The apple-themed cruise ship adds more fun to people's travel experiences in Yantai. [Photo/WeChat account: Friendly Shandong]

In eastern Shandong, Yantai has earned a sweet nickname from netizens: "Apple city". Walk its streets and you'll spot giant apple sculptures, apple‑themed murals, and shops filled with apple‑inspired souvenirs. The city even has an apple-themed cruise ship.

The presence of this juicy fruit is everywhere. In Hongkou 1920 Historical and Cultural Block, old foreign villas now share space with whimsical apple-themed installations: a wishing fountain shaped like an apple, an Alice‑in‑Wonderland apple garden, and a fun-packed apple farm. Nearby stores sell apple fridge magnets, apple‑patterned notebooks, even soft apple pillows. One cafe combines apple treats with cat‑cuddling.

The apple-shaped store in Hongkou 1920 Historical and Cultural Block in Yantai, Shandong. [Photo/WeChat account: Friendly Shandong]

But the abundance of this fruity cultural motif doesn't stop on land. This year, Yantai launched a specialty-themed sightseeing boat. Painted bright red, the vessel sails past Yantai Mountain, Moon Bay, and Dongpao Fort, offering 360‑degree sea views while passengers sip apple drinks and shop for apple‑themed souvenirs.

A visitor takes a photo of their ticket for the apple-themed cruise. [Photo/WeChat account: Friendly Shandong]

Food lovers can taste apple in practically everything: freshly pressed juice, rich apple ice cream, crispy apple chips, and a beloved milk‑apple tea. Meanwhile, thick‑cut dried apple slices made through a traditional "three‑steam, three‑sun" process deliver a naturally sweet chew.

Yantai's love affair with apples turns a simple fruit into a city‑wide cultural experience. As one local shop sign reads: "Welcome to 'apple city'."