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If you’re like me, one of the things you love most about living abroad is when people come to visit. It’s a little taste of home without the hassle or expense of actually going there. Plus, I love Shanghai, so I also love to show it off to friends and family who come to see me.
But here’s what I discovered after a recent visit by my parents: Shanghai is not Beijing. In Beijing, you’ll never run out of historic, cultural, touristy things to do. In Shanghai, well, not so much. The things that I enjoy on a regular basis in Shanghai don’t really cut it when my parents come and want to experience “China.” So here are some ideas of what to do with your parents if they visit that try to blend the old and new of China while still showing off the personality of Shanghai.
Yu Gardens
Beautiful, traditional Chinese gardens. It’s a great place to wander around, take pictures, and people watch. My best advice: make a day of it and head to the gardens early to beat the crowds, see the gardens, and then have a walk around the bazaar. Take your parents to eat some traditional xiaolongbao at the famous Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant (the takeaway queue is intimidating, but you’ll have better luck if you just go inside and sit down).
After lunch, have a walk around the old town area. There’s the Chenxiangge Nunnery as well as the Temple of the Town God, both near Yu Gardens and worth a quick visit. Fangbang Zhong Lu is a great street to wander along as it’s got lots of souvenir shopping as well as nice shops, tea houses and restaurants if you need a break. Also on Fangbang Zhong Lu is the Shiliupu Fabric Market if your parents want to have any clothes made before returning home. It’s a good idea to hit the fabric market early in your Shanghai visit, in case the clothes you order don’t get done on time or need more than one fitting.
Do NOT go to Yu Gardens at the weekend, unless your goal is to show your parents just how many people live in Shanghai.
Pudong
If your parents want to do a bit of cheap shopping, head towards the AP Xinyang Fastion & Gifts Market (and yes, I totally had to look up that name as I’ve always just referred to it as “that market at the science and tech museum”). There are loads of fake goods, but also a fabric market and a pearl market.
Be sure to go to Lujiazui. If possible, plan your trip so that you get there in the late afternoon and can admire all the buildings in daylight. Then head up to the top of your choice: the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the Jinmao Tower or the Shanghai World Financial Center. Admire the view at dusk and then hang around up top long enough until it gets dark so you can see Shanghai light up at night.
After you’re street level again, walk towards the river to the Riverside Promenade. It’s a wonderful walking area along the river with benches, cafes and beautiful views of the Bund at night.
Shanghai Museum and People’s Square
Parents really should visit at least one museum, and this is the one. Plus, it’s right at People’s Square, so it’s a nice area to walk around before or after. There’s also the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition nearby if your parents are into Shanghai in the miniature or the Shanghai Art Museum if that’s more their style. Bonus: it’s easy to find and get to so you can send them there alone if you need some time apart by this point in your holiday. Double bonus: if you visit People’s Square on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, you might experience the popular Marriage Market, where parents desperately try to find their children mates. It will make you feel so much better that your mom and dad never stood around in a park with your personal info trying to wrangle dates for you (assuming, of course, they haven’t done this).
A walk around the French Concession
The best thing to do is just stroll. The buildings are lovely, the trees are nice and you can see regular people just going about their regular lives. There are plenty of boutiques, shops, cafes and restaurants to waste the entire afternoon away. I think Xintiandi is a bit overrated, so it you want to show your folks some old style Shanghai, the alleyways and buildings of Taikang Lu are much cooler (and the shops are better). Lots of nice galleries as well.
Art
If your parents like art, good. Or maybe it’s just a rainy day and you need something to do inside. Also good. First, check out M50 in Jing’An which has a huge collection of galleries, as well as some good graffiti, which you don’t see every day in Shanghai. The Shanghai Gallery of Art on the Bund is also pretty cool. For a little taste of good, old-fashioned propaganda, try the Propaganda Poster Art Centre in the French Concession. Nearby is also the Shanghai Museum of Arts & Crafts, which is also pretty neat and has good, unique souvenirs. And if it’s a nice day, you and your parents can wander through an outdoor sculpture gallery like the Jing’An Sculpture Park or the Shanghai Sculpture Space in Xujiahui.
The Bund at night
Be sure to take at least one stroll along the Bund at night. If you want to splurge it’s also a good place to have dinner or drinks, sit back, and watch the people, boats and lights of Lujiazui. Make sure to walk along Nanjing Dong Lu at night as well.
Get out of Shanghai
If you’ve got the time, try to take a trip to Hangzhou. It’s very different from Shanghai and parents tend to like the scenery, lake, and all the various temples and pagodas Hangzhou has to offer.
If you’ve haven’t got the time, try to see a canal town near Shanghai instead. Good choices are Zhujiajiao (easy to get to and easy to get around) or Tongli (home of the Chinese Sex Museum as well. I don’t know what your mom and dad are into, but they might like it.). Skip Zhouzhuang (way too crowded). Qibao is fine if you’re really pressed for time and you can get there on the metro, but it’s not as picturesque as the others. The canal towns are easy to get to—you can get cheap buses from the tourist bus station but it’s also not terribly expensive to arrange a private tour with a travel company if comfort and convenience are the priority. Do NOT go on the weekend. Believe me on this.
Don’t forget to let your parents in on your everyday life in Shanghai. I’ve been in Shanghai a while and had forgotten how interesting some everyday things are: seeing old people do Tai Chi in the morning; people flying kites along the canal, good restaurants, risking your life in a Shanghai taxi, chilling over brunch on Sunday morning; watching couples ballroom dance on the corner. For all the planning I put into my parent’s holiday, what was their favorite sight? The loud, busy wet market across the street from my flat where we bought ingredients for dinner one night. They haven’t stopped talking about it.
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Comments
I have only been here one month and although I love Shanghai already, we have been worrying about what to do with our parents when they visit. We have just moved from Singapore where there is no shortage of tourist activities....Shanghai is so different. I am going to make a special attempt to go the marriage market though...sounds facinating. Might see if I can trade mine in......ha ha!
Thanks for your help!x
@Elena: my exact problem! I've had friends visit and it's so much easier, because nightlife makes up a bigger part. But I knew my parents wouldn't be up for clubbing and sleeping late!
It was the second visit for my mom to Shanghai. During the first visit we covered Shanghai Museum, Tianzifang, Xintiandi, Nanjing Pedestrian street, Puxi Bund and Yi Garden. This time it was Lujiazui area, Pudong Bund, Xujiahui, Nanjing Xi Lu shopping, Century Park, Changfeng Park and daytrip to Hangzhou to West Lake and horse range. Of course a lot of eating in between. Dim sum brunches work the best.
I hope other Dolls will also comment where they usually take there parents when they are visiting.