Is Shenzhen worth it?
 

With three full days in Hong Kong, plus an afternoon on the day of arrival, and a morning on the day of departure, is it worth the full day it would take to go to Shenzhen and shop, or does Shenzhen consist only of knock-off purses and watches? The only time we would have available to go would be either a Friday or a Saturday when it would be very busy for both travelling across the border and shopping.

Definitely do not waste a day on such a limited schedule. While Shenzhen does not only consist of knock-offs, there's a great deal of that, and while Hong Kongers trumpet how much lower prices are than Hong Kong, thats partly because the knock-offs are harder to find there, partly because they are interested in domestic items which you wouldn't be shopping for anyway, and partly because they don't understand that anything you can find in Shenzhen you can find in every other mainland city, and usually cheaper. When it comes to things visitors are likely to buy, even Beijing can be cheaper.

Shenzhen is deeply unattractive, with no other sights worth mentioning (although I quite enjoyed a tour of a defunct Russian aircraft carrier), and as you say, the weekend is hardly the best time for crossing.

If you think you'll have had enough of urban Hong Kong after two days, take a ferry to an outlying island, take a stroll in a car-free environment, and enjoy a cheap and very fresh seaside seafood meal.

Peter N-H
http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html

I agree with PeterN_H. We did Shenzhen years ago only because we were visiting Rolling Hills Golf & Country Club for the weekend. It had some great bargains, but if you were to go now and had to add in the cost of a visa to China, I don't think it's worth it. Plus going on a weekend?? It's a zoo!!! In the mall itself and trying to cross the border. Yuck!

There are lots of places in Hong Kong to get cheap stuff and you don't have to pay China for a visa, so I wouldn't bother.