Where can I chill out during the weekend in Shanghai?

Living in a large international city like Shanghai, you will never feel boring during the weekend. However, people often asked : Where can I chill out during the weekend in Shanghai ?

Here are some great places to chill out on a weekend in Shanghai-whether you prefer relaxed outdoor spots, riverside walk, cafes with vibes, cultural & heritage spots, or one-day surburb trip.

Relaxing Outdoor Spots( Parks, Hikings)

If you are nature and outdoor lover, Shanghai has 4 seasons to enjoy the seasons changes. From Spring-cherry blooms, Summer-outdoor pool activities, Autumn-red leaves watching, Winter-hikings. There are brunch of places can enjoy those nature.

1. Parks: Fuxing Park (复兴公园), Xiang Yang Park(襄阳公园), People's Park(人民公园），Jing an Park（静安公园）, Jing an sculpture park(上海雕塑公园）, Century Park(世纪公园）, Da Ning Park （大宁公园）, Zhong Shan Park （中山公园）are all in downtown areas with easy metro access. You can easily walk around if they ar close your home. Also, definitely visit Lu Xun Park (鲁迅公园), Gu Cun park (顾村公园）for cherry blooms in April.

2. Sightseeing Park: Yu Garden (豫园）is very well-known and recommended by tour guides. However, don't miss Expo Park（世博园）, Shanghai botanical garden(上海植物园), Shanghai Guyi garden( 上海古漪园）, Shanghai Zoo 上海动物园 ( to see Panda看熊猫) for hidden gems.

3. Hikings: She Shan nature park(佘山自然公园）, Tianma Shan(天目山), Qingpu Dian Shan Lake & Dongfang Lv Zhou（青浦淀山湖和东方绿舟）are aslo hidden gems for visiting.

Riverside Walks

If you are riverside walking lover or bike ride lover, those options are highly recommended:

1. The Bund (外滩): Shanghai's historic front door

   It runs along the west bank of the Huangpu River and is the city's most iconic skyline view. It presents early-20th-century European style building( Neoclassical, art deco, baroque), once home to banks, trading houses and consulates. Don't miss some nice high-end restarants from the bund No.3-8.

2. West Bund (西岸): The city's cultural and lifestyle upgrade

   Formerly an industrial area, now West bund has been transformed into a low-density,design-forward district. It's popular with art lovers, pet lover and families weekend casual areas. You can enjoy 20+ museums, including West Bund museum, Long museum, Shanghai oil tank art center, Start musuem, Gate M, etc.

3. Suzhou Creek(苏州河): Shanghai's creative revival corrior

   Compared with the Huangpu waterfront, Suzhou creek feels more intimate and neighborhood-driven. You can enjoy Fotografiska, M50 creative park, 1000 Tree.

4. Lujiazui Waterfront panmenade( 陆家嘴滨江大道): Finaical CBD

5. Qiantan (前滩): Shanghai's next-generation CBD

   Second Lujiazui, mutinational companies moved to their office

6. North Bund: new developed area with Shanghai city view observation stage.

   
   

Culture and heritage spots

People often think I must go to Beijing or Xian to see the rich culture of China. However, do you know Shanghai has a wide range of places can visit if you are culture and heritage explore lover?

here are many spots you need to explore.

1. Temples: Jing an temple(静安寺) is well-known by everyone. However, those temples like Long Hua temple(龙华寺), Jade Buddha temple (玉佛寺）are highly recommended too, and you don't miss Zhen Ru temple if you dont know it.

2. Museums: Shanghai history museum( 上海历史博物馆）, MAP( 上海浦东美术馆),Shanghai museum( 上海博物馆浦西和浦东馆), Shanghai techlogy and science museum（上海科技馆）, Shanghai natural museum（上海自然博物馆）.

3. Former French Concession walking( 法租界漫步）: An fu road and Wukang road are often crowded during the weekend but you can try Ju Lu road, Fu Min road, Chang Le Rod or Mao Ming Road, Yongjia road area.

4. Tianzifang & Xintiandi（田子坊和新天地）: Tianzifang is essentially a maze of narrow alleyways and lanes that grew organically from a 1930s residential and workshop area built in the distinctive shikumen style-a fusion of traditional Chinese homes with Western architectural influences. Over the past two decades, this once ordinary neighborhood has been transformed into a lively art and culture quater.

   Xintiandi is a bit different as tianzifang as it is unique blend of shanghai traditional lane house architecture and modern malls. Outdoor nice restaurants, cafes and many shops.

   

   

   

   
   

Nightlife and Entertainment

Whether you're in the mood for chic cocktails, rooftop views, or jazz vibes, Shanghai has something for every taste:

Big multi-floor entertainment complexes like INS Land provide a festival-style nightlife experience with bars, clubs and even an esports arena under one roof.

Large clubs and lounges with DJs and dacing cater to both international and local crowds. Music styles range from electronic and house to hip-hop and live bands.

Shanghai regularly runs nightlife festivals and thematic events-from extended dining events to themed market nights and street fairs that last into the late evening.

One-day Suburb trip- staycation

Shanghai has so many places can be chosen for one-day suburb trip. Here are some places perfect if you want to escape the city for fresh air, nature, history or classic Jiangnan scenery.

1.Zhujiajiao water town（朱家角): It's in Qingpu and takes about 1 hour from downtown there by taxi. A classic Jiangnan water town with canals, old bridges, teahouses and traditional buildings-must see Ke Zhi Yuan（课植园）, Ann Lu hotel（安麓）

Close by you can also visit Ding Shan Lake(淀山湖）,Qingxi Country Park（青西郊野公园）-a suburban nature park known for its water forests and greenery-beautiful for walking and nature photography, espeically in autumn. Those water town are also recommended

2.Shanghai disney resort(上海迪斯尼乐园): is a large-scale enternatinment destination located in Pudong, and it is the first Disney resort in mainland China. Offically opened in June 2016 and it blends classic Disney storytelling with Chinese cultural elements, creating a park that feels both international and locally inspired.

3.Shanghai Legoland resort( 上海乐高乐园): is a brand-new Lego-themed resort in Shanghai, and it's the first full-scale Legoland resort in China. It offically opened on July 2025, and it designed especially for families with children and Lego fans from around the world.

4.Guangfulin Cultural Relics(广富林文化遗址): An archaeological site and park with interesting ancient architecture and landscapes,plus bike paths and natural scenery-good for history buffs and casual explores.

5.Lin Gang( 临港): is one of Shanghai's newest and most ambitious development areas. Near the East China Sea and close to Dishui Lake, it was designated as a special economic zone in 2019, with policies designed to attract global investment, advanced manufacturing, and high-tech industries. It's often described as Shanghai's "future city"-focused on innovation,openness, and international business.

Dishui Lake (滴水湖) is the centerpiece-a large circular lake surrounded by parks, waterfront paths and cultural facilities. You can enjoy many cafes there and lake view to chill.

Shanghai astronomy museum(上海天文馆) : is a world-class astronomy museum and planetarium recognized as the largest astronomy musuem in the world by building scale. Don't miss it.

Shanghai L+ snow world indoor ski resort( 上海耀雪冰雪世界): offically open in 2024, one of the world's largest indoor ski resort. To have fun, suggest to stay overnight.

Shanghai yacht & sailing club( 上海游艇帆船俱乐部): Great fun for who like outdoor water entertainments.