Tai'an's hotels are kind of pricy given its size, and the cheapest places to sleep are on Tai Shan. Outside the Taoist temple (which is the best Taoist temple I have seen in China, and possibly the best temple complex in eastern China) and Tai Shan, there isn't much else to see. If coming from Shanghai, you will most likely get into town very early morning - which is good timing. The Taoist temple opens at 7:30AM, will be empty, and the lighting is best during this time. Also, you can dump your gear at the train station with the left luggage service. It's cheap and allows you to carry a small bag of bare necessities for town and climbing up the mountain.
