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The BEST places to visit in Bangalore with kids

The BEST places to visit in Bangalore with kids

Your ultimate guide for things to do in Bangalore with kids from a family who spent a year living there

Bangalore is often overlooked by travellers visiting India with kids as it lacks the world-class, wow-factor sights of some other Indian cities. Those that do visit are often only stopping in to savour their creature comforts (think Marmite from Spar supermarket and purchasing clean knickers from M&S) before getting back on the road and heading north to Hampi or west to Mysore, Kochi or Goa.

However, with its green open spaces, gated playgrounds and soft-play, there are some great places to visit in Bangalore for kids. Plus, due to its higher altitude, Bangalore enjoys a more benevolent climate; a cool respite if travelling during the warmer months (although it can still get uncomfortably hot between April and June).

Bangalore was our home for a year. So I thought I should share our favourite things to do in Bangalore with kids.

1. Lalbagh Botanical Gardens

Open daily from 6 AM to 7 PM. Entry is free during early morning and late evening (6 to 9 AM and 6 to 7 PM). A nominal fee applies during the day time.
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Lalbagh Bangalore with kids

Start at the West Gate and stroll along the lakeside path, look for monkeys and munch on sweetcorn from one of the numerous food vendors. It’s a welcome novelty to enjoy such a beautiful green space in this congested city and allow the kids to run free away from the traffic. Follow the path to the other side of the gardens, find the Peninsular Gneiss and take the short climb to the top for great views of the city skyline, a small temple and drinks stall.

2. Big Bull Temple and Bugle Park

Big Bull Temple is open 6am-8pm every day.
Bugle Park is closed after 10am and does not open until 4pm.
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Big Bull Temple, Bangalore with kids

Walk underneath the imposing big bull horns and climb the steps to the Big Bull Temple, containing a giant granite sculpture of the sacred animal, adorned in flowers. A few rupees secures a blessing from the priest and remember to place your hand on the bull’s hoof for good luck. On exiting, follow the steps to the right into Bugle Park and let the kids release some energy by climbing over boulders and mixing with the local kids at the playground.

3. Iskcon Temple

Open 7.15am-1pm and 4.15-8.20pm Mon to Fri, 7.15am-8.30pm Sat, Sun and Public Holidays
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Inaugurated in 1997, this is one of the largest Iskcon temples in the world. It may look like a big wedding cake but it has the substance to match the style. Climb the steps to marvel at the lavish decorations and stop to observe the fascinating ceremonies taking place, as the Hare Krishna chant provides a looping soundtrack to your visit.

There is a fantastic food market as you leave the main temple so time your arrival for lunch. There are also lots of souvenir stalls. We treated our boys to a Hare Krishna flute. As with most temples, make sure your legs and shoulders are covered and leave the camera at home; photography is strictly prohibited.

4. Afternoon Tea at the Taj West End

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Tea at the Taj West End, Bangalore with kids

An oasis hidden amongst the chaos and noise of central Bangalore, the luxurious Taj West End has been providing a sanctuary for locals and travellers alike since 1887. Head to Machan, their multi-cuisine restaurant, and if it’s not too hot, choose a table on the lawn. Being from the UK, it was an absolute treat to enjoy perfect tea from a teapot, whilst the boys ran barefoot around the manicured lawn. We also indulged in some scrummy cupcakes. Once you’re all tea-d out, explore the lush gardens. Ask a member of staff to show you the way.

5. Cubbon Park

Cubbon Park is open daily 6am to 6pm
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Cubbon Park, Bangalore with kids

Said to be the (overworked) ‘lungs’ of the city, this sprawling 120-hectare park in central Bangalore is where the kids can come to collect sticks, scramble over boulders, climb trees and run free. Combining this with a visit to Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technical Museum makes for a good afternoon (see below). There is also a small fair-ground (Jawahar Bal Bhavan) on the north-eastern edge of the park.

7. Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technical Museum

Rs85, open 9:30am-5:30pm
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Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technical Museum

A fantastic hands-on science museum with lots of buttons to press, wheels to turn, levels to pull and a dinosaur. Includes some interesting engineering displays and strange distorting mirrors.

8. Playgrounds

READ: Best play areas in Bangalore with kids

play areas in Bangalore

In addition to the Bugle Rock playground next to Bull Temple (see above), Bangalore has a plethora of gated, clean playgrounds dotted around the city. Many even have security guards. Admittedly they may need a fresh lick of paint, but they are a great place for your little ones to play with local children. Just bear in mind the majority don’t open until later in the afternoon (sometimes at late as 4pm).

Our favourites are Defence Colony Children’s Park (open 8am-12pm and 3:30pm-7pm daily) and Nandanavana Children’s Play Ground (open daily 4pm-9pm).

9. Funky Monkeys Softplay

www.funkymonkeys.in
Open 11am-8pm Mon to Thurs, 10.30am-8.30am Fri to Sun
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Funky Monkeys, Bangalore with kids

Do you feel you need to reward the kids with some normality after all their travelling? Funky Monkeys at 1MG Road Mall is a clean, safe and super fun play area for children under the age of 12. Attentive staff inside the play area oversee your little ones, so kick back with a chai and enjoy some relative peace.

There is also a bigger Funky Monkeys at Orion Mall.

10. Hilton swimming pool day pass

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Hilton, Bangalore with kids

Sample 5-star luxury for an afternoon at the Hilton Bangalore Embassy GolfLinks, with a guest day-pass to their outdoor swimming pools. There is a nice heated kids’ pool and jacuzzi pool (which is also great for the little ones), as well as a standard main pool. The staff will look after you extremely well, so sit back on one of their king-size cabanas poolside and order a beef burger and a cold bottle of Kingfisher. You deserve it.

The one downside of the Hilton, however, is the lack of shade. If it’s a very hot day, or you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, we recommend the covered pool at The Paul. They too have a kids’ pool, although it’s unheated and a bit on the chilly side.

11. Sunday Brunch at the Sheraton

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Sheraton, Bangalore with kids

Brunch to many of us means a good fry-up enjoyed on a late and lazy morning. In Bangalore, Sunday Brunch is actually a buffet lunch held 12pm until 4pm in most of the big 5* hotels and is extremely popular with expats and locals alike.

Our favourite is the Sheraton Sunday Brunch as it lays on the best entertainment for kids. There is a supervised play area that includes a bouncy castle, face painting, crafts, toys and balloon-animals made to order. And the best bit? Kids under 4 are FREE! The buffet is extensive and if you’ve been travelling in India for a while, treat yourselves to some cured meats, cheese and slow cooked beef.

Other activities in Bangalore

Bangalore Fort, Bangalore with kids

Bangalore Fort, although very small, is a good space for the kids to explore and a peaceful retreat from the chaos of surrounding streets. Combine a visit here with a meander around bustling Krishnarajendra Market for a taste of traditional urban India. It is extremely busy, so we advise putting the kid(s) on your shoulders, taking in the colourful spices and dyes and perhaps purchasing some fresh fruit. In the centre is the colourful flower market.

Further South along Krishnarajendra Road (just 500 metres) there is also Tipu Sultan’s Palace and Venkataraman Temple.

Bangalore Palace is another interesting place to visit. Supposedly based on Windsor Castle, marvel at the lavish interiors and walls adorned with old family photographs. There is also some disturbing hunting memorabilia on display.

If you feel the need to escape the city, we also recommend a day trip to Nandi Hills, stopping at Prestige Golfshire for lunch and a dip in the pool on the way back to Bangalore. Or enjoy the thrills at the amusement park and water park of Wonderla, one hour drive South West of the city.

Where to stay

Many of the 5* hotels often have good deals on booking.com. At time of writing, Taj West End had rooms for Rs8000 and the Sheraton had rooms for Rs6400, so it’s worth checking out.

A recommended mid-range hotels include Pride Hotel (central location and great breakfast).

Getting to Bangalore

Bangalore is a well connected hub on the Indian rail network with direct overnight trains to Hampi, Pondicherry, Chennai, Kochi, Goa, and there are up to 14 trains per day to Mysore. Check the IRCTC website for up-to-date train times. There are three main train stations in Bangalore; City train central is the main hub, Cantonment train station is handy for the central MG Road area, while Yeshvantpur train station is 8km northwest and where you’ll arrive if coming from Goa.

International and domestic flights arrive and depart from Kempegowda International Airport, 40km North of central Bangalore. Air Asia, Air India, GoAir, IndiGo, JetAirways and SpiceJet are the domestic operators with daily flights to all major cities across in India.

Getting around Bangalore

Bangalore traffic has to be seen to be believed. A 5km drive, can easily take half an hour. So bare this in mind when planning your day.

Bangalore auto with kids

The easiest way to get around Bangalore is by booking a car through either the Uber or Ola app. However, by far the most fun way to get around is by auto. Check out our post Auto-rickshaws in Bangalore with kids. There is also the shiny new metro, that is still a work in progress. There are currently two lines in operation and the best source of information on it is actually wiki.


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Lonely Planet India: Perfect for exploring top sights and…
  • Bindloss, Joe (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 1256 Pages – 04/15/2022 (Publication Date) – Lonely Planet (Publisher)

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