Baotu Spring: Located in the central area of Jinan, the Baotu Spring Park with an area of 10.5 hectares has become a famous cultural park for its springs. Baotu Spring, the best one among the famous 72 springs in Jinan, is hailed as "the first spring under the heaven", the spring water spurts out in three prongs, with water droplets falling around, just like three piles of snow, which is very spectacular. There are many famous springs in the park, such as Jinxian Spring, Shuyu Spring, Liuxu Spring, Mapao Spring and Wuyou Spring etc. Emperor Qian Long of the Qing Dynasty granted to the spring the great title of “The First Spring under Heaven” after he tasted the delicate fragrance of the tea infused by it on his south tour. With a rich cultural heritage, the Baotu Spring Park is a abundant in historic interest and scenic beauty such as Luoyuan Hall, E Ying Shrine, Guanlan Pavillion, Laihe Bridge, Pengshan Arch, Shangzhi Hall, White Snow Tower, Wanzhu Garden, Cang Garden, many famous springs and stone tablets as well. All these make Baotu Spring Park become the cradle of spring culture of Jinan. The newly built Luoyuan Garden, Hundred Flowers Garden, “The May 3rd Massacre” Memorial Garden, Ship Station are harmonious with old scenic spots. The graceful and classic park is noted for spring, tea and opera. In the park are often held cultural activities such as shows of Chinese painting and calligraphy, potted landscape, autumn chrysanthemum, Spring Festival Lanterns and operas, which have greatly enriched the traditional culture of the park. The park, ranked as 4 A class scenic spot, National Excellent Park, One of Ten Top Parks, Advanced Unit of National Cultural and Ethical Progress, has become a tourist resort at home and abroad.
Transportation: Bus No. 1,5,41,49, 1,5,41,49 etc.
Thousand-Buddha Mountain: Thousand-Buddha Mountain (Mt. Qianfo), which enjoys the reputation as "the No, 1 mountain in Jinan", is a famous religious attraction that welcomes numerous numbers of tourists at home and abroad. Located about two and a half kilometers southeast of the city with a height of 281 meters, Thousand-Buddha Mountain (Mt. Qianfo) is original called Mt. Lishan in the ancient times. The Thousand-Buddha Cliff is located on the northern flank of the hill behind the Xingguochan Temple. The foot of the cliff is pierced by five caves, which are named: Longquan Cave, Jile Cave, Qianlou Cave, and Luzhu Cave. The caves' height ranges from 3 meters down to only 20 centimeters. About 130 Buddha statues which were carved into Thousand-Buddha Cliff during the Sui period remain today. The Jile Cave houses 16 Buddha statues, the tallest of which is 3 m high. Buddha statues in a cave south of the Xingguochan Temple along with the Buddha statues, temples and other buildings were erected on the hill. The most renown of these structures is the Xingguochan Temple which was originally built during the reign of Emperor Taizhong of Tang as an expansion of the Sui-Dynasty Qianfo Temple. Further enlargements were undertaken during the Song Dynasty, but the temple was destroyed by war afterwards. Rebuilding was undertaken in 1468, during the Ming Dynasty. The Guanying Hall, the Foye Hall, and the Thousand-Hands Buddha statue were added during the Qing Dynasty. Thousand-Buddha Mountain, overgrown with grass and flowers as well as age-old pine and cypress, at a distance is like a giant wearing a huge green carpet dotted with pavilions, towers and terraces. Although it is not of impressive height (only 280 meters), nor does it boast weird peaks or strange valleys, the convenient location and picturesque scenery of this spot, as well as the tranquil beauty of the ancient monastery nestled in its bosom, draw tourists by the thousands each year. Now the mountain is a park rich in natural beauty and several historical monuments, shrines and temples, ageless traditions and legends, which all make it a living museum that any visitor would cherish its vivid memory in his/her heart forever.
Transportation: Bus No. 2, 48, 64, 85 etc.
Daming Lake: Reputed as the pearl of the city of springs, the Daming Lake is located in the northern part of Jinan of Shandong Province. Covering an area of 46 hectares, the Daming Lake is a natural lake with an average depth of 3 meters. The lake is the convergence of a number of springs in the city, including the Pearl Spring, the Lotus Spring, and Wangfu Pool, etc. With some 800 weeping willows standing along the shores, over 40 mu (15 mu = 1 hectare) of the lake is planted with lotuses. There was a scholar in Qing Dynasty named Liu E, who wrote numerous verses praising the Daming Lake - "four sides lotus with three willows, one city with half lake landscapes”. Emerald-green lotus leaves, lotus flowers with delicate fragrance, fish swimming in the lake and birds hovering in the sky, all make a superb fascinating picture, attracting countless tourists. The Daming Lake was built into a garden in 1985. After dredging up, cleaning, renovation and expansion of the building, the lake has become one of the famous scenic spots in Jinan City. Main spots in the Daming Lake Park include Lixia Pavilion, North Pole Pavilion, Jiaxuan Ancestral Temple, Minghu Pavilion, Tiegong Ancestral Temple, Xiayuan Garden, and Little Canglang Pavilion. Entering the south gate and walking along the curved bridge to the west, one will find the Xiayuan Garden, built in 1909 by imitating the Tianyi Pavilion in Ningbo of Zhejiang Province. Constructed with rockeries, pavilions, bridges and corridors, the garden is quiet and tastefully lay out. The garden also has numerous precious carved stones of past dynasties. To the west of the Xiayuan Garden is the Jiaxuan Ancestral Temple, built in 1959 in memory of Xin Qiji, a great poet of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). In the center of the lake stands the Lixia Pavilion, an octagonal multi-eave construction.
Transportation: Bus No. 11, 41, 66, 106, 83, 30, 31, 36, 37, 63, 118, 122, 201
Red Leaves Valley: The Ecological and Cultural Tourism Area of Red Leaves Valley is located in Licheng District with 4000 mu (15 mu = 1 hectare) planned area. Rosebush Garden and Xuanqiu Lake are among the major scenic spots. Fountains, lakes, mountains and valleys form beautiful scenery. About 97 percent of the valley is covered with forests, so it is also considered as a natural oxygen bar. Ranked as 4 A class scenic spot, Red Leaves Valley has become one of the most looked forward vacation paradise in Jinan. People can not only go to Red Leaves Valley for mountain climbing but also for foliage sightseeing in autumn season. The fact is that different sceneries of Red Leaves Valley such as spring flowers, waterfall, and winter snow show their best in different seasons, so visitors can visit this wonderland at any time.
Transportation: tourist bus etc.
Jurushan Waterfall Scenic Area: With an area of 36 square kilometer, Jurushan waterfall scenic area is one of the biggest national forest parks in northern China. As a kind of modern tourist style, visitors in Jurushan can enjoy not only ecological sightseeing but also entertainment and health preservation. Only 48km from the urban area of Jinan, it borders Zhangqiu to the east, Laiwu and Tai’an to the south. Overgrown with grass and flowers and ageless pine and cypress, the mountain in this scenic area is not of impressive height, nor does it boast of weird peaks and strange valleys. Nonetheless, its convenient location and picturesque scenery, and the tranquil beauty of the waterfalls, draw tourists by the thousands each year. Also it is the birthplace of the 72 famous springs in Jinan.
Transportation: Bus No. 326, 65etc.
Baimai Spring: Baimai spring enjoys the same fame as the famous Baotu spring inside Jinan city. Naturally formed by a cluster of springs, the largely unexplored park preserves some of the most “vigorous” springs in the province and probably in all of China. The place also boasts that it's the hometown of Li Qingzhao, a top female poet living in the Song Dynasty (900-1127 A.D.) Some of the scenic spots are in close connection with the Song Dynasty poet, such as the Qingzhao Garden, which ranks first among the four nationwide Li Qingzhao memorials in terms of scenery and historical importance. The following content is the introduction of some famous springs in Baimai Spring Park.
Meihua (Plum) Spring:
The small lake formed by the spring is delicately surrounded by antique pavilions, corridors and plantations. It is very pleasant to view the spring under the sun in a delicate pavilion.
Shuyu Spring:
Shuyu (Washing Jade) Spring is believed to be the place where Li Qingzhao once washed her face. The Shuyu Spring lies adjacent to the Meihua (Plum) Spring, with a stone fence encircling the jade-colored water. It's a shallow pond with a bed formed of egg-like multi-colored cobble stones.
Transportation: Bus No. 309 etc.
Jinxiangshan Ski Resort: Only 25km from the urban area of Jinan, JinXiangShan Ski Resort is the biggest and well-equipped ski resort in Shandong province. With an area of 3000 mu (15 mu = 1 hectare), JinXiangShan Ski Resort located in the south mountainous area of Jinan. The resort features 3 different kinds of ski slides to meet the demands of different people. Hundreds sets of import ski equipments let people get close to nature. Snowmobiles and some other snow activities will help you make up a happy family atmosphere. So long as you tread the ski field, you will have anxious and joyful day.
Transportation：Bus No.65 etc
Transportation：Bus No.65 etc:Located in Caofan town, Sanwangyu scenic area borders Laiwu to the south, Zibo to the east. And, it is very close to the yellow river. There are hundreds scenic spots in this area, which includs16 mountains, 10 springs and 18 pools and lakes. With an elevation of approximately 795.2 meters above sea level, Shuangfeng Mountain is the highest mountain in this area. In addition, with 18 pools and lakes in this area, Sanwangyu scenic area is rich in water resource. And the water is sweet, rich in variety of useful minerals. Moreover, visitors in this area can enjoy a series of games, such as fishing, swimming, hunting etc.
Transportation: tourist bus etc.
Jinan Botanical Garden: The Jinan Botanical Garden is a large complex covering 6 hectares located about 35 kilometers outside of Jinan. It is actually a collection of several botanical gardens each specializing in a different species such as cherry blossom, peony, megranate blossom magnolia, chrysanthemum, devilwood and bamboo.
Eleven ''featured gardens'' are planted on various themes, the most intriguing of which is the garden for the blind, which has been planted with visually impaired visitors in mind, incorporating plants whose leaves, branches or fruits have unusual texture and shape such as gingko, horse chestnut, persimmon and redbud.
Six lakes spaced around the area ensure that the Gardens retain a fresh, gently humid atmosphere. The lakes provide intoxicating views in their own right: their wide vistas complement the Garden's dense foliage. There are also 3 waterfalls near the entrance to the park, and a number of smaller water features dotted about.
A Scientific Popularization Hall is designed to educate visitors about the work carried out at Jinan Botanical Garden. It has three exhibition halls: plant hall, insect hall and a multimedia education center, housing exhibits describing the evolution of plants and scientific knowledge through plenty of pictures, specimens and fossils.
Directly outside the Scientific Popularization Hall is a 20-hectare area crammed with brightly colored plants. More than 20 varieties of tree picked for their unusual foliage grow here including Red-leaf Cherry Plum and Phoenix Tree as well as metasequoia and gingko, both of which are said to be living plant fossils.
Over 360 varieties of plant and over 3.50 million individual specimens from every corner of China are grown at the Jinan Botanical Garden. But if you really can't bear to see another leaf or bloom, there's even an amusement park within the Gardens.
Transportation: Bus No. 39, 48, 66 , 85, 110, 152
Quancheng Square: Embraced by mountain, spring, river and city, QuanCheng Square is the central square of the capital city of Shandong Province, Jinan. Looking around, you can have a look at the old city in the north, see Baotu Spring spurting or flowing slowly in the west, look into distance at the verdant Thousand Buddha Mountain stretching along in the south, and look ahead the Liberation Pavilion fresh and elegant as a picture in the east. QuanCheng Square has a total area of 16.96 hectares, with 780m from east to west and 230m from south to north. It is planned on a major axis between Baotu Spring and Liberation Pavilion and on a minor axis between Bangpeng Avenue and Shuowen Avenue. At the main entrance, the national flag is fluttering in the wind, under which the four Chinese characters of "QuanCheng Square" are sculptured on the signal of entrance, with "QuanCheng Square Record" on its back.
Transportation: Bus No. 80, 66, 72, 49, 44, 14, 123, 19, 128, 102, 165