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Adam and Linds arrive in Shanghai with their three children on a 240-hour transit visa and spend their first day visiting Jade Buddha Temple, the Bund, Yu Garden, and the riverfront. They find a free skyline view at the Park Hyatt’s 87th-floor bar and observatory, learn how to eat soup dumplings, and walk through Yu Garden in the rain. A boat cruise with Tsingtao and the word “ganbei” closes the day.
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Temple, skyline, and soup dumplings
Adam and Linds arrive in Shanghai with their three children on a 240-hour transit visa. They are tired after the flight but head out with Jenny’s Tours. Their first stop is Jade Buddha Temple, where a guide explains that the famous jade Buddha is smaller than the marble Buddha that visitors sometimes mistake for it. The family also notices QR-code vending machines without buttons and finds McDonald’s across the street.
At the Park Hyatt, they discover a free observatory and bar on the 87th floor, a way to view the skyline without buying a ticket for an observation deck. At the Bund, they visit the former HSBC Bank and learn that its mosaics had been covered with plaster and later revealed as the plaster fell away. For lunch, they eat soup dumplings and learn to turn one into a spoon, drink the soup, blow on it, and then eat the dumpling. The children make friends with their guide Peggy.
Rain at Yu Garden and the river at sunset
Rain falls during their visit to Yu Garden, but umbrellas and cooler air make the walk manageable. They see classical pavilions and carved details, as well as the market outside. The market feels tourist-oriented without having many duplicate souvenir shops. They also visit a local market where restaurant owners give toys to children with meals.
By evening the clouds clear for a river cruise. The upper deck is nearly empty, and Adam and Linds have Tsingtao while learning that “ganbei” means to finish a drink. They watch Shanghai’s tall buildings light up as sunset settles over the river. The family says the city feels safer and more welcoming than warnings had suggested; after walking around at 3 a.m., they did not feel unsafe. They are already considering a return for an ancient water town, food tours, Shanghai Disney, Beijing, the Great Wall, and the Terracotta Soldiers. Their first day combines history, food, weather, and skyline views with the experience of traveling as a family. The morning begins after a late arrival and little sleep. Adam and Linds travel with their three children and meet their tour guide, Jenny, before visiting Jade Buddha Temple. Their guide explains the difference between the jade Buddha and a larger marble Buddha that visitors may confuse with it. The family is struck by the intricate temple details and uses their phones around the city, including at QR-code vending machines. A McDonald’s across the street offers an easy familiar-food option.
The Park Hyatt’s 87th-floor bar and observatory gives them a way to see the skyline without buying an observation deck ticket. They can see Shanghai Tower from the viewpoint. At the Bund, the former HSBC building holds another historical detail: mosaics were covered with plaster and later became visible again as the plaster fell away. The family walks the waterfront and then stops for soup dumplings, learning to flip one into a spoon, cool it, drink the soup, and eat it. The children enjoy the company of Peggy, their guide.
Rain begins during the visit to Yu Garden. The family carries umbrellas and finds the cooler air comfortable for walking among the classical architecture, carved details, and layered roofs. They also explore the market outside and a local market where restaurant owners give toys to children with meals. Those details make the outing feel family-oriented as well as historic.
By sunset, the weather clears for the river cruise. Adam and Linds sit on a nearly empty upper deck with Tsingtao and learn what “ganbei” means. The lights of Shanghai’s tallest buildings appear along the river, bringing the day to its close. They reflect that the city felt safe and welcoming despite the warnings they had heard. They walked at 3 a.m. after arriving without feeling unsafe. Their future plans include an ancient water town, Lost Plate food tours, Shanghai Disney, and a possible return to Beijing for the Great Wall and Terracotta Soldiers.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: Was Shanghai as unsafe as they expected?
- A: Adam and Linds say they walked around at 3 a.m. after landing and did not feel unsafe. They felt that many warnings came from people who had not visited, and their first day left them impressed by the city’s welcome.
- Q: How do you eat Shanghai soup dumplings?
- A: They place a dumpling in a spoon, turn it over, blow on it, drink the soup from the top, and then eat the dumpling. The filling is hot, so they recommend cooling it before eating.
- Q: Can you see the skyline without paying for an observation deck?
- A: Adam and Linds visit the Park Hyatt Shanghai’s 87th-floor bar and observatory, which they describe as a free way to view the skyline, including Shanghai Tower.
- Q: What surprised them most about the first day?
- A: The family was surprised by how safe, welcoming, and cool the city felt. Adam had wanted to visit China for years, and by the end of the boat cruise he was already thinking about returning to see Beijing and the Terracotta Soldiers.