Satiate your Wanderlust in The City of Dreams: Mumbai

Being called the financial and entertainment capital of India, Mumbai doesn't need any introduction. Every year millions of people head to Mumbai to explore its beautiful colonial architecture, gorgeous sandy beaches and iconic historical landmarks.

If you, too, are planning on visiting the city this summer, you've got to see a few must-visit places there to have the most fulfilling trip. We bet exploring these beautiful places by pre-booking a rental car in Mumbai will make your journey a breeze and revitalize your spirits.

Without further ado, let's uncover gorgeous places to explore in Mumbai:

Marine Drive



Also known as Queen's Necklace, Marine Drive is a 4 km stretch situated in South Bombay. Frankly, it's a no-brainer that you must visit this place in Mumbai. Witness the amazing Arabian sea and admire the brilliant view with your buddies.

Situated in the heart of Mumbai, reaching here via local train or auto is extremely easy. But taking over-crowdedness into account, we highly recommend seeking the help of a reliable car rental in Mumbai.

There is a multitude of non-luxury and luxury full-day car rental options available in Mumbai. We advise opting for the most reliable one.

Juhu Beach



Juhu Beach is a perfect getaway in Mumbai for family and friends. It is one of the most famous tourist places to visit in Mumbai. Enjoy roaming around Juhu beach, eat lip-smacking street food and catch the beautiful sunset.

Just 6 km away from Mumbai Airport, Juhu beach is in the heart of Mumbai. You can reach the place within a few minutes from the airport. If you are a group of 3-4 people, you could book a rental car in Mumbai for a full day or a few hours. In case, your group has more than 8 members, hiring Innova in Mumbai makes perfect sense.

Aksa Beach



Having been mentioned in many Bollywood movies, Aksa Beach is among the most visited clean beaches in the city of Mumbai. Surrounded by lush coconut palms and gorgeous brown sand, Aksa Beach is a perfect place to experience the coastal beauty of this filmy city. The months from September to March are the best months to visit Aksa Beach. The reason being the fantastic weather.

Close to Malad and Borivali in Mumbai, it takes approx. 40 minutes to reach Aksa Beach from Malad Station. Again, opting for a full day car rental in Mumbai for this beach jaunt will be an ideal choice.

Gateway of India



Built during the British rule, Gateway of India is the most popular historical monument in the Maximum city and, of course, is a must-visit. Located in the most crowded area of Mumbai, Gateway of India can be reached by auto or local train. However, hiring a self-drive rental car in Mumbai would be a wise decision.

In a traffic-choked city like Mumbai, opting for a reliable and luxury self-drive rental car in Mumbai ensures you and your pals don't feel uncomfortable while travelling around the city.

Moreover, you can even rent a car in Mumbai for a day if you are keen to visit all the Mumbai's beautiful places, including Gateway of India, in a single day.

Bonus Tip - Avoid visiting the monument in the rush hour. You'll thank us later!

Get Lost in Maximum City this Summer

Maximum City doesn't disappoint in any way. It's beautiful, has gorgeous beaches and boasts of architectural masterpieces. Whether you are coming from Delhi or Kerala, it's super easy to reach Mumbai by road. There are a plethora of providers for car rental services in Mumbai like Zoomcar, which offer a fleet of reliable and affordable cars including hatchbacks, sedans, MUVs and SUVs to help you effortlessly move around the City of Dreams. With a pre-booked rental car in Mumbai, you can rest assured to reach your destinations with utmost comfort.

Now, it's time to pack your bags, book a luxury rental car in Mumbai and gear up to be mesmerized by the beauty of the place!

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Experience the best of Mumbai

Mumbai is the incredible city of dreams. It is renowned for being the business and entertainment capital of India. Mumbai never fails to capture the hearts of tourists who flock to it from all parts of the world. The culture of this metropolitan city is a boisterous blend of cuisines, languages, food, fine arts, cinema and festivals. The crowded but lively city of Mumbai is constantly in a state of flux that keeps it going round the clock. It is not an uncommon sight to spot people eating dinner at 2:00 in the morning!

The city never sleeps, the nights are just as dazzling as the days. Such is the magnificence of this wondrous city that anyone who steps on to this land cannot resist its bewitching charm. The never-say-die attitude is what makes the city so alive and enthusiastic. No matter what time you enter the city, the electrifying energy that the city sparks out will amaze you in and out. However, Mumbai is a sprawling city and there are numerous places to explore. To ensure that you experience the best of the city, here’s a list of fun things to do in Mumbai:-



1. Go Gaming: There are a number of gaming parlours in Mumbai that lets you engage in intense video gaming sessions, filled with fun and excitement. Video games are an excellent stress buster and uplifts your mood instantly. Go alone or with a group of buddies and enjoy a thrilling gaming sessions. Challenge others to make your games more interesting and socialize with fellow gamers. Good gaming is guaranteed here!



2. Mountain Biking: Mountain biking is the sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially designed mountain bikes. It is a sport enjoyed by millions of people across the globe. In Mumbai, you can easily rent a mountain bike and explore new places. Experience a sense of freedom, discover and explore new places while keeping fit and meeting great new people whilst cycling. Make sure you experience this highly enjoyable, varied and often adrenalin-fuelled sport of mountain biking.



3. Dance Bollywood style: Bollywood dance is a fusion of traditional and classical Indian dances with the influence of some jazz, hip-hop and modern dance. Bollywood dance is fun, energetic, keeps you fit and improves your mood in no time. Whether it’s a wedding or a party or a dance competition, you never stay far away from the graceful yet highly energetic moves of the Bollywood dance. Mumbai, being the hub of Bollywood, host many professional Bollywood dance studios.



4. EsselWorld: - EsselWorld is Asia’s largest amusement park, which is located at Gorai in Mumbai. EsselWorld boasts of around 71 attractive entertainment rides designed for all age groups. The star attractions of EsselWorld Mumbai include bowling alleys, an ice-skating rink, cricket grounds, a virtual play room for video games, a massive naval killer ship converted into a very cool science museum and a thrilling roller coaster that will make you scream your lungs out. Packed will limitless fun and adventure, EsselWorld will make you feel like a kid again.

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Traditional Vegetarian Food Trails of Mumbai

I am a foodie and a vegetarian. Sounds like a tough combination to pull off, but I have been managing to get lucky so far. I am more interested in the traditional foods than the foods that have become the norm these days. Everything about our original and traditional foods appeal to me – their cooking, their smell, their presentation and of course their taste.


In all my travels across India, I have been trying to explore such traditional food trails. So far, I have explored the traditional food circuits of Bangalore, Chennai, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Amritsar, Kolkata and Hyderabad. For some reason, I had kept missing Mumbai even though I knew of its immensely big, popular and proud food circuit. This was one trail that I definitely wanted to sample. Hence, I planned a short 2 day trip to Mumbai just to experience its traditional foods. The idea was to meet friends and enjoy simple, authentic, iconic and delicious Mumbai food.


There were many places that I could check out, but then I did not have the luxury of time. In my 2 days, I did a mixed bag of iconic places and off beat places within close range from each other. This logic helped me sample some very special Mumbai food while not wasting too much time traveling from place to place. And the credit for chalking out the plan goes to my close friend and cousin brother, both of whom are Mumbaikars.


Here is how my gastronomic journey went. From Thalipith to Misal Pav, Pav Bhaji to Bun Maska, Akkruti Roti to Vada Pav, Kala Khatta to Irani Chai, Apple Butter Tea to Sugarcane Juice, Gujarati Thali to Sabudana Vada and from Falooda to Chilli Ice Cream, I had it all. It was simply a epic treat for my palate and an absolute reward for all the running I had done preceding to this 2 day foodie journey. For your assistance, I have mentioned all the restaurant names or eating zones, the area in which they are located and a link to their zomato page where available. This will help you trace these foodie trails easily.


Let the treat begin…

Kanda Poha at Home
I got a taste of Mumbai even before I stepped out of home. It all started with some nice spicy Kanda Poha, a perfect breakfast snack to start off my Mumbai foodie trip.

Prakash Restaurant – Dadar


Prakash was possibly the best beginning I could have had to my gastronomical food journey. This iconic place has such delicious Maharashtrian food that it took me 3 hours and many kilometers of walking before I could even swallow a tiny morsel of food. The place is tiny and located in the heart of Dadar, but the food is totally delicious.


While I tried nearly everything on their menu, I absolutely loved their Misal, Bharli Wangi (Oh! This was deliciously out of the world), Thalipith, Kothimber Wadi (Deep Fried, but who cares!) and Sabudana Wada. Piyush and Solkadh were great to beat the Mumbai heat, but you need to acquire a taste for them, else you might not take a liking to it.

Shree Thaker Bhojanalay – Kalbadevi


Be warned! This is not the place you should go to if your appetite is less. The food here is fit for the truly hungry and the ones with a super appetite. Coz the food keeps coming here till you pass out because of eating or because of tiredness. But, it is definitely a grand Gujarati treat in Mumbai. Where do I start? The Dal Halwa or the Kheer, the Bajra Roti, Jowar Roti or Missi Roti, the Pakodas or the Cheese Roll or the Kadi, they were all out of the world. The vegetables were normal. Nothing special about them, but simple and good. The biriyani and kichdi is also good here. Again, go here only if you can manage 3 meals in one meal.

Bachelorr’s – Charni Road


This iconic juice and ice cream shop is a part of Mumbai’s iconic food circuit. The who’s who of Mumbai visit this roadside shop in the evenings and late nights to sample its delicious juices and ice creams. Their specialty here is the custard apple ice cream. Personally, I think their green chill ice cream is worth trying at least once. It is an unique combination of chilli flavor and an ice cream, a rare combination.

Chowpatty Khau Galli – Chowpatty
Opposite Bachelorr’s lies the Chowpatty Khau Galli that is extremely popular in the evening hours. Vada Pav, Pav Bhaji, Misal Pav, Bombay Sandwich, Bhel Puri, Juices and much more are the craze here. This is cheap street food and an ideal way to calm your pre-dinner hunger while soaking in the gentle sea breeze.

Cannon - Churchgate


Ideally, Mumbai’s best pav bhaji is made at Sardars, but since Sardars was a bit far away, I opted for Cannon’s Pav Bhaji, which is like the second best in the city. Located bang outside of the Churchgate station, this place is easy to find.


Their pav bhaji is nice, but I really liked their Alu Wadis served with spicy hot chutney.

Khala Khatta - Churchgate

This is possibly the most refreshing cold drink to have on a hot Mumbai afternoon. Located beside Cannon Pav Bhaji, this is a small shop that sells Kala Khatta and other popular cool drinks. One of my favorite drinks from Mumbai.

Sugarcane Thela Gaadi near Fashion Street

This is a non-descript thela gaadi located on fashion street and next to the large maidan entrance. The sugarcane juice for some reason was really top class here. I would really recommend this gaadi wala if you can locate him.

Khau Galli - Churchgate

Initially, we were supposed to do the Ghatkopar Khau Galli, but later zeroed in on the one at Churchgate. This is a street with eateries on both sides. Be it Bombay Sandwich, Frankie Rolls, Juices, Pav Bhaji and other popular street options. A definite must-do on the Mumbai street food trail.

Tea Centre - Churchgate


Apple Butter Tea. This is the specialty here and a truly refreshing experience. The tea and snacks are great here, but what is even better is the price. You can get great pot of teas in an air conditioned environment and in the middle of the city for about 150 rupees. Now, that is a great deal in my mind. This place was not on my radar initially, but we chanced upon this place as we needed a respite from Mumbai’s heat while we were exploring the Churchgate area.

Kyani and Co – Marine Lines


Great Parsi food and Mumbai go hand in hand. No Mumbai food trail is complete without tasting some of their iconic Parsi food. Running operations since 1904, Kyani and Co is an iconic Parsi food outlet that is located in the busy Marine Lines area of Mumbai.


While the food is not necessarily vegetarian here (In fact, they serve great meat dishes), they have some great vegetarian options that are worth trying. If you eat eggs like me, I would recommend the Parsi Akkruti on toast. In my 33 years, I have never head better eggs, butter and toast. The Bun Maska and Irani chai is one of the most favorite snacks on the menu here.


The Mava Cake and the Cherry cold Parsi custard were 2 desserts that I liked. Their menu is huge and would require at least 20 visits to sample all of them. They also make some great cookies and cakes that make for great takeaways.

Baadshah – Crawford Market


Like Prakash was a great start to my Mumbai food trip, the falooda at Baadshah was a fitting end. The Baadshahi Falooda with the Malai Kulfi was so good that I indulged (some of you can say sinned) in one more of this very high calorie dessert. And while we were eating the Falooda, the only sound that came from our mouth was Mmphhh! Mmphh!!


Really top class Falooda it was.


I know that I just scratched the surface with this short food trail of Mumbai, but my experience was so good and so rich that I am very excited about planning another one and this time hopefully for a longer time. Till then, 3 cheers to Mumbai’s traditional food trails!!

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Victoria Terminus at Night

Just ambling along Mumbai’s old corridor can give you a great visual insight into its rich colonial past. In the day time, all those government buildings, bank offices, train stations, hotels and others stand tall in Mumbai’s humid weather. But, if you wish to see the true Mumbai treat, see these buildings in the night when they are beautifully lit up and when the weather is much more pleasant thanks to the gentle sea breeze that blows all around.


I got a good sight of this colonial past when I ambled past these colonial structures in the night time. In this picture is the beautifully lit up Victoria Terminus (now called Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus) that is popularly called as V.T. One of the main train stations of Mumbai, this building with its arches, domes and large clock is an iconic landmark of Mumbai. And it bedazzles everyone every night.

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Life in a Mumbai Local

Mumbai breathes and lives by its local trains. Locals say that a trip to Mumbai is not complete without indulging in the local experience. I have been to Mumbai many times, but never got the opportunity to try the Mumbai local. However, that changed on my recent trip to Mumbai and I ended up experiencing this mode of city traffic. This experience was pretty special as I felt closer to the Mumbai culture. And it was also a great way to beat the atrocious Mumbai traffic and still cover long distances.

 
During peak hours, the train is packed all the way, especially the men’s compartments. And it is quite an experience to travel during the peak times. All you have to do is standard near the door and you will automatically get into the train. And if you wish to get down at a station, you need to make your way towards the door 2 stops before. If you make it to towards the door before by any chance, you will end up getting down from the train at one or two stops before your actual destination.

People from all walks of life can be seen in the local trains. People meet each other almost every day on the local and make friends here. They share sweets on the birth of a child, a wedding in the family, their kid securing a good rank in the exams, on festivals and for other important life events. They share stories together. In fact, the local trains act as an extension of the life of the Mumbaikars. I would definitely recommend you giving these locals a try at least once during your trip to Mumbai.

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