Qingdao: A City You’ll Never Forget
I’m a true Qingdao native. Since graduation, I’ve been working in a southern city. Every time I mention Qingdao to my friends there, I can’t help but go on and on with pride. Many times they’ve wanted to plan a trip to Qingdao, but for one reason or another, we never got together. This year I applied to go home for the Spring Festival, but to my surprise, they actually braved the northern winter cold just to experience this city that had already visited their hearts countless times—Qingdao.
People say expectations are beautiful, but reality can be harsh. That couldn’t be truer. At first, we planned to stay in a hotel downtown so we could easily reach the city’s sights, but we never expected those few days to be truly freezing. There was no choice but to take my fully bundled-up friends to stay near the airport after they landed. A friend recommended a hotel just one subway stop from the airport—the Chengyang Lanhai Yuhua Hotel. I have to say, big hotels always exceed expectations; the service was superb.
Less than a five-minute walk from the subway exit, we arrived. As soon as we stepped into the lobby, the concierge Xiao Li came over with a luggage cart and a big smile, helping us girls who were chattering nonstop with our bags and casually introducing the hotel’s facilities. Honestly, I didn’t catch much at that moment except that the hotel had a buffet, private dining rooms, and an à la carte restaurant—maybe because I was hungry, all I heard was food. Then came surprises at every turn, letting us southern girls truly experience the warmth of Qingdao people. At the front desk, the beautiful receptionist upgraded our room and told us about nearby places we’d enjoy (haha, the night market!). In the evening, we booked a private dining room. The order-taking lady enthusiastically recommended local specialties. Whether the chef’s cooking was just that amazing or we were simply overjoyed, we ended up tipsy and merrily stumbled back to our room. What moved us was that when we got back, honey water was already prepared at just the right temperature, and complimentary fruit sat beside it with a small card—so heartwarming.
The next morning, we had the hotel’s breakfast buffet—lots of variety, a mix of Chinese and Western dishes to suit young tastes. After breakfast, we took the subway to May Fourth Square, the Olympic Sailing Center, and Zhanqiao Pier. Strolling along the seaside, watching seagulls, the torch, and sailboats, the air filled with the salty scent of the sea, we moved through the crowds feeling the ease of life and the lasting beauty of friendship. We skipped Badaguan and No. 1 Bathing Beach due to the weather and opted for the Underwater World after lunch. I took them to see the various types of underwater tunnels. Walking through them was like being on the seabed, with fish of all sizes swimming beside you, even scenes of people diving with sharks. There’s also Asia’s largest single acrylic cylinder display tank, showcasing precious coral reef creatures and creating a beauty of mountains in the sea. In the evening, we headed to a foodie’s paradise—Taidong Pedestrian Street. Here, the only limit is your imagination; there’s no snack you can’t find. It was a real delight—not only cheap and tasty but incredibly diverse. It’s such a fun place to wander. No matter how many times you go, there’s always a new surprise, and each visit uncovers many new treats—delicious, fun, and photogenic. Whether you come in summer or winter, this is always your culinary adventure, with loads of great food. Taidong has a main pedestrian street, with two branching snack streets: one with shop-style snacks, and the other with food-cart-style snacks. Highly recommended are Beijing-style boiled tripe, fried yogurt, Yujie barbecue, Qingdao seawater tofu pudding, grilled squid and prawns (all kinds of skewers), sea urchin, and more. Our southern girls had never tried seawater tofu, so each bought a bowl of tofu pudding. I couldn’t stop laughing and calling them brainless for not sharing one between two to taste, or else how would they manage all that delicious food? All in all, here you can not only eat but also buy small trinkets as souvenirs. Shopping time is up to you—my legs went completely numb that day anyway.
On the third day, again by subway, we visited Instagram-worthy spots like Tianzhu Church, University Road, hipster cafés, and German Style Street—all perfect for photos. It’s undeniable that modern internet culture has boosted a city’s progress, with so many people flocking to these photo spots. Tianzhu Church, with its unique pink-topped architecture, is a must for wedding photography—the area was full of handsome guys and beautiful girls in wedding shoots. University Road is Qingdao’s most artsy, cultural street. Many may not know that this much-loved spot in recent years was actually Qingdao’s earliest street, built during the German occupation. A century ago, it was known as “Ostpass Street” to the Germans and “Dongguan Street” to the Chinese, later renamed University Road after Ocean University on Yushan Road. This less-than-two-kilometer street is dotted with former residences of celebrities, historical buildings, artsy boutiques, and trendy cafés. Though it’s a must-visit for the art-minded, few ever finish walking its entirety. German Style Street features mostly German and Japanese architectural groups. Being the off-season, it felt a bit quiet, but because of that, we could slow down, quiet down, and truly feel the city’s history, culture, and its unique romance. Old European-style buildings are everywhere—many former banks and securities houses from the Japanese and German eras, now mostly government offices you can’t enter. That day the girls were over the moon, taking countless photos, chatting about everything. As we wandered, we ended up at Qingdao Beer Street, open year-round with mainly indoor bars, called the “never-ending beer festival.” In summer’s peak, it’s so packed you can barely find a seat; this time of year it was quiet, so we strolled around and went back to the hotel for the dinner buffet.
On the fourth day, we each packed some food and drinks to challenge our limits, full of determination to conquer the first mountain on the sea—Laoshan. Again, we took the subway and transferred to bus 113 to Dahedong Service Center. Laoshan is the highest peak along China’s thousands of miles of coastline, at 1132.7 meters above sea level. The summit is in the Jufeng area, but since the very top is a military base, Lingqi Peak is currently the highest point accessible to visitors. Jufeng is a maze of rugged rocks and imposing grandeur, with all sorts of lifelike stone formations. From the peak, you can see the Yellow Sea, with a panoramic view of sea and sky blending into one. In spring, Jufeng bursts with blossoms—cherry and azalea compete in bloom. In summer, it’s lush and green; if the weather is good, you can witness a sea of clouds. Autumn sets the forests ablaze, an excellent spot for maple viewing in Qingdao. Winter covers it in pristine snow and icy trees, like a fairy-tale world. Among the oddly shaped rocks, the most famous is the Natural Stele, resembling a natural dog’s head standing proudly in the mountains. If pressed for time or not very fit, it’s recommended to take the scenic area shuttle bus round trip and the cable car up; it takes about 3–4 hours to reach Lingqi Peak, the highest point tourists can reach and the essence of the area—you won’t have too many regrets getting there. Truth be told, our grand ambitions vanished the moment we stood at the foot of the mountain, so we chose the cable car up and then slowly walked down. A bit embarrassing, but considering we’re all office workers who never exercise, we definitely wouldn’t have made it to the top on foot. And so, we spent the whole day at Laoshan. For dinner, we found a local farmhouse restaurant, with friendly hosts and amazing food.
Laughing and chatting, the days flew by. It was time for them to take an early flight back to their familiar city. At the airport, they said that even though it wasn’t the ideal season to visit, they had truly felt Qingdao’s beauty and the warmth of its people. They would always remember this city, and when the chance came, they’d definitely return. This is Qingdao—a city you’ll never forget once you visit.
