Shandong - Qingdao Hiking Tours

Qingdao01: 2 Days Qingdao

Start with a visit to Zhongshan Road, as it is centrally located and leads to the waterfront. Wander directly south until land yields to water and you see the Zhanqiao Pier. Revered by locals as Qingdao's city symbol, it juts out into the bay affording visitors great views of the coast. After dodging the gauntlet of vendors that sell their wares on the pier follow the bay's coastline east to the Navy Museum (Entrance Fee: CNY30). Visitors can wander through the halls of both vessels, but please note that cameras are not allowed.

Continue east and wander onto the unimaginably scenic Little Qingdao Isle (Entrance Fee: CNY15). Temporarily abandon the coast and wander directly north inland for a few blocks on Jiangsu Street to the Protestant Church (Entrance Fee: CNY7). Return to the coast and continue east hugging the shore until you wander into Lu Xun Park. Alternatively, you can take bus No. 231 or No. 228 from the church directly to the park. Within the park you'll find the rather oddly named Marine Products Museum, which houses Qingdao's aquarium.  
 
End the first day's tour by venturing north into the famous Badaguan Scenic Area (Entrance Fee: CNY12). You can take bus No. 316, 228, 501, 801 and 202 from the park to Badaguan. 

On the second day, take bus No. 113 or No. 304, or from Qingdao railway station (Add: No. 2 Tai'an Road) take the sightseeing bus to visit Laoshan Mountains, located about 20 miles southeast of downtown. The area contains miles of hiking trails that wind past many scenic and historic spots. Deemed as one of China's "Top Five Holiest Mountains," Laoshan's summit can be reached either by hiking or via a tram. If the legs are still willing, you can also hike to Jufeng Peak. Before leaving the peaks, be sure to visit Taiqing Palace located near the Yellow Sea along the Laoshan Mountains' southern end.

Qingdao02: 8 Days Qingdao - Weihai - Yantai

For the first day, take a bus to Zhanqiao Pier and the start the full day city tour from there. There are many buses that go to Zhanqiao, such as No. 2, 5, 6, 8 and 25. You can walk from Zhanqiao to visit Little Qingdao Park, the Navy Museum, the Marine Museum, Little Fish Hill, the Eight Pass Villa Area, the City Square and the Sculptures along the sea shore.
On the second day, take bus No. 113 or No. 304, or from the Qingdao railway station (Add: No. 2 Tai'an Road) take the sightseeing bus to Mt. Laoshan. Hike on Mt. Laoshan, which is a well-known Taoism holy land. Emperors of the Qin (221 - 206 BC) and Han (206 BC-220AD) dynasties and many other historical celebrities have visited this mountain.
   
On the third day, take the coach from Qingdao coach station (Add: No. 2, Wenzhou Road, Sifang district, Qingdao) to Weihai. The trip takes about 3.5 to 4 hours. Stay at a local hotel. You can take bus No. 1, 5, 7, 9, 13, 16, 26 and 85 to arrive at Weihai tourist port. From the port, please take a boat for about 20 minutes to Liugong Island. Spend some time visiting Liugong Island, and the Museums of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. From May to October, the last boat from the island back to Weihai is at 17:30, while from January to April and from November to December, it is at 15:30.

Pay a visit the Holy Water Taoist Temple, Swan Lake, Chengshantou Scenic Area, Wild Animal World, and the Colorful Stones. They are all in Rongcheng city. From Weihai Bus Station (Add: No. 136, Middle Qingdao Road, Weihai), travel by bus for about 50 minutes to visit these sights. There is a bus to the sights from 7:00 to 12:30 at the station every day.  
  
To visit Yantai, take a bus from Weihai Bus Station. The journey takes about 2 hours, and the bus is available from 06:00 to 17:40 everyday. Take bus No. 3 or No. 17 to visit the Zhangyu Winery Museum. Take bus No. 3, 17 or 28 to visit the Eastern Emplacement. You can get off the bus at the Yueliangwan stop. Take bus No. 5, 7, 10, 17, 23 or 53 to visit the Yellow Sea Entertainment Center. Take bus No. 21, 22, 42 or 47 to Mt. Pagoda. Finally take bus No. 3, 43, 45 or 46 to Mt. Yantai. 
  
Take a bus to Penglai from Yantai North Road Bus Station, which is near the west overpass at the railway station. There is a bus every 15 to 20 minutes to Penglai and takes about 80 minutes. Visit the well-known Penglai Pavilion from where a mirage can be seen sometimes. And then from the pavilion, you can take go the sightseeing cable car above the sea to visit Mt. Tianheng and the water maiden.