Qufu to Nantong Drive: Best Stops & Hidden Gems

Driving from Qufu, the birthplace of Confucius in Shandong's hilly southwest, to Nantong, a canal-laced port city on the Yangtze's north bank, takes roughly 6.5 hours via the G3 (Beijing–Taipei Expressway) and G15 (Shenyang–Haikou Expressway). The 580-kilometer route crosses the flat, yellow-soiled North China Plain before entering the watery lowlands of Jiangsu. This guide covers everything from toll costs to where to stretch your legs with kids or dogs, using the how to find the best stops and hidden gems between cities method. Keep scrolling; the best finds are often a few kilometers off the expressway.

Both expressways are in excellent condition with wide lanes and clear signage, but expect heavy truck traffic on the G3 near the Shandong-Jiangsu border. Toll fees for standard cars total around 220 RMB each way, and fuel costs for a mid-size sedan will be roughly 300 RMB, given average fuel prices of 7.5 RMB per liter (as of 2025).

• Service areas occur every 30–50 km; most have clean restrooms, convenience stores, and fast-food outlets like Dicos or Mr. Lee.
• Petrol stations are equally frequent; both PetroChina and Sinopec are well represented.
• E-TC payment is accepted everywhere, so keep your device charged.

Leaving Qufu, you pass the temple-studded Confucius Cemetery (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) before the traffic clears. The Shandong segment is a patchwork of wheat fields and poplar windbreaks, ideal for a summer drive when the crops ripple gold. As you cross into Jiangsu, the terrain becomes marshier, with canals and mulberry groves announcing Nantong's delta. The climate shifts from semiarid continental to humid subtropical—pack for more rain and milder winters once past the Huai River.

For local commerce, take exit 28 off the G15 toward Lianyungang to visit the Donghai Crystal Market, where vendors hawk amethyst clusters and polished quartz (prices negotiable). Later, near Yancheng, the Sheyang Port offers fresh seafood restaurants right on the pier—look for the ones with boats tied up behind them.

Road safety on the G3/G15 corridor is rated high: well-lit tunnels and guardrails everywhere, with a 120 km/h speed limit that is strictly enforced by cameras. Wear seatbelts, as police set up random checks for violations. For families, both the Linyi and Huaian service areas feature indoor play areas with slides and ball pits; the Linyi one has a small fake zoo with animatronic dinosaurs. For pet owners, both these stops offer designated dog-relief patches and free waste bags, but pets must be kept on a leash at all times.

Fatigue management is crucial on straight stretches. Plan to stop every two hours; a good break point is the Huai'an Renmin Service Area, which has a short walking path and shaded picnic tables. If you need a longer rest, exit at the Gaoyou Lakeside rest stop (kilometer 88 off G2) and take a 20-minute stroll along the reed-fringed west shore. For those asking is it worth driving Qufu to Nantong—if you like mixing Confucian history with delta backwaters and don't mind highway monotony, yes, it's a rewarding trip.

Hidden off-route gem: Take the old provincial route S307 for 30 km between Xuzhou and Suqian to discover the Pan'an Lake wetland boardwalk, almost deserted on weekdays, with herons and white egrets. Best stops Qufu to Nantong include the ancient water town of Chentang in Nantong itself, where you can end your tour with a bowl of local wolfberry soup. For things to do between Qufu and Nantong, the list above is a start—always check the blog for more.