Things to Do in Shanghai in April

Gucun Park in Baoshan district has roughly 12,000 cherry trees across its grounds, making it Shanghai's largest cherry blossom destination. The trees bloom in waves from late March through mid-April, with the Kanzan and Somei Yoshino varieties typically peaking in the first week of April. An early morning visit, before 9 AM, gives you the paths and the soft pink canopy mostly to yourself.

Booking tipGo on a weekday morning. Weekend crowds at Gucun can reach tens of thousands of visitors per day during peak bloom, and the atmosphere shifts from contemplative to carnival.

The 6-kilometer stretch between Fuxing Park and Jing'an Temple passes through tree-lined avenues, 1920s-era lane houses, independent coffee shops, and small galleries. In April, the plane trees are leafing out in fresh green, dappled light filters onto the sidewalks, and the temperature is cool enough for a 3-hour walk without needing to duck into air conditioning every 20 minutes.

The pre-Qingming harvest of Longjing tea reaches Shanghai's tea markets and teahouses in early April. Tea shops in the Old City near Yu Garden and dedicated teahouses along Julu Road in Jing'an offer tastings of the new season's leaves. Mingqian leaves have tender shoots and a subtle chestnut note that disappears in the later harvests picked through May and June.

Booking tipAsk specifically for mingqian (pre-Qingming) leaves. Some shops will pour later, cheaper harvests unless you request the early picking by name.

Longhua Temple, Shanghai's oldest and largest Buddhist temple in Xuhui district, holds a traditional temple fair (miaohui) around the Qingming period. The fair includes vegetarian food stalls, folk performances, and the sound of the Longhua bell, a bronze bell from the Qing dynasty that is struck 108 times. The scent of incense fills the courtyards, mixing with the smell of fried tofu and sesame pastries from the food vendors.

The 1.5-kilometer Bund promenade along the Huangpu River faces the Pudong skyline. In April, evening temperatures around 15°C make it comfortable to linger at the railing. The 52 heritage buildings on the west side are floodlit after dark, and the Pudong towers across the river shift through programmed color sequences. You can smell the river, a mineral tang that mixes with the cool evening air.

The Shanghai Botanical Garden in Xuhui runs its annual spring flower show through April, featuring tulips, azaleas, and tree peonies across the 81-hectare grounds. The peony garden alone has over 200 varieties. Early morning visits catch the flowers with dew still on them and fewer school-group crowds, which tend to arrive after 10 AM.

Booking tipEntry is 15 RMB. The conservatory costs an additional 30 RMB and is worth it for the orchid collection.

The farms around Baihe and Zhujiajiao in Qingpu district grow Japanese-variety strawberries in heated greenhouses. April marks the tail end of the harvest, when the late-season fruit tends to be smaller but more concentrated in sweetness. Most farms charge an entry fee of 50-80 RMB that includes a small basket for picking, with extra berries sold by weight.

The M50 art district on Moganshan Road occupies converted textile mills and houses over 100 galleries and studios. The West Bund cultural corridor along Longteng Avenue in Xuhui includes the Long Museum, Yuz Museum, and Tank Shanghai art center. April typically sees new exhibitions opening after the winter lull, and the spring weather makes walking between venues practical.