Sun Island Resort Shanghai: A Simple but Never Boring Two-Day Escape
Children should be taken out to explore from an early age. With late spring meeting early summer and the weekend around the corner, the weather is perfect for a getaway. Choosing the right family-friendly resort is key! After much deliberation, we settled on the Sun Island Resort Shanghai near Zhujiajiao Ancient Town. It’s a family hotel that suits a family of three, and the fact that it allows pets is a rare treat. So we invited our friends’ family—six people and two pets—and drove off toward Qingpu District!
Sun Island Resort Shanghai sits on the Mao River in Zhujiajiao, Qingpu, and is an island with a long history. Arriving right at the turning of the seasons, the island is lush and verdant, with trees providing generous shade—a lively, refreshing escape from the city, back into nature’s embrace.
We left downtown Shanghai, took the Yan’an Elevated Road to the Outer Ring, then switched to Husong Highway and Shenzhuan Highway, reaching Sun Island in about an hour.
The check-in lobby and villa area at Sun Island Resort are separate. After completing the formalities, you can drive yourself or take the island shuttle bus to your room. The villa area is huge and amply wooded, bordering the Mao River. Walking through it, you get the feeling of a winding path leading to secluded spots.
We booked the resort’s most distinctive family villa. Before arrival, we were told the standalone villa was 120 square meters, with three bedrooms and a living room—it turned out every bit as spacious. The soft furnishings all feature cartoon themes kids love. The living room has a Big Rich game mat, a LEGO wall, plush toys, and other fun items, but the highlights are the slide that crosses floors inside the villa and the elastic climbing net. The kids went wild with excitement. It truly deserves its zero-complaint reputation as a family hotel in Shanghai.
Each of the three bedrooms has its own vanity and bathroom, and a cute crab-shaped bubble machine makes bath time so much fun that our little one washed up with unusual ease. Upstairs, besides the bedroom, there’s a special Japanese-style tatami room where the kids can sleep side by side. The two children played and tussled happily, giving us parents a real break.
After dropping off our luggage, it was about time for lunch. We chose the Waterfall Western Restaurant on the first floor of the hotel lobby. With a big breakfast, none of us was very hungry. We ordered the special kids’ meal for our daughter—child-friendly utensils, freshly made burgers, and juice were a hit. My husband and I tried the new “dirty milk,” a cold dessert made with fresh milk and fruit, which was perfectly icy and refreshing in the early summer heat.
After lunch, we headed straight to the pet park with Wang Xiao’er (our silly dog). Before we even got there, we saw all kinds of families with their dogs, and our silly boy was beyond excited. The pet park has both indoor and outdoor areas. Inside, dogs can have an afternoon tea and play on climbing frames and in a ball pit; outside there’s a huge lawn for roaming free and even a swimming area just for dogs, complete with a professional shallow-to-deep pool!
It’s worth mentioning that Sun Island offers pet boarding and training services, with professional dog trainers on hand to help correct bad habits and teach new skills. Wang Xiao’er spent an afternoon there. The little guy was timid and kept barking, but the staff were very patient, giving him biscuits and yogurt—super nice.
For dinner on the first day, both families tried the individual hot pot. Each gets their own pot; the set comes with vegetables, meat, fish, and shellfish, all simmering in a rich pork-bone broth. We heard the veggies are organically grown on the island, and they were crisp and fresh. Together with the meat and seafood, it was plenty. If you want more, you can add a staple dish—unlimited refills!
Breakfast the next morning was at the hotel’s buffet restaurant, and I have to give it a shout-out: the quality ranks among the best in hotels. Both Chinese and Western options, made-to-order noodles that are particularly tasty, and do-it-yourself soy milk and yogurt that are exceptional. If you prefer Western, there’s salad and bread too. The whole family left very satisfied.
Even before arriving, I’d heard Sun Island is famous for its equestrian club. After breakfast, we took our daughter to ride a horse. At first, she was a little scared of the big horses, but then a staff member brought out a small pony for her, and she fell in love instantly. Before getting on, kids are fitted with protective gear, and staff lead the pony the whole way, so there’s no danger. Our little one had a wonderful time. We saw many children in the riding arena learning professional equestrian skills—they looked very cool!
There are plenty of places on the island for children to have fun. We chose to go to the Craftsman Museum first to do some hands-on work. There are instructors and tool kits, so you just follow along. We picked a polymer clay project and a leather bag kit, and both were successfully completed!
By May, the weather is already quite warm, and the Mermaid Pier area was bustling with people. Water sports have become a hot activity. A family of three rented a water bike and spent a relaxing, delightful time.
Finally, we took the Mermaid Train ride, also at the Mermaid Pier. The train is painted blue and white, with colorful artwork on both sides of the carriages, full of childlike charm. It makes three stops along the route: the hotel lobby, Mermaid Pier, and Little Greenland. The ticket allows all-day rides, and it’s a delightful way to take in the island’s scenery, uplifting your spirits.
Every moment at Sun Island Resort Shanghai is a discovery of precious, rare time in life. Sometimes our child acts clingy and wants to be carried, a sign of missing parent-child togetherness during our busy workweeks. Then she becomes more independent, bravely seeking her own joy and stepping up to challenges. All in all, our family trip to Sun Island was truly worthwhile—highly recommended.
