Shanghai or Beijing ?
 

We are trying to plan a short/cheap trip to China. We have 7 days and would like it seems that traveling to Beijing or Shanghai would be cheapest. Which would be best?
Also, our time frame would either be Nov. or March. Would one be better than the other?

If you have 7 days, I'd recommend going to BOTH Beijing and Shanghai! You can fly into either major city and arrange local guides/tours or do it on your own.

If you make a list of the places you want to visit, you should be able to plan a very efficient itinerary.

The flight between Beijing and Shanghai is about two hours. I prefer to fly in the evening to make the most of each day.

Weather-wise, I prefer November rather than March, particularly in Beijing due to spring sandstorms.

Hi

I haven't been to Shanghai. But my wife and I did spend about 6 days in Beijing in March a couple of years back and we were surprised as the city had more to offer than we expected. But note that it can be a bit cold in March. I have posted a trip report with some pictures on my homepage http://gardkarlsen.com/china_beijing.htm . Maybe you can find some useful info there.

Regards
Gard
Stavanger, Norway

What are some day trips that we could take from Beijing? Are there small towns or other sights to see in surrounding areas?

Great Wall is a day trip from Beijing.

The "West Mountain" and "Fragrance Mountain" to the west of Beijing is another day trip.

The East and West Ching Dynasty tombs can each be a day trip.

Chengde can be an overnight trip.

Datong can be an overnight trip.

And so on...

could anyone recommend a tour operator for day trips or tours around the city