What to Do in Qingdao with Kids? 2020 Family Travel Guide (Part 2)
Hi everyone, I'm Mi Tao's mom, and today I'm back to share my Qingdao travel guide with you. My daughter Zhang Mi Tao is exactly one year and two months old. I've already taken her to five provinces and cities in China: Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Sanya, and Qingdao.
I'm a post-80s hot mom who loves traveling. Since having a baby, I started trying to travel with her. From Mi Tao's first flight when she was three months old, I initially thought it was just inviting trouble. But gradually, as the number of trips with Mi Tao increased, I discovered that traveling with a baby is actually a very rare life experience. In each parent-child trip, the close attention and love between parents and children leave beautiful memories for family time.
The best journey in life is to find a long-lost touch of emotion in a strange place. The true meaning of family travel is nothing but the joy of the whole family together, the power of love flowing among each other. It is relaxing, enjoyable, inclusive, joyful, and satisfying! Moms and dads bend down to see this wonderful world through children's eyes, and the little ones broaden their horizons and get inspired in different sceneries. My biggest wish for the future is to grow with my baby through travel and explore the world together!
Summer vacation is coming. Recently, my beautiful photos of Qingdao have flooded the circle of friends among hot moms. Everyone can't hold back and starts asking for travel guides, planning wonderful family trips for the summer. Here, I will write several guides about where to eat, stay, go, and play for a Qingdao family trip, hoping to help solve the big problem of traveling with kids, especially for parents with little ones.
In the previous article, I shared a guide for Qingdao Oriental Movie Metropolis Rongchuang Park. Today, I'll continue to share the Polar Ocean World guide.
Qingdao Haichang Polar Ocean Park opened in 2006, located in the internationally renowned scenic area in eastern China—the picturesque Qingdao Shilaoren National Tourist Resort. The park consists of the Polar Ocean Hall, Happy Theater, 5D Dynamic Experience Hall, and Deep Sea Fantasy Hall. It features an indoor marine animal performance venue that can accommodate 3,600 people, a six-meter-wide underwater tunnel, and interactive display pools with beluga whales, sea lions, and seals, allowing visitors to feel a special polar ocean cultural experience.
The Polar Ocean Hall is arguably the most fascinating venue in the whole Polar Ocean World. Inside, it gathers over a hundred animals and thousands of fish from the North and South Poles. Here, kids can see cute, chubby beluga whales, goofy and gentle polar bears, and the king of the snow—Arctic wolves. The dizzying array of polar animals will broaden kids' horizons and fill them with excitement.
At the Sea Beast Bay, sea lions and seals swim merrily in the water, delighted by the arrival of young visitors.
The 360-degree giant migration hall makes you feel like you're at the bottom of the sea. Swaying, colorful corals and vibrant little fish surround the kids. Little penguins swim round and round above your head, changing their swimming styles. The deep blue seawater all around gives kids the sensation of being immersed in the ocean.
If you want to get closer to these marine stars, come to the Polar Performance Venue. Here, the adorable beluga whales will sing and dance with you, and 'aerialist' dolphins will pull out all the stops to show you the most spectacular performances. Parents, please pay attention to the performance schedule so you can plan your visit accordingly.
(2) Happy Theater
Laughter is a given at the Happy Theater. Vibrant cartoon decorations and the hilariously clumsy sea lions and walruses fill the theater with childlike fun. Every child gets excited the moment they step through the door, eager for the show to begin. Again, parents should note the schedule to plan your visit.
Despite their chubby builds, sea lions and walruses are incredibly flexible. Sit-ups, ball balancing—they can do it all. Kids can't help but laugh and applaud in amazement.
(3) Fantasy Ocean Hall
As the name suggests, it's fantastical and mysterious. Away from the noise and bustle of the Polar Ocean Hall, here is only tranquility and peace. Graceful jellyfish, brilliant corals, and lively fish quietly await your arrival, drawing you deep into the kingdom of the ocean so you can't help but stay.
(4) 5D Dynamic Experience Hall
Watching polar animals through thick acrylic is like scratching an itch through a boot—it can't let kids truly feel or touch. The 5D Dynamic Experience Hall makes up for this by taking kids on an adventure with marine animals to feel the surging waves. High-tech dynamic seats and 360-degree surround sound recreate the real ocean world to the fullest, letting kids freely explore it.
Q1: What's the best route for a family trip?
Polar Ocean Hall → 5D Dynamic Experience Hall → Happy Theater → Fantasy Ocean Hall
Move from dynamic to static, starting with excitement and ending in calm. There's both joy and growth.
Q2: How are tickets calculated at the Polar Ocean World? Who gets ticket discounts?
Polar Hall + Happy Theater: 190 RMB (Half-price: 95 RMB)
Polar Hall + Happy Theater + Deep Sea Fantasy: 220 RMB
Polar Hall + Happy Theater + Deep Sea Fantasy + 5D Dynamic Experience Hall: 250 RMB
Special offer: Polar Hall + Happy Theater student combo: 105 RMB (Includes one ticket each for Polar Hall and Happy Theater. Student tickets are not sold at the Polar ticket windows; they can only be purchased online or from agents at universities in Qingdao.)
Senior tickets: Polar Hall: 10 RMB; Happy Theater: 10 RMB
① Children between 1.2m (excluding) and 1.4m (including) in height
② Seniors aged 60 (inclusive) to 69 (must present senior citizen card or valid ID)
③ People with disability certificates, military personnel with officer certificates, soldiers with non-commissioned officer certificates
Children under 1.20m (including 1.20m). Each adult with a full-price ticket can bring one child under 1.20m; extra children must purchase half-price tickets. Tour guides with valid guide certificates and points cards. Seniors aged 70 (inclusive) and above (must present senior citizen card or valid ID).
Q3: How to buy tickets?
1) Buy tickets on-site at the Polar ticket windows
2) Book in advance through Ctrip travel website. Not only are prices usually cheaper than on-site, but there are also occasional super deals like '9.9 RMB tour at Polar' and similar. Plus, when visiting, you can skip the ticket line by scanning a QR code directly. (Ps: When buying online, choose channels that guarantee entry.)
3) P.S.: Searching on Ctrip, there are several day tours that also include Rongchuang Park, covering accommodation and transportation. It's cheaper than going on your own.
