Chennai, with its rich cultural heritage and scenic surroundings, offers a plethora of weekend getaway options. Here are 30 great places to visit around Chennai for a weekend trip:
- Mahabalipuram – Famous for its ancient rock carvings and shore temple.
- Pondicherry – A quaint French colonial town with beautiful beaches and architecture.
- Kanchipuram – Known for its magnificent temples and silk sarees.
- Tirupati – One of the most revered pilgrimage centers in India.
- Yelagiri Hills – A serene hill station with pleasant weather and trekking trails.
- Yercaud – A hill station known for its orange groves and coffee plantations.
- Tranquebar (Tharangambadi) – A coastal town with Danish colonial heritage.
- Vellore – Famous for its grand Vellore Fort and the Sripuram Golden Temple.
- Hogenakkal Falls – Known as the “Niagara of India”, famous for its boat rides.
- Thanjavur – Known for the Brihadeeswarar Temple and rich artistic tradition.
- Chidambaram – Home to the renowned Nataraja Temple.
- Rameshwaram – A significant pilgrimage destination with stunning beaches.
- Thekkady – Known for the Periyar National Park and wildlife sanctuary.
- Munnar – A popular hill station with tea plantations and scenic views.
- Alleppey – Famous for its backwaters and houseboat cruises.
- Kodaikanal – Known for its mist-covered manicured cliffs and waterfalls.
- Coorg – A hill station famous for its coffee plantations and natural beauty.
- Ooty – A well-known hill station with botanical gardens and the Nilgiri mountain railway.
- Wayanad – Renowned for its wildlife, ancient ruins, and trekking trails.
- Kumarakom – Known for its backwater tourism and bird sanctuary.
- Tiruvannamalai – Famous for the Arunachaleswarar Temple and Girivalam path.
- Courtallam – Known as the ‘Spa of South’, famous for its waterfalls.
- Srirangam – Home to the Ranganathaswamy Temple, one of the largest temple complexes in India.
- Madurai – Known for the Meenakshi Amman Temple and rich cultural heritage.
- Pulicat Lake – The second-largest brackish water lake in India, famous for bird watching.
- Nagalapuram – Known for trekking and the Nagalapuram falls.
- DakshinaChitra – A living-history museum dedicated to South Indian heritage and culture.
- Thiruthani – A pilgrimage town known for its Murugan temple.
- Gingee Fort – A historically significant fort also known as the “Troy of the East”.
- Kabini – Famous for its wildlife and serene backwaters.