Lucknow — The city of Nawabs.

1. Bara Imambara — Location: Machchhi Bhavan, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226003. Entry Fee: Indians: INR 25 and Foreigners: INR 500 (inclusive of Bara Imambara, Chota Imambara, Picture Gallery and Shahi Hamam). Timings: 6:00 AM — 5:00 PM.

2. British Residency — Location: Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Deep Manak Nagar, Qaisar Bagh, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226001. Entry Fee: INR 5. Timings: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

3. Rumi Darwaza — Location: 17/11, Hussainabad Road, Lajpat Nagar Colony, Lajpat Nagar, Machchhi Bhavan, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226003. Entry Fee: Free. Timings: 24 Hours.

4. Chota Imambara — Location: Tahseen Ganj, Husainabad, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226003. Timings: 6:00 am to 5:00 pm; every day. Entry Fee: ₹ 25 for Indians; ₹ 300 for foreigners.

5. Dilkusha Kothi — Location: Bibiapur Marg, Neil Lines, Cantonment, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226002. Timings: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm; every day. Entry Fee: Free.

Museums: Experience a touch of history and culture

1. State Museum Lucknow — Location: Hazratganj, Lucknow. Timings: 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM (Closed on Mondays). Entry Fee:
INR 5 (adults) and INR 2 (children) for Indians and INR 50 for Foreign Tourists.

2. 1857 Memorial Museum — Location: Qaisar Bagh, Lucknow. Timings: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Closed on Mondays). Entry Fee: INR 5 (Free for Children up to 15 years).

3. Regional Science City — Location: Aliganj Extension, Sector E, Lucknow. Timings: 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM. Entry Fee: INR 25.

4. Gandhi Museum — Location: Qaisar Bagh, Lucknow. Timings: 10 AM to 5:30 PM (Closed on Sundays).

5. Lok Kala Sangrahalaya — Location: Qaisar Bagh, Lucknow. Timings: 10 AM to 5 PM (Closed on Mondays).

Theme Parks: Thrills that give you Chills

1. Anandi Water Park — Location: Canal Road, Beside Indira Canal, Faizabad Road, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Timing: 10am — 6pm on any day of the year. Entry Fee: The ticket for children over 70 cm is Rs. 600 throughout the year and, For adults it is Rs. 700 from Monday to Friday and Rs. 800 on weekends and public holidays.

2. Dream World — Location: Milestone Sector H LDA Colony Opposite Nabard, Lucknow. Timing: You can head there on any day other than Wednesdays between 10am — 9pm. Entry Fee: Entry fee is as low as Rs. 5 but there’s an additional fee on every ride you take.

3. Disney Water Wonder Park — Location: The park is located right off SGPI, Raibareli road. Price: Entry fee of Rs. 500 for anyone over 120 cm.

4. Nilansh Theme Park — Location:
Gomti River View Resorts and Farmhouse NH 25A, Yakaria Kalan Near Itaunja Bridge, Uttar Pradesh. Timing: Head there on any day of the year between 10 am to 6 pm. Entry Fee: Entry fee is Rs 500. Entry fee on holidays and weekend days is Rs. 650.

5. Scorpio Club — Location:
Woodland Garden, Off, Kursi Rd, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Timing: Starts day by 9am and ends it by 3pm, Prices: Entry fees as Rs. 300.

Monuments: Splendour of the past

1. Maqbara (tomb) of Saadat Ali Khan — Location: Qaisar Bagh, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226001. Timings: 5:00 AM — 8:00 PM.

2. Husainabad Clock Tower — Location: Opposite Clock Tower, Husainabad, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226003. Entry Fee: Free. Timings: 11:00 AM — 1:00 AM.

3. Sikander Bagh — Location: Ashok Marg, Gokhale Vihar, Civil Lines, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226001. Timings: 9:30 AM — 6:00 PM. Entry Fee : Free.

4. Constantia (La Martiniere School) — Location: La Martiniere Rd, Martin Purva, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 22600.

Wildlife: Wild Splendour

1. Soorsarovar Wildlife Sanctuary — Another little-known bird sanctuary. It is about 23km from Agra (and can also be visited from Mathura). During winter, migratory birds flock to the artificial islands created in the Keetham Lake. Contact: DFO, Agra.

2. Kaimoor Wildlife Sanctuary — When the spiritual atmosphere of Varanasi gets a little overwhelming, escape to Kaimoor’s verdure forests. Go looking for antelopes, deer, leopards and the birds. There are a couple of forest rest houses should you want to stay here. Contact: DFO Sonbhadra, Tel: 05444–223168.

3. Chandraprabha Wildlife Sanctuary — Its nearness to Varanasi (65km away), makes this sanctuary an attractive winter getaway for local holidaymakers. So expect some crowd and noise over the weekends. There two waterfalls here — Rajdari and Devdari. Forest rest houses available. Contact: DFO, Kashi Wildlife Division, Tel: 0542–2668231.

4. Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary — About 150km away from Allahabad (and 25km from Chitrakoot Railway Station), the sanctuary consists of hills covered by mostly dry deciduous forests with a few streams running through the forest. Leopards, bear and deer are the common animals here. Forest rest houses are located at several points. Contact: DFO, Chitrakoot, Tel: 05198–235616.

5. Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary — This little-known bird sanctuary is 44km east of Gorakhpur. The waterbody extending over 29km is said to be Uttar Pradesh’s largest natural flood-plain wetland. The waterbody attracts a large number of migratory birds in winter. Accommodation — forest rest houses. Contact: DFO, Gorakhpur, Tel: 0551–2333108.

Lakes: Pleasant evening walks

1. Butler Lake — Location: Butler Colony, Lucknow. Nearby Attractions: Botanical Garden (1.5 km), Shah Najaf Imam Bara (2 km), Christ Church (2.5 km), Bara Imam Bara (6 km).

2. Kathauta Jheel — Location: Gomti Nagar, Lucknow. Nearby Attractions: Ram Manohar Lohiya Park (5 km), Indira Dam (7 km), Janeshwar Mishra Park (7.5 km).

3. Janeshwar Mishra Park Lake — Location: Gomti Nagar, Lucknow. Timings: 5:00 am to 9:00 pm. Charges for Gondola Ride: ₹ 100 for 20 minutes. Nearby Attractions: Ambedkar Park (2 km), Gomti Riverfront Park (3 km), Fun Republic Mall (4 km), Hazratganj Market (7 km), British Residency (9 km).

Sanctuaries: Get into the wilderness

1. Dudhwa National Park — The flagship tiger reserve of Uttar Pradesh, after Corbett National Park went to Uttarakhand. The nearest airport is at Lucknow, around 230km away. Delhi is a little over 400km drive away. It shares its north-eastern boundary with Nepal. The tiger reserve consists of three sections — the Dudhwa National Park, Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary.

2. Nawabganj Wildlife Sanctuary — Located midway between Lucknow and Kanpur (about 45km each way), this is a huge marshland and a shallow lake with mixed dry forest surrounding them. An interesting place for birdwatching and bird photography, especially in winter when the migratory birds arrive.

3. National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary — Pay a visit to this sanctuary while visiting Agra, which is only 70km away. The river is home to the Gangetic dolphin as well as to gharials and maggars. Seven species of turtles are also found here.

4. Samaan Wildlife Sanctuary — If you are a birding enthusiast, add this sanctuary to your Agra itinerary. The sanctuary is a little over 120 km from Agra and nearly 40km from Mainpuri (bus and railway station). Accommodation — forest rest houses.

5. Kachhuwa Wildlife Sanctuary –Another sanctuary near Varanasi, it extends from Ramnagar Fort to Rajghat. This sandy stretch of sand along the Ganga River is a natural habitat of different species of tortoises. Visit the Tortoise Breeding Center to know more about these animals. In winter, one can also catch a glimpse of migratory birds.

Honeymoon places: World of love and care

1. Chitrakoot: For Mesmerizing Views — Distance from Lucknow: 231 km. How To Reach: Garib Rath Express runs between Lucknow and Chitrakoot and takes about 5 hours to reach.Best Time to Visit: July is the best time to visit Chitrakoot as the town is drenched in monsoon showers and looks resplendent. March also offers pleasant weather.Things To Do: Visit places like Ramghat, Hanuman Dhara, Kamadgiri Temple, Sphatik Shila, and Gupt Godavari Caves. Places To Visit: Sphatik Shila, Ram Ghat, Kamadgiri Temple.

2. Champawat: Visit The Shani Temple — Distance From Lucknow: 365 km. How To Reach: A roadtrip to Champawat will take less than 9 hours from Lucknow. There are not any feasible train routes.Best Time To Visit: April to June. Things To Do: Visit Shaani temple, Baleshwar temple, Advaita Ashrama, Nagnath temple.Places To Stay: Hotel N Green City, Kalptaru Guest House, and Homestay.

3. Bhimtal: For The Serene Lake — Distance From Lucknow: 368 km. How To Reach: Kathgodam is the nearest railway station to Bhimtal. You can hire a shared taxi or cab to get to Bhimtal.Best Time To Visit: March-June, September-October. Things To Do: Boating in Bhimtal, Visit cafes nearby like The Bird Song, I Heart Cafe, The Good Old Café. Places To Stay: Neelesh Inn, The Prince, The Verandah, The Fern Hillside Resort. Places To Visit: Bhimtal Lake, Victoria Dam, Bhimeshwar Mahadev Temple.

4. Naukuchiatal: Relax Amidst Nature — Distance From Lucknow: 372 Km. How To Reach: Kathgodam is the nearest railway station to reach Naukuchiatal. This place is well-connected with other cities. From the railway station one has to take a cab/taxi. Best Time To Visit: June To September. Things To Do: Boating, Sightseeing. Places To Stay: Dream home stay, Rudraksha Resort, Club Mahindra, Dev Tarragon, Conifers Villa.

5. Pangot: Paradise For Wildlife Photographers — Distance From Lucknow: 400 km. How To Reach: Haldwani/Kathgodam is the nearest rail/bus head. Cover the onward journey of 50 km to Pangot via car/taxi.Best Time To Visit: October-June. Things To Do: Take nature walks and go bird-watching. Places To Stay: Pangot Retreat, The kumaoni karavan, The Pavilion, Conifers Villa by Frozen Woods Resorts, Treebo Trip The Oak Ridge Nainital.

Religious places: Experience subtlety

1. Chandrika Devi Temple — Situated on the bank of river Gomti at NH24 (Lucknow-Sitapur road), the temple is nearly 28 km away from the main city.

2. Khamman Peer Dargah — Situated within the premises of Charbagh Railway Station, Khamman Peer Dargah is believed to be in existence from past 900 years.

3. St. Joseph Cathedral Church — Situated at the busy streets of Hazratganj.

4. Jama Masjid — Located in the heart of the city.

5. Aliganj Hanuman Temple — Situated at Aliganj this Lord Hanumana temple was built in the year 1783 AD by Lala Jatmal.

Weekend Getaways

1. Varanasi — Distance: 305 kms. Best Time: October — March. Ideal duration: 2–3 days. Nearest Airport: Varanasi.

2. Agra — Distance: 333 kms. Best Time: Oct-Mar. Ideal duration: 1–2 days. Nearest Airport: Agra.

3. Khajuraho — Distance: 308 kms. Best Time: Jul-Mar. Ideal duration: 1–2 days. Nearest Airport: Khajuraho.

4. Ayodhya — Distance: 135 kms. Best Time: Oct-Mar. Ideal duration: 1 day. Nearest Airport: Lucknow.

5. Gwalior — Distance: 340 kms. Best Time: Jul-Mar. Ideal duration: 1–2 days. Nearest Airport: Agra.

Local Business

1. Car Wash

2. Courier services

3. Interior Decorations

4. Yoga classes

5. Pre-school

Medical Emergencies:

1. Midland Healthcare & Research Center — B-55 &, C-42, Mandir Marg. 0522 404 2888.

2. Apollomedics Super Speciality Hospitals — Kanpur — Lucknow Rd. Open 24 hours · 0522 678 8888.

3. Care Hospital and Trauma Center || Best Hospital In Lucknow | Best ENT Doctors In Lucknow. 1/56, Sitapur Rd. 099846 67727