Abstract: Traditional villages are magnificent historical and regional cultural heritage. The Yellow River has nurtured the development of civilization on both sides, and along the Yellow River, a lot of traditional villages have been formed and preserved. Using ArcGIS10.6, the spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors of 260 traditional villages in 9 cities on both sides of the Yellow River in Shandong Province were analyzed by the methods of kernel density spatial analysis and so on. Those villages have been rated as provincial and national traditional villages by the government. The results show that the distribution of traditional villages shows a clustering feature, and as the distance from the Yellow River increases, the number of villages first increases and then decreases. The density of traditional villages on the south bank of the Yellow River is higher than that on the north bank and presents a gradient change pattern. As the density decreases, the three clustering areas in sequence are the low mountain and hilly area at the junction of Jinan and Zibo, the intersection of the Yellow River and the Grand Canal, and the Zhuzhao New River Basin at the junction of Heze and Jining, while other areas are relatively scattered. Traditional villages prefer plains and low mountains, with a slope of 3°~18°, sunny slopes, and areas within 1~5km from rivers. Roads and economic development level also have a direct impact on the spatial layout of traditional villages. The research provides theoretical support for the protection and development of traditional villages, rural revitalization, and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin in Shandong Province.