
Things to Do in Shanghai – The Paris of the East
Also known as Paris of the East, Shanghai is one of the best cities in China. Shanghai is often overlooked and is usually just a stopover for most travelers. It looks like there’s not much to see and do since it is full of tall buildings. However, there are a lot of things to do in Shanghai. You can easily spend a week here and not be able to explore everything this city can offer. Here are 25 things to do in Shanghai that you should not miss.
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Many people assume that Shanghai is expensive. From my experience, I did not find China as expensive as I thought it would be. The hotels, train tickets, and food were much affordable compared to my trip to Japan. Here is an estimated cost of travel in China for a month.
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Disney
1. Spend A Day in Shanghai Disneyland
Shanghai Disneyland should be in your top things to do in Shanghai. It is the first Disneyland park in Mainland China. It is also the biggest Disney resort in Asia. If you are a big Disney fan, you’ll surely enjoy a day in this park. This place is perfect for huge Disney fans.

Meet your favorite Disney characters and take photographs with them. Watch the beautiful parade and see your favorite characters perform. Eat cute Disney themed snacks and lastly, end the day by watching the beautiful fireworks show before leaving the park. If there is only one ride you can do in Shanghai Disneyland, I highly recommend you do Soaring or if you’ve been to the US parks then the Pirates of the Carribean ride should be your top priority.
2. Stay in Shanghai Disneyland Hotel
Your Disney adventure in Shanghai is not limited to Shanghai Disneyland. You can stay in Disney-themed rooms at Shanghai Disneyland Hotel. There are several benefits for guests of Shanghai Disneyland Hotel too.
You can enjoy their free shuttle bus from the hotel to the park. Another advantage is that you can also enter the park one hour earlier which is perfect. You can start their famous rides without waiting in line since you are already inside before the park officially opens to other guests.
3. Or stay in Toy Story Hotel
Shanghai Disneyland Hotel is very elegant, but if you are traveling with kids, Toy Story Hotel is perfect for you. Each room in this hotel is themed after the Toy Story movies and this is perfect for fans of the movies. Guests can also meet and take photos with Woody and Jessie at the entrance of the hotel.
4. Watch the Beaty and the Beast Musical Show in Shanghai Disneytown
If you are a big fan of Beauty and the Beast like me, you must watch their musical show in Shanghai Disneytown. It is a must-watch for Beauty and the Beast fans. Even those who are not a big fan would still enjoy this musical. They will be speaking in Mandarin though and the songs are all in Mandarin as well. It is still a great experience and definitely one of the top things to do in Shanghai.
Airport Services
5. Pudong Airport Private Transfer
After a long flight, you finally arrived at your destination. You’re excited and cannot wait to explore but you have several big luggage. You can take public transport but a better option is to just have a private transfer from the airport to your hotel or Airbnb.
It is perfect especially if you are traveling with a big group. It is much affordable and you can even split the cost so you can save more money. The best part about it is that you can comfortably travel from the airport to your hotel without the inconvenience of taking public transport with your luggage.
6. Pudong Airport Luggage Service
The airport luggage service is amazing and perfect especially if you will arrive really early or will depart really late in the evening. We arrived at 8 A.M in Shanghai and our hotel check-in is not until 3 P.M. We want to explore already so instead of bringing our luggage with us around, we delivered it to our hotel instead.
On our last day, our flight was at 11 in the evening. We have to check out by noon so we also delivered our luggage to the airport so that we can still explore without bringing our luggage with us. This service makes it more convenient for us and we really love using this service.
Things to do in Shanghai
7. Take A Cruise in the Huangpu River
I noticed that every time we travel, we would always take a boat tour or cruise. We also did it on our Singapore trip and on our one week in Japan trip. It’s a great way to explore the city and the view is really beautiful too. You can see the historic The Bund on one side and the modern Pudong at the other side. You can take a cruise at any time of the day but it is best at night time where the lights make the view more beautiful.

8. Oriental Pearl Tower
If Paris has the Eiffel Tower and Tokyo have the Tokyo tower, Shanghai has the Oriental Pearl Tower. It is the most iconic landmark in Shanghai. You can go up to the observatory deck of this tower and see the beautiful 360 degrees view of the city. It is much better to go at night time since the lights make it more beautiful.

9. Shanghai World Financial Tower
If you go up the Oriental Pearl Tower, the view is mostly tall buildings. However, if you go up the Shanghai World Financial Tower instead, then you can see the view of Pearl tower. I highly recommend SWFT over the Pearl tower since I personally think that the view is more beautiful here than in Pearl tower.

10. Jin Mao Tower
If you want to see the view of the city from above but want a more affordable option, Jin Mao Tower is a perfect choice. It is one of the tallest buildings in the city too.

11. Yuyuan Garden
If you got tired and bored of seeing tall buildings and skyscrapers in Shanghai, a visit to Yuyuan garden is perfect for you. It is one of Shanghai’s five classical gardens and if you can only visit one, I highly suggest you visit the Yuyuan garden. The traditional Chinese architecture in this garden is beautiful and it’s great to see some greenery for a change.

12. Explore the Former French Concession
If you are interested in arts and crafts, you would surely enjoy walking around the Tianzifang or the Former French Concession area. There are a lot of vintage shops here selling arts and crafts. It is different and unique from the usual tall buildings you usually see. Be careful when you visit here though since this place is famous for pickpockets. Always be alert of your belongings so you won’t lose valuables such as passports and phones.
13. Hello Kitty Shanghai Times
This place reminds me of Sanrio Puroland in Tokyo. If you are a big fan of Hello Kitty and Sanrio, then this place is a must-visit for you. It should be one of the top things to do in Shanghai for Sanrio lovers.
Meet your favorite Sanrio characters and take photos with them. Enjoy the three whole floors that are Sanrio themed. Kids and kids at heart will surely enjoy this place.
Food Tour in Shanghai
14. Join a Breakfast Tour in Shanghai
I don’t know about you but breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I love starting my day by having a good breakfast. As much as I love the usual western-style breakfast which consists of pancakes, eggs, bacon, etc. Having a Chinese or eastern breakfast really excites me.
Join a breakfast tour in Shanghai is definitely one of the top things to do in Shanghai. It is also a great way to experience the old Shanghai and its culture. What I love the most about joining a food tour is that you are sure that you’ll sample the best dishes since there’s a knowledgeable tour guide with you.
15. There’s also an Evening Food Tour
If dinner is your favorite meal then you might prefer joining the evening tour instead. You can sample authentic Chinese dishes that were made by locals who are expert in cooking.

16. Have a Dinner at Oriental Pearl Tower
If you are looking for a unique dining experience that you don’t have back in your own country, then I suggest booking a dinner at the revolving restaurant at Oriental Pearl tower. It is a buffet dinner and you can also see the view of Shanghai from above while having your meal.
This restaurant also makes a full circle every two hours so you’ll see a 360 degrees view of the city from above while having your meal. You can only have this experience in Shanghai.
17. Huangpu Dinner Cruise
Another unique dining experience in Shanghai is the Huangpu Dinner Cruise. Have your dinner while you cruise the Huangpu river and see the beautiful scenery of the city. It will surely be a memorable experience for you.

18. Join a Bike Tour and explore Shanghai Highlights.
One of the things I like when visiting new places is to walk around and explore the city. Walking for so long can make us easily exhausted and make our feet painful though. A great alternative to walking around is to join a bike tour and cycle around instead of walking. It’s a fun way to explore the city too.
Experiences in Shanghai
19. Learn Calligraphy
If you are interested in learning the Chinese culture, a great way to do that is to join calligraphy class. I went to a Filipino-Chinese school when I was in elementary and high school and we always have a calligraphy class. It’s fun to learn how the locals use the brush properly and learn how to write Chinese characters.
20. Join Paper Cutting Class in Shanghai
If you are not into calligraphy, then try paper cutting class instead. You can learn more about this history of the art of Chinese paper cutting from local artists. You will also be able to take home your art and show it to your friends and family back home. It’s a great way to look back on your trip too. It will definitely be a memorable experience.
21. Learn How To Cook DimSum
Chinese cuisine is one of my favorites, they are so delicious, especially dim sums. If you love to cook, then you’ll enjoy joining this dim sum cooking class. You’ll learn how to make traditional Chinese dim sums such as xiao long bao, wontons and many more. It’s such a great experience.

22. Ride the Maglev Train
You can only experience the world’s fastest bullet train in China. You can travel from the airport to downtown in less than 10 minutes. It is such a cool experience and you should not miss this. This is one of the coolest things to do in Shanghai. The next Maglev train will be in Japan but it is not available until 2034 so if you get the chance to visit Shanghai, you must not miss this experience to ride the maglev train.

Day Trips From Shanghai
23. Take a Day Trip to Zhujiajiao Ancient Water Town
If you want a change of scenery from Shanghai’s tall buildings, I suggest taking a day trip to one of the water towns near Shanghai. Zhujiajiao Water town is the nearest ancient water town in Shanghai. You can easily take a day trip here. You’ll learn more about this history and culture of Shanghai and how the locals have lived before it developed into a metropolitan city.
24. Explore Suzhou
You can also take a day trip to Suzhou where you’ll see a much bigger water town. Aside from water towns, you’ll also be able to explore more classical gardens.

The gardens in Suzhou is considered to be one of the best in China. We had an overnight trip to Suzhou since we wanted to explore more and visit Tongli water town, the Venice of the East.
25. Visit Lake Tai
Aside from water towns, you can also take a day trip from Shanghai and explore the ancient villages in Lake Tai. You can see such a beautiful view of landscapes and nature. Learn how these ancient villages withstood the test of time.
The lake was actually formed by a meteor crash which happened thousands of years ago. It also used to be a hunting ground of bandits years ago. This is perfect for nature lovers and for those who want to take a break from the city.
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Thank you so much for your time to read this! Have you been to Shanghai, the Paris of the East? What did you think about this metropolitan city? Let me know your thoughts in the comments ๐
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93 Comments
Lisa
Shanghai has been on my bucket list for quite a while now, thanks for sharing your best 25 tips! Bookmarked it in the Asia folder in my Google Notes for later usage ๐
Have a nice Weekend, Fae!
Lisa – sustainable solo travel blog
Fae Celine
Thank you Lisa ๐
Emma
It’s been 10 years since I was in Shanghai and although I’m sure it’s changed a lot it still looks like there’s lots to do. Personally I always preferred Beijing but would like to give Shanghai another go and check some of these things out
Fae Celine
I’ve never been to Beijing, I would love to visit there hopefully on my next trip to China
Holly
This is such a great guide. I was just watching a special about Shanghai Disney and I want to visit so badly. It looks like such a fantastic place to visit!
Fae Celine
Thank you Holly ๐ Shanghai Disneyland is such a great place to visit
Sam
Shanghai sounds so amazing! It’s on my bucket list to visit, so I will deff be saving this for later! Lovely photos as well!
Andrea D Wiener
just by looking at this post, i can see that there is a LOT to do in Shanghai. Even Disney!
Fae Celine
yes, there are lots of things to do in Shanghai. There’s more to Shanghai than just tall buildings
bliss
I’d really like to visit Shanghai. I’ve heard so many great things about it. Great guide!
Annalisa Fran
Wow! Fantastic ideas here. I’ve been to Shanghai, but I missed the Maglev train, pity!
Fae Celine
hopefully on your next visit to Shanghai, you’ll be able to experience the Maglev train
Fae Celine
Thank you Bliss ๐
Bella
Wow looks amazing, I have always wanted to go. The Disney looks so lovely you took some great images.
Fae Celine
Thank you Bella ๐
Krystianna
Great post! I’d love to go to Shanghai one day. I also really loved your photos. (:
Krystianna @ Volumes and Voyages
Fae Celine
I hope you can visit Shanghai some day ๐
Sarah Afshar
I love this blog regarding Shanghai. I have always wanted to travel there. Suzhou exudes the Chinese culture and really brings Buddhism to life. Thank you for sharing.
Margaret | Live Like No One Else
This place looks so beautiful and so many different things to do. I would definitely check out Disney. Wouldn’t it be cool to check out each and every one around the world? Thanks so much for sharing your experience.
Kathy Kenny Ngo
My brothers have been there before and they would agree with your list. It’s really majestic and definitely a sight to see. The food is also delicious.
chelf
Looks like a lovely destination! I would love to spend a whole day at Yuyuan Garden, enjoy the architecture and try out the exotic (to me) food the city has to offer!
Anna
So many great things to do in Shanghai! Iยดd be mostly excited to do the cruise, to check Oriental Pearl Tower and to learn how to cook DimSum (Iยดm obsessed with them!) Thanks for the inspiration!
Chelsea Sauve - Wandure
Shanghai looks remarkable – I never knew it was termed the Paris of the East! It is absolutely added to my travel list. Thanks for your wonderful recommendations :)!
Vanessa Shields
What a great post with so many awesome things to do in Shanghai! I visited a few years back and loved it! I had the best massage and food ever there. I would love to go back again one day and take a cooking class! ?
Deepali
So many awesome things to do. I definitely want to go the disneyland hotel.
MIlica
Ohh wow! Absolutely beautiful! I would love to visit one day and take my kids to Disneyland!
Krysten Quiles
Oh man there are so many fun things to do. Apparently I need to add Shanghai to my travel list. Thanks so much for sharing this with us!
Stephanie
I would love to visit Disney in some of the other countries! I’ve only been to the one in Orlando, Florida. And a food tour sounds like it would be so much fun.
Monica
I’ve always wanted to visit Shanghai; and now I want to visit even more! Thanks for showing us all there is to see and do there.
Maria Elsa Jose
Awesome pictures. Your content had given such important information. Thanks for this!
Ann
Lugage service seems like a luxury that I have never used ๐
Rosey
The breakfast would be great. I also think the trip to Disney would be awesome.
Angelica Sereda
Shanghai is definitely on my bucket list. I would love to see many of these places…especially Hello Kitty!
Mark
Wow….now I want to visit Shanghai after reading this wonderful informative write up. Kudos.
Michael
Visiting that Disney Shanghai will be awesome. I heard that is the biggest Disney as of the moment. I want to see how big it is. How was your stay there?
Sarah
Have travelled a lot around China but never made it to Shanghai. Looks amazing, a bit like Hong Kong, one of my most favourite places. Think I should put a trip together ๐
Matt Taylor
Shanghai looks so cool. So many things to do there. It is definitely on my bucket list.
Megan
Great ideas to enjoy Shanghai! I would definitely book a dinner at Oriental Pearl Tower
Blogging Mechanic
Shanghai looks like it has a fantastic array of great spots to visit. The skyline is particularly striking but I’d be sure to take some trips out to the Water Town and Lake Tai to enjoy some quiet time.
Jasmine M
I would love to see Beauty and the Beast there as well as trying to learn to cook Dim Sum in a class. I am going to have to visit Shanghai soon.
Emman Damian
I haven’t been to Shanghai! I think I should visit it next year. So pretty!
tweenselmom
China is huge, and Shanghai is a great city. I’m sure there are tons of things to do there. These are great locations you highlighted thanks!
Karen Monica
I have never visited Shanghai but have always planned to travel there one day with a few friends. Seems like a lot of fun things to do there. Now I have a greater excuse to visit.
Lily
I would first go to the Hello Kitty place! That is an absolutely must and I also would love the gardens too.
Luna S
I would love to visit the Disneyland there, that castle looks gorgeous. It sounds like an amazing place to visit and explore, thanks for sharing all of these stunning photos.
Ceci Rey
These are great suggestions! I can not wait to visit…on my bucket list!
Melanie Frost
I love this post! If I was ever going to travel there, I would want to do everything you listed. I totally want to visit the Hello Kitty place and Isn’t there a restaurant where you can eat with cats? I want to do that too!
Ashli Ferguson
the pearl tower looks really cool!! I would want to go there and a lot of these places!
Kimberly Caines
It seems like you had an awesome experience there. Those places are so beautiful and inviting. Gonna put this on my bucket lists.
Ellie Plummer
I would love to visit Shanghai, especially Disneyland. I would also love to learn how to cook Dim Sum, sounds like a brilliant experience.
Joanna
When I went to China I skipped Shanghai and went straight to the south. Now I wish I would have visited, it looks like there are so many things to do around.
Renata Feyen
Don’t you just love going on boat tours – we have done a lot of them too in different places ๐
Dominique Brooks
What great photos in this post! I would like to do the evening food tour! I would have to be careful but I like the concept of food tasting!
Anna
Would love to visit one day! It looks beautiful!!
Anwesha
Shanghai is a beautiful city and has no dearth of things to do! I loved your suggestions and would try some of them on my next trip to Shanghai!
Julia Bocchese
It looks like there are so many amazing things to do in Shanghai! I would love to see the Oriental Pearl Tower and Yuyuan Garden in person!
Angela Campos
It looks so gorgeous there, I love all the pictures! I am adding it to my travel bucketlist!!
Shannon
I might have to add Shanghai to my bucket list after reading this! It looks very beautiful and Yuyuan Garden looks so pretty!!
aisasami
I haven’t been to Shanghai but it looks so beautiful, especially the Oriental Pearl Tower. I want to go to experience the local dialect.
Michele
I can’t wait to travel the world. Shanghai looks amazing. Thank you for sharing.
Mike
Wow, Shangahi looks like a lot of fun!
Janay
Omg what a experience! These pictures are beautiful! Thanks for sharing
Mumfromdownunder
I would absolutely love to go to Disneyland! Itโs definitely on my travel list!
Albi
I didn’t know that Shanghai has Disney land! It seems like an amazing city to visit, I’ll be looking forward to it
Sarah
Shanghai truly is a beautiful place and I love the things you have mentioned as part of the things to do there!
Christopher Mitchell
This I was a kid, I’ve always wanted to go Shanghai. And now I feel that even stronger!
Julien
Shanghai looks like an incredibly modern city, though you would most definitely find me at Yuyuan Garden ๐ And I love all of the experiences you detailed – calligraphy, traditional paper cutting, and learning how to make dim sum.. sign me up!
Kristina Johnson
I visited Shanghai a few years ago and enjoyed it. I loved eating xiao long bao for breakfast, the French Concession, and walking around the shopping districts. The view at night across the river to the Pearl Tower is not to be missed.
Natalie
How spectacular to see Shanghai at night, the Huangpu Dinner Cruise looks like a great way to see the city lights!
Ann
The architechture and enviroment seems amazing ๐
Jay Artale
Itโs good to read that thereโs more to Shanghai than just tall buildings. That garden sounds like a nice respite to give your trip some balance.
Angela
I would love to visit China and your photos really inspire me to give Shanghai a go. Great tips on what to do while there, I would love to have a go at the paper cutting.
Emese
This is a great guide to Shanghai; Ilike that you added side trip ideas, too. I’d love to visit the ancient villages if I was ever in the area.
Wendy Lee
I’ve been to Beijing, but not Shanghai, but I really want to get there someday. Thanks for the list of things to do here!
Carrie Ann | Should Be Cruising
I’ve always wanted to visit Shanghai, but you’ve convinced me to move it up on my list of places to go! I’d love to see their Disneyland, the beautiful gardens and water towns, and take a food tour or two. Thanks for the inspiration!
Slavka
Oh, what a great list. I would do all of them minus Disney and Kitty. The architecture is amazing, old and new. Thanks for the inspiration ๐
Nancy Hann
Oh, I have never thought of going to Shanghai before, but you definitely convinced me to add it to my to-do list. The beautiful city views and skyline are enough reasons to go, but Disneyland and food tours and fun classes? I’m there! Thanks for sharing.
Jan
I have visited Beijing and Xian but not Shanghai! You have listed so many awesome things to do in Shanghai. I would choose to visit the Yuyuan garden and experience the ‘Venice of the East’! Thanks for a very informative blog. ๐
Sinjana
Such a clean and beautiful city. Love the architecture in Shanghai.
Yukti Agrawal
Though I had a very less time in Shanghai in which it was heavily raining, I liked the vibes of this vibrant city. I would now visit it again to experience all fun and learn some calligraphy and cooking dim sums.
Sharon
I didn’t know there is a Shanghai Disney! One more reason to visit this vibrant city!
Ann
Can I complement you on your photoes?
You always get the best photoes of yourself ehilst travelling, do you take them yourself ?
Nadia
Absolutely loved Shanghai! And would happily return!
Agnese
Nice reading! I have a few friends living in Shanghai I never considered the city as my travel destination though.
Becki
There are so many beautiful buildings, both old and new, but I think out of all those places in Shanghai, I would love to visit the Oriental Pearl Tower at night to see the 360-degree views of the city lit up at night.
Jenn
I didnโt realize that Shanghai was considered the Paris of the east. We had a trip planned here a few years ago but it did not work out right now I can see thereโs so much to do and would love to visit here one day!
Sharon
What a beautiful city Shanghai is and with so many activity options. Thanks for sharing.
Annie
Shanghai is on my bucket list! Thanks for sharing. ๐
Susan of Wanderlust Families
Wow! I didn’t realize there were so many diverse things to do in Shanghai! It looks like an amazing city to visit. My family has been thinking about visiting Asia and we weren’t sure where to start, but any place that has a Disney park is HIGH on our list. I’ll be pinning this post to save for when we plan a trip. Thank you!
Phoebe
A food tour in Shanghai is the stuff dreams are made of. I’d love to visit.
Alison
This is really interesting. I’ve spent 4 weeks in China but didn’t get to Shanghai. It looks like a fabulous city, and you’ve shared so much info about it to make it easier to negotiate.
Alison
CHELSEA MESSINA
Was this a recent visit? If so, was your travel complicated due to the coronavirus? Shainghai has always been on my list. I’ve not yet visited China.
Nishi
Wow really interesting post Shanghai is one of the best tourist place in china. The images of the post making to visit soon loved each and every place. Thanks for sharing!