A Romantic 3-Day, 2-Night Offbeat Qingdao Itinerary Full of Ambiance

After so many years, I’ve finally come back to Qingdao. I always feel that Qingdao leaves so many memories: the boundless seashore, and the comfort brought by the sea breeze. How would you plan a short trip to Qingdao, without wanting to go to crowded spots? Why not follow an itinerary like this, where you can experience a different side of Qingdao while also visiting many offbeat places—even with kids, you’ll create memories full of happiness.

A 3-day, 2-night itinerary:

Day 1: Arrive in Qingdao, head to Haiquan Bay Resort Hotel, and ride the Ocean Star Ferris Wheel.

Day 2: Saint Ronnick leisure retreat, Yuming Mountain House, Laoshan Jufeng Scenic Area, Flora Book Café, Ruoqi Jewelry.

Day 3: Taipingjiao Park + Badaguan.

After arriving at the hotel, I couldn’t wait to go to the Ferris wheel. Walking towards it, I passed through a commercial area that suddenly felt like a portal—at that moment, it was as if I had stepped into Europe. When the neon lights first lit up, it was truly dreamy. Past the commercial area, the Ferris wheel came into view. Just mentioning a Ferris wheel feels very romantic; you can overlook the sea, and the purple cabins have been specially decorated, creating a cozy atmosphere that’s simply enchanting.

In the evening, you can also enjoy exquisite Japanese cuisine—absolutely delicious. The chef is wonderfully creative; every dish has its own meticulous preparation and technique. Dining feels less like eating food and more like appreciating art. I really admire these master chefs who craft such beautiful dishes; their designs and ingredient selections are all carefully prepared. Whenever I experience this, I feel deeply grateful.

After the sumptuous meal, you can enjoy various amenities at the hot spring hotel: spa treatments, a wide range of activities, and hot spring baths. The hot springs here have not only different types of mineral waters but also various therapeutic effects. And there’s no need to worry if you bring kids—there are plenty of children’s play facilities. This is truly thoughtful. On the first day, there’s no need to pack too many activities; simply savoring this romance and comfort is enough.

Day 2 continues with a romantic journey.

First, we visited a seaside wedding venue. Although it’s a wedding venue, it doesn’t only serve newlyweds—many couples and friends come here just for coffee. Saint Ronnick is located in the Huichang community, Wanggezhuang Street, Laoshan District, Qingdao. Nestled against Laoshan Mountain to the south, facing Xiao Penglai to the north, with Guanmao Mountain to the west and the sea to the east, it enjoys a beautiful setting and a uniquely favorable location, just 5 kilometers from the Yangkou Scenic Area.

The estate currently offers three distinctive outdoor wedding venues: lawn weddings, beach weddings, and viewing platform weddings. In 2021, it also created two indoor sea-view wedding halls—a forest-style intimate ceremony hall and a Korean-style artistic crystal wedding hall—making it Qingdao’s first seafront indoor wedding hall.

Having a drink and a slice of cake here feels so special, with an atmosphere that’s thick with romance. Next, you can head to Yuming Mountain House for a tea tasting. “Yuming Mountain House” is a high-end, high-value tea experience project of Qingdao Charm Laoshan Eco-Tourism Co., Ltd. It’s located within the Laoshan Scenic Area, perched among the peaks of Laoshan. The entire courtyard is designed in a Chinese style, covering about 9.8 acres, with areas for tea rooms, tea banquets, a study, guest rooms, tea roasting, and more.

Before entering, you’ll see a small pond that adds considerable charm, evoking the feeling of “picking chrysanthemums beneath the eastern fence, leisurely glimpsing the southern hills.”

Autumn is the perfect time for climbing high and gazing far, so arranging a visit to Laoshan Jufeng to enjoy the autumn colors is a great choice. Laoshan’s main peak is called “Jufeng,” also known as “Laoding.” It has a majestic presence and is the highest peak along China’s coastline, honored with the title “Ancestor of Ten Thousand Mountains.” Just hearing this, you might feel a sudden surge of emotion. The rocks on the mountain have various shapes and forms; you can make out different images—some look like little turtles, others like stones that flew in from outer space. Kids can fully use their imagination to guess what these rocks resemble, what they look like alone, or what figures they form when grouped together—it’s very fun. Discovering together with the children sparks their curiosity and also nurtures their creativity.

The Jufeng Scenic Tour Area is a landscape area centered on Laoshan’s highest peak, characterized mainly by the natural essence of high mountain terrain. So make sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothes when exploring.

Go to the seaside for a romantic cup of coffee. Or, you could first visit the jewelry museum and then have coffee and Western food—it all depends on your own preference. Near Shilaoren Beach, the last time I came it was far too early, and this café didn’t exist yet. This chance encounter feels so heartwarming. The book café is beautiful, with an overall fresh and simple vibe, Instagram-worthy style. Perfect for photos 📷. The window seats are the best, with a sweeping view of the sea. Facing the ocean, with spring flowers blooming, this must be what it feels like right now.

The Ruoqi Aesthetics Space is a crossover art space co-created by several designers, focusing on using different techniques and materials across disciplines, blending aesthetics to create artworks or scenes that break the barriers of art categories.

The entire space covers about three thousand square meters and consists of five parts: the Ruoqi Jewelry Museum, an art exhibition hall, the Liuyi Workshop, the Ruoqi Café, and the Puju Jiansu Apartments. Here, through the display of mineral crystals, loose stones, and antique jewelry, visitors can gain a systematic understanding of gemstone origins, jewelry history, and jewelry design. The museum is open to the public free of charge and can be visited by appointment.

The Ruoqi Café is a social hub of the space and a relaxing spot created for young people. Its elegant environment is suitable for business events and leisure. The café serves delicious drinks and light meals, and the creative Qingdao cultural tourism souvenirs designed by the team and sold here are also a highlight.

On Day 3, you can choose a very offbeat attraction. If you’re looking for a sweet, romantic feeling, you absolutely must pick this one. In Taipingjiao Park, there are adorable cartoon Cupids, pink love signs, the timeless phrase that lovers must say, and LOVE lounge chairs for whispering and cuddling. During the 2021 Qingdao Ocean Romance Culture Week, which opens grandly at the end of September, this Love Lane in Taipingjiao Park “in the name of love” will bless passersby with its colors and details, witnessing the enchanting golden autumn and this era of happiness.

Strolling here is deeply poetic. The trees on both sides stand as witnesses to this romance. You don’t have to be a couple; even good friends can come here, enjoy the romantic graffiti, and feel happy.

Afterwards, we arrived at Badaguan. This isn’t my first visit here, and memories instantly flooded back. The name “Badaguan” refers to the eight main roads in this area (now expanded to ten), which were named after famous passes along the ancient Great Wall of China. This is a renowned villa district, often called the “World Architecture Museum.”

In this area, there are over 200 buildings, encompassing architectural styles from more than 20 countries, including Russia, the UK, France, Germany, the US, Japan, and Denmark. Beyond the seaside romance, you can also visit some representative buildings, such as the Butterfly Villa and the Princess House.

A different kind of experience:

Some places here you could spend a whole day without feeling bored, because it’s just so comfortable. For example, Flora Book Café, a seaside coffee shop where you can read, chat, or even work—the atmosphere is truly immersive. For a moment I thought, if my home were nearby, I’d be here every day, working while gazing at the sea. That feeling is simply wonderful. And this shop stays open until 1 a.m.—it seems to be a beloved spot for many.

Travel tips:

1. Be sure to check opening hours in advance. Places that are open all day are no problem, but for some trendy cafés or other spots, you’ll need to look up the information ahead of time.

2. Qingdao’s weather in October can be changeable. Pack both thick and light clothing. This time I brought many heavy clothes, yet the weather turned out to be quite warm.

3. This itinerary features many places ideal for couples, especially Saint Ronnick Estate, which is steeped in romance. But that doesn’t stop friends from going together to soak up the romantic atmosphere.

My travel arrangement this time was a relatively offbeat route, without staying too long at popular or conventional sights, yet I could still feel a different side of Qingdao. Although I didn’t deliberately plan seaside visits, I could see the sea at every turn: sipping coffee with a sea view at Flora Book Café, or wandering through Badaguan with the beautiful ocean in sight, the sound of waves always reaching my ears. If you like this kind of trip, why not plan a romantic getaway just like this?