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Indian summers can be hot, but they also offer a plethora of cool-down summer activities, hobbies, and adventures that are ideal for when you're in the mood for some fun, cheerful experiences, and a little respite from the everyday grind.
Here is a carefully chosen list of summer activities around India that will keep your mood (and serotonin) high, whether you're a young city resident seeking weekend ideas, a middle-aged mountain soul organising your next getaway, or a new parent bored of the stereotypical summer camp activities for preschoolers.
1. Hit the summer trails
Put on your trekking boots this season because India's outdoor summer activities scene is beckoning. Exploring routes that lead to pleasant mountain breezes and cooler elevations is best done in the summer and is hence on the top of our things to do for summer vacation. India provides breathtaking getaways, from the Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand, which blooms from June to September, to the Triund Trek in McLeod Ganj, which gives breathtaking vistas of the Dhauladhar peaks.
For something unusual? Try the lush, verdant, and utterly photogenic Chembra Peak in Wayanad, Kerala, or the Tarsar Marsar hike in Kashmir. If you are new to it, or are getting your teenager to join you on a trek instead of the regular boring summer camp activities, there are plenty of beginner-friendly treks you can explore.
2. Be a water baby
What’s better than taking a plunge to beat the heat? And just in case that isn’t one of your skills, this year is when you change it. Whether you are an adult who never had access to swimming lessons or a parent looking for energy-consuming summer camp activities for preschoolers, learning to swim is a great option.
If you are confident in your skills, go off the grid and explore places like the clear pools of Meghalaya, like Krang Shuri or Wei Sawdong, or the Siruveni Waterfalls in Tamil Nadu. Feeling brave and beachy? Try a coastal swim in Varkala, Gokarna, or the surreal blue lagoons of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
3. Unplug and indulge in creativity
Get your hands dirty, in the best manner possible, and embrace your inner ceramic creator. Making art out of clay has a very therapeutic effect, and pottery is very popular among summer activities that you can explore over the weekends. In locations like Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, or Auroville, look for summer pottery classes where you can learn how to throw the wheel, create sculptures, or even paint your pottery by hand.
Not feeling the mud? There are many other summer activities that you can explore to indulge your artistic side. Consider taking painting lessons, block printing (Anokhi Jaipur offers short classes if you’re visiting the Pink City), or even candle-making skills. This is also one of the summer camp activities your kids can explore if travelling isn’t on the cards this summer.
4. Go mango tasting across India
Let’s be real, Indian summers are incomplete without mangoes. Whether you like your mangoes raw with masala, in a luscious aamras-puri combo, or blended into shakes, summers are the time to indulge.
If you’re bored of the generic summer destinations, this year, go mango tasting across different states in India. We promise you this is one of the most interesting summer activities you can try. Depending on where you are based out of, you can visit Alphonso farms in Ratnagiri, Dussehri mango orchards in Malihabad, or Banganapalli farms in Andhra Pradesh to literally pick your own fruit off the trees. You can explore places like Chiguru Farm, Karnataka, where you can stay too. Perfect weekend getaway from Bengaluru this June.
5. Take a digital break with eco-stays and hostels
Unplug, relax, and take a step back into nature. There are many undiscovered eco-lodges in India where you can drink herbal tea, take in the sounds of birdsong, and forget that you ever had fifty unopened emails waiting to be responded to.
In Coorg, Sattal, Araku Valley, or Ziro, look for forest homestays. These are some of the best places to visit in summers. You will return sun-kissed, soul-fed, and perhaps a little feral, and in a good way. Whether you are staying in a treehouse, bamboo hamlet, or mud home surrounded by lush greenery, this is going to be one of the most memorable summer activities ever.
If you think you might get bored with just lazying around, look for places that let you help out or intern, like Bluesheep in Jibhi. If you’re a student, these summer activities do wonders, not only for your CV but also for your world view.
6. Sample regional summer cuisine
Indian cuisine is full of refreshing, delectable summer specialities, from the spicy kairi chaat in North India to the chilling solkadhi in the West. On a culinary adventure that focuses on all things seasonal, take yourself to try summer drinks like aam panna, rasam, buttermilk, kulfi, jamun, and kokum juice.
If you have kids or nieces and nephews, this is your chance to make it the coolest summer for them yet. Going on a culinary adventure is hands down one of the most interesting things to do for summer vacation, and believe us, they will thank you later!
Even better, figure out how to make some! Enrol in local cooking classes or ask your grandmother to share her secrets. You will receive points for both flavour and effort.
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7. Be the main character of your life
So far, we’ve covered activities for families, kids, couples, and everyone else under the sun. This is for the singletons who need a moment for themselves. Go on that solo trip you have been thinking about for so long.
There's nothing like going somewhere alone to reset. This is your cue to take that week off and just go. Whether you are just recovering from a heartbreak and your goal is to write poetry in Pondicherry, or you want to cycle your way to a revenge body across Udaipur, trek alone in Himachal or meditate in Rishikesh to find solace, do it this summer.
No one with whom to coordinate. There is no one to wait on. The road ahead, just you and your backpack. Who knows? You might run with a kind stranger at that roadside café who shares your vibes. Make this summer count!