Things to Do in Shanghai with Children

THE 10 BEST Shanghai Things to Do with Kids

Things to Do in Shanghai with Kids

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    Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.
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    Highest rated attractions on Tripadvisor, based on traveller reviews.
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115 places sorted by traveller favourites
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What travellers are saying

  • Edson
    San Francisco, CA255 contributions
    The bund was an amazing experience, a cluster of European style historical buildings very well preserved. I do remember seeing pictures of the bund before and I have to say they didn’t do any justice. I got the chance to visit it for the first time at night and the lightning in the buildings is breathtaking, plenty of spots to take pictures and right amount of people without feeling overwhelmed. Walking distance to other attractions and just across the street to see the Shanghai modern skyline.
    Written 20 September 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Jiles Pavel
    Italy4 contributions
    Exploring Yu Garden in Shanghai was a mesmerizing journey into Chinese garden artistry and history. The classical garden’s design, with its intricate architecture, tranquil ponds, and lush greenery, transported me to a different era. Strolling through the zigzag bridges, rockeries, and pavilions offered a peaceful escape from the urban hustle and bustle. The teahouses and traditional shops surrounding the garden added to the charm, allowing me to savor local delicacies and shop for souvenirs. The attention to preserving the garden’s heritage was commendable, and the guided tours provided valuable insights. Yu Garden is a must-visit for nature enthusiasts, photographers, and anyone seeking a serene yet culturally rich experience in Shanghai.
    Written 22 September 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Marcelo
    Auckland, New Zealand258 contributions
    Incredible infrastructure. Beautiful lightning I was very impressed how high it is. I wasn't a cloudy day I couldn't see the top at the beginning but then did they clear up and wow. Shanghai must be so proud of that infrastructure. I was disappointed though there is no clear instructions in English how to get inside. I was lost and I didn't have the chance to go inside
    Written 15 May 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • TaherAlbaghliJulian
    Kuwait City, Kuwait1,960 contributions
    Famous around the world for its sweeping curves and the huge open trapezoid at the top, it is connected with four season hotel and it have . a a shopping area. It is One of the best luxury malls in shanghai. Has most of the luxury brands. The price very good especially for shoes. I visit it two times
    Written 10 September 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Edson
    San Francisco, CA255 contributions
    Take your Shanghai pictures memories here, the world famous views of pudong can be take. Here. Plenty of good spots to admire the shanghai skyline, take the rivers cruises and walking distance from many touristy places like the bund, Nanjing street and upscale restaurants. It’s a must while you visit Shangai and never regret.
    Written 20 September 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • TaherAlbaghliJulian
    Kuwait City, Kuwait1,960 contributions
    Huangpu River, also known as Huangxiepu or Chunshen River, is a landmark of Shanghai, separating the city into two parts, Pudong and Puxi. With a total length of 113 km. It is nice place to walk especially at night.
    Written 10 September 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Gaurav Agrawal
    Kathmandu, Nepal4 contributions
    I recently visited the Ancient Town at Zhujiajiao as a solo traveler, and I had a great time! The town is absolutely beautiful, with its narrow streets, traditional Chinese architecture, and canals. I really enjoyed exploring the town and learning about its history.

    The only downside was that it was quite crowded, especially on weekends. This made it difficult to get around at times, and it was also hard to find a quiet spot to sit and relax. However, the crowds didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the visit.

    Overall, I would definitely recommend visiting the Ancient Town at Zhujiajiao. It's a great place to spend a day exploring and learning about Chinese culture. Just be sure to go during the week if you want to avoid the crowds.

    Tips:

    1. Visit during the week to avoid the crowds.
    2. Wear comfortable shoes, as you'll be doing a lot of walking.
    3. Bring a camera to capture all the beautiful sights.
    4. Be sure to try some of the local food.
    Written 2 July 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • C0ppola
    Oulu, Finland279 contributions
    Very nicely designed buildings.

    It is a good idea to set aside time to tour the area without rushing.

    Stalls selling souvenirs and small shops in the area.

    Overall a great looking place.
    Written 18 March 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Michelle P
    Nottinghamshire, UK32 contributions
    We’re a couple from the UK and big Disney fans. We’d booked holiday to China which ended in Shanghai and we decided to visit Disneyland. I tried doing a bit of research about the place which in the end didn’t prove that helpful. Firstly, downloading the app and buying the tickets online - we downloaded the app whilst in the UK. Tickets were only available/released 10 days to two weeks in advance so don’t worry if your date isn’t showing for a months time. The app was very slow whether in the UK or in China but worked much better in China on a Chinese Wi-Fi. Due to the timings we had to wait until we were in China to book the tickets on the app. I’d read things about huge queues so opted for one of the premier access (fast pass) packages. It cost us £300 for two one day park tickets with six fast passes each. The fast passes were ride specific and there are different options depending on the rides you want. You can also buy individual fast passes. I’d read about huge queues and didn’t want to rely on free fast passes that we might not get so that’s why I opted for the package. We also bought a one day PhotoPass for around £25. Once you’ve bought the tickets in the app it’ll say you’ll get a text and email confirmation for the purchase but I got neither but had took screen shots just in case. The purchase will appear on your app, go to the ‘me’ section at the bottom where you’ll have to fill in the guest names and passport numbers of the guests for each ticket. YOU MUST TAKE YOUR PASSPORTS WITH YOU. All tickets in China seem to be attached to your passports for security reasons and you won’t be let in without your passports. They will then give you a paper ticket once at the turnstile at the entrance to the park and you won’t need your passports again. The PhotoPass is a coupon on the app that you’ll need to get redeemed in the park at one of several locations, it tells you where in the app but we went to cosy corner, it’s the first shop on your right on Mickey Avenue (what would normally be Main Street USA). You’ll need to download the Disney PhotoPass app too which is where your photos will appear, the cast members will help you and show you. Regardless of whether you’ve had the pass activated, the first time you get to a photographer you’ll be given a card with a QR code on which will be scanned like your band would be in Orlando, every time they take a photo and all photos will appear on the app. You can purchase individual prints of photos at the park or you can have them digitally by buying the PhotoPass. It shows you the photo opportunities on the map of the park in the app. When we went there was no paper map, it’s all on the app. We went on Saturday 16 September which was after the school holidays. Despite it being a Saturday it wasn’t too busy. The longest queue time was 60mins for the seven dwarves mine train which we had a fast pass for. Tron had a 30 minute wait time and so we queued once for it and used the fast pass the next time. Pirates of the Caribbean had a 15 minute wait time so we queued and did that twice too. We got straight on the crystal grotto and queued half an hour for Peter Pan. We went to the Pirates of the Caribbean stunt show which isn’t in English but was still worth seeing (bear with it). Meeting characters has longer wait times for 40-60 minutes, which we didn’t bother with. Another thing to add, no commentary is in English on any of the rides. The parade does have English bits mainly due to the songs, same with the nighttime illuminations at the castle. The park in general is bigger than I thought, I thought it would be on a par with Paris but it was bigger. It has five (I think) lands to it, each has a guest services which have a board up telling you show times etc. There’s plenty of western style food, we had pizza from the Pinocchio tavern and we saw burgers in the restaurant in Tomorrowland. There’s free water fountains throughout the park and the water tastes normal (not like the matchstick flavoured water of Orlando). Disneytown is the food and shopping area (like a mini Disney Springs) and has the only Starbucks in the park (which doesn’t do anything Disney themed) but is big with indoor and outdoor seating. It is on the side of the park as if another land but you have to pass through security to get in and out of the park, the queue was minimal on the day we went. It’s hot and humid so prepare for this, my hair turned wild and my Disney themed T-shirt was stuck to me from the moment we arrived. Drink plenty of water. You can pay with credit/debit card at the bigger outlets and restaurants. I had downloaded Alipay but it only works with an internet connection. There is free Wi-Fi in the park which works nicely. Take a power bank! There are ones you can borrow for free in the park that you pay a refundable deposit for through Alipay or similar, however, you have to attach a phone number and it wouldn’t work for us. It appeared you needed a Chinese mobile number. The cast members don’t speak a lot of English but will use a translate app and are very willing to help you. Yeh toilets are very clean with plenty of western style toilets and loo roll (not a given as standard in China). It’s definitely worth a visit, we loved it. My only complaint, there weren’t any Christmas decorations for sale due to it not being Christmas.
    Written 18 September 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • TaherAlbaghliJulian
    Kuwait City, Kuwait1,960 contributions
    There are many western unique building in China. But,I like this building I used to walk along bund to see the beautiful building The entrances, the lobbies, the grandeur of the buildings. Just wonderful to see them repurposed in many cases or continue to provide the purpose from a century ago.

    Written 10 September 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • TaherAlbaghliJulian
    Kuwait City, Kuwait1,960 contributions
    Pudong is a district of Shanghai located east of the Huangpu, the river which flows through central Shanghai. It is modern area. Easy to walk or take a taxi or metro. very clean. nice to discover all the corners. Moreover, there are many new building and shopping mall.
    Written 10 September 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • HeatherandKel
    Salt Lake City, UT91 contributions
    Loved this museum. Had lived in Shanghai for over a year before ever going. Wish I had been sooner and had taken visitors. The model of Shanghai is one of the most impressive things I have ever seen. Great rainy day, or bad air day activity.
    Written 9 April 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • asthecrowsfly2
    Melbourne, Australia219 contributions
    We visited here in August 2019 on a tour. Although we were only here for a couple of hours, it was no where near enough time to get through all the shops and food stalls and sights. August is a very busy time and there were many many people everywhere. The architecture was wonderful, and so much to see. Definitely worth the visit. Leave yourself enough time.
    Written 13 June 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Jo-Ann
    Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia15,996 contributions
    Osmanthus flowers galore. Soooooooo beatiful. Soooooo fragrant. Just stand by the trees and enjoy the fragrance. Flowers are amazing. There’s different shades of yellow and orange. Great time to visit for Osmanthus photpgraphy.
    Written 25 October 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • venkatrao t
    Washington DC, DC22 contributions
    Best Shanghai development center by the city, Shanghai History, growth over the years, infrastructure plans, and water and sewer processing and reclamation. Air quality and controls.
    Written 16 February 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.