Beijing 1h direct flight! Enjoy autumn in Weihai, a cost-effective alternative to Kyoto.

Beijing 1h direct flight! Enjoy autumn in Weihai, a cost-effective alternative to Kyoto Last autumn and winter, I stayed in Rongcheng, Weihai for a while and truly experienced what a "fairy tale autumn" is. It's no exaggeration to say that the maple leaves here are just as beautiful as those in Kyoto, Japan. I was asked countless times about the best places to see autumn leaves in my WeChat Moments and private messages, so today I'm going to give you a super detailed guide to enjoying autumn in Weihai. First, take a look at the autumn scenery I captured from late November to early December last year. All live shots, no filters, breathtakingly beautiful! Moreover, there are two significant advantages to enjoying autumn in Weihai: fewer people and lower costs, making it unbeatable in terms of cost-effectiveness. Transportation is super convenient. It takes only 1 hour to fly directly from Beijing to Weihai Dashuipo Airport, and a 30-minute taxi ride from the airport will take you to Rongcheng city center. I recommend staying near Sakura Lake, which is convenient for getting around and is only about a 1-hour drive from Weihai city center. Now, let's talk about some lesser-known, free places to enjoy autumn. - Rongcheng Sanggan River Botanical Garden: The maple leaves in the North Garden are stunning, comparable to those in Kyoto's Sanzen-in Temple. After leaving the botanical garden, you can visit Haina Lane Street Park, which will make you feel like you're in a small European town, and the ginkgo and metasequoia trees in Shenping Lane Park will give you the illusion of strolling through the streets of Japan. - Rongcheng Youth Palace: This is a landmark building, a must-visit for taking photos, and you can also enjoy the sea view. Nearby, there's Kowloon City Shopping Plaza for shopping and dining, and Sakura Lake Sports Park with its iconic big ring, where you can start a swan-watching journey while enjoying the scenery. By the way, black swans have arrived this year! If you walk along the lake to the south gate of Sangou Bay Wetland Park, you can see more swans. Xu Zhiyuan once said: In this fast-paced era, blank spaces and leisure are especially precious. Sometimes, we need to go out and discover unexpected beauty in our everyday lives. If you have the chance, make every day feel like a weekend; if not, create your own leisure time, because leisure is a state of mind. Visiting Weihai to enjoy autumn at this time of year won't be too tiring (except for the strong sea breeze). The Citywalk route I recommend is perfect, covering about 5 km, with beautiful scenery all along the way, waiting for you to explore!