Historically, Guru Dronacharya has undergone penace (deep meditation/ tapas) here. Sikh Guru – Guru Har Rai came to this beautiful valley in 1675. Currently, there is a popular gurudwara with name Guru Ram Rai Darbar still stands.
All the major Indian festivals are celebrated here. Apart from festivals, Jhande ka Mela (Jhanda fair) is celebrated in DehraDun every year in the month of March, after Holi. On Shivratri, there are fairs organized at Tapkeshwar Shiv Temple. Rajpur location in DehraDun has its own annual nature festival organized, where they organize nature walks, treks and bird watching. Another popular festival celebrated annually in DehraDun is festival to coomemorate Khalanga battle (battle between Gorkhas and Britishers in 1814).
Being the capital of Uttarakhand, DehraDun has seen a lot of developments with popular international hotels opened up recently in the city. The tourists can choose to stay in the hotels depending on the budget and location. Some of the popular names of Hotels in DehraDun are: Hotel Ramada Inn – Located on Chakrata Road, around 2km from clock tower. Hotel Aketa – Located on Rajpur Road. Hotel Madhuban – Located on Rajpur Road.
DehraDun, being a valley, has a lot of nature walks, treks and bird watching opportunities. There are a lots of walking groups, trek groups, cycling groups formed by different communities and groups, to enjoy the nature of city.
DehraDun has a lot of eating joints, including bars, pubs, restaurants and dhabas. The popular ones are: Punjab Grill Restaurant and Bar – Near clock tower, DehraDun Kumar Foods – Near clock tower, DehraDun Black Pepper Restaurant – Astley Hall, DehraDun South Indian Restaurant – Astley Hall, DehraDun Salt and Cravings – Rajpur Road, DehraDun The Punjabi Essence – Rajpur Road, DehraDun Bikaner Wala – Rajpur Road, DehraDun Gulab Restaurant – Rajpur Road, DehraDun
