Shanghai, China Travel Guide
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Retail Shopping in Shanghai
Nanjing Lu Pedestrian Street in Shanghai
Overview: It appears that visitors and locals in Shanghai have been in the throes of colorless khakis and business casual robot hell. This explains why mobs of people run to Nanjing Lu and Huai Hai Lu – no matter what time of day it is. The demand for retail theraphy the ante on the quality and quality of consumer clothing sources. We’re not in Walmart, North Dakota so ditch the frumpies.
NANJING LU
For the ultimate retail shopping experience, Nanjing Lu (street) has miles of shopping opportunities. It’s the top of the retail heap in Shanghai. We’ll start our Shanghai retail discussion from east Nanjing Lu near the Bund. This area is the famous Nanjing Lu Pedestrian Street, which is located between People’s Park and Henan Zhonglu. There are starry retail lights from the gigantic buildings in this pedestrian only (no automobiles) shopping area on Nanjing Lu. Though there are no vehicles, per se, Shanghai provides touristy trollies that run through this pedestrian only, outdoor mega-mall.
Shopping in West Nanjing Lu in Shanghai
WEST NANJING LU
Retail stores in west Nanjing Lu start about Tongren Lu. Here, clean, spread out and botique and brand name stores stand side by side. The area is ritzy and so are the stores. It looks a bit like Rodeo Drive but the action on west Nanjing Lu is more lively.
Central Nanjing Lu (around Huangpi Lu) has some malls and botique stores.
The corner of Nanjing Lu and Xizang Lu (aka Tibet Lu) starts the pedestrian mall of Nanjing Lu. The pedestrian mall stretches for blocks.
Shopping Shanghai
You’ll be hit up by all sorts of hustlers, hawkers of all ages selling you anything from “watch bags” to “lady massages.” This is just a part of the experience. While careening through the crowds, you feel like you’re walking down a movie set with intense glamor of neon signs mesmerizing your eyes and mammoth buildings towering on either side of the walkway. Meanwhile, trollies carry loads of tourists and locals down the length of the pedestrian mall. All sorts of stores and restaurants can be found here.
Huai Hai shopping district in Shanghai
HUAI HAI LU
The quiet, strong retail sister of Nanjing Lu is Huai Hai Lu. Not exactly quiet one though. The streets from Xizang Lu and west on Huai Hai Lu teem with shoppers. Huai Hai Lu is just lesser known among tourists. Huai Hai Lu has its fair share of department and designer stores. As well, there’s quiet a restaurant and bar scene. It’s getting swanky.
Accessibility: Both streets are wheelchair friendly but have crowds.