Mumbai can be a taxing place to live and work in, and after a tiring week, full of push, shove, yelling and kicking, your much awaited weekend is finally here. If the local malls and cinema no longer sound relaxing enough, then how about some time away from it all? Mumbai has a ton of awesome places where the grass is green and the scenes are pretty! Check out our top picks.

Lonavala

A mere 1 hour drive from Mumbai, Lonavala is situated on the western slopes of the Sahyadris and is hands down the place to be at if a nice scenic hill is your thing. For those of our readers who don’t know, Lonavala is just 3 Km from Khandala, which is where Aamir Khan intended to take Raani Mukherjee when he was singing “kya bolti tu” in the movie Ghulam. Lush greenery and cool, soothing winds await the world weary travelers who venture there. Lonavala has an awesome number of tourist attractions too, including Duke’s nose, which derives its name from the Duke of Wellington (the hill bears a strong resemblance to his nose), Korigad fort, located in Amby valley and Tiger’s leap a place that gives the viewer an impression that a tiger is leaping past them. While you are there be sure to pay the beautiful Lohgad falls a visit, which has mystifying waterfalls that, in the green backdrop are extremely appealing. Finally, no one can miss out on Karla and Bhaja caves; these are one of the oldest and finest examples of Buddhist architecture in India.

Kashid

About 135 Km from Mumbai, Kashid is a small beach town that is highly coveted for its secluded location, fantastic scenic beauty including white sands, mountains and gorgeous blue seas. While there are hotels which you can stay in, weekend holiday makers can also rent small cottages by the seaside for 1,000 Rs per room per night. You must sample the Konkani fish thalli while you are there. Kashid is also a surfer’s paradise as the waves can reach up to 6 feet in height.

Matheran

The most unique aspect of Matheran is that motor vehicles are totally banned there, which makes this small hill town peaceful. Matheran is 82 km from Mumbai so it is often visited and being situated on a plateau at an elevation of 800 meters, the weather is fairly pleasant throughout the year. There are 38 lookout points located throughout Matheran, checkout Panorama point, so named because of the fantastic 360 degree view that it offers, the sunset and sunrise are to be seen to be believed!

Jawahar

A princely state under the British raj, Jawahar is picturesque, having dense green trees, with waterfalls and long, winding roads that are a sheer pleasure to drive on. Jawahar came to limelight due to the presence of the Worli tribes that produce some of the most sought after pieces of traditional tribal paintings. These are made from charcoal, mud and cow dung and were most famously created by Jivya Soma Mashe, a former resident of Jawahar who became renowned during the 1970s. Be sure to check out Shirpamal, a gateway built by Chatrapati Shivaji, and tiger caves while you are there.

Alibuag

The rocky shores of Alibaug are a haven for those who prefer the sea to the mountains. Located only 100 Km from Mumbai, the beach town is very accessible and can be reached via ferry from the Gateway to India or roads. Surrounding beaches can also only a short drive away. Visitors often flock to Alibaug for its famous Konkani style local seafood preparations, and black sand beaches which together with the partially rocky shoreline give it a distinct, romantic look and feel. There is no shortage of living accommodations in Alibaug and you can stay close to beach if you wish to make themost of its amazing scenic properties.

So this covers our top picks for a great weekend getaway, while there are no doubt other places (Maharashtra is full of them), all of them cannot be detailed under one heading, so we will leave some out for future articles. If you have been  to any of these locations, or wish to tell us about other places that you found were great, drop a comment below and let us know.