48 Hours in Shanghai – Best Sites To Have The Most Fun

Shanghai sites to have the most fun in 48 Hours.

Shanghai is a city that expertly mixes ancient culture with today’s extreme technology. You can visit historic areas that blend European styled architecture with Asian influences or get in touch with your Zen at temples that are over 1,000 years old. Since there are so many things to do, let’s narrow down your choices by checking out our best sites in Shanghai below.

Mr. Bean Coffee

Coincidence with the name? Nope. There is a whole restaurant and coffee shop dedicated to Rowan Atkinson’s famous slapstick humored character, Mr. Bean. There are small statues, a painting of Mr. Bean as the Mona Lisa and even fan drawn photos all over the walls. We’re not sure if it’s slightly creepy or absolutely hilarious. This humorous coffee shop sells tea, coffee, pie and other pastries.

Shanghai Ghost Tours

If you’re a night owl and love the paranormal Shanghai’s Ghost Tours are somewhere you want to be. Tours happen every night from 7-9pm and there is a dinner included for another hour after the tour. Whether you find ghosts or not, it’s dinner and a show! You can visit haunted sites like Plaza 66 Shanghai, Paramount Theatre, Yanan Highway and more! It only takes up a minimal amount of time so it’s perfect for a quick trip to Shanghai.

Shanghai Ocean Aquarium

This aquarium is home to the longest tunnel underneath the ocean that visitors can walk through. This 390-foot tunnel is not for the anxious! You’ll be able to see reefs, the ocean above, caves, shark coves and more. There are a ton of other places to visit within this Aquarium and many animals to see as well. Here they have Chinese water dragons, cichlids, electric eels, Chinese alligators, lionfish, Weedy sea dragons, moon jelly and other exotic creatures.

Happy Valley

Happy Valley Shanghai is a theme park that offers 6 roller coasters and other amusement rides. Opened in 2009, there are seven major areas that include Gold Mine Town, Ant Kingdom, Shanghai Beach, Typhoon Bay, Sunshine Beach, and more. This doesn’t include the 100 other attractions in the park, either! This isn’t the only place you can find a Happy Valley, as there are 5 more in locations like Wuhan, Beijing, and Shenzhen. If you don’t want to pay Disney prices and still want just as much fun, then you want to take a quick trip to Happy Valley.

Shanghai Film Art Center

With its luxurious theater that offers massive screens and marble floors, the Shanghai Film Art Center will make you feel like you’re in a palace. Connected to it is a Starbucks, a City Shop and more. Every year, you can catch the Shanghai International Film Festival here too! You can check out some of the past winners of the film festival on Netflix, although you may have to unblock it during your stay.

Founded in 1993, there are a vast amount of prizes to win such as the Golden Goblet award, Asian New Talent award and Short Film award. The record for submissions was broken in 2013 when there were 1,655 from over 110 countries in the festival.

Oriental Pearl Radio and TV Tower

This television and radio tower looks like something out of a futuristic movie and it is one of the tallest TV/radio towers in the world. There are also restaurants inside that have observation decks hundreds of feet above Shanghai. The height from the base to the top of the antenna is 1,535 feet tall and the top floor (for observation) is 1,148 feet high. That’s roughly 111 stories! Try going to the tower at night for beautiful sights of the city.

Conclusion

There are many things to do in Shanghai and it’s a city that never sleeps. From bars to clubs to museums, and even more serene locations like temples and gardens, you can have it all. Even with just 48 hours, you’ll have a lot of fun to pack in.

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About The Auhor:  Written by Jess Signet.
I am a diehard adventurer, always ready to explore a new place. My parents were travelers since before I was born. Even in the womb, I was able to travel all over the place! Boy, did things NOT change as I grew older!

Knowing there’s more to the world than the bubble I live in made me want to travel even further. Traveling is my drug and I’m addicted. (Please, no intervention!)
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Image Source:  Google Commons