People who live in Bhubaneswar don’t always realise how good they have it. You can drive an hour in any direction and end up somewhere completely different. A short drive can take you to these weekend destinations very close to Bhubaneswar, sometimes by a calm lake full of birds, sometimes in front of a 9th-century shrine and sometimes on a beach where the wind pushes your hair back like you’re in an old Bollywood song. If the week has drained you and you want something uncomplicated yet memorable, these ten spots deliver exactly that without demanding too much planning or energy.
10 Coastal & Spiritual Weekend Getaways From Bhubaneswar
1. Puri
Everyone knows Puri, but it’s still the kind of place where you always discover something slightly different each time you go. The morning waves crash with a sort of impatient energy, the evenings slow down near the temple corridors, and the mahaprasad tastes like comfort disguised as tradition. If you want a weekend that mixes noise, calm, spirituality, and sea breeze in one plate, Puri is almost too easy a choice. Wander to the quieter Baliapanda stretch if you want space to think, or not think at all.
2. Konark
Konark hits you visually before anything else. The Sun Temple stands there like someone carved sunlight into stone, wheel by wheel, dancer by dancer. Even if you’ve visited earlier, the details always catch you off guard with the precision, the storytelling and the drama. Only a few minutes away, Chandrabhaga Beach is an antidote to the temple’s intensity: soft light, early-morning fishermen, and wind that feels cleaner than anything in the city. It’s a weekend for people who like art, silence, and a sense of something ancient breathing beside them.
3. Chilika Lake, Satapada
Chilika doesn’t try to entertain you; it simply sits there in shades of blue and silver, and you fall into its rhythm without noticing. Satapada is the closest entry point and the ideal spot for Irrawaddy dolphin sightings. The boats move gently, migratory birds chatter like they’re discussing travel gossip, and the lake expands endlessly under the sky. Come here when you want your weekend to feel slow and wide, like someone stretched time a little just for you.
4. Raghurajpur & Pipili Craft Villages
A weekend here isn’t a “trip,” it’s more like an immersion. Raghurajpur is a living art gallery; even the walls of the houses tell stories through Pattachitra strokes. If you linger, an artist will probably pull you into a conversation about natural pigments or a mythological reference you forgot from school. A short drive away, Pipili bursts with colour, appliqué lamps, umbrellas, wall hangings, the works. This getaway works best when you’re craving culture you can touch, smell, and carry home in a paper-wrapped packet.
5. Khandagiri & Udayagiri Caves
Technically still “in town,” but emotionally, it is a different world. These 2nd-century BCE Jain caves have a quiet authority about them, with inscriptions carved long before the idea of a modern city even existed. Climb the hill, pause midway for the breeze, and look out over Bhubaneswar from a perspective fewer people enjoy. A perfect break for days when you want a reminder that time is huge and our deadlines aren’t.
6. Daringbadi
It’s a bit of a drive, sure, but the moment you reach it, the air feels different; it is cooler, lighter, and almost a little smug about being Odisha’s “Kashmir.” Pine forests line up neatly, mist sits lazily in the valleys, and the plantations smell faintly earthy. Belghar Wildlife Sanctuary and Hill View Park are easy half-day loops. Couples love it, photographers adore it, and even regular travellers end up with at least one “I can’t believe this is Odisha” moment.
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7. Hirapur, Chausathi Yogini Temple
This is one of the most revered weekend getaways from Bhubaneswar. You don’t come here for grandeur; you come for atmosphere. The circular open-sky Yogini temple feels intimate, a little mysterious, and deeply rooted in tantra traditions. The sculptures look like they’re mid-conversation. The entire place carries a stillness that’s not eerie, just old. It is old in a way that nudges you to lower your voice without knowing why. It’s a beautiful, short escape when your brain feels overstimulated and you need a quieter kind of history.
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8. Atri Hot Springs
Atri doesn’t have the drama of a hill station or the crowds of a beach; it offers something simpler: warmth, literally. The geothermal springs bubble steadily, surrounded by greenery and long-standing local belief in their healing properties. Combine it with Hatigada Dam nearby for a calm afternoon. This is a weekend for people who want to be still, soak in natural heat, and come back feeling a little lighter.
9. Nandankanan Zoological Park & Botanical Garden
Nandankanan is one of those places you think is “just for kids” until you actually go as an adult and realise how expansive and layered it is. Safari zones, a lake that shifts colour with the light, a butterfly garden that feels like someone shook a palette, and the soothing sprawl of the Botanical Garden next door. It’s wholesome without being boring and perfect if you want to spend the weekend out in the open in Bhubaneswar without travelling too far.
10. Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary & Deras Dam
Chandaka is the secret wild edge and one of the most entertaining weekend getaways from Bhubaneswar. Forest trails twist through elephant corridors, birds dart across pathways, and the canopy dips low enough to filter sunlight into dappled shapes. Deras Dam, tucked inside the sanctuary, is the kind of place where mornings feel like pure cinema with mist over water, quiet roads, and just enough wilderness to make you feel alive without scaring you. It is a great pick for nature lovers and anyone who needs a lungful of green.
You don’t need long weekends or elaborate itineraries here. A tank full of fuel, a willing friend, or even a solo playlist is enough. These ten weekend getaways from Bhubaneswar sit right around the city, waiting for the exact moment when you decide that “I need a break” isn’t a dramatic statement, it’s just good planning.
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