Xintiandi

Upscale pedestrian district with converted historic buildings housing expensive restaurants and bars. Very safe with heavy security but generic and pricey.

Historic shikumen stone-gate houses converted into luxury shops, international restaurants, and bars. The area targets business travelers and wealthy locals, so expect tourist prices - cocktails start around 100 RMB ($14), dinner runs 300+ RMB per person. The upside is heavy security, good lighting, and English-speaking staff. Many restaurants have bar seating that works well for eating alone. The crowd is mostly business people meeting after work, corporate dinners, and tourists. It stays busy until midnight on weekdays, 2am on weekends. The downside is it's sanitized and generic - could be any upscale district in any major city. Good for a nice night out when you want to feel very safe, but you won't find much local character.