8 Best Places in India for spending summer vacations with Kids

Are you planning for vacations during this summer with your kids and quite confused about the destination? Do not worry, this blog will guide you to select a best kid-friendly destination for this summer holidays. So, without any further discussion, check out these 8 best places in India for spending summer vacations with kids.

1.     MOUNT ABU, RAJASTHAN

Mount Abu is a popular hill station in Rajasthan, which is located near the Gujarat border. It is a popular tourist destination during the summer season and it is a kid-friendly destination. This hill station is located at an elevation of 1,220 m (4.003 ft.) above the sea level.

Here you can find many Hindu temples among which the most famous one is the Dilwara Temples. These temples are comprised of five Jain temples, carved in white marble between 11th and 13th centuries AD.

Apart from temples, the other popular place to visit in Mount Abu is the Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, established in the year 1960 and covers the major portion of the mountain.

In Mount Abu, summer prevails from mid-April to mid of June where light cotton clothes are sufficient.

Things to do with kids: Visit Dilwara Temples, Boating on Nakki Lake, Explore Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, Picnic at Trevor’s Tank, Trek to Guru Shikhar (If your kids are grown enough to trek easily).

Nearest Railway station: Abu Road (28 km away from the city).

Nearest Airport:  Udaipur (Domestic Airport) which is 210 km from Mt. Abu, Ahmedabad (International Airport) which is 231 km from Mt. Abu.

2.     Munnar, Kerala

Munnar is a town as well as a hill station in the Idukki district of Kerala. This hill station is located at around 1600 m (5,200 ft) above the sea level. Here, your kid will love to know more about the different flora and fauna along with the beautiful tea plantation estates. The greenery and ambience of the places in Munnar make it a beautiful place to visit with your kids.

The summers begin here from March and it continues until June. Munnar is the best places to understand Nature and its creation.

Things to do with Kids: A tour of Tea Valley, Village sightseeing, Bicycling, Sandal Valley Tour.

Nearest Railway Station: Ernakulam (130 km from Munnar), Madurai (135 km from Munnar).

Nearest Airport: Cochin (International Airport) which is 110 km away by road.

3. Shillong, Meghalaya

Generally, the beauty of seven-sister states is being overlooked, but Shillong is one of the finest and beautiful Indian city. Shillong is a capital city of our Indian State, Meghalaya. This city is blessed with natural surroundings, valleys and plateaus.

The summers prevail from April to June, which makes the climate moderate to explore every side of this beautiful and calm city.

Shillong is often called to as ‘The Scotland of the East’ because of its spectacular places to visit. There are beautiful waterfalls, museums, canyons, etc.

Things to do with kids:  Visit Nohkalikai Waterfalls, Enjoy the magnificent garden of Lady Hydari Park, Visit Butterfly Museum which has different varieties of Butterflies from the different parts of the region, boating in beautiful Umiam Lake.

 4. Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Bandhavgarh National Park is in Madhya Pradesh, which is a central state of India. This national park is famous for the densely populated Royal Bengal Tigers. However, leopards, white tigers, and deer also mark their presence. The mix of the tropical forest, this national park is also a home for different species of birds.

This place makes an ideal destination when travelling with kids as animals and birds are often been referred as the ‘friends of the children’ and at the same time you can teach your children the importance of the wildlife conservation.

Things to do with Kids: Jeep Safari, Visit to Bandhavgarh Fort.

Nearest Railway Station: Umaria (after Katani railway station), which is a 40-minute drive to this national park.

Nearest Airport: Jabalpur, which is 200 km away from the National Park.

5. Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra

Mahabaleshwar is located at a height of 1,372 ft. above the sea level in the Satara District of Maharashtra. Mahabaleshwar gives the breathtaking viewpoints of the mountains and the valleys. This hill station in Maharashtra provides the glimpses of glorious past with colonial buildings and mansions as it was under the influence of foreign hands during the old days. It is nestled in the lap of mountain ranges of Western Ghats.

Mahabaleshwar is open for tourists all the year round; however, the summer season is considered as the best time to visit. Summer begins from April and continues until June.

Things to do with Kids: Visit Panchgani to enjoy the picturesque views of mountain ranges, Visit Mahabaleshwar Temple, which is an example of Maratha heritage.

Nearest Railway station: The convenient and the nearest is Pune, which is 113 km away from Mahabaleshwar.

Nearest Airport: Pune airport is the nearest to this place with a distance of 120 km.

6. Coorg, Karnataka

Coorg is quite special amongst all hill stations of India. It is nestled in between the lush green valleys and rolling hills. It is at the altitude of 3,500 ft. above the sea level. It has pleasant weather all the year round.

If you are planning to spend your summers in Coorg with your kids, then April to May will be the best time. The driving over the roads will give you a spectacular view of beautiful hills and valley along with spice and coffee plantations.

Things to do with Kids: Enjoy Abbey falls, which is a main attraction of the Coorg. You can also visit Dubare Elephant Camp – a home to many elephants, Visit Iruppu Falls – a pilgrimage spot as well as a waterfall.

Nearest Railway station: Mysore, which is about 120 km away from Coorg. However, Mangalore is also the nearest railway station with a distance of 150 km.

Nearest Airport: Either Mysore or Mangalore can be preferred.

7. Mussoorie, Uttarakhand

Mussoorie, the Queen of Hills, is a perfect destination for summer vacations if you are planning to travel along with your kids. You kid is going to enjoy the lush greenery of the town and its beautiful surroundings. Mussoorie is a preferred destination all the year round. The weather is cool and pleasant all time. The waterfalls, beautiful mountains give the breathtaking view.

Things to do with kids: Cable car ride, enjoy waterfalls, horse-ride in Mall road, boating in Mussoorie Lake.

Nearest Railway station: Haridwar (86 km from Mussoorie).

Nearest Airport: the nearest airport is Jolly Grant Road (Dehradun) Airport. It is 54 km away from Mussoorie.

8. Darjeeling, West Bengal

Darjeeling is a kid-friendly hill station, situated in West Bengal. This destination makes the dream come true of travelling in a toy train. This scenic ride starts from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling, which is approximately 70 km stretch. Kids do enjoy this ride and spectacular views of mountains and greenery. You can visit Darjeeling during summers with children as the weather conditions become very pleasant and moderate to explore the natural beauty.

Things to do with Kids: Toy train ride, cable car ride, visit the tea gardens and Tiger Hills.

Nearest Railway Station:  New Jalpaiguri (73 km) and Siliguri (63 km).

Nearest Airport: Bagdogra (95 km away from Darjeeling).

Tips while you are traveling with kids

• Make sure your kids remain hydrated.
• Give them fresh fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants.
• Look for sunscreens that contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide with SPF 30.
• Avoid sunscreens that contains parabens or those which are scented or tinted.
• Do carry medical kit along.
• Don’t forget to carry your DSLR. The pictures may be useful to your kid’s summer vacation project.

So, You can read few tips for Summer Protection for kids on my blog.

Although the places I have mentioned are very cool & pleasant but still you need to be cautious when you are traveling with your little one.

Happy Vacations!

This post is a guest post by Akansha bansal :

Let me tell you about Akansha Bansal:

She lives with a notion “SIMPLE LIVING, HIGH THINKING” and have an optimistic approach towards life. Always eager to learn new things. She loves to write blogs on parenting. She is founder of a Parenting website called “Budding Star .