Just cooler air

Hill station trips in India

In 30 seconds

From Delhi: Nainital, Mussoorie, Shimla, all 6 to 8 hours
From Bengaluru: Coorg and Ooty, 5 to 7 hours
From Mumbai or Pune: Lonavala and Mahabaleshwar, 2 to 5 hours
Typical length: 3 days including travel

Not every mountain trip needs a trek. Hill stations are the version where the view arrives by road, the walks are optional and grandparents and toddlers can both come.

These are the trips we plan most for families, and the main decision is simply which one is a sensible distance from your city.

Where this works best

Uttarakhand

Nainital

A lake with a town wrapped around it, two hours from the plains

Uttarakhand

Mussoorie

Queen of the hills, and the easiest mountain air from Delhi

Himachal Pradesh

Shimla

The colonial hill station that still does winter better than most

Tamil Nadu

Ooty & Coonoor

Nilgiri tea slopes and a mountain railway that takes its time

Karnataka

Coorg

Coffee estates, misty hills and the easiest green escape from Bengaluru

Maharashtra

Mahabaleshwar & Panchgani

Strawberry country, valley points and Maharashtra's favourite hill air

Questions people actually ask

Shimla, Nainital, Ooty and Mahabaleshwar all have drive-up viewpoints and short flat walks, which makes them far easier than places where the views need a trek.

Midweek, and outside the May to June school holiday peak. March and late September are usually excellent and much quieter.