Morning: After breakfast, drive to Dezhou via G2 and G3, and visit the Tomb of the King of Sulu, a historic symbol of China-Philippines friendship. Noon: Lunch in downtown Dezhou. Afternoon: Drive around Dezhou to admire the cityscape; enjoy local delicacies including Dezhou Braised Chicken for dinner. Evening: Visit Dezhou Oriental Leisure Park, the only domestic theme park focusing on fitness, wellness and eco-friendly recreation.

Morning: Visit China Sun Valley, the country’s first solar energy theme park, home to five world-class renewable energy centers and ten landmark solar-powered buildings. Drive from Dezhou to Linqing (approx. 103 km via G105 and S315) and tour the Sarira Pagoda, one of the four renowned pagodas along the Grand Canal. Noon: Lunch in Linqing. Afternoon: Visit Aotouji Jetty, an iconic canal landmark favored by ancient literati for sightseeing and composing poems; then explore Linqing Canal Tax Station, the sole surviving central government institution established along the canal in the Ming and Qing dynasties to oversee water transport taxation. Drive from Linqing to Liaocheng (approx. 60 km via S258). Taste local traditional snacks such as Wei’s Smoked Chicken and Crispy Jujubes for dinner.

Morning: After breakfast, visit the Canal Museum, a comprehensive museum documenting the canal’s history, technological evolution and diverse regional cultures along its banks. Then tour the Shan-Shaan Guild Hall, one of eight major canal guild halls that epitomizes Liaocheng’s commercial prosperity in the Qing Dynasty, located on the west bank of the southern canal section. Noon: Lunch in downtown Liaocheng. Afternoon: Take a boat tour of Dongchang Lake, known as "West Lake in the South, Dongchang Lake in the North". Stroll along the lakeshore to view the 21-Arch Bridge and the exterior of Shuicheng Pearl Grand Theatre, then visit Guangyue Tower, the city’s landmark architecture. Drive from Liaocheng to Jinan via S1, G2011 and G3. Dine on authentic Jinan cuisine and take a night cruise on Daming Lake. Evening: Watch the new large-scale Peking Opera imagery show Opera Faces at Jinan Acrobatic Troupe. The updated production features brand-new action plots, vividly interprets classic Peking Opera excerpts, and perfectly integrates acrobatics with Peking Opera.

Morning: After breakfast, visit Baotu Spring hailed as "the No.1 Spring Under Heaven", Five-Dragon Pool (Former Residence of Qin Qiong), and Daming Lake, the Pearl of the Spring City. Noon: Lunch at Furong Street. Afternoon: Sightsee Quancheng Square, the "living room of Jinan City", and Black Tiger Spring, a scenic spot dotted with cascading springs ideal for tea tasting and leisure. Drive from Jinan to Tai’an (approx. 80 km via G2). Explore Mount Tai, ranked first and most revered among the Five Great Mountains. Try local snacks including green onion pancakes and Mount Tai Three Delicacies Soup for dinner. Evening: Watch the grand live performance Mount Tai Fengshan Ceremony, which fully showcases the unique value and profound connotations of Mount Tai culture and vividly recreates imperial worship rituals held by emperors of five dynasties.

Morning: After breakfast, drive from Tai’an to Qufu (approx. 78 km via G3). Visit the Three Confucian Sites — the hometown of Confucius, the great ancient thinker and educator of the Spring and Autumn Period. Noon: Lunch in Qufu. Afternoon: Drive from Qufu to Jining (approx. 49 km via G327). Tour the 16 Landscape Bridges, Taibai Tower and East Grand Mosque along the ancient Grand Canal, where Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong once stayed and left poems and inscriptions. End the afternoon with a visit to North Lake. The lake teems with aquatic products and tender lake fish. You may take a lake cruise and savor delicious lake fish and lotus roots at lakeside restaurants for dinner. Evening: Sing karaoke at Jinbaodi Catering & Entertainment City.

Morning: After breakfast, drive from Jining to Zaozhuang (approx. 138 km via G1511, G3, S83 and S244). Explore Taierzhuang Canal Ancient City and experience the timeless charm of the ancient canal scene: "fishing lights shimmering along the river, folk songs echoing for miles, markets staying open all night long". Noon: Lunch inside Taierzhuang Ancient City. Afternoon: Visit the Taierzhuang Battle Memorial Hall, which recounts the brutal wartime history through written records, photos and documentary footage. Evening: Taste signature Zaozhuang snacks — clay-pot chicken and vegetable pancakes. Wander the ancient city’s bar street to experience distinctive canal-town bar culture.

After breakfast, gather and head back, concluding this pleasant self-driving tour