10 Life Changing Things To Do In Shanghai China

This post is all about 10 Life Changing Things To Do In Shanghai China

Whether it’s your first time going to Shanghai, or you’ve been here before, it can be challenging to figure out what the best things to do in Shanghai are. I remember my first trip to China, the language was so hard to navigate, Google Maps didn’t work, and I had no idea what to do!

Well, have no fear. I’ve put together the ultimate guide for the 10 life-changing things to do in Shanghai, including the most unique things to do in Shanghai, free things to do in Shanghai, hidden gems, and the best Shanghai tourist attractions you need to see.

This post is all about 10 Life Changing Things To Do In Shanghai China That Will Make You Fall in Love

Yu Garden in Shanghai

Yu Garden in Shanghai was one of my favorite places in China and definitely worth the trip. It’s a classic Chinese garden filled with delicious restaurants, fun souvenir shops, and the most incredible architecture that will make your jaw drop.

Located in the Huangpu District of Shanghai, the precise address of Yu Garden Shanghai is No.218 Anren Street, Huangpu District, Shanghai, China.

Just look up “豫园” and you’ll find it easily.

Come at nighttime to see the most incredible views, and definitely put this on the top of your list of things to do in Shanghai.

See More Here: The Yu Garden in Shanghai: Is It Worth Going To & Everything You Need To Know

2. Disney Shanghai

No trip to Shanghai is complete without going to Disney in China!

It was one of my favorite things to do in Shanghai, and what was really surprising is that most people who go to Disney don’t go for the rides—they go to take cute photos!

So, all of the ride queues are super short, and of course there are so many memorable places to take photos.

We ate at the Cinderella Castle while we were here and it was such a memorable experience. The cast comes around for cute photos and it was surprisingly affordable at 3 courses with a drink for only $60.

How To Get To Shanghai Disney:

We took a Chinese cab here and it ended up being less than $20 roundtrip! It was incredibly difficult to call a cab on the way back though, so to make things more convenient, you can book a cab ride roundtrip here.

3. Spend The Day At Zhujiajiao

Welcome to this stunning ancient down dating back 5,000 years ago known as the Venice of Shanghai!

Despite being close to Shanghai, it really feels like you’re in a totally different country and is such a tranquil escape to slow down for the day 🇨🇳.

You can book a car here in advance to take you to the town and it includes the MUST DO boat ride

You can support a local business and rent a traditional Chinese outfit for only $10 for the most immersive experience.

BUT don't miss out on some delicious local foods and souvenirs. And we also got our ears cleaned here for $3, which was a fun, weird, memorable, and unique experience.

This place will completely blow your mind, a trip to Shanghai isn’t complete without adding Zhujiajiao as a must thing to do in Shanghai!

4. Get Hot Pot At Minghe Mountain House 鸣鹤山房串串茶坊

This was one of my FAVORITE local restaurants in Shanghai and it was incredibly affordable. They specialize in hotpot where diners can choose from a wide array of ingredients laid out in skewers and counted later!

There were so many options and you choose between skewers that cost as little as $ 0.10 USD like meat, vegetables, and more to noodles and items like shrimp paste that were around $1.50

The three of us left dinner full and happy and it only cost $13! I couldn’t believe it and will definitely be adding it to my permanent list of things to do in Shanghai.

5. Go Shopping At Huaihai Rd in Shanghai

Similar to Nanjing Road, Huaihai Road is one of the busiest streets in Shanghai with amazing fashion and beauty stores, delicious restaurants, and really cool unique exhibits!

During our trip here, we stumbled across this new Gentle Monster popup and got to see so many cool exhibits in this one building!

Other places you can visit include Songmont, the brand new Uniqlo sister store Gu, and more fun unique shops that reminded me of Urban Outfitters.

There’s always something new going on here and is definitely a place you need to add to your list of things to do in Shanghai.

6. Take in Shanghai’s Tallest Rooftop Bar

Situated on the 58th floor at the center of one of the most stunning places in Shanghai, we specifically decided to stay at the Ritz Carlton Pudong in Shanghai purposely for this one thing to do in Shanghai - the Flair Rooftop Bar.

You get spectacular views of the Oriental Pearl Tower, some of the best in the city, and if you’re staying at the hotel, you don’t HAVE to buy a drink or food!

If you want to just view the Oriental Pearl Tower, you can book tickets in advance here.

You can just come, enjoy the scenery, and take some photos every night. We had an incredible 3 stay here as well and they had an amazing buffet breakfast every morning, so I recommend staying here if you’re looking for a great hotel to stay in Shanghai.

7. Enjoy The JUICIEST Peking Duck At Four Seasons Minfu Roast Duck

I thought about this meal EVERY single day since leaving Shanghai, the fried fish and juiciest Peking duck at Four Seasons Minfu Roast Duck. It is truly one of the best things to do in Shanghai and a place you NEED to add to your Shanghai itinerary.

We absolutely devoured the whole duck which can be made into duck Peking baos, duck soup, or duck stir fry with rice, you get to choose two! Can’t recommend this place enough.

8. Go Back In Time To Old Shanghai

There’s this incredible mall called Century Link Plaza in Shanghai that has to be on your list of free things to do in Shanghai - here’s why.

Upstairs, it's an upscale modern mall with stores like Zara home, amazing trendy clothing stores and more, while downstairs, you can feel the traditional old Shanghai vintage charm dating back to the 20th century.

Come hungry so you can try old- style Shanghai food like skewers, mala hotpot, and walk around the souvenir shops and restaurants that are truly so unique, they resemble the historical alleyways.

It’s also super close to the metro making it very accessible!

9. Go Shopping At The Best Mall in Shanghai

Joy City was my absolute favorite mall in all of Shanghai known for its youthful and trendy atmosphere. There are HUNDREDS of restaurants from mom-and-pop shops to trendy hotpot chains like Haidilao, and a wide range of international and domestic shopping brands anywhere from high-end to lifestyle stores.

If you love anime and cartoons, we found a whole section of 4-5 floors full of cool anime souvenirs and coffee shops. There were also so many young students cosplaying as their favorite characters which really added to the fun, youthful energy and there’s even the Sky Ring, one of the world’s largest rooftop Ferris wheels on top of the mall!

There’s even a really cute cat cafe with some of the rarest breeds I’ve ever seen!

10. Explore Nanjing Road

No list of things to do in Shanghai would be complete without paying a visit to Nanjing Road! This is one of the most iconic streets in Shanghai and for good reason. Here you can find high-end luxury stores, local souvenir shops, and so much more.

From bubble tea to buying Chinese face masks, hand cream, and some of the best desserts, come hungry and spend a memorable evening walking around this place.

Alot of the shops start closing from 8-10 PM so come after sunset so you don’t miss anything.

And there you have it! 10 life-changing things to do in Shanghai that will definitely make you fall in love. After this trip, Shanghai became one of my favorite cities and I know you will absolutely love it here too. I hope you have the most amazing trip!