they had slid several times.

After lunch, both kids took naps at the same time and slept until four o’clock. We missed the last sightseeing train, and we didn’t get to see the wild animals. Duo Duo’s mom and I were a bit anxious, but the two kids weren’t fazed at all. They climbed into the stopped train and switched seats, giggling nonstop.

Duo Duo’s mom joked that we spent a lot of money on zoo tickets, but didn’t see any animals and ended up paying extra for the train ride. With kids, plans never go as expected. But we had a great day full of laughter. We didn’t wait for the kids to catch up and rush to the next destination; we treated the current place as a new destination. We may have missed some attractions along the way, but we wouldn’t miss any of our children’s happiness.

Eat——Northeastern Iron Pot Stew

When you come to the northeast, you have to try the iron pot stew. On the way to Laohutan, we found a great restaurant called Wang Lao Liu Iron Pot Fish Stew. The lamb and fish stewed together are naturally flavorful, and when combined with cabbage, tofu, eggplant, and potatoes, it’s a warm and comforting dish that will warm you from head to toe. Every stove in the restaurant has a kang (heated brick bed) next to it, and the walls are decorated with cute little houses, making it the perfect place for a family meal. The two kids slept for a long time on the warm kang.

Stay——The Castle Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel

This is a truly magical place to stay. Located on a hillside overlooking Xinghai Square, this huge hotel is like a palace castle. We stayed here not to fulfill the kids’ “prince and princess” dreams, but to let them see the wonders of the world, so that they wouldn’t be tempted in the future. I’ve experienced everything that a prince or princess owns, so the rest is irrelevant.

Tips

1. We purchased all tickets on Dazhong Dianping.

Shengya Ocean World: 5-Pavilion Pass: ¥155/adult ticket

Laohutan Ocean Park: 5-Pavilion Pass: ¥198/adult ticket

Forest Zoo: ¥115/adult ticket

2.
You don’t need to visit both Shengya and Laohutan. Choose one based on your child’s stamina. All the pavilions at Shengya are together, so you don’t have to walk much. Laohutan is very big, the pavilions are scattered, but the scenery and attractions are better than Shengya.

3. Dalian Friendly Happy Moon Hotel has a great location, right in the heart of Zhongshan Square. The rooms are spacious and meet five-star standards, but the price is closer to a four-star hotel.

4.
The Castle Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, is famous for its excellent service and is indeed a great hotel. However, it’s definitely not a family-friendly hotel. The hotel’s family facilities are not comprehensive. The rooms don’t have baby supplies, and the extra cribs don’t have matching baby bedding. There are no baby slippers, robes, step stools, etc. The only pool is for adults, the 26-degree water temperature makes it impossible for kids to swim. There’s no children’s club either.

AfterwordDalian has a similar cityscape to my hometown, Qingdao. We ate, stayed, and played in places that also exist in Qingdao, but this trip was different because of our children and friends. Every minute and every second of these three days and nights was unique, something we couldn’t experience in Qingdao. The right time, the right place, and the right people made this a perfect, unrepeatable journey. It doesn’t really matter where you go; it’s the people and things you encounter on your journey that make the most vivid memories.