What to Do in Qingdao with Kids? Latest 2020 Family Travel Guide (Part 1)
My daughter is called Mi Tao, nickname Xiao Mi Tao, full name Zhang Mi Tao. She is just one year and two months old, and I have already taken her to 5 provinces and municipalities in China: Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Sanya, and Qingdao.
I am a post-80s cool mom who loves traveling. Since having a child, I started trying to travel with her. When Mi Tao was 3 months old, she took her first flight. At first, I thought it was asking for trouble, but gradually, as I traveled with Mi Tao more and more, I found that traveling with a child is actually a rare life experience. In each parent-child trip, the intimate attention and love between parents and child will leave wonderful memories for the family time.
The best travel in life is to discover a long-lost touch in an unfamiliar place. The true meaning of parent-child travel is nothing more than the joy of the whole family together, the power of affection flowing between each other. It is relaxing, enjoyable, inclusive, joyful, and satisfying! Parents bend down and view this wonderful world through their child's eyes, and the little ones also broaden their horizons and stimulate their brains in different sceneries. My biggest wish for the future is to grow together with my baby through travel and travel the world together!
Summer vacation is here. Recently, my beautiful photos of Qingdao have flooded the social media of other cool moms, and they can't hold back anymore. They are starting to ask for guides and planning wonderful parent-child trips for the summer. Here, I will write several guides on eating, accommodation, transportation, and activities for a family trip to Qingdao, hoping to help you solve the big problems of traveling with kids, especially for parents traveling with babies.
Today, let's first talk about a few activities in Qingdao that are most suitable for family trips (because there is too much content, I will divide it into several guides to introduce in detail):
Qingdao Oriental Movie Metropolis Sunac Land:
Located in Sunac Mao in Huangdao District, Qingdao, Qingdao Oriental Movie Metropolis Sunac Land is the largest indoor amusement park in Shandong Province. It includes three major parks: Theme Park, Water World, and Movie World. It has a constant temperature all year round, suitable for all seasons, especially for families.
The Theme Park is divided into two major themed areas: Laoshan Wonder and German Town, with a total of 15 rides. From thrilling suspended roller coasters and vertical drop log flumes to carousels and Ferris wheels full of childlike fun, both children and adults can experience Qingdao's unique Laoshan culture and German sentiment in the joy of water, land, and air.
Transportation guide: If you live in downtown Qingdao, you can take a tunnel bus to West Coast New District, then take buses K2, L1, or L9 to Oriental Movie Metropolis Station. I recommend signing up for a city day tour, because traveling with a child by public transport is not very convenient. Group tickets from travel agencies are much cheaper than buying individually. Considering the transportation cost, signing up for a semi-independent tour is still very cheap.
Below is a map for you to study and prepare.
Now let's talk about a few must-visit rides.
Laoshan Wonder: An Adventure Paradise for Young People
Laoshan Wonder is a paradise for the brave. It consists of 7 thrilling rides, including the roller coaster "Laoshan Flying Dragon", the log flume "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea", the pirate ship "Riding the Wind and Waves", and the spinning coaster "Water Drift". If you lack courage, why not make a bet with a friend and jump onto a train heading to the sky, casting worries and fears to the winds.
Highlight 1: Laoshan Flying Dragon
In the vast park, the most eye-catching is the red track running through the entire park. As China's first custom-designed indoor suspended roller coaster, the "Laoshan Flying Dragon" looks like a soaring dragon. During the 120-second soaring experience, compared to sitting in a car, hanging with feet dangling from the body, diving from a height of 17 meters, you can feel multiple thrills such as weightlessness, inversion, and 720° rotation. It is a must-ride for the brave.
• Thrill level: ★★★★★
• Riding restrictions: Height 1.4-1.9 m, max weight 90 kg, max age 60 years old.
Highlight 2: Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea
"Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea" is the world's first indoor vertical drop log flume. Sitting in a wooden carriage decorated with images of the eight immortals, on a 320-meter-long water track, accompanied by the tension of climbing, at the moment of vertical drop and dive into the water, waves splash, and cheers and screams fill the venue.
• Thrill level: ★★★★☆
• Riding restrictions: Height 1.4-1.9 m.
Highlight 3: Water Drift
As the world's first indoor spinning coaster with vertical inclination, "Water Drift" mainly consists of a set of intricate green tracks. On the 360-meter curved track, it goes up and down, rises and falls, and experiences three extreme accelerations on seats that rotate 360°. The whole ride feels like turning into a small boat drifting freely in rolling waves.
• Thrill level: ★★★★★
• Riding restrictions: Height 1.3-1.9 m.
German Town: A Sea of Joy for Children
Besides heart-pounding, adrenaline-pumping rides, in German Town, there are also fun and warm attractions such as a carousel, spinning cups "Beer Barrels", a Ferris wheel "Flower Basket Windmill", and a track train "Rainbow Express". In addition, the Bubble Ball Hall, Game Arcade, and "Little Driving School" with simulated real tracks are also great for children and couples. Strolling among the castles, you feel like becoming the protagonist of a fairy tale, making you look forward to the encounter at the next corner.
Highlight 1: Carousel
The rising and falling horses, the warm carriages, romantic music, twinkling colorful lights... Upon entering the theme park, you can see this carousel that can accommodate 48 people at once. The spinning circles create a time tunnel into dreams; while evoking childhood memories, you can take beautiful selfies on the horse, capturing the moment of beauty.
• Riding restrictions: Height must be at least 0.7 m; children 0.7-1.1 m must be accompanied by an adult.
"Dragon Palace Treasure Hunt" originates from the ancient myth "Nezha Conquers the Dragon King". Upon entering the hall, under a starry dome, five or six beams of strong light hit a statue of Nezha breaking out of the sky in the center. This world's largest "Nezha" is holding the Universe Ring, stepping on Wind Fire Wheels, and bending down to look at us "tiny" beings.
Entering the Dragon Palace, visitors put on 3D glasses and board a dynamic roller coaster. As the scenes around change in a flash, they join Nezha who comes riding clouds and mists to snatch the dragon pearl from the Dragon King.
• Thrill level: ★★★★☆
• Riding restrictions: Those with height below 1.3 m or above 2.0 m, age under 6 or over 65 cannot ride.
Coming back from the myth of "Dragon Palace Treasure Hunt", you enter "Spirit Sword Deification" set against the background of "The Investiture of the Gods". The dark red city walls of "Changle Palace" are paired with dim palace lanterns, where visitors are "entrusted with an important mission"; boarding a roller coaster, through a heart-pounding 3D shooting game, participants are deified based on their final scores. Children not only gain a full sense of achievement but can also get to know many heroes of the Investiture of the Gods at once.
• Thrill level: ★★★★☆
• Riding restrictions: Those with height below 1.2 m, weight less than 35 kg or more than 90 kg cannot ride.
Ticket prices: All-day pass: 180 yuan
Family all-day pass: 268 yuan
College student pass: 120 yuan
