9 Fun Things To See & Do In Shanghai For First-Timers

If you’re planning your first trip to China, Shanghai is a great place to start.

We went there recently and really enjoyed it. Even though it’s the biggest city in China, and a global center of business and technology, it’s also very tourist-friendly and easy to get around.

Shanghai is loaded with great food and things to do. It has historic markets and temples, fancy malls, a world class aquarium, and one of the world’s most recognizable skylines.

In this article, I’ll share some of the best things for first-timers to see and do in Shanghai!

Where To Stay In Shanghai

1. Yuyuan Garden & Old Street (豫园老街)

Yuyuan is a historic area with gardens, temples, shops, and food stalls. The best time to go is at night, when everything comes alive.

You can rent a qipao or hanfu dress if you want a fun cultural experience, and we saw lots of people doing that for photos when we were there.

Yuyuan is easy to reach by metro, or you can walk there from some of the centrally located hotels in Shanghai, which is what we did.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express On The Bund, so we only had to cross the road to enter Yuyuan Old Street. It was the perfect location!

Huxinting Teahouse pond at Yuyuan Garden

Yuyuan Old Street

2. The North Bund (北外滩)

Shanghai has one of the most impressive skylines in the world, with almost 200 skyscrapers, including the famous Oriental Pearl Tower.

There’s no better place to see the skyline than at the Bund waterfront area, which has a panoramic view of all the buildings from across the Huangpu River.

Actually, there are two separate viewing areas: the Bund and North Bund. Most people go to the Bund, but I prefer the North Bund because it’s less crowded and the views are at least as good.

Don’t forget to come back at night to see all the buildings lit up!

North Bund waterfront

3. Shanghai Tower (上海中心大厦)

The Shanghai Tower is currently the tallest skyscraper in China, and the 3rd tallest in the world as of 2026.

You can go to the top, where there are observation decks on the 118th, 119th, and 121st floors. The last one is the highest observation deck in the world, slightly edging out the deck on the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

Unfortunately for photographers, the only way to take pictures is through the thick safety glass, which can be a bit challenging.

It’s still worth going though, even if it’s just for the novelty of being on top of one of the world’s tallest buildings.

Book Now: Shanghai Tower Tickets

Don’t forget to check out this park near the Shanghai Tower. It’s called Lujiazui Central Green Space.

4. IFC Mall (国金中心)

The International Finance Center has more than just a shopping mall; it also has one of the best rooftop views in Shanghai!

This spot is incredibly underrated, and we had it almost to ourselves on a Friday. There are umbrellas and chairs, so our baby Emma was able to nap in her stroller while we enjoyed the view.

One side of the rooftop has unobstructed views of the Pearl Tower, while the opposite side has close-up views of the Jin Mao Tower and Shanghai Tower.

The best part is that it’s completely free! Unlike other rooftop observatories in Shanghai, you don’t have to pay any entrance fee to go up and enjoy the view at IFC.

The IFC Mall has an amazing rooftop view of the Oriental Pearl Tower

5. Shanghai Aquarium (上海海洋水族馆)

The aquarium in Shanghai has one of the world’s longest submarine viewing tunnels, and it’s also home to hundreds of species from around the world.

We went there partly to escape the crowds and heat on a summer day, but it’s actually a pretty nice aquarium in its own right.

It probably wouldn’t rank up there with the very best aquariums in the world, like Atlanta, Singapore, or Okinawa, but as long as you keep realistic expectations it’s worth a visit.

The aquarium is right next to the Pearl Tower, so you can reach it easily by metro.

Book Now: Shanghai Aquarium Tickets

Shark photobomb at the Shanghai Aquarium

There are lots of fish to see

6. Mingzhu Roundabout (明珠环岛)

This is a circular pedestrian walkway in the center of the Pudong area that has amazing up close views of the Pearl Tower and other buildings.

You’ll most likely use this walkway at some point if you’re traveling around in the Pudong area, because it connects most of the popular landmarks like the Pearl Tower, Disney flagship store, Super Brand Mall, and IFC mall.

It’s a neat little place that’s busy with tourists both day and night, and since the walkway is elevated, you’re above the road and can cross it without waiting for traffic.

Mingzhu roundabout at night

7. Sinar Mas Plaza / SMP (金光中心)

The SMP is another skyscraper with a shopping mall and a rooftop observation deck called The Stage.

If you’re going to pay to see only one observatory in Shanghai, this would be my top choice. It has the very best views of the river bend and all of Shanghai’s most famous buildings.

In my opinion, it’s even better than the view inside the Shanghai Tower, because you get to see the whole lineup of buildings. It’s the perfect view of Shanghai.

Book Now: SMP Stage Tickets

SMP mall

View from The Stage on top of SMP mall

8. Nanjing Road (南京路)

Nanjing is one of the world’s busiest shopping streets. Think of it like the Fifth Avenue or Orchard Road of Shanghai.

This area is loaded with great shops, restaurants, and malls. You can find everything from bargain to luxury here.

We walked around for hours and shopped, ate dinner, and got plenty of matcha ice cream. It’s a huge place and you could spend all day wandering there.

Nanjing Road

Souvenir & trinket stall

9. Excursions From Shanghai

Last, but not least, there are a bunch of good excursions you can do on the outskirts of Shanghai.

For scenery and historic towns, you can go to Hangzhou, Suzhou, or Zhujiajiao Water Town. Suzhou has been called the ‘Venice of China’ for its canals. Closer to the city, there’s also a Disneyland and Shanghai Wild Animal Park.

If you really want to get out of town and see something spectacular, there’s the national park at Huangshan.

It has some of the best mountain scenery in China, although it’s better done as a multi-day trip since getting there by high speed train from Shanghai takes 2-3 hours each way.

Book Now: Hangzhou / Suzhou / Zhujiajiao Day Trip

Recommended Itinerary

Here’s a sample itinerary you can use for a 4 day trip in Shanghai.

This is very similar to the itinerary we used for our own trip:

• Day 1. Arrive and check in to your hotel. Spend the evening shopping and eating at Yuyuan Old Street.
• Day 2. Spend the day in the Pudong area. Go to the top of the Shanghai Tower, and then visit the IFC mall. Cross the Mingzhu roundabout and Huangpu river to see the North Bund. Eat dinner at Sinar Mas Plaza and then watch the sunset at The Stage.
• Day 3. Visit the Shanghai Aquarium in the morning, and then spend the rest of the day walking, shopping, and eating at Nanjing Road.
• Day 4. Do an excursion on the outskirts of the city, like Disneyland, Shanghai Wild Animal Park, or Zhujiajiao Water Town.

Rows of bicycles

Giant teddy bear at the SMP mall

More Things To Do In China

Thanks for looking! I hope you enjoyed this guide for some fun things to do on your first trip to Shanghai.

Don’t forget to check out my travel guide for Zhangjiajie National Park, and bookmark my blog for more China posts coming soon!