A Memorable Weekend Getaway to Ooty with Friends

Living a monotonous 9-to-5 life in a metropolitan city like Bangalore, a break is required to help de-stress, every once in a while. And what’s a better respite than a weekend getaway with friends? Not only do you forget your daily grind, but there is also room to visit new places and try new things.

One such occasion for me was a memorable trip to Ooty for a long weekend with my gang of friends. We decided to take a road trip and booked a comfortable cab from Bangalore to Ooty with a driver.

Top Attractions in Ooty to Visit with Friends

Regarded as the queen of hill stations, Ooty offers a serene environment for someone looking to sit back and relax. Here are a few of the best spots to visit in Ooty that I enjoyed with friends during my trip:

• The Botanical Garden

The Botanical Garden is regarded as one of the top tourist spots of Ooty that is a must for people to visit. Considering it is located at the center of the city, it is easy for people to reach. The garden also offers many attractions like the cork tree, one of its only kind in India, and the monkey puzzle tree that even the monkeys cannot climb.

• The Ooty Lake

What started as an artificially constructed lake made for fishing purposes soon became another tourist highlight. The lake stretches over 65 acres and is surrounded by eucalyptus trees. Apart from taking a boat ride across the lake, my friends and I enjoyed horse riding around the lake before visiting the wax museum next door.

• Needle View Highpoint

Though the climb may have been tiring, the result was worth it. This was one of the best spots to relax with friends and enjoy cool air, nestled in the lap of nature. Buried in warm clothes, we cherished the view overlooking the vast grassland; it felt like we entered a whole new world.

• Nilgiri Mountain Railway

From a very young age, I have always loved train rides, especially the toy trains found in parks. This is why I enjoyed embarking on the toy train ride provided by the Nilgiri Mountain Railways. The train passes through 16 tunnels and 250 bridges, with spectacular views of lush forest, tea plantations, and everything else the city has to offer.

• Emerald Lake

On par with the Emerald City from ‘Wizard of Oz’, the lake provides a breathtaking view that is ideal for picnics or even paintings. Considering that not many visit the lake, it was easy for us to relax and find peace in nature with the surrounding blue lake and trees where many birds abound.

At the end of the trip, scheduling a ride back to Bangalore with a car booking app was just as easy to do. Entering the city that evening, I felt refreshed and ready to get back to work with a positive spirit!