Great Spot for Family Fun in Shanghai: Bring Yunbao to Shanghai Baoyan Paradise for a Summer of Joy! Indoor Water Play Is Super Fun!
The July midsummer brings summer vacation, which also means the arrival of the happiest time for children. Although Yunbao hasn't started school yet and doesn't really understand what summer vacation means, the sense of ritual is still important. Taking advantage of the holiday, we finally visited the long-desired Shanghai Baoyan Paradise.
Shanghai Baoyan Paradise truly offered a wonderful and fulfilling family trip. The variety of fun and interesting activities is incredibly rich—from the first to the fifth floor, the park covers about 20,000 square meters, packed with every kind of amusement facility you can imagine. On the first floor, there's a lovely Cute Pet Paradise and an exciting Slide Paradise; on the second floor, you'll find Naughty Castle, a building block world, fun arcade games, mommy nail salon, a baking room, birthday rooms, and more; the third and fourth floors are home to the Four-Season Constant Temperature Water Park; and on the fifth floor, there's rooftop grass sledding and an adorable carousel. The ticket covers all three parks, and we made sure to book our time slot in advance.
July has always been my favorite time as a child—the first month of summer break is all about carefree and joyful play. I wanted to give Yunbao a happy summer vacation too. Shanghai Baoyan Paradise had been on my summer family trip list for a while. We set off under the blazing sun, driving to the park at No. 11, Lane 3825, Dushi Road, Minhang District, Shanghai. It's right next to the expressway entrance, making it super convenient by car. With a receipt, you get 4 hours of free parking at the Baoyan lot; after that it's 6 yuan per hour.
From the outside, the park already looks wonderfully quirky—dinosaurs of all sizes are scattered around the building, some by the first-floor walls, others near second-floor windows. As soon as Yunbao spotted them, she happily screamed, "Dinosaurs!" Stepping inside, it was delightfully cool compared to the scorching heat outside. The temperature was perfect, and we quickly scanned our tickets. Staff put wristbands on each of us, which allowed multiple re-entries into the main park and the adjoining Cute Pet Paradise.
[Our Wonderful Family Journey at Baoyan Paradise Starts at the Cute Pet Paradise]
The adventure began at the Cute Pet Paradise, our first stop. Two adorable alpacas greeted us right away—these goofy, gentle creatures were very friendly to strangers. If interested, you could spend 10 yuan to buy some special alpaca feed and interact with them.
Remember to wear the little gloves when playing with the animals.
Across from the alpaca area was a charming rodent zone with cute rabbits and hamsters. The imitation wooden fence wasn't too high, so even a two-year-old like Yunbao could easily interact with the bunnies—such a thoughtful design. Strolling through the park, you could see the careful attention to detail everywhere: cave-like landscapes, wooden-themed surroundings, and each animal area thoughtfully designed. For example, the squirrel zone featured an extra-long walkway just for them.
The moment Yunbao spotted the raccoon, she was overjoyed—it was her first time seeing one, and I was just as amazed. After wandering through the pet area, we crossed a wooden boardwalk into the Rocky Bay. Here, rocks and water features reigned, with tanks and pools of colorful fish nestled among huge boulders.
After admiring the lively fish, we entered the Bird Paradise—a rectangular enclosed space where branches lined the walls, holding vibrant parrots of many colors. On the ground were also gorgeous peacocks. Yunbao was especially close to these familiar animals.
Past the bird area, we reached the final rodent section, home to a variety of adorable little creatures. Don't be scared by the word "rodent"—these are all cuteness overload, like lovely moles and silly prairie dogs. You could even get up close through a hemispherical glass dome and "meet" a prairie dog face-to-face, and they'd just stare ahead with that signature blank, adorable expression. Too cute!
[Unforgettable Family Time at the Slide Paradise and Naughty Castle World]
At Shanghai Baoyan Paradise, the Slide Paradise is one not to be missed—it's an iconic, internet-famous attraction. As soon as you check in, it's right on your left. But a tip: you must wear long pants, long sleeves, and non-slip socks to prevent skin burns from the speed. If you forget, you can buy them inside the park.
The space has a ceiling height of nearly 7.3 meters, featuring 13 slides of varying slopes and different colors—a true rainbow slide zone. The most popular ones are the 45-degree blue ball pit slide and the 90-degree vertical slide. There are also gentler slopes that are still a blast.
[The Colorful Naughty Castle]
Take the elevator to the second floor, another paradise for kids, with even more attractions especially suited for younger children. To enter the Naughty Castle, you need to take off your shoes (free lockers are provided, very thoughtful) and wear those non-slip socks. The huge ball pit—an endless sea of yellow and white ocean balls—had Yunbao running in eagerly, ready to play.
Inside, there are not only countless balls but also plenty of activities: little slides of different shapes, climbing nets, light-and-shadow magic balls... Here, parents can truly take a break and just watch their kids have fun, because the massive number of balls and all the padded surfaces ensure thoughtful, safe play.
There's also a yellow-and-blue castle structure that's great for photos. And inside, there's a children's climbing wall. Yunbao, not yet three, watched the older kids climb and got so eager to try herself. With my help, to my surprise, she managed to stand up on her own! Just a note: it's best to supervise kids on the climbing wall to prevent any issues.
The huge climbing net was something I'd never seen before, even after visiting many children's parks. The varied shapes and difficulty levels helped build strength and courage, and watching Yunbao work her way through it filled me with indescribable pride.
Next to the Naughty Castle is the Trampoline Park, consisting of eight trampolines enclosed by high safety nets—another testament to Baoyan Paradise's commitment to child safety. It wasn't Yunbao's first time on a trampoline, but it was definitely her best and happiest experience; she seemed to have found the knack and joy of it.
In the center of the second floor is the Baoyan Family Restaurant, perfect for a tasty meal when you need a break. The kid-friendly food recharges the little ones for more fun. The restaurant's style is super cute, with white and pink tones and a bright, clean dining environment.
While waiting for your food, you can pop over to the parent-child handicraft area next door and let your child experience a bit of DIY fun.
Further inside on the second floor is the arcade area, filled with game machines—common rides like carousels, rocking cars, small trains, claw machines, and more—plus a building block world. Blocks have a special appeal for children; they use them to express all their wonderful imaginings of the world, and it's also a great way for parents to understand their kids better.
[Four-Season Constant Temperature Water Park: A Cool Trip with Yunbao]
If you ask me, the best summer attraction has to be a water park, but the scorching sun makes outdoor ones unbearable. Fortunately, on the 3rd and 4th floors of Shanghai Baoyan Paradise, there's an indoor, constant-temperature water park. The water is around 37°C and very clean. No matter the season or weather, you can enjoy a delightful water play session here.
Stepping out of the elevator, you'll find the water park's retail area selling essentials like swimwear, floaties, water guns, etc. I was pleasantly surprised by the stylish and varied swimwear—if you forget your gear, you can buy everything right there. Another design detail my wife and I loved was the thoughtful parent-child changing and shower rooms. With a separate entrance, the room is spacious enough for an entire family of three—no more struggling with a child in a cramped changing room alone.
Once inside the water park, the first thing you see is the big slide area. Watching people zip down from the top, their expressions a mix of thrill and mock terror, you can feel the excitement. Here there's a 5-meter-high, 32-meter-long rainbow slide, along with dozens of shorter slides for kids. Visitors of all ages can find their kind of water fun.
In the children's splash zone, you'll spot all sorts of marine animal figures standing in the water—starfish, clownfish, crabs. And they're not just up high; they're scattered everywhere, like a turtle lounging in the water, a spraying apple, or a frog-shaped slide. This is especially appealing for animal-loving little ones.
Yunbao has always been a little bundle of contradictions: endlessly curious about new things but lacking the courage to go solo. So she often calls for us to join her. The cute frog slide, where you slide out of its mouth and down its giant tongue into the water, was a super thrilling experience for her.
Kids just love playing with water—it's an innate interest, regardless of gender or age, and Yunbao is no exception. In the splash zone, every corner became her personal playground, and she found joy everywhere.
The children's splash area is quite large, arranged in a U-shape along the slide zone. There are also gentler, shorter water slides perfect for little ones. Holding Yunbao as we slid down, she was so happy she ended up lying flat on me at the end.
Adjacent to the splash area is a children's pool where many kids swim. Naturally, water-loving Yunbao didn't want to miss out. We've taken her swimming regularly, and she's gone from being clueless to gradually lifting her head and kicking her feet in the water. For us, that progress is the greatest achievement beyond just having fun.
[Outdoor Fun: Shanghai Baoyan Paradise Has So Much More]
The excitement at Shanghai Baoyan Paradise doesn't stop there. After exploring from the first to the fourth floor, we left the rooftop outdoor area on the fifth floor for last—after all, playing under the July sun requires a bit of courage, so it's best visited in the early evening. Taking the elevator up, the first thing you see is "Daring Jurassic," where you'll encounter all kinds of dinosaur models. They're incredibly realistic and even have animated features like head-bobbing, tail-swinging, biting, and roaring...
Next to it are a carousel and a small pirate ship. While carousels are usually seen as romantic, here "cute" is a better description. Themed after the Madagascar movies, the ride features a zebra with an open mouth, a funny monkey, a long-necked giraffe, and special seats for little ones surrounded by silly mole figures. Yunbao hopped on the moment she saw it.
Every child dreams of flying, and piloting a plane might seem impossible, but on the rooftop of Baoyan Paradise, there's a large grass sledding hill. Sitting on a sled and racing downhill with the wind rushing past, the joy lights up every child's face.
Besides these, the fifth-floor rooftop area also offers an outdoor mini train, pony rides, and an outdoor climbing net.
[A Taste of the Park: Dining]
At Shanghai Baoyan Paradise, you can easily spend a whole day with Yunbao, and there are several restaurants right inside to refuel. Options include the Baoyan Seafood Workshop Restaurant on the first floor, the Baoyan Family Restaurant on the second floor, and one inside the water park. The menus are diverse, with seafood, Western food, Chinese dishes, and fast food.
We chose the Baoyan Seafood Workshop Restaurant next to the park's front desk; a giant bear outside was an eye-catcher. This place specializes in seafood, all of it selected live from tanks, weighed on the spot, and cooked in a visible open kitchen—no worries about being overcharged. We happened to catch a flash sale, scoring spicy stir-fried abalone with salt-and-pepper Japanese icefish for just 53 yuan—an incredible deal for a tourist spot.
The salt-and-pepper Japanese icefish was excellent: crispy on the outside, tender inside, perfectly seasoned. The outer crust was flaky and paired wonderfully with the salt and pepper, while the meat was delicate and the garlic cloves added great texture.
"Land of Fish and Rice" is a perfect dish for kids, made with cucumber, carrot, corn kernels, and diced fish, all stir-fried together for a naturally sweet, light flavor.
The spicy stir-fried baby abalone was a real appetite-opener, fragrant from the moment it arrived. The dish uses 10 abalones (size 14 count), giving a generous portion. The abalone was fresh, with a springy, bouncy texture.
[Useful Information]
1. Address: Baoyan Paradise flagship store is at No. 11, Lane 3825, Dushi Road, Minhang District, Shanghai
2. Summer hours (July-August): Weekdays 9:30–19:30, Weekends 9:30–20:30, Water Park 11:00–18:00
3. Free parking for up to 4 hours with a receipt; thereafter, 6 yuan per hour
