Last Updated on September 16, 2020 by hungryoungwoman

Ahmedabad is located in Gujarat, a western state of India and famous for textile trading. While it’s not usually on the list of places to visit in India, it sure is a great place to visit underrated tourist attractions and indulge in street food! If you are planning a trip to India and would like to visit a new state, here are 10 things to do for your Ahmedabad local sightseeing tour.

When to visit Ahmedabad?

India has mainly three seasons; winter, summer, and monsoon. In summer, from April to June, the temperature ranges between 40 to 50 degree Celsius.

This is why it is better to travel to Ahmedabad during winter (from November). You can see sunny skies at day time and it gets a little chilly at night which is bearable.

How to reach Ahmedabad?

You will easily be able to find flights for Ahmedabad from major cities of India. There are also international flights which you will be able to find from here.

If you don’t find a direct flight from your city, then take a flight to Bombay or Delhi and the connecting flight to Ahmedabad.

The train network in India is very strong. You can easily travel from one city to another but it is not a very viable option if you are short on time.
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Best place to stay in Ahmedabad

There are numerous hotels in Ahmedabad according to your budget. If you want to experience the real heritage of Ahmedabad, I will highly recommend opting for a homestay.

However, if you are more comfortable staying at a hotel, here are a couple of options according to your budget:

• Hyatt Regency Ahmedabad – Compared to most metropolitan cities in India, Hyatt Regency in Ahmedabad is quite affordable for the same quality and standards
• The House of MG – For a more local experience, you can choose The House of MG. The interiors are spectacular, think old palace type. But, maintenance of rooms might not be the highest priority here to instill that antique feeling. To save on transport costs, this might be your best bet as it is located in the city center

For more properties like The House of MG, visiting the World Heritage City is a great idea. The listed properties are old homes converted to hotels to maintain the heritage and culture that the city stands for.

Ahmedabad Local Sightseeing Details:

You can plan your trip according to the number of days you have. If you have a limited number of days in your itinerary, you can opt for a trusted sightseeing guide to see heritage spots. Click here for more details.

Besides heritage places, you should try the local food of Ahmedabad. There are numerous mouthwatering dishes that are available in most roadside stalls.

Read below to find the top 10 places to visit in Ahmedabad, Gujarat by a local:

Places to see around Ahmedabad

1. Ride the AMTS or BRTS

The best to explore any country like a local is to take public transport. There are two local transportation systems; AMTS and BRTS. BRTS connects popular areas, while AMTS connects both tourist attractions and rural locations. This is one of the best ways to explore places to visit in and around Ahmedabad.

In AMTS, there is something called “Manpasand Pravas” (travel as you like) in which you can buy a single ticket and ride on any bus between 6 am to 10 pm. The ticket fare for children from 3-12 years is INR 5 and beyond that age is INR 25.

Be smart and don’t travel during rush hours as you will not get a seat on the bus unless you are lucky. Peak hours are 9-11 am and 5-7 pm

2. Have a late night dinner at Manek Chowk

If you are visiting Manek Chowk, you will be surprised not seeing food stalls which you actually visited on the previous night. Actually, once all the shops close in the evening, all food vendors come and set up their stalls. And you will see it crowded even at midnight

Read on for more places to explore in Ahmedabad!

3. Buy Indian outfits at Ratanpol

Ratanpol is a very famous area for buying Indian traditional outfits and bargaining is the key for shopping. You will see plenty of variety in designs and colors. You can buy a sari, Chaniya Choli, or a Salwar Suit. The price range also varies here, so it depends on how much you want to spend.

Add on: You will find a “Dabeli” stall in the starting of the street, don’t forget to try that and ask for medium spicy! This surely makes it in the list of top 10 places in Ahmedabad!

4. Shop at Lal Darwaja street market

Another place to shop and include in Ahmedabad places to see is Lal Darwaja (red doors). It has a huge street market where you can find everything like household items, fashion accessories, jewelry, clothes, etc. You will see a variety of things on the street and don’t hesitate to try and ask how to use them. You should buy some imitation jewelry from here its reasonably priced and some great designs as well

Some things to keep in mind before visiting Lal Darwaja:

• I would warn you to check things before you buy as sold items cannot be returned
• Remember that as always in bazaars, bargaining is the key for shopping
• Most of the shops are small roadside stalls which don’t use credit or debit cards, so please carry cash.

5. Stroll on Sabarmati riverfront and enjoy the sunset

Sabarmati Riverfront opened back in 2012 and since then became a hot spot for locals. In the morning you will find joggers and fitness addicts trying to inhale fresh air. In the evenings, you will find family, friends, and couples enjoying the sunset view.

Keep in mind that weekends are pretty crowded here. You can also explore the Sabarmati river through their boating facility. The boating station is located near Subhash Bridge.

Another attraction at the Sabarmati river is the flower garden. Around the month of January, they organize a flower show which is a must visit! It feels like the whole park is decorated with assorted flowers and the view is fantastic. You can also get good photo opportunities here!

The flower show attracts locals as well as international tourists

6. Drink tea at a roadside tea stall

Tea is kind of staple drink of the nation and especially in North India. You will find a lot of roadside tea stalls all around Ahmedabad and they are one of the best ones to try the authentic chai from

7. Take a heritage walk

The tour is called Heritage Walk of Ahmedabad. This tour starts from Swaminarayan Temple in Kalupur at 8 am daily and ends at Jumma Masjid in Manek Chowk at 10:30 am.

In this tour, the guide explains the historical background of different places included in the tour. There will be no stop for food & beverages, so better to bring a water bottle and some handy snacks. Please note that you will not get anything during the walk.

They offer different packages so don’t forget to check online before you book here. Bear in mind that your dress code should be comfortable enough to walk but also while adhering to dressing up modestly. Click here for more details of the walk

8. Gandhi Aashram

Mahatma Gandhi was an Indian activist who played a huge role in the independence of the country. This ashram is also known as Sabarmati Ashram.

Mahatma Gandhi lived here for twelve years, so this ashram was one of the residences for him and part of famous tourist attractions in Ahmedabad. During the visit, you will come across Mahatma Gandhi’s life chronology and his achievements. They have kept “Charkha” in the Ashram as well. You can explore the library, bookstore, and gallery to read more about Mahatma Gandhi’s life

9. Enjoy the top view of the city at Kankaria Lake

Another one on the places to go in Ahmedabad list is Kankaria Lake. After the renovation, Kankaria Lake has become a one-day trip destination for locals in Ahmedabad. At the Kankaria Lake, you will find interesting things like a train ride, kid’s city, Kankaria zoo, balloon ride, and food stalls.

The most amazing attraction is “Nagina Wadi”. You can walk to the Nagina Wadi through a concrete path lined with trees on both sides. The area offers attractions like jet ski, speed boat, and other water sports, however, the laser light fountain show always steals the hearts of tourists and locals.

If you are visiting Kankaria lake then the fountain show at the Nagina Wadi should definitely be on your bucket list. On weekends, the fountain show tickets are sold out so better to book yours early

RELATED: Want to see more of India, then plan a one day trip to Agra! 

10. Spend a day to explore Science city

The science city is a hidden gem because it is in the outskirts of Ahmedabad and most tourists don’t go that far. You will not find this on most Ahmedabad tourist places list. Those who love science will obviously lose themselves in the park. It is definitely one of the interesting places in Ahmedabad.

The park has an Imax 3D theater, hall of space, hall of science, LED screen, energy education park, life science park, musical dancing fountain, amphitheater, planet Earth, electro drome, and a thrill ride.

I know, so much to see and learn right? And the best part, they keep adding more and more. To stay up to date you can visit Gujarat Science City

Bonus: Take a day trip from Ahmedabad to visit the Modhera Sun Temple located only around 100 km from Ahmedabad. For history lovers with lovely photo opportunities! 

So, are you convinced enough to add Ahmedabad to your travel list with these tips for what to see in Ahmedabad?

This post has been written by Hungryoungwoman with tips from Urvi:

Urvi Shah is a travel blogger and content creator. She left the engineering world for her passion for traveling. Traveling made her adventurous and helped her to learn new cultures. Being a vegetarian, it is sometimes tough to find food, however, this prepares your body to live in all circumstances. She believes life is a journey to discover. Urvi shares her traveling experiences, tips, and tricks on her blog, Urvi’s Travel Journal

Until then, happy traveling! xx

P.S. If you want to save and read later, here’s my post on Pinterest