By evening, the pace in Songjiang settles into something unhurried: spa complexes fill with bathers winding down, shopping-mall upper floors start to hum, and the expat bars open for a mixed crowd of locals and foreign residents.
Songjiang is a suburban district of Shanghai rather than a concentrated nightlife quarter. Its evenings suit visitors who are already in the area — for a theme park day, a spa session or a university visit — and who want a low-key drink or a long soak rather than a bar crawl. If you are looking for a dense cluster of clubs, this is not the district for it.
Where to go out in Songjiang
1. Kaiyuan Di Zhong Hai and the Red Bar group
Red Bar sits on the third floor of the Kaiyuan Di Zhong Hai (Kaiyuan Med) shopping mall. The Red Bar group operates three bars in Songjiang — Red Bar, Green Bar, and the Octopus and Paisley — with Red Bar itself run by a Franco-Chinese couple.
This suits a night of meeting local expats rather than a big group celebration. One practical point from the sources: reviews of Red Bar are very mixed, and prices are high.
2. Yuncaitang Spa
A large Japanese-style spa complex at 1501 Meijiabang Road, reached from Songjiang University Town station plus a 400m walk. Bathing is men and women separately, and the entrance fee covers wet and dry sauna, jacuzzi, other water pools and tubs, a children's play room, heated pebble beds, and various relaxation rooms and beds.
It suits an evening that is more about soaking and resting than drinking. Practical points: reception runs 10:30AM–11:30PM, the entrance fee is ¥39, restaurant, mahjong and massage cost extra, and you can stay overnight for an additional ¥30 with a passport in four-bed rooms. Inscriptions are only in Chinese and Japanese.
3. Shanghai Happy Valley
A theme park at 888 Linhu Rd. It is a daytime attraction rather than a nightlife venue in the sources, so treat it as an anchor for the day that ends before your evening begins.
It suits visitors building a full day in Songjiang. The listed admission is ¥200.
How a night out unfolds
The sources do not describe local dining or going-out times for Songjiang, so no reliable pattern can be given. What is documented is limited: Yuncaitang Spa receives guests from 10:30AM to 11:30PM and allows overnight stays, while the Red Bar group's venues are bar-style places in a shopping mall. Plan around those stated hours rather than assuming a late-night scene.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- National Day — 1 October 2026
- National Day Holiday — 2–5 and 7 October 2026
- National Day Golden Week holiday — 6 October 2026
- Double Ninth Festival — 18 October 2026
- Christmas Day — 25 December 2026
- New Year's Day — 1 January 2027
- Spring Festival Eve — 5 February 2027
- Chinese New Year — 6 February 2027
Frequently asked questions
Is there a legal drinking age I should know about?
The sources do not state a legal drinking age or any local alcohol rules for Songjiang, so none can be given here.
Where can I meet other travellers or expats in the evening?
Red Bar, on the third floor of the Kaiyuan Di Zhong Hai shopping mall, is described as a good place to meet local expats, though reviews are very mixed and prices are high.
Can I stay out overnight without booking a hotel?
Yuncaitang Spa allows overnight stays for an extra ¥30 with a passport, in four-bed rooms.
Do I need Chinese to get by at these places?
At Yuncaitang Spa, inscriptions are only in Chinese and Japanese, so some preparation helps.
Decide whether your evening is a soak or a drink, check the stated hours, and plan the rest of your night around that.