Hope you are enjoying the ride on #XploreBharat express with a stop this morning at Bangalore with my dear friend and fabulous writer Mayuri. Now I am taking you all the way back to North to explore the millennial city Gurugram, a term that still seems foreign to me, as I still fondly call it Gurgaon.  

When I was growing up, Gurgaon was often referred to as the sleepy suburb outside Delhi. But the last 10-15 years has seen it transform into a bustling city with swanky offices, luxurious villas, modern skyscrapers and more shopping malls per square mile than anywhere else in India. It is now home to many expatriates and possibly offers all types of cuisines to cater to their tastes. 

Gurgaon skyline by Abhishek Srivastava

Being a Delhi girl, my first brush with this city was when a few relatives bought their houses in Gurgaon. It seemed so far and deserted at that time. All we used to do then was visit the malls in Gurgaon since the charm of getting all the brands under one roof in an air-conditioned setting was rare then.  When I graduated and joined the corporate world, my office was in Gurgaon. The city had a young pulse to it and was a corporate hub with places to stay, party, groove and eat / drink. After marriage we moved there and it was home for 7 years. We settled in Gurgaon with ease proving that it is set-up ideally for working couples. 

Gurgaon skyline at night clicked by Abhishek Srivastava

I have seen Gurgaon evolve and grow right in front of my eyes. From simple Galleria market and Super mart to new additions Cross point, South point mall, Cyber hub and not to forget the Horizon centre. With the newly added underpasses, recently well laid out roads, metro connectivity, the city indeed became truly a millennial city!

There are lots of exciting things to do in Gurgaon. You can pick the ones that interest you on your next visit –

Kingdom of Dreams entrance

1.    Unique experiences 

• Kingdom of dreams – Bringing together all major states of India under one roof this is a unique cultural and culinary experience. Their show Zangoora, is India’s answer to Broadway and a must watch too.
• Heritage transport museum – its India’s first transport museum with a collection of rare vintage automobiles, a delight to explore with kids.

2.    Outdoor fun in Parks 

• Leisure valley has a jogging park, garden, musical fountains and a restaurant.
• Tau Devilal park includes a walkway, green patches and rose park.
• Aravali bio-diversity park contains ecologically restored and semi-arid land vegetation.

Ambience mall entrance from Wiki media Commons

3.    Retail therapy in Malls 

The first malls as far as I recall, appeared in Gurgaon only. Now there are so many of them that I have lost count. I am mentioning a few popular ones only –

• Ambience mall on NH8 is one of the biggest malls in the country.
• MG Road – The road is laden with numerous malls on both sides.
• Golf course road – Mega mall, South point mall and Cross point mall are major attractions.

Trampoline park

4.    Kids’ activities 

Gurgaon is the place for kids with numerous play zones and fun kids’ centres. Here I am listing the different ones only –

• I skate is India’s first natural ice skating rink in Ambience mall.
• Smaaash is an amazing indoor entertainment experience across 3 locations in Gurgaon.
• Trampoline park is a unique indoor area with over 100 interconnected trampolines  on Sohna road.
• Lego café is one of its kind where kids can play Lego in south point mall.

Lego cafe by Abhishek Srivastava

5.    Savour world cuisines

• Malls offer a variety of restaurants.
• Cyber Hub is a party place known for its night life.
• Sector 29 is populated with numerous restaurants, pubs and bakeries.
• 32^nd milestone offers an open seating area with variety of restaurants to pick from.
• Horizon centre has plush fine dine options.

Neemrana fort palace from Wikimedia Commons

6.    Quick weekend Getaways 

These places are ideal to take a break from the buzzing city life.

• Neemrana fort, a heritage property converted to a hotel, is the most popular destination close to Gurgaon.
• Westin resort is ideal to celebrate a special day not too far from Gurgaon.
• Dam Dama lake is a fun hang out with family.
• Tikli bottom is a haveli converted to a guest house perfect for an overnight stay or day trip.
• Sultanpur bird sanctuary is ideal for a visit to mix sight-seeing and relaxation.
• Pataudi palace, also known as Ibrahim Kothi, belongs to the Pataudi Royal Family and is ideal for a unique royal experience.

Pataudi Palace from Wikimedia Commons

Gurgaon seems like a place where everything is tailor made for young working couples. With extended hours offered at school, numerous day care centres, plenty of good schools, simpler admission processes and home deliveries for almost anything! You can enroll your kids in a variety of classes from outdoor sports to indoor chess to music, dance or handwriting.

Tikli bottom

Let me know what you would like to add to this list for Gurugram and your experiences of being in this city. Check out my previous posts on Pondicherry and Chennai as a part of #XploreBharat with #BlogBoosterIndia blog train

I am happy to have boarded the #XploreBharat Blog train where we covered many major cities and some hidden treasures across India. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience and have noted many destinations that I am yet to explore in India.    

Over the next few days, the blog train will be exploring some more amazing places before it reaches it’s final destination on 31st March. Tomorrow the express will leave for the next destination as Sanjota takes you on a tour across Karnataka.

Title image is Gurugram skyline clicked by Abhishek Srivastava

Where not credited, author has used her own images

This post is a part of the #XploreBharat Blog Train hosted by
Aditi, Esha, Maheshwaran, Preeti, Saba, Pragun, Sanjota, Sonia, Sudip, Suhasini, and Supriya, sponsored by KAIV and FABZANIA.

KAIV

KAIV is a personal grooming accessory and appliances brand offering a wide range of world-class products.

FABZANIA

FabZania is an upcoming food, travel, entertainment, and lifestyle web portal.