Weekend Activities for Kids in Ahmedabad (2026 Parents' Guide)
Updated 2026-10-12 · 7 min read · by the ahmedabad2go team
For a weekend with children in Ahmedabad, start with the two places built for them: Gujarat Science City, off SG Highway, and the Kankaria lakefront in Maninagar. Add Indroda Nature Park’s dinosaurs in Gandhinagar, the vintage cars at Auto World and an evening on the Sabarmati Riverfront, and you have more than two days covered. Most of these are closed on Mondays and uncomfortable at midday for half the year, so the timing matters as much as the choice. This guide covers costs, closed days and the ages each place suits. For this week’s children’s workshops and shows, see our kids and family events page.
Kids’ outings at a glance
| Place | Area | Suits ages | Cost | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gujarat Science City | Science City Road | 4 and up | ₹50 entry; big galleries ₹200 each | Monday |
| Kankaria lakefront | Maninagar | All ages | Small entry ticket; rides extra | Traditionally Monday |
| Indroda Nature Park | Gandhinagar | 3–12 | Small entry fee | Traditionally Monday |
| Auto World Vintage Car Museum | Kathwada | 5 and up | Ticketed; car ride extra | Monday (per Gujarat Tourism) |
| Akshardham water show | Gandhinagar | 6 and up | Entry free; show ₹100 / ₹70 | Monday |
| Sabarmati Riverfront | Central | All ages | Promenade free; parks ticketed | Open daily |
| Sabarmati Ashram | Ashram Road | 8 and up | Free | Open daily |
Science and learning
Gujarat Science City
Science City is the single best day out for school-age children in the city. The 107-hectare campus has an Aquatic Gallery with tanks and a walk-through tunnel, a Robotics Gallery with a robot painter and robot air hockey among its exhibits, a Nature Park, the Hall of Space and Hall of Science, an astronomy gallery with a planetarium and an IMAX 3D theatre.
What it costs, from the official fee list:
- Entry: ₹50 for anyone above three years of age, which includes the Nature Park, the Hall of Science and Space, the Energy Education Park and the Life Science Park
- Aquatic, Robotics and Astronomy galleries: ₹200 each
- IMAX 3D: ₹150, with shows listed at 3 pm and 4.30 pm
- Planetarium and 5D theatre: ₹150 each
- Thrill ride: ₹30
- Evening laser and fountain show: ₹90, after sunset
Children under three enter free, and school groups pay much lower rates. Buy the entry ticket first, as the gallery tickets are add-ons. Ticket windows sell from 10 am to 6.30 pm, the galleries stop admitting visitors at 7 pm and the rides pause for lunch from 1.30 pm to 2 pm. It is closed on Mondays. Go on a Saturday morning, start with the Aquatic Gallery and keep the Nature Park for late afternoon. Full details are on our Science City page.
Vikram A. Sarabhai Community Science Centre
Founded in the 1960s by Vikram Sarabhai, this centre near Gujarat University runs hands-on science and mathematics programmes, workshops and holiday activities for schoolchildren. Programmes need registration, so check what is running before you go.
Museums that run children’s workshops
The L. D. Museum near Gujarat University holds art and heritage workshops for children alongside its sculpture and miniature painting galleries, and art studios across the city run weekend sessions in pottery, painting and craft. Our workshop listings show what is open for booking.
Lakes, rides and animals
Kankaria lakefront
Kankaria is a 15th-century lake with a gated, vehicle-free promenade about 2.25 km around, rebuilt by the municipal corporation in 2007–08. For children the list is long: the Atal Express toy train that circles the lake, Kids City, a miniature town where children try out grown-up jobs, the Kamla Nehru Zoo, a tethered balloon ride, water rides, a butterfly park and the Nagina Wadi island garden with its musical fountain. Balvatika, the older children’s park, was under renovation at last report.
The zoo, set up in 1951, is open from 9 am to 6.15 pm between March and October and until 5.30 pm from November to February, so see it first. Everything else is better after dark, when the lights come on. There is a small entry ticket for the lakefront, and rides are charged separately. Kankaria East on the Blue Line is the nearest metro station. See the Kankaria lakefront page.
From 25 to 31 December the lake hosts the Kankaria Carnival, a week of stage shows and children’s activities. It is great fun and extremely crowded; hold hands.
Indroda Nature Park, Gandhinagar
Indroda is the nearest thing Gujarat has to a dinosaur park. Its fossil section, set up with the Geological Survey of India, displays fossilised remains and petrified eggs from Raiyoli near Balasinor, one of the world’s largest dinosaur hatchery sites, next to life-size models. The wider park has a zoo and deer enclosure, a blue whale skeleton, a cactus garden and shaded picnic areas. Mornings are best. More on the Indroda page.
Thol and Nal Sarovar in winter
From November to February, migratory birds arrive at Thol Lake, about 30 km from the city, and at the much larger Nal Sarovar, about 64 km to the west. Thol has around 150 recorded species, including flamingos and sarus cranes. Both need an early start and your own vehicle or a hired cab, and both charge an entry fee.
Wheels, water shows and stepwells
Auto World Vintage Car Museum
On the Dastan estate at Kathwada, off the eastern ring road, this museum displays the late Pranlal Bhogilal’s collection: more than a hundred vintage cars, including Rolls-Royces, Bentleys and Cadillacs, plus carriages and motorcycles. A short ride in a vintage car is offered for an extra fee. Gujarat Tourism lists it as open from 10 am to 9 pm and closed on Mondays. It is a long drive from west Ahmedabad, so confirm before you set out. See the Auto World page.
Akshardham, Gandhinagar
Entry to the temple complex is free, and the evening Sat-Chit-Anand Water Show, which retells the story of the boy Nachiketa with fountains, fire, lasers and projection, holds the attention of children of about six and above. It costs ₹100 for adults and ₹70 for children aged 3 to 11. The exhibitions cost ₹60 and ₹40. Phones and cameras are not allowed inside, and the complex is closed on Mondays. The Yellow Line’s Akshardham station makes this an easy metro trip. More on the Akshardham page.
Adalaj stepwell
Children enjoy the descent through five carved storeys to the water, and the temperature drop on the way down. The steps are steep and worn, so keep hold of younger ones.
The riverfront and the parks
The Sabarmati Riverfront’s promenade is flat, traffic-free and good for cycles and scooters. The Atal Bridge and the Riverfront Flower Park, both ticketed, make a manageable hour before dinner, and the riverfront has a children’s park near Dafnala and gardens at Subhash Bridge and Usmanpura. In the neighbourhoods, Parimal Garden in Ambawadi and Law Garden in Ellisbridge are the best-known municipal parks, and Vastrapur Lake has a walkway next to the Nexus Ahmedabad One mall.
Indoors: malls, play zones and shows
When it is too hot to be outside, Palladium at Thaltej and Nexus Ahmedabad One in Vastrapur have play zones, multiplexes and free atrium activities, especially around festivals. Weekend listings usually include storytelling sessions, puppet and magic shows, children’s theatre, and coding and robotics classes. See kids’ events this weekend, and our indoor things to do page for more ideas.
The children’s calendar
- Navratri (11–19 October 2026): many societies hold early-evening children’s garba, and the state festival ground has a children’s area.
- Diwali break (around 8 November 2026): rangoli, diya-painting and craft workshops, and holiday camps.
- Kankaria Carnival (25–31 December): stage shows and activities at the lake.
- January: the riverfront flower show, with dates announced in December.
- Uttarayan (14–15 January 2027): kite flying from every rooftop. Give small children short lines, tape their fingers and keep them away from terrace edges. Our Uttarayan guide has the safety rules.
- April to June: summer camps, and indoor plans until sunset.
Practical tips for parents
- Plan around Mondays. Science City and Akshardham are shut, and several other attractions traditionally close too.
- Respect the sun. From March to June, be indoors between 11 am and 5 pm. Even in winter, carry caps and water.
- Use the metro where it helps. Kankaria East serves the lake and Akshardham has its own station. Science City, Auto World and Indroda need a cab.
- Food is easy. Almost every attraction has vegetarian snacks and meals, and Jain options are common.
- Check age bands on workshops before booking. Organisers apply them strictly.
For ideas that cost nothing, read free things to do in Ahmedabad.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best places to take kids in Ahmedabad?
Gujarat Science City, the Kankaria lakefront with its zoo and toy train, Indroda Nature Park in Gandhinagar, the Auto World vintage car museum and the Sabarmati Riverfront. Akshardham's evening water show suits older children.
How much does Science City cost?
General entry is ₹50 for everyone above three years of age and covers the Nature Park and the Hall of Science and Space. The Aquatic Gallery, Robotics Gallery and Astronomy and Space Science Gallery cost ₹200 each, and the IMAX 3D film ₹150. Check the official site for current rates.
Is Science City open on Sunday?
Yes. Gujarat Science City is open on weekends and closed every Monday.
Which kids' attractions in Ahmedabad are closed on Monday?
Science City and Akshardham are closed on Mondays. Gujarat Tourism lists Auto World as closed on Mondays too, and the Kankaria lakefront and Indroda Nature Park have traditionally shut that day.
What can children do in Ahmedabad in summer?
Stay indoors until evening: Science City's air-conditioned galleries, mall play zones, museum and art workshops and summer camps. Kankaria and the riverfront are comfortable after sunset.
When is the Kankaria Carnival?
It is held at Kankaria Lake in the last week of December, traditionally from 25 to 31 December. The municipal corporation announces the programme in mid-December.
Sources checked
- sciencecity.gujarat.gov.in/
- sciencecity.gujarat.gov.in/fees-timing
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gujarat_Science_City
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikram_A_Sarabhai_Community_Science_Centre
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lalbhai_Dalpatbhai_Museum
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kankaria_Lake
- www.gujarattourism.com/central-zone/ahmedabad/kankaria-lake.html
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kankaria_Carnival
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indroda_Dinosaur_and_Fossil_Park
- en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Gandhinagar
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thol_Lake
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nal_Sarovar_Bird_Sanctuary
- www.gujarattourism.com/central-zone/ahmedabad/auto-world-vintage-car-museum.html
- en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Ahmedabad
- akshardham.com/gujarat/visitor-info/
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adalaj_Stepwell
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabarmati_Riverfront
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parimal_Garden
- www.gujarattourism.com/fair-and-festival/navratri-festival.html
- www.drikpanchang.com/diwali/diwali-puja-calendar.html?year=2026
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ahmedabad_Metro_stations
Researched and written by the ahmedabad2go editors. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
