The 15 Best Day Trips from Shanghai
How far each place is, what to see there, and a plan for the day.
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There are 15 good day trips from Shanghai, China, led by Wuxi, Ningbo, Nantong. The closest is Jiading, about 40 min by car, and 6 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.
Built from 15 nearby places, with sights from real traveler trips, on Packy AI. Last updated November 2026 by the Packy AI Travel Team.
Day trips from Shanghai
- 1
Wuxi, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 50 min by car118 km west of ShanghaiKnown for 京杭运河泥塑展示馆.
- 2
Ningbo, China
Long day or overnightAbout 2 hr 20 min by car150 km south of ShanghaiKnown for 天封塔.
- 3
Nantong, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 40 min by car105 km north-west of ShanghaiKnown for 烟雨亭.
- 4
Kunshan, China
Half-day tripAbout 1 hr by car51 km west of ShanghaiKnown for Canal view.
- 5
Songjiang, China
Half-day tripAbout 35 min by car31 km south-west of ShanghaiKnown for 上海欢乐谷.
- 6
Jiading, China
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car27 km north-west of ShanghaiKnown for 上海国际赛车场.
- 7
Changshu, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 20 min by car83 km north-west of ShanghaiKnown for 方塔.
- 8
Cixi, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 50 min by car118 km south of ShanghaiKnown for 上林湖青瓷文化传承园.
- 9
Zhangjiagang, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 45 min by car113 km north-west of Shanghai - 10
Qingpu, China
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car34 km west of ShanghaiKnown for 上海欢乐谷.
- 11
Jiaxing, China
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 20 min by car85 km south-west of ShanghaiKnown for 沈钧儒故居.
- 12
Huzhou, China
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr 10 min by car136 km west of Shanghai - 13
Taicang, China
Half-day tripAbout 50 min by car43 km north-west of Shanghai - 14
Shangyu, China
Long day or overnightAbout 2 hr 15 min by car145 km south-west of Shanghai - 15
Chongming, China
Half-day tripAbout 1 hr by car50 km north-east of Shanghai
A sample day: Shanghai to Wuxi
- 07:30Leave Shanghai
- 09:20Arrive in Wuxi (1 hr 50 min drive)
- 09:35京杭运河泥塑展示馆
- 11:35Lunch
- 12:50Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Wuxi
- 15:20Head back to Shanghai
- 17:10Home in Shanghai
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best day trips from Shanghai?
- The best day trips from Shanghai are Wuxi, Ningbo, Nantong, Kunshan, Songjiang. The closest is Jiading, about 40 min away by car.
- What is the closest day trip from Shanghai?
- Jiading is the closest, 27 km north-west of Shanghai, roughly 40 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
- Where can I go within an hour of Shanghai?
- 6 places are within about an hour's drive of Shanghai: Jiading (40 min), Songjiang (35 min), Qingpu (40 min), Taicang (50 min), Chongming (1 hr), Kunshan (1 hr).
- What is the biggest city near Shanghai for a day out?
- Wuxi is the largest city in day-trip range, 118 km west of Shanghai and about 1 hr 50 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
- Where can I go for a weekend from Shanghai?
- For a weekend away from Shanghai, pick the places far enough to be worth a night: Ningbo (150 km, 2 hr 20 min), Shangyu (145 km, 2 hr 15 min), Huzhou (136 km, 2 hr 10 min), Cixi (118 km, 1 hr 50 min). Closer places on this list work better as a single day.
- How far is too far for a day trip from Shanghai?
- Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Ningbo at 150 km, around 2 hr 20 min by car, which is better as a long day or an overnight stay.
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