A Late-Autumn Tour of Qingdao: 8 Little-Known Gems That Create a Distinctive Romantic Journey

If you like traveling to seaside cities, Shandong is an excellent choice. Not only does it have a comfortable climate and beautiful scenery, but it is also wonderfully livable. If you ask which city in Shandong is the most beautiful, my first choice is Qingdao – it is lovely everywhere, plus it is the only “New First-Tier” city in the province, with better overall development. I have been to Qingdao six times over the years, and each visit brings a different experience and new surprises. The longest stay was four months, during which I explored many scenic spots and experienced the daily life of Qingdao people. Places like Zhanqiao Pier, the Olympic Sailing Center, Zhongshan Park, Badaguan, and the beaches are all perfect for leisurely wandering. Yet there are still places I have wanted to visit but never managed, like Laoshan. For Qingdao, Laoshan is like the Badaling Great Wall for Beijing – you always feel it is right there and you will go someday, so it keeps being postponed. Beyond those unvisited spots, this ever-changing city has also produced many new social-media hotspots. This late autumn, a romantic wedding culture week trip in Qingdao was both enchanting and relaxing. Without summer’s noise and crowds, after the National Day holiday, tourists fewer, prices lower, there was an extra dose of comfort and leisure. I visited several lesser-known check-in spots and recommend them here for anyone planning a Qingdao trip – you can bookmark them for future reference.

Recommendation 1: Ocean Spring Bay Resort

Ocean Spring Bay Resort is a newly emerging holiday destination in Qingdao, situated along Aoshan Bay, the city’s second-largest bay. This was my first time here. It is about 50 kilometers from Qingdao North Railway Station and around 40 kilometers from the city center, with convenient transport – easy to reach by car or public transit. The resort is a great choice for both coastal scenery and wellness retreats. There is a kilometer-long golden beach for walking and watching the waves, a Crowne Plaza Hotel offering star-rated accommodation and highly praised cuisine, plus an Outlets shopping street to satisfy your shopping needs. There is also Qingdao’s tallest Ferris wheel, the Ocean Star. It is said that if a couple kisses at the highest point of the Ferris wheel, they will stay together forever, so many young people come here to make their romantic vows. In the evening, you can dine at the Crowne Plaza; I recommend the Japanese cuisine, around 200 yuan per person. Not only is it authentic, but also creative – a sashimi platter with abundant ingredients and superb knife work, much loved by diners; abalone simmered in chicken broth for four hours; matsutake soup cooked with conch;牡丹 shrimp chilled on an ice bed for eight hours. Having a meal here is like watching a magic show. Qingdao’s hot springs are one of the world’s four major oceanic hot springs, with excellent health benefits. Spending the evening soaking in the springs and then finding a therapist for an essential oil back massage, a cupping session, and ear acupuncture pressure treatment is simply pure bliss.

Recommendation 2: Laoshan Yuming Mountain House

Yuming Mountain House is located in Xiaowang Community, Wanggezhuang Street, at the foot of Laoshan Mountain. Known as Qingdao’s “little Jiangnan,” it is a place for tea and idling. The architectural design is entirely in the Jiangnan style – antique, quiet, and elegantly refined. As you enter the courtyard, you feel the season of winter all around; water droplets from the surrounding eaves fall into the central pond, splashing ripples that add even more charm. Here you can drink tea, enjoy food, and also stay overnight in Chinese-style rooms that exude a high level of elegance. You can pick tea at the foot of Laoshan and then experience stir-frying the leaves by hand in the workshop, immersing yourself in the charm of traditional Chinese tea culture. Qingdao is a city of romance, and every year countless couples come here for wedding photos. At every scenic spot, you’ll see newlyweds in wedding gowns and suits capturing their most beautiful moments. Naturally, Qingdao also has many wedding and bridal bases, and Saint Ronick Manor is the city’s first open-hall seaside wedding venue, offering a romantic atmosphere right by the ocean. Saint Ronick Manor is located in Dachanyuan Bay, Huichang Community, Wanggezhuang Street, Laoshan District, backed by Laoshan Mountain to the south, facing Xiaopenglai to the north, with Guanmao Mountain to the west and the sea to the east. It is known as “Qingdao’s Little Greece.” Here you face the sea, surrounded by fragrant flowers, and a one-stop island wedding is truly worry-free and thoughtful. Weddings can be held on the beach in front of the manor, on the lawns in the courtyard, or on the viewing platform. This year, a forest-style and Korean-style artistic crystal chapel was also added, making it the first open-hall seaside wedding chapel in Qingdao. I especially love this fresh, romantic setup; the cats and dogs on the lawn are cute and good-natured, serving as especially fun props during photos. “If love has a destination, it surely begins with a romantic island wedding.” I almost want to hold a 20th-anniversary vow renewal ceremony here – what do you think?

Recommendation 4: Qingshan Fishing Village

This is a small fishing village we stumbled upon while driving, located within the Taiqing Scenic Area of Laoshan. It exists like a hidden paradise: surrounded by mountains on three sides, facing the sea, with red-tiled roofs and green trees densely packed – a magnificent sight from afar. It is said that the village has a history of over 600 years; the villagers make a living from tea picking and seafood farming, and it has been called “China’s Most Beautiful Fishing Village” by the media. Due to time constraints, we regretfully did not enter the village, but the Qingshan Fishing Village archway offers the best panoramic view of the village, truly giving a feeling of a “dwelling among the blue sea and heavenly abode.”

Recommendation 5: Floral Book Café

This is a must-visit café in Qingdao, built right on the beach of Shilaoren Beach, and a very famous café in the city. It is a glass house on the sand; sitting inside you can gaze out at the ocean. The interior decor is fresh and artsy, with lots of flowers, creating a warm and romantic feel. The best drink to order is a coconut coffee. I’ve had coconut juice, I’ve had coffee, but pouring coffee into coconut juice was a first for me – truly a perfect blend of sweetness and rich aroma.

Recommendation 6: Ruoqi Aesthetics Space

On Keyuan Jing’si Road in Laoshan District, I found a futuristic-looking building with a very artistic name: Ruoqi Aesthetics Space. This is an art space containing a jewelry museum, an art exhibition hall, the “Six Arts” workshop, a café, and apartments. The owner, Zhong Feng, is a graceful beauty and jewelry designer, one of Qingdao’s first ten “Laoshan Artisans.” She once “drifted” in Beijing before returning home to start her business; her “Qingdao Impressions” designs have become city gifts. We visited some of the museum’s jewelry collections, and I wished I could take every piece home – they were so beautiful. We also tasted coffee and steak here; although the menu is small, you can feel the owner’s care and dedication. The art space is still not completely finished, in its final stages, and I am really looking forward to the surprises it will bring us. It is sure to become a new cultural-tourism check-in spot in Qingdao.

In Qingdao’s Badaguan, a “Love Road” has appeared: a 48-meter tree-lined walkway turned into a new internet-famous check-in point. As late autumn deepens, the leaves in Badaguan are slowly turning yellow, and it’s about to be the area’s most beautiful season. However, you can visit this trendy road now; inside Taipingjiao Park there is a “Love Road” – a 48-meter stretch decorated with cute cartoon Cupids, pink heart signs, the unmissable “I LOVE YOU,” and LOVE-themed benches where you can sit and cuddle. This was created during the 2021 Qingdao Ocean Romance Culture Week, and once it was revealed online, many people came especially to take photos and check in. It is now another internet sensation in Qingdao. Qingdao has also launched an “Ocean Romance · Love in Qingdao” themed metro train, decorating the carriages in various theme styles with posters of well-known romantic check-in spots across Qingdao. The whole atmosphere is warm and romantic – be sure to experience this unique metro train when you come to Qingdao. Come on, walk along the “Love Lane” in Taipingjiao Park, Badaguan, board the love-themed metro, and take that special someone on a two-way journey of love. Enjoy the beautiful moments together and witness the solemn pledge of eternal love as you and I say: Sea and stone will bear witness! Qingdao’s beauty is at its peak in late autumn; visiting at this time gives you the feeling of “stealing a half-day of leisure from a floating existence.” If you were given a free trip to Qingdao, who would you bring with you?