The coast around Golden Stone Beach (金石滩; Jīnshí Tān ), 50km north of the city, has been turned into a domestic tourism mecca with a number of theme parks and rock formations commanding inflated entrance fees. The long pebbly beach itself is free and quite pretty, set in a wide bay with distant headlands.
To get here take the light rail, known by the locals as Line 3 (轻轨三号线; Qīngguǐ Sānhàoxiàn ), from the depot on the east side of Triumph Plaza, behind the Dàlián Train station (¥8, 50 minutes). From the beach station it’s a 10-minute walk to the beach, or catch a hop-on/off tourist shuttle bus (¥20), which winds round the coast first before dropping you off at the beach. There’s a visitor centre to the right of the train station as you exit, with English-speaking staff if you need help.
