My husband and I would like to take our first trip to China next year. We're not tour enthusiasts, but realize this might be the best/only way to see China and get around hassle-free. We're particularly interested in Beijing, Shanghai. Can anyone recommend a tour company or group that offers trips that go beyond the obvious tourist stops? We'd like to go with a group that's interested (and is led by someone with expertise) in the culture, history, architecture, etc. Also, is there a particular time of year that's best (taking into consideration weather, air pollution etc).? Thanks for any/all recommendations.

Chinaspree was phenominal!!! Would travel with them again in a heart beat.

It's certainly not true that a tour is the "only way" to see China. China is easy to do on your own, and many of us here have traveled independently in China. There's no need to join a tour group, unless that's your preferred way of travel.
For starters, look at the following discussion:
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...ndependent.cfm
and read some of the trip reports.

You could look into the various travel programs sponsored by universities, museums, and so on. Often accompanied by a professor or curator with lots of seminars, workshops, and informal learning get togethers.

Beijing and Shanghai are incredibly easy to do on your own. And Chinaspree is one of the companies known for spamming boards like this, and conning their customers into thinking they need to tip in China. Not to mention lots of shopping "opportunities". Do a search here on "china tours" - although Marija has given you a good place to start.

thursdaysd,
I am certainly not a Chinaspree spammer!!! And would still HIGHLY recommend them. Yes we made one shopping stop in each city we visited, but each stop was also educational.. swe lwearned about making laquareware and the silk making process. At no time were we under any obligation to make purchases, and were never encouraged to "tip."
Our guides were true professionals.
If I were to go back to any of the cities we visited I would certainly do them on my own...if I had the time. Yes they are easy to negotiate, but to see a lot in a little time, their tour was perfect!

As Marija and thursdaysd say, you don't need to join a tour to visit China. There are several threads on this board about tours and independent travel to China and several trip reports that you might find helpful.

Thank you all for your responses. I'm glad to know of alternatives and this forum has incredible information. Many thanks.

I'm not someone for tours, and as others have said, you can easily do China (esp. Beijing and Shanghai) on your own.

You asked about expert-led tours, so I assume that mass-market tours like Chinaspree are of no interest to you. If you really want an expert-led tour, two I know of that have gotten good reviews are those done by the Smithsonian and those by the American Institute of Archaeology. But neither of those would be just Beijing and Shanghai.