Chennai is one of those places that offer many destinations that can impress travelers of all ages. You might get short of time while traveling and exploring Chennai, but Chennai will never get short of places to entertain you. There are many places of worship, temples, amusement parks, etc., that attract tourists and visitors. As the place has many options, we have shortlisted some of the tourist places to visit in Chennai within 200 Km, that you must definitely visit while you are in Chennai. We are sure the beauty of these tourist places will truly make you fall in love with them.
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Places to Visit in Chennai
1. Kapaleeswarar Temple
The awe-inspiring architectural beauty is one of the oldest temples of Kapaleeswarar is here. The wisdom of beauty is exclusively in this temple (of Chennai). The temple was built in the 7th century by Pallava kings. Kapaleeswarar Temple, a true to Dravidian architecture, is one of the best places to visit in Chennai.
2. Marina Beach
The longest Beach in India and the 2nd largest in the world is the Marina Beach, which stretches into the enormous Bay of Bengal. The beach is between Fort St. George and Besant Nagar, with the stones being washed down by the sea, and palm groves and other trees interrupting the beach. A gorgeous scene of the sky and ocean blending can be seen at both ends. An ideal tourist place to spend time with family and friends, and admire the scenery in early morning or cool evening sunshine overhead whilst facing opposite the waters.
Dig into the soft sand, have mini pleasures, such as trying to shoot the balloons, go horse riding on the beach, and buy trinkets, coral, and shell souvenirs along the beach and from the local vendors. Here are palmists, astrologers roaming with parrots on board for taking a reading of your future! Engage cautiously. Marina Beach is certainly among top favourite tourist places to visit with family and friends in Chennai.
3. MGR Film City
With a large collection of movies and the premiere of new films there, it is one of the most interesting tourist places to visit in Chennai if you have an interest in movie shows. The studio complex was set up in 1994 and is dedicated to actor and former Chief Minister M. G. Ramachandran.
The visitors can walk through film sets made in Mughal, Japanese and the village theme. Popular Tamil films titled Avvai Shanmughi, Mudhalvan, and Hey Ram were filmed here. Enjoying the hands-on experience and artificial backdrop are two things that make the place so fun, and it’s one of the items you might put in your list of things you would like to do in Chennai.
4. Mahabalipuram
If a perfect getaway means a complete weekend holiday without having to travel abroad, then the lucky Hindus can have the perfect getaway in Mahabalipuram. It would be one of the top tourist places to visit in Chennai. Here you’ll observe the beauty of temples carved out of the rock in the Dravidian style. This is an ancient temple that is designated to UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are also opportunities to meet some of the par excellence beach holiday sites, suited with beach activities and sports.
5. Government Museum
Established in 1857, the Government Museum is the second-oldest in India. The museum owns collections of art, as well as archaeological material and coins covering the area from Art through to Zoology. The main attraction of the museum is the huge collection of Roman antiquities and South Indian bronzes. The museum has a National Art Gallery as another tourist attraction with rare works of eminent artists like Raja Ravi Varma, built in the Indo-Saracenic style.
6. Elliot Beach
Elliot Beach, a tourist places in Chennai, is another great destination to visit along with friends and family. It’s not as busy as Marina Beach. Now its name has been changed to Besant Nagar Beach. Besides all the natural beauty and other facilities offered by the coastline area (beach), there are the famous Velanganni Temple and the Ashta Lakshmi Temple. Another quaint tourist attraction is the Schmidt Memorial, which was erected in memory of a Dutchman, known as Karl Schmidt. His profession was sailor. The memorial has become a place for many to find peace and harmony with nature.
7. Fort St. George Museum
The Fort St. George Museum lets you explore some of the history of the colonial history of Chennai. The building is situated in the historic ‘Fort St. George’ – the first British fortress built in India in 1644 and a large collection of artifacts of the British era. Within its formidable walls of thick lime mortar, you’ll discover original treaties and maps with coins representing several periods of British rule.
8. Valluvar Kottam
The beautiful landmark of Valluvar Kottam is dedicated to Thiruvalluvar of Chennai. Thiruvalluvar was a great poet and philosopher and his compositions have become important in the rich literary tradition of Chennai. It was unveiled in 1976, and is one of Chennai’s most popular tourist places. It is in the form of a chariot, and one of the greatest amphitheatres in India. The monument is the 133 chapters of his famous work, which are incised into the monument walls. Valluvar Kottam is one of the best and most important place of the state of Tamil Nadu, and it’s one of the famous locations of “Chennai” city.
9. Semmozhi Poonga
Enjoy natural beauty from Pune airport (SEM) to Semmozhi Poonga. It is a beautiful botanical garden with a variety of trees, plants, and gorgeous flowers. It features 25 thematic gardens, such as the golden garden, water garden, rock garden, fern garden, bonsai garden and cascade, and butterfly garden.
10. Guindy National Park
Guindy National Park is the 8th smallest national park of the country and is one of the highlights of Chennai. The protected area of the park is 2.70 km² and it is protected under the Ministry of Environment and Forests. The park is the only one in the nation that is in a city. It’s an evergreen forest having plenty of flourishing trees scattered around and many examples of tall deciduous trees in rows and rows.
11. Santhome Cathedral Basilica
At Chennai, Santhome Cathedral Basilica is also referred to as the National Shrine of St Thomas or San Thome Church. It is a famous church erected in the 16th Century over the tomb of the Portuguese Saint Thomas, one of the three Evangelists.It’s an iconic church constructed in the 16th Century over the tomb of the Portuguese Saint Thomas, one of the three Evangelists. The church was completely rebuilt by the British in the 19th Century. The British built the building which is the cultural and religious pride of chennai. One of the best and popular tourist spots in Chennai is Santhome Cathedral Basilica.
12. DakshinaChitra
Enviroplasted on the picturesque East Coast Road, DakshinaChitra is a living museum of traditional houses, crafts and culture from all over South India. This is one of the most interesting Chennai tourist destinations in which the past meets the present day, whether you’re watching a pottery demo or visiting heritage houses.
13. V.G.P. Golden Beach
It is not just a mere beach but is also an amusement park that welcomes numerous tourists to visit Chennai all year round. As expected, there are many adventurous activities and water sports that you can enjoy in the park along with your friends and family members. The park even has mini Jurassic park environs created specially for the children. Handicrafts can be purchased from the nearby shops.
14. Vadapalani Murugan Temple
Vadapalani Murugan Temple was carved in the late 19th century with a small hut and only a painted picture of Lord Murugan to which Annasamy Naicker was a staunch devotee. In the course of the years it grew into a magnificent temple, celebrate their divine power and drew devout as they came from around the world.
15. Birla Planetarium
If you are one that gets excited about the stars, the moon and planets, then Birla Planetarium is one of the best places to visit in Chennai. This incredibly large planetarium lets the visitors enjoy great tours of the Universe in virtual reality and spectacular shows that will surprise them in the most bizarre ways. There are eight galleries in Birla Planetarium which are dedicated to different subjects of science.
