Things to do in Dehradun – A destination guide

If you are in Delhi there are few destinations which are close and popular. Dehradun tops the list of places which are flocked by people living in the National Capital Region and Delhi. The choice of being one of the most popular weekend getaways from Delhi, this city of the north has been immensely visited post the social media boom. With a lot of popular hotels in Dehradun coming up with appealing deals, people are up for driving from Delhi during any part of the year. We recently happened to visit Dehradun and Mussoorie for two days on a road trip and had a great time. Here are the things to do in Dehradun if you plan your weekend getaway from Delhi.

Best time to visit Dehradun:

The best time to visit is from April to June every year. This is the time of the year when you find people flocking the city, especially with kids and family. That’s when the climate is mostly sunny and you get the best views of the mountains.

The Valley view!

How to reach Dehradun:

The distance between Delhi and Dehradun is around 260kms which makes it a comfortable drive of around 6 hours. People prefer to drive from New Delhi on their own. There are many buses and Volvos also available from Delhi which takes around 7 hours to reach. For people preferring trains, Shatabdi Express from New Delhi Railway Station can be a very comfortable option. There are other trains also available for the night journey. Dehradun also has an airport connectivity from all major cities.

Pit-stops on the way:
While traveling from Delhi to Dehradun by road there are numerous eating joints and some of them are very popular. As we had a few of our blogger friends traveling with us, Sharad Sharma(Manchibaba) was an expert on that route and took us to two of the most amazingly popular joints.

Jain Shikanji, a must stop on your way to Dehradun

1) Jain Shikanji in Modi Nagar:
On the way to Dehradun from Ghaziabad as soon as you reach Modi Nagar you will start seeing boards of Jain Shikanji all around. The original of the lot is the one just next to the first traffic signal as soon as you enter Modi Nagar. This place is famous for soda-water lemonade which is topped with special spices to give the drink a tangy flavor. A must try whenever you are crossing Modi Nagar, especially during summers.

Jain Shikanji

2) Shiva Tourist Dhaba:

Shiva Tourist Dhaba is located just 20kms ahead of Muzzafarnagar. If you are starting in the morning from Delhi you should reach this place by the afternoon and it becomes a heaven to satiate your hunger. The restaurant is very hygienic with the essence of a Dhaba and serves delicious vegetarian food. You should not miss their Paneer butter masala and Dal-makhni!

Our Lunch stop, Shiva Tourist Dhaba

Let’s Dig in!

Local transport in Dehradun:

This city is very well connected by the local transport especially buses, cabs and auto. Even the private taxi carriers like Ola have quite good connectivity there to take you around. There are daily rental cabs also available on an hourly basis for sightseeing.

Travel is Life!

As we have been visiting this city since childhood we have very fond memories of the famous tourist spots in Dehradun. The places to visit in Dehradun include the like of monuments, monasteries, waterfalls, caves and even malls.

Places to visit in Dehradun:

As we were on a short trip this time we skipped directly to the streets of Dehradun to try the local delicacies. However, these are a few highly recommended places to visit in Dehradun

1) Robber’s Cave:

Located approx 5kms from the city center, Robber’s Cave is one of the most famous places to visit in Dehradun. This is located in the mountains and can be an easy to moderate trek. The river flowing through the caves add to the beauty of this place.

The cave entrance (PC: Google)

2) Forest Research Institute:

The Forest Research Institute is one of the most famous places to visit in Dehradun. This institute has been amongst one of the most famous research institutes in India and was founded around 150 years back. It is surrounded by forest on all sides and has also been a favorite shooting spot for few Bollywood movies.

Panoramic view of FRI (PC: Google)

3) Sahastradhara:

Sahastradhara is also one of the most popular tourist destinations in Dehradun. Also known as the sulfur springs, this waterfall gets its name from the water dropping from the limestone slates slowly. Sahastradhara is located close to the Robber’s Cave and both can easily be teamed up together for sightseeing. These popular tourist destinations in Dehradun can be reached easily by the local transports available in the city.

4) Ellora Bakery:
If you have a sweet tooth then Ellora’s Melting Moments is the place for you. One of the most famous places in Dehradun for sweets and cookies, the specially made biscuits here should not be missed at all.

Wanna try? (PC: Taste Bells)

5) Tara Machchi Wala:

One of the most popular places in Dehradun for fish, this is a haven for fish lovers. Located opposite to the St. Thomas School, Tara Machhi Wala serves amazing tandoori and fried fish. They also serve prawns and fried chicken but their fish is definitely not to be missed.

Must Try: Fried Fish, Tara Macchi Wala

6) Dragon Balls:

Dragon Balls is a food truck located on the Rajpur road near the Kalsang Restaurant. This food truck is famous for serving superb momos and soup. This is a craze among locals looking for both vegetarian and vegetarian food.

How about some Momos and Soup?

7) The Buffet Snacks Shop:
The Buffet Snacks Shop is a famous eating joint in Dehradun popular for snacks like burgers, bread pakoda or cold coffee. Serving food and drinks at unbelievable prices in good quality is their motto. This eatery is very famous and can be found heavily crowded especially during the evenings.

Aren’t they tempting!

Amazing snacks at such awesome prices!

Places to stay in Dehradun:

Pacific Hotels in Dehradun can be your best place to stay in Dehradun during your vacation. The hotel staff is extremely courteous and takes very good care of its guests. The best part about staying with the Pacific Hotels in Dehradun was that it was very close to the city center making it very convenient for us to explore the city and surrounding areas. It is only 2kms from the local Railway Station and 1km from the clock tower. This is the only 4-star hotel in the city with 3 banquet and conference halls to meet all your party/function/business needs. The in-house bar, coffee shop, gymnasium and internet facilities like Wi-Fi can keep you occupied all the time.
Dehradun

Our room in Dehradun at Pacific Hotel

Our room at the Pacific Hotel, Dehradun

We totally enjoyed the exceptional hospitality of the Pacific Hotels in Dehradun for a day and we moved to Mussoorie the next day. The next day was a different experience altogether as we visited Sainji, the unique Corn Village of India near Mussoorie. More on that later in our next post where we share the entire experience in detail. If you are planning your vacation for more than a weekend then you may also visit places like Landor, Dhanaulti, and Kanatal. These places are ahead of Mussoorie at a higher altitude and can be taken as off-beat destinations in the Garhwal region. We recently visited Kanatal and totally loved the experience of this serene and beautiful place.

Do share your experiences from your visit to Dehradun in the comments section below.

P.S.: Our trip was sponsored by Pacific Hotels Dehradun, however, the views expressed in the post are solely of the author and have not been influenced by the brand in any way.