A 3-Day Chongming Family Trip: Pandemic Pivots

I'd been waiting for my husband to finally stop working overtime and for our son to finish his summer catch-up classes. Just when I thought our long-awaited family getaway was about to begin, a COVID outbreak in Jiangsu trapped us in Shanghai. So frustrating! But that didn’t mean we couldn’t still have a little adventure within Shanghai’s borders. On July 30, we were told to cancel our out-of-province trip, and on August 5, we pivoted to “Big Chongming.” Packed our bags, grabbed my husband and son, and off we went~~

A quick shot through the car window: blue sky and white clouds. Nothing beats that holiday feeling when you don’t have to work!

We set off from downtown Shanghai, heading to our hotel. It was 96 km and took about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Along the way, my husband drove, our little one napped, and I was in charge of photos and keeping an eye on the road.

Around 3 p.m., we arrived at the hotel to check in. Here’s a proper introduction to our stay: Shanghai Yiqinyuan Resort, No. 2089 Beiyan Road, lake-view room (the price? No idea—my friend booked and paid; I estimate around 2,000 yuan per night, including breakfast). The room wasn’t huge, but it served our needs. For a family of three, though, the bed was a bit snug. Our 10-year-old has grown so much—long arms and legs left no room to squeeze! o(╥﹏╥)o

After checking in, it was still early. My husband went to catch up on sleep, so I had to take the kid out for a wander.

The resort was huge—it felt like a little forest. Even though the 3–4 p.m. sun was still harsh, strolling through the woods and breathing the fresh air was so refreshing. The hotel was fully booked, but because the grounds are so spacious and the rooms are nicely spread out (there are bamboo houses, villas, RVs, sunrooms…), it never felt crowded. Very tranquil. For dinner, we hit a nearby farmhouse restaurant. Goat meat, Chongming cake, hairy crab with rice cakes, fermented rice balls… everything was tasty and affordable—230 yuan for the whole meal.

Day two: Since our hotel offered free tickets to the Flower Expo and Dongping National Forest Park, we thought it over and decided on the forest park. After a filling hotel breakfast, we set off (the park is about a five-minute drive). The weather was scorching hot, and there were very few visitors. My husband suggested renting bikes. Fine—family biking in this heat? Brave, I know.

Bikes were charged by the hour: 20 yuan per bike per hour, plus a 200 yuan deposit per bike, I think. Scanned to pay, and off we went~~~

A reminder: When heading out in summer, make sure to protect against the heat—wear a hat, drink plenty of water, and bring a change of clothes.

Every park has its must-do kids’ rides; we did the bumper cars until we were blue in the face.

Then we rode the mini train twice in a row. Having the place all to ourselves felt amazing. No one… no one… by then, our little one was drenched in sweat.

Lunch was, of course, barbecue. I figured no one would be barbecuing in this heat, but there were still two or three tables. How to rate this barbecue? Scenic area prices can’t be compared to regular restaurants. The variety wasn’t huge, but they had most of the usual barbecue items, plus a decent selection of drinks. Seasonings were provided, but if you asked for anything extra—like disposable cups or meat tongs—the answer was always, “That’ll be extra.” Ah well, traveling with kids is all about happiness. Small expenses don’t matter, just don’t think about the big ones.

My husband was like a barbecue master—he did all the grilling while our little one and I just ate. Not sure if it was cooked through, but it was definitely edible, haha. Our kiddo had a blast trying to grill too.

We couldn’t take it anymore—too sunny and tiring. We were in low-power mode, so we biked back. On the way, we saw a lost sika deer, tiny and adorable. Our little one was amazed; it felt like we were so close to nature. Returned the bikes (paid 240 yuan—ouch, expensive), drove back to the hotel, showered, and napped to recharge.

Day three: Where to? Wetlands? They were a bit far, but we’d come all this way. My husband drove—looking at the map, we were going across Chongming Island, about 1.5 hours. Arriving at the wetland park, it was crowded, no phone signal, and honestly not much to see. We packed up to head back to Shanghai. That’s when we came across some staff who told us to take the kids to the bird sanctuary nearby. Fewer people, beautiful scenery, and educational. How could we pass up such a tempting spot?

A five-minute drive took us to the bird sanctuary. As luck would have it, the place is often closed due to the pandemic, so visits require advance booking; they only admit 2–3 groups per hour. By fortune, we got a slot. But it wasn’t open yet, so we had to wait at the gate for a bit…

In the parking lot, I took photos of our little one. Doesn’t it feel like a blockbuster shoot abroad? Blue sky, white clouds, no crowds, beautiful scenery—strike any pose you want.

We waited 10 minutes, the only car there. It’s rare to see a spot with so few people in a big city—not just few, but none at all, haha.

Finally, it was our turn to enter. A staff member drove us in a golf cart about 1.5 km.

As we walked and listened to the guide, we saw red dragonflies, green dragonflies, blue dragonflies, great egrets, and little egrets. We really learned a lot.

Walking along boardwalks, reeds swaying by the river, a gentle breeze blowing—though it was still scorching, I truly thought this place was wonderful.

In the afternoon, we headed back to Shanghai. My husband had a smooth drive, and our little one slept soundly the whole way. The long-awaited summer vacation is almost over. We didn’t make it to the Zhejiang island tour we’d planned, but Chongming turned out to be pretty great. Not perfect, but full of pleasant surprises. Hope the pandemic passes quickly—come winter break, we’ll set off again O(∩_∩)O~