Shandong - Qingdao Beer Festival

Shandong – Qingdao

Visit the interactive Tsingtao Brewery Museum, drink beer out of plastic bags
on the streets and enjoy the laidback lifestyle of the home to Tsingtao Beer. Qingdao’s
coastal setting and friendly locals makes for a lovely place to relax.

Itinerary Highlights

`/` tsingtao brewery museum

Visit China’s first and only beer museum, with German infrastructure and equipment. You can start with a free taster in the museum and follow it up along Dangzhou Street aka Qingdao’s Beer Street.

`/` qingdao beer festival

First started in 1991 and now known as the Asian Oktoberfest, the festival takes place all around the city. Head to the main entrance at Golden Beach and witness the most passionate Chinese beer drinkers in action.

`/` shilaoren beach

Heading along the coastline, you can find the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Museum, coastal paths and finally Shilaoren Beach. As the city’s most popular beach, expect big crowds, ocean dips and volleyball games with locals.

Suggested Itinerary

Recommended time (3 days)

*NOTE: The Qingdao Beer Festival usually takes place in July-August
each year – so this itinerary is built around this event.

Day 1

Arriving at Qingdao Railway Station, walk to the hostel (a lot of accommodation is in this area).
15-20 mins

RECOMMENDED ACCOMMODATION
Kayue International Hostel

Leave your things and head straight to the festivities!

Take Bus 1 from Shili Yiyuan (by the hostel) to Beichuan Zhigong Gongyu
1rmb
40 mins

The entrance is obvious and you walk right through for FREE.

Explore the tents with different themes, beers and food. Bags seemed to be the cheapest option for beer.

Bonus suggestion: make friends with a Chinese family and they’ll show you how to party local style!

Day 2

Tsingtao Beer Museum

From Zhongshan Road, take Metro Line 1 to Taidong.
2rmb
~25mins

Take Exit A, walk around to Weihai Road and then Dengzhou Beer Street.

Here you’ll find the museum entrance.
60rmb entrance
8:00am – 6:00pm

The museum is well worth a visit, with an interesting history about Tsingtao Beer and a complimentary drink at the end!

On exit, find a place to eat along Dangzhou Street and make sure you get a bag of Tsingtao beer.

If you want to keep the party going, head to Boky’s Pub for great food, games and music.

From Taidong, take Metro Line 2 to Gaoxiong Road.
3rmb
~30mins

Day 3

Be dressed for the beach, as this entire day’s itinerary is coastal.

Qingdao Olympic Sailing Museum
From Huangdao Road, take Bus 231 to Qingdao Aofan Zhongxin.
1rmb
~45mins

Walk to the sailing club and find the entrance.
30rmb

After this, you can walk along the coastline following the coastal path. Alternatively, get a taxi/Didi to
Shilaoren Beach.

You might be greeted with green mossy waters, but it is a common place to swim.

Locals love to play volleyball here – ask to join in!

If you have the time, head to Laoshan Scenic Area instead.
You could spend an extra day in Laoshan.

Further Travel Tip

If you are traveling for a longer period of time, I suggest combining Shandong and Liaoning provinces. There is a ferry that runs between Dalian, Liaoning and Yantai, Shandong. Yantai and Qingdao are connected by fast train (1 hour journey).

From Dalian, head to Dalian Port, buy your ferry ticket and a shuttle bus will take you to the boat (go before midday to make sure you secure a ticket). You will arrive at Yantai Harbour which is close to Yantai Railway Station. OR Do this in reverse from Qingdao > Yantai > Dalian.
170rmb 6.5 hours

If you wanted to stay the night – Yantai is a lovely coastal city with phenomenal street food and swimming beaches.

`Weather in Qingdao`

Winter brings winds and temperatures sometimes fall below zero.
Spring is warm and comfortable.
Summer has ideal weather conditions, though it does get hot, and the festival is on.
Autumn is cool and windy.