Beijing may be the epicenter of most of this summer's Olympic activity, but six other major Chinese cities will also share the glory of playing host to certain events during the 2008 Olympics. Visitors searching for fun outside of China's capital needn't look far: From beautiful beaches to ancient edifices, these six Beijing side trips offer it all.
Qingdao
A city relatively unknown on a global scale until the 20th century, Qingdao is a coastal destination situated on the Shandong Peninsula in the Shandong province. Prior to 1891, Qingdao existed as a tiny fishing village until troops arrived and took up residence there; it was then annexed by Germany in 1897 (and has since maintained a heavy Bavarian influence). During World War I, Qingdao was occupied by the Japanese, before temporarily reverting back to Chinese rule in 1922 and permanently becoming part of the People's Republic of China following World War II. Qingdao is like China's own San Francisco: filled with verdant parks, lined with sandy beaches, surrounded by wooded hillsides and shrouded in a blanket of fog.
Encompassed by water, it comes as no surprise that aquatic sports are one of the region's main draws (the town is set to host the Olympics Sailing Regatta). Visitors' favorite pastimes include hitting up sandy spots along the shore -- the six beaches are creatively named by number, with Beach No. 1 being the most famous -- and wandering the Seaside Sightseeing Pathway that extends from Tuandao to ShiLaoRen Beach.
After winding down from a long day of fun in the sun, grab a refreshing pint at Qingdao Brewery, founded by the Germans in 1903, before laying your head to rest at one of the city's popular lodging options like the Shangri-La Hotel or the brand new InterContinental Qingdao.
Tianjin
Another seaside town, Tianjin, which will hold some of the soccer competitions, is just a 70-mile train ride from Beijing, making it a manageable day trip from the capital. While Tianjin doesn't have as many tourist attractions as the other cities on this list, most visitors make their first, and sometimes only, stop here at the Ancient Cultural Street
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