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New Year, either way round

Shanghai in February

Either you hit the biggest holiday in the Chinese calendar or you get the emptiest, cheapest fortnight of the year. Almost nothing in between.

Weather
4–11°C / 39–52°F
Rain
8 wet days
Crowds
Extreme during Spring Festival, then very low
Price
Spikes to the annual peak, then collapses

February is dominated by one thing: Spring Festival, Chinese New Year. The date moves with the lunar calendar, landing somewhere between late January and mid-February. Everything about this month depends on whether your trip falls before, during, or after it.

During the holiday itself Shanghai splits in two. The tourist centre — the Bund, Yu Garden, Nanjing Road — is at its busiest of the entire year, while residential neighbourhoods empty out entirely as people go home. The Lantern Festival on day fifteen is worth planning for: Yu Garden and Qibao fill with lanterns and it genuinely looks like nothing else.

What is good about it

  • Lantern Festival at Yu Garden — fifteen days after New Year’s Day
  • Empty streets and low prices if you arrive after the holiday ends
  • Plum blossom at the end of the month in the warmer years

Watch out for

  • Book trains and hotels weeks ahead if your dates overlap the holiday
  • Roughly a third of small independent restaurants close for 1–2 weeks
  • Some museums close for one or two days over New Year — check before you go

What to bring

  • Same as January: windproof layers, not bulk
  • Cash — some smaller places stop taking cards during the holiday chaos
  • Patience. Everything queues during the festival week

The verdict

A month of two halves. Check Spring Festival dates first, then decide — there is no "usually" in February.

FAQ

Questions

Everything on this site is written and re-checked on the ground. When something changes, this page changes.

Should I avoid Shanghai during Chinese New Year?

Not necessarily — it is a spectacular time to be here if you plan ahead. But if you want restaurants and calm, pick dates that fall after the holiday week.

Is the Yu Garden Lantern Festival worth the crush?

Yes, once. Go on the last evening before it ends rather than the opening night, and enter from the north side where the queues are shorter.

What is open during the holiday?

Major museums, malls, chains and tourist sites. The places that close are family-run restaurants, barbers, and neighbourhood shops.