The old city walls incorporate guard towers of three stories (rather than the usual two) because the uncle of the first emperor of the 6th-century Sui dynasty had been prince of the area.

[citation needed] The Penglai Pavilion is a large park of ancient buildings, palaces and temples, that have been restored and rebuilt.

It has been a tourist goal for more than a thousand years, and the site features inscriptions from famous poets and calligraphers like Su Shi and Dong Qichang.

Among other cultural attractions of Penglai are the Naval Museum with exhibits of ancient ships and the restored residence of the famous patriotic general Qi Jiguang.

It includes a polar area, a shark hall, a tropical rainforest, and a theater with mermaids, dolphins and sea lions.

While tourism is the mainstay of Penglai's economy, bringing more than two million tourists annually,[citation needed] in fact the entire center of the town around the harbour was walled off and completely razed in 2006.

Most of the soil is loose, well-aerated, and rich in minerals and organic matters that enable full development of the root systems.