Stand on the sand at Wanpingkou Beach in the late afternoon and the name of the city makes sense: this is the coast that meets the sun first, and the light stays long over the Yellow Sea. Behind you, Dongyi Town's tiled roofs and the towers of the seaside resorts sit within walking distance of each other, so a day here moves easily between water, food and a museum or two.
Rizhao suits travellers who want a coastal stop in Shandong without the crowds of a bigger resort city, and who are happy to build a day around the beach, a park and a museum rather than a checklist of monuments. This guide covers the scenic areas, museums and performances listed for the city, with practical notes on timing and what to combine.
Top things to do in Rizhao
1. Rizhao Wanpingkou Seaside Scenic Area
This is the city's largest scenic spot, a long stretch of coastline on Haiqu East Road in Donggang District, open around the clock and free to enter. Come here for the water itself, for walking the shore and for the views back along the coast.
Because it stays open 24 hours, it works as both a morning swim and an evening stroll. Rizhao Ocean Park sits opposite Gate 4, so you can pair the two without moving your car.
2. Dongyi Town
A scenic area of ancient-style Chinese architecture at the intersection of Pihai Road and Green Boat Road in Donggang District, open from 09:00 to 22:30. Entry to the area is free, though individual excursions inside carry a fee.
It is a good place to spend an evening: you can take a boat ride along the landscape, and there are museums and memorials inside the town itself. Several of the city's smaller museums are here, so allow more time than you think you need.
3. Rizhao Ocean Park
On Pihai Road in Donggang District, opposite Gate 4 of Wanpingkou, open 09:00 to 17:00. It holds a sunshine oceanarium and a four-season bird garden, with locker rental, a mother-and-baby room, stroller rental and vending machines on site.
It is the obvious choice for a family half-day, and its position directly across from Wanpingkou means you can split the day between the aquarium and the beach. Note that Dongyi Town is roughly a ten-minute walk from the Ocean Park bus stop nearby.
4. Rizhao Beach National Park
The national forest park on the coast, reached via Yuju Road in Donggang District. The Rizhao Forest Ferris Wheel stands at Gate 2, right on the beach, and a single rotation takes about half an hour.
Ride it for the view out over the sea, then walk the park itself. The Forest Park West Gate bus stop is about a five-minute walk from the wheel, which makes this an easy car-free stop.
5. Sunrise over the East Sea
A China-France stage production at Sun Plaza on Qingdao Road in Donggang District, running 19:00 to 21:00. It tells the story of a young fisherman and the daughter of the Dragon King, drawing on local legend and on the region's sun-worship traditions, and lasts about 30 minutes.
The open-air stage uses laser, audio, video, 4D animation, fountains, water mist and fireworks, and seats more than 2,000 people. Book ahead for an evening slot, since it is popular with visitors.
6. Third Beach
A natural bathing beach on Pihai Road in the Shanhaitian Tourism Resort, Donggang District, open around the clock and free. The water is clear and the sand is good, with changing rooms and hot water available, and it is a reasonable spot for surfing.
There is a marked safe area in the water for swimming. The Wang Jia Soap bus stop is about a four-minute walk away if you are not driving.
7. Rizhao Museum
On Beijing Road in Donggang District, open 09:00 to 16:30 and free. Its exhibitions focus on artefacts from the Dawenkou culture, the Longshan culture and the Han dynasty.
It is the most substantial indoor stop in the city and a sensible choice for a hot or wet afternoon. The Donggang District Court bus stop is about an 18-minute walk away.
8. Rizhao City Planning Exhibition Hall
On Haiqu East Road in Donggang District, open 09:00 to 16:30 and free. It displays historical and cultural information about the city.
Combine it with the Rizhao Botanical Garden just to its north, and with the Haiqu East Road stretch of the seafront, so a single trip covers both.
9. Rizhao Science and Technology Museum
At No. 536 Qingdao Road in Donggang District, open 09:00 to 16:30 and free. Advance reservations are required and can be made by phone.
Because entry is by reservation, call before you set out rather than turning up on spec. It sits roughly a 15-minute walk from the Rizhao International Expo Center bus stop.
10. Rizhao Culture and Art Expo Center
On Haiqu West Road in Donggang District, open 09:00 to 19:00 and free. It is the largest cultural art exhibition and exchange centre in the city.
The later closing time makes it a useful stop at the end of an afternoon, after the museums on the east side of town have shut.
11. Rizhao Zhudongtian Scenic Area
On Haiqu West Road in Donggang District, open 08:00 to 17:00, with an entry fee. More than 100 bamboo varieties grow here, including moso, light, spotted, ruo, purple, steel and golden inlaid polygonatum bamboo, and there is a dedicated display area for special varieties.
To reach it, follow the winding road west along the Wanpingkou Scenic Area to Yandunling Gas Station, turn left and continue about 2,500 m. It pairs naturally with a Wanpingkou morning.
12. Rizhao Xiuwenzhai Print Museum
In Building 24, Island B, Dongyi Town, on Yuehai Road in Donggang District, open 09:00 to 17:30 and free. It is a thematic museum on printing, tucked inside the Dongyi Town scenic area.
The opening time is uncertain, so contact the site in advance before making a special trip. Since it is inside Dongyi Town, fold it into an evening there rather than treating it as a separate outing.
13. Dongyi Folk Culture Museum
In Dongyi Town at No. 77 Pihai Road, Donggang District, open 08:00 to 17:00, with an entry fee. The collection is largely that of folk collectors, and includes fossilised fish bones and old undersea artefacts.
It is about a six-minute walk from the Dongyi Town bus stop. Visit it in the same block of time as the other Dongyi Town museums.
14. Rizhao Coin Museum
Inside Dongyi Town on Green Boat Road, Donggang District, open 09:00 to 16:30 and free. It traces the history of Chinese currency.
It is a short, free stop that fits neatly between the print museum and the folk culture museum, all within the same scenic area.
15. Wanpingkou Colorful Vitality Paradise
East of the middle section of Pihai Road in Qinlou Street, Donggang District, open 09:00 to 17:00, with an entry fee. The park has go-karts and skateboarding.
Note that reaching the top of the slide is by climbing, as there is no lift. It is best treated as a short add-on to a Wanpingkou beach day rather than a destination in itself.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Rizhao Wanpingkou Seaside Scenic Area, which is free and open around the clock, and walk the shoreline while the light is still low. If you are travelling with children, cross to Rizhao Ocean Park opposite Gate 4 when it opens at 09:00.
Afternoon: Head to Rizhao Museum on Beijing Road before its 16:30 close, or choose Rizhao City Planning Exhibition Hall on Haiqu East Road if you prefer to stay near the water. Either is free.
Evening: Move to Dongyi Town for the architecture and a boat ride, taking in Rizhao Coin Museum or Dongyi Folk Culture Museum while you are inside the scenic area, then finish with the 19:00 performance of Sunrise over the East Sea at Sun Plaza.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of year to visit Rizhao?
The city has a temperate, four-season, monsoon-influenced climate. Winter is cool to cold and windy but generally dry, and summer is hot and humid without many sweltering days. Because it sits on the coast and a peninsula, spring arrives about a month later than in much of the province, while autumn is milder than inland Shandong.
Which beaches can I visit for free?
Rizhao Wanpingkou Seaside Scenic Area, Third Beach and Binhai Park are all free and open 24 hours. Third Beach has changing rooms and hot water, and a marked safe area in the water.
Do I need to book anything in advance?
Yes, for two places. Rizhao Science and Technology Museum requires advance reservations, which can be made by phone, and the opening time at Rizhao Xiuwenzhai Print Museum is uncertain, so you should contact the site before going.
How do I get to Rizhao?
Rizhao Shanzihe Airport serves the city and is located in Houcun, Donggang District. There are also two railway stations: Rizhao railway station for local trains, rebuilt and reopened in April 2025, and Rizhao West railway station for both local and high-speed services.
Pick your dates around the season you want, then build the days out from Wanpingkou and Dongyi Town and the rest of the coast falls into place.