If you go to Jinan, check out the pub Pyramid on "Wen Hua Dong Lu". Not a very big place but lovely music and the crowd gets wild friday nights. Good food too!

Qufu - Confucius temple
Taishan - One of the 5 beautiful mountains (avoid going in Winter its freezing)
Jinan - City of springs

Hotel : Take up a hotel in Jinan and goto Qufu to reduce cost. Qufu hotels will be expensive. Qufu is 2-3 hrs from Jinan in Bus.

Shaolin is a night train journey from Jinan and can be visited from Jinan. Kungfu schools are a must see for foreigners.

Generally its hard to get train tickets during festival season.
Check for other ways of getting train tickets from you chinese friends. Sometimes you get tickets by paying some extra amount. I dont know if this is reservation or some other thing.

The prices go up in Qingdao during Chinese festivals esp Beer festival.

If you have a chinese friend get them book you a hotel.
I got a good hotel near the beach area for 230 Rmb as my chinese friend called and made a reservation.

Vegetarians who come to China

learn "bu yao rou" - means no meat!

but warning! Double check your food bcos rou = meat, and sometimes they think FISH is not meat