Anyone who has been to Qingdao, or checked her beer labels, will not fail to recall Zhanqiao Pier (zhanqiao), the symbol of the city. This is an obvious destination for anyone wishing to complete their Qingdao experience. The views from here contrast sharply with the towering modern buildings looking down upon the old German Concession area, with its church peaks and parks, and with its red clay tiles interrupted by dark green pines.

At full tide, the billowy surf rolls against the beach, the breakers sending up a fountain of spray. With the ebbing of the tide, appear the brown reefs and yellowish sand, a time for tourists and locals to gather conches and other seashells.

How to get there: No.2, 5, 6, 8, 25, 26, 218, 220, 223, 225, 301, 304, 305, 307, 311, 316, 320, 321, 501, 217, and 801 to get there.

Cost: free, RMB2 for Huilan loft.