Recently, I traveled with a group of friends to Shanghai to visit a few expatriate pals from Stockholm. Spending time with good folks is always special, but this particular trip had a unique twist. It started out normal enough: On our second day, our hosts scheduled a private tour to introduce us to the city. We visited Shanghai Old Town and the Yuyuan Garden (built during the Ming Dynasty), Nanjing Road, the Bund and its breathtaking view of the Pudong skyline (which was rural farmland just over a decade ago), and the city’s traditional shikumen houses.

The following day, however, it got interesting. We were drawn into a “friendly competition”—a modified scavenger hunt devised by our hosts. Split into two teams, we had five hours to complete a myriad of tasks. The genius of the day was that not only were we required to navigate several sections of Shanghai in search of our bounty, but we were also urged to interact with the city’s residents. The more interactive the assignments, the more points a team received.

The task list consisted of three sections. The first covered typical Shanghai life: riding the subway; translating several sentences into English; taking pictures of people playing cards, doing tai chi in public, and carrying odd items on the back of a bicycle (occurrences common all over China); and, the real winner: getting a picture of a team member inside a shikumen house.

The second required us to explore the cultural and historic attractions in and around People’s Square and People’s Park. We had assignments inside the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Centre (which houses a scale model of the entire city), Shanghai Grand Theater, and the Park Hotel (the geographic epicenter of Shanghai).

Lastly, we went to the Xintiandi, the expatriate hub of Shanghai. Ironically, this neighborhood of high-rise luxury apartment buildings and a shopping area reminiscent of New York’s South Street Seaport or D.C.’s National Harbor is also the location of the First National Congress of the Communist Party.

Admittedly, it wouldn’t have occurred to me to take part in a scavenger hunt in Shanghai, but I’m now convinced that it’s the best way to explore and become immersed in the life of a new city. More important, it was a great way for friends to spend time, solidify relationships, and create lifelong memories..

If you go …
Getting there: All major carriers fly to Shanghai.  
Where to stay: The Mansion Hotel (chinamansionhotel.com), a new luxury boutique hotel in a former private residence in the French Concession, captures the essence of old Shanghai.
Smart tip: The language barrier can be tough, especially when trying to get around via taxi. Hiring a car with a driver is definitely worthwhile and not very expensive.

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