Shanghai Family Mother’s Day: 3 Peaceful Evening Walks

This May 12, mark Mother’s Day by exploring these well-known peaceful routes and hideaways. If you are a busy mother, you might find the time to visit them by yourself. You could also consider taking your kids for a daytrip with another family you know. If that isn’t possible, have a little down time, allow some mindfulness to take over and spare a few thoughts for your own giver-of-life!

Xuhui Backstreets

The boulevards and backstreets of the French-influenced areas of Xuhui are well known for their beauty and atmosphere, and a random foray through them will take you past many hidden surprises, from miniature local museums, bookstores and galleries, to the city’s main library. The famous plane trees lining the streets release pollen at this time of year – so be warned if you are allergic.

We recommend: start from South Shaanxi Road metro’s busy thoroughfare and then leave it behind, crossing Huaihai Road (still the shopping mecca here after a long history) and gradually sink into the area from the east, carrying along Wukang Road.

Before circling back towards the Shanghai Library, which has bookstores and cafés around it and access to line 10 to return home.

Shanghai Library address:
1555 Huaihai Middle Road
 

上海图书馆
淮海中路1555号, 近高安路

Century Park

Called the ‘Best Park in the city’ by many, Century Park is a much-needed main amenity for busy Pudong. It has a huge lake, big flowerbeds and quieter corners for reflection as well as busier areas for kids, who can enter for free. Entrance charge for adults is 10RMB, and the park is open during until 6pm during the summer months. Be sure to plan ahead and have a good destination in mind for dinner after your excursion.

We recommend: Have lunch in Century Avenue mall, just above and around the metro station, with plenty of great cafes and restaurants. After that, if the weather is fine, either bike or stroll to the end of the avenue to enjoy the park. You can also take line 2 on the metro to the Shanghai Museum of Technology, which is the closest station.

Century Park address:
809 Huamu Lu, 
near Haitong Lu,

浦东世纪公园,
花木路809号, 近海桐路

Huang Pu Riverside Biking and Walking Trail

Finished last year after several years of building, this 25+ kilometer cycling and walking path is another of Pudong’s best places for peaceful down time.

We recommend: If starting from Pudong Side, locate a roadway to the waterfront from any starting position near Lujiazui, then head south west along the water. Walking this way will show a beautiful sunset if the skies are clear. If starting from Puxi, the best route is to find a ferry terminal, which are numerous heading southwards from the bund. The one of the easiest to find is Fuxing Dong Road ferry, near Xiaonanmen station.

Fuxing Dong Ferry Station address:
1 Fuxing Dong Lu, 
near Zhongshan Nan Lu

复兴东路渡口
复兴东路1号, 近中山南路