One thing for sure, there more life beyond the grid lock traffic, blasting horns and concrete buildings. It’s all possible if you spot what like to do and how.

This short post is an attempt to list out places, events, activities you can indulge while in Bangalore. Call it a runaway guide to Bangalore’s Hot & Cold Spots

Explore Bangalore by Walk

Following the footsteps of London Walks, Bangalore Walk offers an unique experience for you to explore this erstwhile ‘Pensioner Paradise’ by FOOT. Yes, it’s a great opportunity to learn the history, culture, view the architectural splendor of Bangalore by a walking tour guide. Bangalorewalks does this walk tour and does it really well. This wonderful team organizes foot trips around Bangalore city centres and old monuments.

Visit their website to learn about their cultural trips around Bangalore, or call these numbers for details, #98455 23660 or 98450 68416). Apart from group trips, they offer customized tour for larger groups..

Get Lucky  Bibliophile – Buy Rare & Used Books in Bangalore

Collection of Used Books at Blossom Book House

If you’re a bibliophile, then there are couple of used book stores in Bangalore. There’s one such store at Church Street, is Blossom Book house at Contact # Tel: 25320400,25559733. Next one is ‘The Bookworm’ , Brigade Road , Bangalore Phone: (080) 40913205

Relax Your Mind Body with Ayurveda Massage in Bangalore 
Get a touch of glow to your body and spirit with a relaxing Ayurvedic massage. You can choose the right  body massages based on what you like; therapy level, treatment, cooling your body or just relaxing massage. There are couple of Ayurveda centers close to my house, one such place is Sagar Ayurveda.

Party High in Pubs and Lounge Bars
Despite the midnight deadline in Bangalore, many uptown pubs and lounge bars opens gates for great music, ambiance, food and dance. After a long day, you can visit these joints for a drink & get a chance to meetup with local fellas & girls. There’re couple of good joints in UB City or you can visit Hard Rock Cafe, Bangalore or places like iBar, etc offers different genres of music.

Buy Memorabilia From Cavery Emporium
Run by Govt of Karnataka, Cavery emporium (shop) has a wide selection of unique lacquer wood products, artifacts, or sandal wood products or Mysore silk saris  It’s situated at the entrance of Brigade road, M.G, Road, Bangalore.

For the Dramatists in You – Theater Show in Bangalore
Bangalore is known for wide-range of dramas, plays and stage shows. You can select English, Hindi or Kannada shows and it’s usually held at Chithrakala Parishath, Rankashankara, Alliance Franciase, Chowdry Memorial Hall. Check on the event page of Times of India, to know the latest shows happening in Bangalore

Feast on BarbecueTake trip on a gastronomic overdrive by feasting on grills and barbecue. One best place I had Barbecue is at Barbecue Nation at Indira Nagar. They have unlimited starters that include fish (Basa), prawns, chicken and vegetables.

Shop at Commercial Street 
This ever busy street in Bangalore is known for all kinds of shops, stores and eating joints. It’s ideal place to shop for bags, foot wear, trinkets, and 100 Rs slippers.  .

Tour to Bangalore Palace
Visit this granite palace that has close semblance with any of the medieval European castle or palace. Take a walk around this sprawling campus, touch those ivy covered granite walls, and  the click pics of the old horse carriages lined up at one side of this place. Best time to visit here is during morning. See if you can spot horses, peacocks or chit-chat with the palace workers.

Ride on Namma Bangalore Metro 
Bangalore Metro covers a shot distance, from Bypanahalli to M.G Road. Take a swish train ride to view this Garden City from the heights.

Visit ITPL or Electronic City or Embassy Gold links IT Park (EGL)
Do you know where most of the young people work in Bangalore? Why is Bangalore called the Silicon valley of India? Find out by driving around the big IT parks and campus in Bangalore.

Visit Lal Bagh Gardens 
Fill your picnic basket with fruits, juice, water, book and plan a trip to Lal Bagh gardens in B’lore. Lie down or sit or just rest your back under the shade of big trees or on the green lawns of Lal Bagh gardens. Take time for yourself, or just use this time to re-plan your life. Sounds big…no, just listen to some music and you’ll have a great day.

Topple Pins – Go for Bowling 
Are you a bowling freak or just new to bowling? In any case, Bangalore has many places to practice bowling. If you’re at M.G Road, Amoebae at Church Street offers six lanes of bowling experience.

Akshyapathra Charity
An great initiative to feed  scores of children. Contribute some money or you can become a volunteer by helping in their charity works.

Visit Dance Bars in Bangalore 
It’s a local version of strip bar, but there’s no stripping here. Dance bars are strictly for men, unless you’re accompanied by a good number of male friends. Inside these dance bars, are fully dressed ladies who sway to the loud beat of Hindi movie songs. Also, you’ll see rich folks throwing wads of money at women. Off late, there’s a curb on dance bars. So, check if there’s real dancing or just watching!

Two dance bars near Domlur fly over – Chef Inn Regency, Knight Rider.

Have Beer at any of the Micro breweries
With many water holes spread around the city, you can go for binge drinking in Bangalore. Also, there’re few micro-breweries in Bangalore( TOIT at Indira Nagar, Vapor at 100 ft road, India Nagar, Beiere Club at Lavelle Road, Barleyz at Koramangala,).

And don’t forget to visit one of the oldest pub in B’lore – Pecos. Once it was a hangout of ad agency guys. Many of their copy are seen in the pub.

Pamper your feet with a relaxing foot massage 
Relax with a foot massage. Try out “TheHappyFeet“. They even have house visit. Dial 080-42281122 & they’ll bring that foot massage to your home! Monday to Sunday, 10 to 8 . They send out of the best Facebook page updates, better than Kingfisher page.

Coffee at Koshy’s Restaurant
Situated at the heart of Bangalore, Koshy’s is as old Bangalore. Here you’ll meet a eclectic section people of Bangalore here.

Cycle Trip around Bangalore
If you’re a biking enthusiast, then Bangalore has different cycle groups.

Rock climbing 
If you fall into these tightrope adventures seekers, then there’re couple of adventure clubs who can take you for rock scaling events. Most of the spots are located some 40 km away from the city.

Hard Rock Bangalore
Situated at Anil Kumble circle, at the Southern Part of M.G Road, you’ll find Hard Rock Cafe, Bangalore.  The granite walled building has very interesting music memorabilia, poster, instruments, so on.

Rent a friend in Bangalore
Try your luck by Googling for an escort services in Bangalore. Best, would be to ask for reference. Or, pay to people, who might be willing to be a friend for a day in Bangalore.

Visit Bangalore Turf
Get lucky by placing a bet on one of the stallions at the race course.

Boating at Ulsoor Lake
When traffic, horns, madding crowd takes a toll on you, then here’s an alternative. Take to the oars at Ulsoor lake.

Spa Service in Bangalore
Places like Indira Nagar is dotted with various Spa centers. There’s Escape, then Aura (Thai Spa), and many others in this locality.

Learn Indian Cooking in Bangalore 
If you have a passion for food or would like to know how Indian cooking is done, then you can try out Indian cooking class. Check out this blog Mennas Cooking Class and also the Facebook page on Indian cooking class.

Visit Lal Bagh Garden or Cubon Park
Enjoy a day in one of the sprawling gardens in Bangalore. Stroll through the large green spaces, carry a picnic basket and spend some time with yourself or read a book.

Rent a Car & Explore Bangalore Outskirts

Zoom Cars provide car rentals in Bangalore. Hire a car, take a friend and explore the villages around Bangalore.