We wanted to spend some time sight-seeing in Shanghai proper. Fortunately, there is very convenient subway access from the Disney resort to all of Shanghai. We took the water taxi from the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel across the bay to the park entrance; the metro station is about a 3-minute walk from there.
We emerged in a bustling part of Shanghai, with many tea houses, shops, and of course tourists! If you want generic Shanghai souvenirs, this is the place to find them. There are also a lot of great street food booths. Fortunately many of them have pictures and prices for those of us who don’t read Mandarin!
Our primary destination in this part of town was to visit the historic Yu Garden, which dates from the 1500s. Once you’re there, the streets and alleyways can get a bit confusing, and traffic through the garden is one-way. We followed the directions from our smartphone and still wound up at the exit, and had to walk around! Of course you could just ask a local where to find its famous entrance, the “Zigzag Bridge.”
Cross the ZigZag Bridge and you can get a great view of the koi swimming in the garden lake.
Once inside, you can enjoy a stroll through gorgeous rock gardens, beautiful halls with displays of art and sculpture, and centered around the Exquisite Jade Rock, a massive 5-ton gemstone.
Of course we found the resident garden cat and made a new friend.
We really enjoyed our stroll through the Yu Garden. I found it quite refreshing and serene in contrast to the streets just outside.
Next Up: A 15-minute walk from the Yu Garden is The Bund, Shanghai’s famous waterfront area with spectacular views of the skyline.
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