I’ve been updating frequently lately because March and April are the best times to encounter spring. If I write my travel guide too slowly, the blooming period might pass me by.
Today, I want to spend about 10 minutes talking to you about Qingdao—this northern city of cherry blossoms that amazes me every year.
I thought seriously about it. With so many cities planting cherry blossom trees across the country, why does Qingdao stand out as especially beautiful?
The key to enhancing beauty isn’t just planting a lot of trees; the “supporting cast” is also crucial.
Qingdao’s Line 11 surrounded by cherry blossoms
Look, the two most famous cities in China for cherry blossom viewing are Wuhan University, with its cherry blossoms backed by Republic of China-era buildings, and Wuxi’s garden architecture, perfect for a rain of cherry blossoms.
As for Qingdao in the spring, I can’t help but rave about the combination of red-roofed European-style buildings and pink-white cherry blossoms!
You don’t even need to go to popular viewing spots like Zhongshan Park and Badaguan; once the cherry blossoms bloom in Qingdao, the entire city is awash with pink and white romance.
Every spring, cherry blossoms are the main attraction. For cherry blossom viewing, preparation is essential.
In Qingdao, the cherry blossoms bloom after those in Wuhan and Wuxi “close up shop,” so you still have plenty of time to prepare.
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Classic yet crowded popular cherry blossom viewing spots
The places mentioned in this part are old news; nine out of ten Qingdao guides will mention them, so I’ll be brief.
The cherry blossoms themselves are naturally abundant and gorgeous, but the downside is the crowds.
To improve your experience, other than arriving early or staying late, I don’t have any particularly good solutions.
Zhongshan Park
🌸 Expected Opening Time: Early April to Late April
🎫 Admission: Free
Zhongshan Park is the landmark for cherry blossoms in Qingdao, featuring over 20 varieties and more than 2,000 cherry blossom trees. There’s even a Cherry Blossom Avenue that attracts more visitors than a train station during the Spring Festival travel season.
Due to the high density of cherry blossom trees, the sight during flower season is truly magnificent.
Since 2021, the Cherry Blossom Festival in Zhongshan Park has become an annual festival for Qingdao.
This year’s Qingdao Cherry Blossom Festival will have a blooming period from April 10 to 25, lasting for half a month. The double cherry blossoms can bloom until May 1.
During the Cherry Blossom Festival, there will also be an exhibition of 200,000 tulips and an azalea flower show, transforming Zhongshan Park into a floral wonderland!
The first batch of spring flowers have already “jumped the gun” in the park. My local friends in Qingdao told me that by 6 a.m., several classic spots are already occupied by photographers with professional equipment.
I anticipate this year’s visitor numbers will hit a record high. If you can’t take ideal photos, just take in the scenery with your eyes.
Badaguan
🌸 Expected Opening Time: Early to Mid-April
🎫 Admission: Free
This is also a regular option for flower viewing. However, if you are coming to Badaguan solely for the cherry blossoms, you might be disappointed.
The ten streets in Badaguan are lined with many types of flowering trees, with the most famous ones being the crabapple blossoms on Ningwu Road and Jiayuguan Road, even more popular than the cherry blossoms on Juyongguan Road.
Photo: @Dong Zhigang
There are peach blossoms on Shaoguan Road and roses on Zhan Shan Road in May. Though Badaguan is popular year-round, I personally believe its springtime is the most beautiful.
If you plan to visit Badaguan, be sure to take the “Bus to Spring”—Bus 219 in Shibei District.
This bus route connects famous attractions in Qingdao, including Zhongshan Park and Badaguan, the two prime flower viewing spots. On weekends in March and April, additional flower viewing buses are added to the route, making this one of the must-dos during a spring visit to Qingdao.
Dalao Cherry Valley
🌸 Expected Blooming Time: Mid to Late March
🎫 Tickets: 20 RMB (Entry to the main Lao Mountain Scenic Area is free before March 31, 2023)
I can summarize the cherry blossoms in the Cherry Valley of Great Laoshan with four words: “Abundant and Fulfilling.”
However, the blossoms here are actually cherry flowers, similar to the difference between big cherries and cherries used for preserves. Most of the flowers are single-petaled, and compared to the commonly seen double-petaled cherry blossoms, these cherry flowers are slightly less ornamental.
To make up for the lack of variety, there is quantity. Cherry Valley spans over 30 acres. With the “Tree Sea Tactic” at play, the number of visitors has surged dramatically in the past two years. Last year, they started charging for tickets, and this year marks the first Cherry Blossom Festival in Lao Mountain, so even more people are expected.
The Lao Mountain Scenic Area is vast. Besides the highly popular Cherry Valley, along the lines of Yangkou Scenic Area, Jiushui Scenic Area, and within the villages of Dahedong, Diaolongzui, Miaoshi, Wolong, and Huangshan, there are smaller areas where cherry flowers can be found.
Compared to Qingdao city, the picturesque Lao Mountain is brimming with vitality in spring.
The blooming season continues until May, with flowers in bloom throughout Lao Mountain. If you are planning to visit for flower viewing and a spring outing, I suggest you allocate a full day.
The Lao Mountain Flower Viewing Map prepared by the Qingdao Meteorological Bureau is very convenient. I’ll take the easy route and share it directly here.
Image: @Qingdao Meteorological Bureau
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Free and Beautiful Places for Citizens to Enjoy Flower Viewing
Calling Qingdao the “City of Cherry Blossoms in the North” is not limited to a few famous spots.
If you don’t want to squeeze into the scenic areas, Qingdao’s small streets and parks are adorned beautifully with cherry blossoms. Fewer people and a better experience, I highly recommend these lesser-known flower viewing spots.
Sanming South Road
🌸 Expected Blooming Time: Mid to Late April
🎫 Tickets: Free
Sanming South Road is a lesser-known but popular flower viewing spot. This 200-meter-long narrow road on the edge of an old residential area is lined with cherry blossom trees, planted during a residential area renovation.
Due to the long years and large canopies of the cherry trees, the cherry blossoms on Sanming South Road consistently receive high praise from old Qingdao families.
In recent years, Sanming South Road has become an internet sensation, with noticeably more visitors. Last year, during the cherry blossom season, Sanming South Road even featured matching cherry blossom-themed murals. Who knows what it will look like this year?
Hengshui Road
🌸 Estimated Opening Time: Late April
🎫 Ticket: Free
Along the north side of Hengshui Road by the Lichun River, there’s a 3km long fitness trail known as the Cherry Blossom Tunnel during spring. This is one of the most famous cherry blossom viewing streets in the Licang District.
The trail is designed for walking and exercising, so the path is narrow, making the cherry blossoms appear even denser.
Moreover, the cherry blossoms planted along Hengshui Road are of the double cherry variety, which bloom later in the season.
Ancheng Road
🌸 Estimated Opening Time: Late April
🎫 Ticket: Free
While Hengshui Road in the Licang District features a Cherry Blossom Tunnel, the Chengyang District also has its own Cherry Blossom Tunnel on Ancheng Road.
Ancheng Road, Deyang Road, and Shuncheng Road form a concentrated cherry blossom area. Here, too, the trees are late-blooming double cherry blossoms.
Chengyang District enhances the ambiance by illuminating these three streets at night, allowing visitors to enjoy the night cherry blossoms. The decorations shown in the pictures were from last year.
Imagine night jogging or cycling under the cherry blossom trees—doesn’t it sound like something out of a romantic TV show?
Shazikou Leisure Plaza
🌸 Estimated Opening Time: Early April
🎫 Ticket: Free
Driving from downtown Qingdao towards the coastal area of Shazikou offers a picturesque route, with the scenery transitioning from big city to quaint fishing village and the smell of the sea growing stronger.
Shazikou is not only Qingdao’s most famous seafood hub but also features a few serene beaches and untouched fishing villages.
In spring, the most popular spot in Shazikou is the Leisure Plaza, home to three cherry blossom trees. Yes, only three.
These cherry blossom trees seem to have chosen their location well—right by the sea, with the colorful walls of the fishing village on the other side of the bay providing a backdrop.
Taking photos here is indeed beautiful, but if you ask about the experience of flower viewing… it’s not much different from seeing tulips under the Wukang Building.
Hai’an Road
🌸 Expected blooming time: Late March
🎫 Admission: Free
At the end of this section, let me sneak Hai’an Road in.
At the end of the 600-meter-long Hai’an Road, you’ll find the sea. Every April, the road sides are filled with blooming flowers. And not just during the flowering season, this road is always a super popular spot in Qingdao.
At a glance, the photos look no different from those of cherry trees, but actually, there are Purple Leaf Plum trees on both sides of Hai’an Road. Up close, the flowers have a faint purple tint, which is very pretty, and their blooming period is quite similar to that of cherry blossoms.
Photo: @鱼肉Wan子
Hai’an Road, Haining Road, and Haiqing Road are three parallel roads. If you turn from Hai’an Road to Haining Road, you can continue walking along the Magnolia Flower Road.
Haining Road has over 300 magnolia trees, also set against the backdrop of the sea, with flowers blooming from one tree to another.
Photo: @二那Gonga
At the end of Hai’an Road, you can walk to a stretch of beach, though I’m not sure of the exact name. Usually, there are very few people there.
If you keep walking east along the coast, you will eventually reach the Stone Old Man. Whether you drive, cycle, or walk along this route, I highly recommend it, as the coastal scenery is absolutely gorgeous.
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Schools covered in flowers
It’s been at least three years since the last campus visit to see cherry blossoms, with all the photos coming from the official social media of various schools. This spring, we can finally step into schools and see the most culturally rich cherry blossoms!
Ocean University of China (Laoshan Campus)
🌸 Expected blooming time: Early to mid-April
🎫 Admission: Free, reservation required in advance
The top spot for cherry blossom viewing on Qingdao’s campuses is undoubtedly Ocean University of China (OUC). If you ask 100 Qingdao residents, they would all give you the same answer.
Regardless of how cool the dormitory air conditioners are or whether the cafeteria ladies have a steady hand, every year during the cherry blossom season, photos of OUC’s campus are the most compelling part of their admissions brochure.
OUC has four campuses: Laoshan, Yushan, Fushan, and the West Coast. The most famous spot for cherry blossom viewing is the Laoshan campus.
There is a road on campus called “Cherry Blossom Avenue,” where one side has single-flowered cherry trees that bloom in early April, but their flowering period is only about a week. So, you need to hurry to catch them.
The other side has double-flowered cherry trees, which usually bloom in mid-April and, if the weather is good, can last until early May, providing a longer viewing period.
With the overlapping blooming periods of the two types of cherry blossoms, as long as there aren’t any strong winds or heavy rains, you can see beautiful cherry blossoms at OUC throughout April.
Even without walking down Cherry Blossom Avenue, you can find flowers all over the OUC campus.
Outside the library and teaching buildings, near the vending machines, around the sports field, and under the dormitory buildings in the north area, cherry blossoms perfectly complement the scholarly atmosphere of the school.
Currently, during the cherry blossom season, OUC has opened reservations for alumni and their relatives.
Alumni need to log into the “Ocean University of China Campus Management System” and use the “Companion Reservation” function to make reservations. Each application allows up to three relatives to accompany them into the campus. Both current students and graduates can apply.
As for ordinary tourists like me, we still need to wait for further announcements, or maybe connect with an OUC alumnus online who can take us into the campus to see the cherry blossoms.
Qingdao University (Fushan Campus)
🌸 Expected Opening Time: Mid to late April
🎫 Tickets: Free, but requires accompanying by a current student to enter
Honestly, the cherry blossoms at OUC’s Laoshan campus can outshine those at all other universities in Qingdao. However, the atmosphere of Qingdao University has a natural charm for me, so even though the cherry blossoms at other schools are not the most abundant or spectacular, I still want to recommend them.
Qingdao University has three main types of cherry blossoms: large-leaf early cherry blossoms, Tokyo cherry blossoms, and mountain cherry blossoms, which start blooming in mid-March and can last until early May.
In March, visit the garden east of the library to see early cherry blossoms. There are also a few cherry trees blooming beautifully in the residential area in the east, where you can find the only green cherry blossom tree in Qingdao University.
For late cherry blossoms, head to Baihui Road on the Fushan campus. The late cherry blossoms at the exit of Gate 306 in the west courtyard are also blooming nicely.
Moreover, the Fushan campus of Qingdao University is very close to Sanming South Road, within walking distance, making it easy to visit both locations.
Qingdao Agricultural University
🌸 Expected Bloom Time: Early April
🎫 Admission: Free, but current students must accompany visitors for entry
It seems there are so many types of plants on campus that Qingdao Agricultural University doesn’t leave the impression of having an abundance of cherry blossoms. The lush vegetation on campus is impressive, and not flaunting it doesn’t mean the cherry blossoms aren’t beautiful.
The university doesn’t have specific cherry blossom spots like dedicated gardens or avenues. The most famous cherry blossom tree is in front of the Wenjing Building, where students bring their friends from other schools to take photos during the bloom season.
Other cherry trees are scattered across the campus, and given the size of the university, it’s quite a workout to walk around and see everything.
China University of Petroleum (East China)
🌸 Expected Bloom Time: Early to mid-April
🎫 Admission: Free, but current students must accompany visitors for entry
China University of Petroleum is located near Tangdao Bay, enjoying the picturesque setting of “facing the sea, with spring flowers blossoming.”
The campus environment is quite nice and has been a filming location for idol dramas such as “Skate Into Love,” “The Emergence of First Love,” and “Suddenly This Summer,” giving it a natural visual appeal.
Fenghua Road is the university’s most popular path, and every visitor is guided by students to stroll down this road.
Walking through the student-exclusive garden, you will see plum blossoms, forsythia, peonies, crabapples, and magnolias blooming along Fenghua Road, with cherry blossoms also gracing the spring atmosphere.
There’s also a garden full of cherry trees in front of the South Teaching Building, where students pass by daily. Once you visit, you’ll understand why idol dramas love filming here.
What else can you do in Qingdao during spring?
Besides enjoying the cherry blossoms and spring scenery, there’s one more thing to add to your memo: eat plenty of seafood.
April is the spawning season for mantis shrimp, which are large, meaty, the females carrying roe, making them especially tender and delicious.
Every mid-April, Sazikou hosts the annual Spanish mackerel festival. There’s a local saying in Qingdao, “When the Grain Rain arrives, the mackerel jumps, and the father-in-law smiles,” where sons-in-law are traditionally expected to present Spanish mackerel to their fathers-in-law. As a visitor, you can also enjoy the fresh mackerel prepared in various ways.
Before the fishing ban starts on May 1st, seize the opportunity to relish the springtime seafood feast.
If it’s your first time visiting Qingdao, besides the cherry blossom spots mentioned, there are plenty of scenic spots worth marking off your list.
Spring may not be Qingdao’s peak tourist season, but the city’s red-tile roofs, green trees, blue sea, and sky are endlessly charming.
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Qingdao is vast, yet the old town is perfect for city walks.
The old town strings together popular city landmarks, packaging beautiful buildings rich with historical vibes and charming alleys brimming with everyday life.
This condensed 5km route is filled with highlights.
👉 With the dedication to walk 20,000 steps in a day, you can capture the soul of old Qingdao.
Often, the impression you have of a city isn’t determined by the grandiosity of its attractions or the cost of expenses. Instead, it’s formed by the little experiences you have along the way.
Qingdao’s high livability index probably has a lot to do with its low cost of happiness.
👉 I did these 10 things in Qingdao and rediscovered a long-lost sense of joy.
Typically, three things are indispensable when visiting Qingdao: drinking beer, eating clams, and bathing in the sea. Writing a dedicated beer guide is definitely justified—Qingdao lives up to its name!
👉 Apart from enjoying the sea and seafood, what else can you do in Qingdao? Well, drink beer, of course!
In spring, Laoshan is a prime location for flower viewing in Qingdao. Why not take this opportunity to explore Laoshan in depth and simultaneously experience the majesty of the mountains and the vastness of the sea?
👉 The wildest sea in Qingdao is at Laoshan!
Every season in Qingdao has its own unique beauty, but I have a soft spot for spring. The vibrant spring flowers bloom one after another, filling me with vitality.
Plan a short vacation and head to Qingdao to enjoy some Spanish mackerel and mantis shrimp!
