Top 18 Family Vacation Ideas for this Summer in India

Summer is here and most of us living in the plains must have already planned their vacation to some hill station in India, how very predictable! It’s like, the tried and tested formula we agree to go with on each summer break, after all when it comes to family, we don’t want to take a risk. Well, as a travel planner of the house, if you will just take a moment and look at your 8-year-old after saying, this year again we all are taking off to yet another hill station for a summer break, prepare to be greeted with a surrender smile. Dear parent, it is time you must realize that you need another summer vacation idea before your kids start to believe that you are not their real parent. Thinking what to do now as you are running out on time and the office work is keeping you so engaged that you can’t brainstorm and come with a new idea? Here, let me help you with 20 family vacation ideas for this summer in India.

Go through the list and plan your of holiday real quick!

Go for the Best of Wildlife Experience

You thought, summer would be too hot to get into the jeeps and then experience a bumpy ride where you can barely remain seated. Well, you should keep this thought of yours aside and consider this fact: summer is the best time to spot wildlife including the Royal Bengal Tiger in the national parks in India. Two reasons for this, one, the grass dries out in the parks due to the scorching sun, and two, wild animals feel quite thirsty, and thus visit the water holes frequently. Therefore, it is easier to have a sight of them. If your kids are not under 1 or 2 years of age, then you must consider visiting one of the wildlife reserves in India. Also, you can choose the early morning hours for the safari when the weather is comparatively pleasant.

Best National Parks to Visit: Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand; Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan; Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh; Bandipur National Park, Karnataka; Periyar National Park, Kerala; Kaziranga National Park, Assam.

Plan a Heritage Tour

It is strange, how whenever the term heritage is uttered, our first thought is Rajasthan. But Rajasthan in summer?! Would it be too hot there? Well yes, but who said you can only visit Rajasthan for heritage tour in India? There are destinations like Uttarakhand, Himachal, Jammu & Kashmir and the entire Northeast India, where you can take your family for a good heritage tour. There are ancient temples to greet you in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh; and Jammu & Kashmir and Northeast India on the other side have monasteries, forts and ruins to impress you with. Still thinking, Rajasthan should be included? Then you can plan a night tour in the city of Jaipur that are organized by the state government itself for sightseeing.

Book a Luxury Resort for a Leisure Holiday

For this kind of vacation, you might not even have to travel too far from your hometown. This surely can be construed as an ideal family holiday at your own pace. Why I favour such a holiday? Well, it is quite convenient for the elderly members of the family and even for those with really young kids as well. There are so many resorts in India that offer discounts during the summer season, chances are, you might end up at some of the best hotels in the country at a dirt cheap prices. FYI, even Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, which has been considered the best heritage hotel in the world also reduces it price during the summer months. Therefore, it is indeed the best time to make your dream of staying here come true.

Spot the Daredevils in Your Family

One thing about adventure trips is they bring the best in everyone; and even when the holiday is over, each member has a lot to discuss about things like who chickened out and who was the daredevil in the family. Luckily in India, there are a plethora of adventure activities that can be tried during a family vacation. And guess what, most of the adventure activities can be found on hill stations! So the people, who don’t wish to compromise on choosing the type of vacation can simply select a hill station that offers thrilling adventure activities.

Best Adventure Activities for Family: River Rafting in Rishikesh (Uttarakhand) and Kolad (Maharashtra); Singalila Ridge Trek (Darjeeling), Dodital Trek, Chopta Chandrashila Trek and Har Ki Dun Trek (Uttarakhand); Kareri Lake Trek, Beas Kund Trek and Hampta Pass Trek (Himachal Pradesh); Sham Valley Trek (Ladakh), Paragliding in Solang Valley and Bir Billing (Himachal Pradesh) and Bhimtal (Uttarakhand); Hot Air Balloon Ride in Lonavala (Maharashtra) and Hampi (Karnataka).

Soak in the Summery Sun During a Beach Holiday

While the sweltering summer might compel you to plan a holiday to some place with pleasantly cool weather, there are a few beaches in India that with their charm can pull you towards them. Don’t believe me? Just try searching Radhanagar Beach over the internet, go on Google it, I will be waiting here waiting for you…

Convinced now? Well let me add one more thing before the question pops into your head. The places with beaches have tropical climate, which means that the temperature at these places remain between 23℃ to 35℃, so evidently it isn’t that hot as we assume it to be. In fact the months of May and June are considered to be the best time to visit places like Andaman Islands. So, I don’t see a point why you should not opt for a beach holiday this summer season.

Best Beaches for Family Holiday: Radhanagar Beach Andaman and Nicobar Islands; Tarkarli Beach (Maharashtra); Palolem, Varca and Cavelossim Beach (Goa) and Kovalam Beach (Kerala).

Return to Childhood Days: Spend Summer Holidays in the Amusement Parks

Don’t want to go for a cliched family holiday this year? Well, you don’t have to! This summer, choose a fun filled outing at one of the amusements parks in India. These man made parks have so so so much to offer you that until you don’t revisit, the memory from the first trip will not fade. Want to take my advice on which amusement park to choose in India? I would suggest Adlabs Imagica situated off the Mumbai – Pune Highway. This park is divided into different parts like water park, a theme park, a skiing hub and so much more that not only your kids would love being here but you yourself will fall for this place. There are a number of other amusement parks in India that are also pretty cool and a visit to them during summers can really make your holiday exceptionally pleasant.

Best Amusement Parks for Family Outing in India: Adlabs Imagica (Khopoli, Maharashtra), Wonderla (Bengaluru, Karnataka), Wonderla (Kochi, Kerala), Essel World (Mumbai, Maharashtra), Kingdom of Dreams (Gurgaon, Haryana).

Polish Your Cooking Skills During This Summer Break

Cooking during a vacation can certainly be a nightmare for some Indian moms. And I can totally understand but take it this way, this year your holiday with family can inspire you to trade your skills for making decent amount of money. How, you ask. Well, most of the successful cooking classes in India are run by women who either chose to initiate this business out of love for the cooking skills or because they were in dire need of money for survival, in both cases, their hard work earned them an independent and famous life. And apparently, no matter what your level of interest is, you will find cooking classes in India that can meet your needs. There are single day classes to residential programs, some classes are even run on properties with scenic locations, adding a different charm to the experience all together. Some of the cooking courses also include market walks, sightseeing tours, workshop for kids as well as ayurveda treatments.

Best Cooking Classes and Stay Options in India: The Bangala in Chettinad (Tamil Nadu), Haritha Farm’s Pimenta Spice Garden Bungalows, near Kochi (Kerala), Philipkutty’s Farm, Pallivathukal (Kerala), Aakriti Eco Homestay, Coonoor (Tamil Nadu), Cooking Masala, Rishikesh (Uttarakhand), Nimmy Paul’s Cooking School, Kochi (Kerala).

Spend Summer Vacation Cruising on River and Seas

You thought cruise tours were only possible abroad? Well not true, it’s only that you have turned a blind eye on this experience. So this summer in India, take your family on a unique holiday and let them get a piece of international holiday right on their homeground. In India, sea cruising is limited, however, there are a number of river cruise tours that can guarantee some good fun. One has the option to avail cruise on River Ganga, on Kerala’s backwater, in the water channels of Sunderbans, and on rivers like Brahmaputra, Mandovi and in the waterbody at Dibru Saikhowa National Park. Sea cruising is possible in Goa, Kochi and Mangalore. One amazing cruise holiday to plan with your family is between Delhi and Kolkata. This is one of its kind cruise will take you to some of the important tourist destinations located on the side of River Ganga.

Take a Break from Routine and Plan a Vineyard Tour

It is never too early to teach yourself and your kids a thing or two about wine. And if at all it is to be done, then why not do it during this fine summer season. Maharashtra and Karnataka both have a good number of wineries that make great destination for a vineyard tour in India. These places have wine tasting sessions and a tour of their well-manicured yards along with arrangements for a luxury filled accommodation and appetizing meals. The vineyard tours are certainly impressive and planning one such holiday will definitely open you up to more unique tours in future. So don’t over analyse and plan a family outing to the vineyards this summer and be prepared for more inspirations to encounter you here.

Best Vineyard Tour Destinations in India: Sula Vineyards in Nashik, Grover Zampa in Sajegaon, York Winery and Tasting Room near Nashik, Charosa Vineyards in Dindori District, Fratelli Wines, Akluj, Chandon on Nashik-Dindori Road.

Garnish This Summer Vacation with Cheese Making Tour

Are you like me, who always complain about the less cheese on pasta, lasagna or pizza? Then why not learn to make your own cheese? Imagine if you knew how to make artisan cheese, you would never have to run out on this delicious heavenly melt-in-the-mouth product. Good news is this, a lot of cheese making farms in India have cropped up that not only offer cheese making classes but a pleasant stay in their countryside properties. These classes are suitable for everyone in the family, and thus each member can learn making cheese of their choice be it mozzarella, gouda, brie or camembert.

Best Cheese Making Classes and Farm Stay in India: Acres Wild, Coonoor (Tamil Nadu), Cinnabar Farms, Kodaikanal (Tamil Nadu), La Ferme Cheese, Auroville (Pondicherry).

Relish One of its Kind Houseboat Experience

There is nothing in India that can beat a houseboat holiday experience. Whether you plan to stay in the floating houseboats in Srinagar or the cruising ones in Alleppey and Kumarakom, this experience is something your family will never be able to forget.The experience of staying in houseboat in Srinagar is mainly about the life on Dal Lake,on the other side the cruising houseboats in Kerala take one from village to village offering insight into the humble lifestyle of the locals. Your kids can enjoy the diversity the houseboats showcases whereas, you and your partner can enjoy a cosy and romantic tour. In both the houseboats, the chances of learning about the culture, people and food is quite high as most of the staff appointed on boats are well-versed with their surroundings.

Indulge in Merrymaking and Welcome Summer Like a Local

Another comprehensive summer vacation idea that you can choose is witnessing one or more festivals in this season. It is true that as the summer knocks on the door in India, a plethora of festivals gets line up to be celebrated. Also, the fact that one gets to learn about a place better if he attends a festival there. I know you will grin a bit or even silently laugh when I tell you that coincidentally most of the summer festivals are held on the hill stations, and yes I am letting you win this time, only because I think India has some pretty cool festivals that must be witnessed. And all I hope is that you plan a hill station holiday to attend one such festival and not out of stubbornness.

Best Summer Festivals in India: Thrissur Pooram, Kerala; Moatsu Festival, Nagaland; Chithirai Festival, Madurai (Tamil Nadu); Mt Abu Summer Festival, Rajasthan; Ooty Summer Festival, Tamil Nadu; Shimla Summer Festival, Himachal Pradesh; Yercaud Summer Festival, Tamil Nadu; Sikkim Summer Festival; Hemis Festival, Ladakh.

Teach a Skill or Two Through Volunteering

If your family doesn’t have elderly members and young kids, volunteering is something you must try this summer season. Now, I know that it can be a difficult thing to tackle while all you have in your mind is a relaxing holiday. But think about it this way, this is just going to one of its kind experience for both you and your growing up kids. Yes it does look tricky to pull it off with kids who just want to have fun during their summer break but there is a whole new experience waiting to be unfolded in front of them. There are a number of online sites that offer information on ‘where and how’ of volunteering. I checked some volunteering programmes myself and realized there are plenty that give you the opportunity to travel to beautiful places like Spiti and Palampur; and it is just one part of the reward that you can expect from volunteering along with experience unlike any other.

Go Off the Beaten Trails to Beat the Summer Heat

Well, if you notice, this entire blog is about breaking the routine and trying something new this summer season. Therefore an offbeat trail is definitely a thing to give it a go. Mostly, people don’t prefer to take a trip to places less trodden, for the simple fact the transport means are not frequently available for such places. However, if you have a family that includes teenagers and you both as parents are quite fit, then going off the beaten track is so much cooler. To your surprise, India still has so many lesser explored places that are absolutely stunning. You can choose places in Northeast India or in the Ladakh Region of Jammu & Kashmir or may be in the states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand as well.

Best Offbeat Destinations in India: Lahaul & Spiti in Himachal Pradesh, Suru Valley and Markha Valley in Ladakh, Dong and Ziro Valley in Arunachal Pradesh, North Cachar Hills in Assam, Mizoram, Zunheboto, Phek and Dzukou Valley in Nagaland, Mawlynnong and Mawsynram in Meghalaya, Nelang Valley in Uttarakhand and Lachen and Lachung in Sikkim.

Make Your Elderly Parents Happy and Take Them for a Religious Tour

Summer is the perfect time to embrace spirituality. It is a good time to plan that pilgrimage tour that your elderly parents wanted to perform, finally something that they would enjoy to the core. Worried about kids? Well in India, the main pilgrimage centres are usually surrounded by a number of attractions that might even keep the children happy. Also, you would be happy to know a lot of Yatras are held in the summer season, the important one being Chhota Chardham Yatra and the Hemkund Sahib pilgrimage in Uttarakhand.

Best Religious Places in India to Visit in Summer: Vaishno Devi (J&K), Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib (Uttarakhand), Hemis Monastery (Ladakh), Tawang Monastery (Arunachal Pradesh), Dilwara Jain Temple (Rajasthan).

Learn/Teach the Art of Patience During Your Summer Birding Holidays

Want to teach your kids about patience and getting rewarded for it? Birding is the right activity for you then. Bird watching is probably one of the best recreational activities that is suitable for each family member of yours. It is said, India is home to more than 1000 species of birds, so expect this activity to turn out rewarding during your summer vacation. All you have to do is to select the most suitable place for birding, hire a guide/expert and you are all set to have an experience unlike any other.

Best Places for Birding in India: Pong Dam, Tirthan Valley and Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh; Suru Valley and Hemis National Park in Ladakh; Pangot in Uttarakhand; Dibru Saikhowa National Park and Kaziranga National Park in Assam; Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary and Khangchendzonga National Park in Sikkim; Namdapha National Park and Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh; Munnar and Thattekad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala; Ooty in Tamil Nadu.

Beat Stress and the Sweltering Summer with Yoga and Wellness Holiday

Make the most of your summer in India by choosing a holiday that will let you unwind, rejuvenate and keep you healthy. In the maddening rat race that all of us are part of, be it your ageing parents or growing up kids or you with so much of responsibilities, we are always in a dire need of a break that can relieve us from anxiety, stress and humdrum of a city life. In this case a wellness holiday is something that you should look forward to. And I believe summer is the perfect time to plan such a vacation. There are a number of wellness centres that offer rejuvenating spa and therapies along with yoga and meditation classes across the length and breadth of the country. There are also special baby spa and aqua therapy centres available. Most of these wellness centres offer accommodation and serve meals according to the therapy you chose.

Best Wellness Centres in India: Ananda in the Himalayas in Tehri (Uttarakhand); Wildflower Hall in Shimla (Himachal Pradesh); Kalari Kovilakom in Payyallur (Kerala); Spa Esencia in Kanatal (Uttarakhand); Soukya Holistic Health Centre in Bengaluru (Karnataka); Spa Niraamaya – Surya Samudra in Mullur (Kerala).

Imbibe a Different Culture This Summer Break

It is true that we unknowingly imbibe the culture of the place while we are spending a holiday, but what would be more interesting is to pay attention to the details and try learning a thing or two about a culture that is different from ours. It is also true that there is hardly any destination as culturally diverse as India. Therefore, it sure does sound like a good idea to plan a vacation dedicated to understand one of the vibrant cultures in India and about their food, daily routine, festivals, beliefs, history, language, attire, music and dance. It is mostly seen, one returns home with a lot of memories, interesting facts along with an urge to learn about other lively cultures in the country. Definitely a good idea for this summer. What do you think?

Well, I hope this blog this fill your head with new summer vacation ideas by now. If you liked the suggestion, please make sure to give this blog a THUMBS UP. Also share it with your friends and family so that they can enjoy a new kind of summer holiday in India this year. For more on destinations and summer holiday packages, you can contact us at info@tourmyindia.com . We at Tour My India have some great summer travel packages to make your vacation quite a memorable one.