Excursions with different themes

There are several distinct themes to consider for a trip to Dongying: gardens and leisure activities in the municipality, cruises on the Guangli River, and the Huanghekou Ecotourism Area in the wider travel area. If you are looking for hotels in Dongying, deciding early whether to focus mainly on destinations in the municipality or also include the wider travel area can help with your plans. The attractions range from landscaped gardens and play and sports activities to boat trips and a nature destination at the mouth of the Yellow River.

Gardens in the municipality

Dongying Garden Expo (园博园) covers 98 hectares and features more than 30 exhibition gardens. The groups are divided as follows: 17 city gardens, five county and district gardens, ten corporate gardens, and one design garden. City gardens are therefore the largest of the listed groups; corporate gardens are also well represented, with ten. This structure shows that the expo is not limited to a single type of themed garden. The site also has two visitor service centers.

Play, nature and exercise

Huaxiangu Scenic Area (花仙谷景区) covers 460 mu. Attractions include a petting park, a playground without motorized rides, “孔雀东南飞,” a bird park, and a medicinal herb garden. There is also a sea of flowers, a vegetable-growing area, and a practical education center. This brings play areas together with animal and garden themes, as well as activities related to cultivation and hands-on learning. This differs from the Garden Expo, which is organized into various exhibition gardens.

The Le Shi Bao Youth Sports and Health Base (乐仕堡青少年儿童运动健康基地) offers a distinct focus on exercise and exploration. It covers 40,000 square meters and is located in the northeastern part of the park; it opened on May 1. Attractions include forest exploration nets, a floating trampoline, off-road go-karts, and high ropes courses. An archaeological treasure hunt and a sand play area are also mentioned. Unlike the garden and animal areas, the focus here is on exercise, exploration, and play.

River cruises and the wider travel area

Sightseeing trips on excursion boats and electric boats are offered along the Guangli River in the municipality. This adds an option on the water to the land-based attractions; the types of boats mentioned are excursion boats and electric boats.

The Huanghekou Ecotourism Area (黄河口生态旅游区) is located in the wider travel area, at the Yellow River’s present-day mouth. It was established on the basis of the Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve in Shandong and is a national 5A-rated tourist attraction. This regional nature destination is distinct from the garden, play, and exercise attractions in the municipality.

Choosing the right focus

Comparing the themes can help you plan: the Garden Expo brings together exhibition gardens, Huaxiangu combines play, animal, and garden elements, among others, and the Le Shi Bao Base focuses on exercise and exploration. The boat trips offer a different way to experience the Guangli River, while the Huanghekou Ecotourism Area adds another option in the wider travel area. Which of these themes matters most for your stay in Dongying can also guide your hotel search.

Discover more destinations: Liaocheng, Zibo, Weifang, Weihai, Heze, Dezhou, Binzhou, Tai'an.

Back to the overview of the wider travel area: Shandong.