Visiting Weihai in the off-season offers incredible value

Just back from Weihai and here’s what I want to say: coming in the off-season was the right choice! Avoiding crowds and high prices, I had an amazing 3-day trip without hurting my wallet — this guide will show you just how wonderful Weihai is in the off-season✨! The sea in Weihai is beautiful all year round, but the peace and low prices in the off-season (November to April) double the experience. Fewer people, stunning scenery, half-price accommodation, no queues for meals — this is the right way to enjoy Weihai~ DAY 1: Stroll along the coast and claim the entire beach🏖️ Weihai International Seawater Bathing Beach → Torch 8th Street → Xiaoshidao Island Morning: The International Seawater Bathing Beach is so empty you can run freely! Almost no one on the sand, waves crashing on the rocks, only a few seagulls flying low — enjoying this blue all to yourself is amazing~ Rent a beach chair for 20 yuan/day, bask in the sun and listen to the sea, ten times more comfortable than squeezing in during peak season for photos. Noon: No queues at the cafes on Torch 8th Street! A latte for 25 yuan, sitting by the window you can snap photos of the “street leading to the sea,” with no crowds, the pictures are as clean as wallpaper📸. Have a plate of mackerel dumplings for 15 yuan, freshly made and cooked, so fresh it’ll surprise you. Afternoon: Go to Xiaoshidao Island for beachcombing, fewer people means more treasures! Bring a small shovel to dig clams and collect mussels; in an hour you can fill half a bucket. Who understands the joy of free fun? At sunset, the whole sea turns golden red, offering a breathtaking sunset🌇. Evening: Stay at a guesthouse near the bathing beach, off-season you can get a “sea view room” for 100 yuan/night, balcony facing the sea, fall asleep listening to the waves — so healing you won’t want to get up~ DAY 2: Explore the island and enjoy the peacefulness⛴️ Liugong Island → Dingyuan Warship Morning: Tickets for Liugong Island (boat + entrance) are only 122 yuan (150 yuan in peak season), the boat is so empty you can lie down and watch the sea! After landing, visit the First Sino-Japanese War Museum, no crowds pushing to see exhibits, you can slowly read the history stories, and the guide will actively answer questions, making the experience excellent. Noon: Eat seafood noodles on the island for 20 yuan/bowl, with plenty of shrimp and scallops, sitting at a seaside table, eating while watching the sea — unbeatable value. Afternoon: Visit the Dingyuan Warship, almost private in the off-season! Climb onto the deck, feel the sea breeze flutter the national flag, no waiting for photo spots, every shot looks like a masterpiece⚓. On the return boat ride, you might encounter a flock of seabirds chasing the boat, you can almost touch the splashing waves~ Evening: Back in the city, enjoy Korean BBQ — Weihai’s Korean food is super authentic! For 50 yuan per person, you can eat until full, grilled pork belly with kimchi, plus a bottle of Korean rice wine, warming both heart and stomach🥩. DAY 3: Leisurely tour the old town and savor Weihai’s gentleness🌆 Weihai Park → Happiness Gate → Buy local specialties Early morning: No one is in front of the “big photo frame” sculpture at Weihai Park! Stand inside the frame to take creative photos “framing the sea,” and the morning exercisers will even teach you the best angles📷. Morning: Visit Happiness Gate, climb the tower for 20 yuan/person (38 yuan in peak season), overlooking the entire Weihai Bay, the sea is as blue as a gem, and the fishing boats in the distance look like pearls scattered on the water. Noon: Have a seafood hotpot, off-season shrimp crabs cost 30 yuan per jin, cook and eat fresh, paired with local tofu, so fresh you’ll drink the broth to the last drop🍲. Afternoon: Go to Weihai Port to buy specialties, squid strips are 40 yuan per jin (20% cheaper than tourist spots), freshly grilled fish slices smell mouthwatering, and you can bargain! The owner says “off-season volume, no profit,” I bought a big bag for only 60 yuan. How to get to Weihai?✈️🚄 • High-speed rail: Both Weihai Station and Weihai North Station are convenient, North Station is closer to downtown, a taxi to the bathing beach costs 20 yuan🚕, tickets are much easier to get than in peak season. • Plane: Weihai Dashuibo Airport has direct flights, or you can fly to Yantai (40 minutes by car to Weihai), off-season tickets often have discounts, just a few hundred yuan✈️. • Self-driving: Coastal highway with sea views all the way, off-season parking is easy, bathing beach and parks are free, no worries about finding parking🛣️. Getting around the city🚲🚌 • Bus: Coastal loop bus costs 1 yuan, covers main attractions, few people and many seats, plus you can enjoy the sea views along the way🚌. • Taxi: Starting fare 8 yuan, easy to get around downtown, trips to Liugong Island or the bathing beach cost no more than 20 yuan, ten times easier to get a taxi than in peak season. • Shared bikes: Riding near Torch 8th Street and Weihai Park is super comfortable, just 1 yuan to enjoy the sea breeze while cycling, free and effortless🚲. Must-eat list (fresh even in off-season)🦞 • Mackerel dumplings: 15 yuan/plate, freshly made and cooked, delicate fish meat, juicy with every bite, the old shop next to the market is the most authentic. • Korean BBQ: 50 yuan per person, recommended grilled beef belly and bibimbap, with free side dishes, much better value than popular peak-season restaurants. • Seafood hotpot: Off-season seafood is cheap, 30 yuan buys a bunch of shrimp crabs and scallops, have a restaurant cook it into hotpot, so fresh you’ll drink the broth to the last drop. • Dried figs: Local specialty, 25 yuan per jin, sweet but not greasy, much cheaper than what’s sold in tourist areas. Off-season tips✨ • It’s windy by the sea, remember to bring a windbreaker🧥, you can take it off when the sun is out at noon, just the right temperature. • Check the tide schedule before beachcombing, Xiaoshidao Island and Putao Beach yield more at low tide, wear non-slip shoes, avoid flip-flops~ • Choose “sea view rooms” for accommodation, prices are halved in the off-season, 100-150 yuan can get you a very comfortable stay, booking online in advance is more cost-effective🏡. Off-season Weihai has no crowded crowds, only the blue sea, the slow pace of the old town, and fresh seafood. Spend less money and enjoy more peace — who wouldn’t love Weihai like this? Next time, choose the off-season~