The small, calm hill town of Ooty has grown around the Race Course with pine and eucalyptus trees all round it. It is also a town of tea and coffee, flowers and fruits. Cottage-shaped houses have got red tiles over them. The town is mainly divided in two parts: Bus Stand and rail station are set up to the west of race course in the heart of the town, the lake being its principal attraction. Horses race here during the monsoon. Some 2 km, away tourists through around Charring Cross where Botanical Gardens is located. Charring Cross is full of shops, restaurants, and hotels. The tourist office is on the opposite side of Tourist Home on Commercial Road . At the head of the market place Sulivan's Stone House has now been made the residence of the Principal of the Art College . Ooty's Summer Festival is an attractive event held in May at the century old Assembly Room at Garden Road . The Rose Garden is five steps down the slope I km towards the lake where this garden was made in 1995 on a plot of 12 acre of land. The place allures the tourists for its 2000 types of roses.
Some 2 km left of the colorful Ooty rail station located the Botanical Garden established in 1847, which is 2250 m above sea level. Innumerable number of flowers and plants are found in the garden. For instance eucalyptus trees of 35 types, over 100 types of roses, 650 types of other trees and plants are there in the garden spread over an area of 51 acre. Flower Show in held is every May. The 20 million year old fossil (tree) will also attract the tourists. Adjacent to the garden is the Raj Bhawan on Doddabetta Hill, built in 1877 by the Duke of Buckingham.
Othakkaimanthu village is situated above Botanical Garden. This 'one stone village' in the language of the tribal people living here might have given the present name of Ootacamund. Some 3000Toda tribes live here and they are steadily declining in number. Their origin is unknown. They built their houses like the Igloos of the Eskimos, Boa or their temple is a thatched dome made of leaves and straw. They worship buffalos and still practice polyandry. However, they are now scattered in the hill. Cement as a building material is now being used by them.
Ooty Lake is I km behind bus stand and railway station. It is thriving with activities and entertaining the tourists. In-house video games, riding toy trains and horse-riding by the lake sides, rowing and boating in the 2.5 km long oval shaped lake with blueish water will definitely prove to be a popular pastime for the tourists. For some it will be a romantic outing. Floating (boat) merchants hawk their materials to boating tourists. This manmade lake was the creation of John Sulivan who built a dam on the falls to supply water to the farms. Children's Park in the midst of the lake is another place of attraction for its musical light. To the right of the bus stand the Aquarium and Museum. Anna Indoor Stadium on the Ooty Hill has got variety of games. Every year devout come here on 3 May to attend the Feast of the Cross festival. The cross is a part of the wooden piece on which Jesus Christ was crucified. The cemetery in the adjacent area and near that is situated Ooty Club (1841), Nilgiri Library (1858). Some 3km from the rail station is the Candle Church . A part from 65 factories, some 20,000 estates produce tea and coffee on the Nilgiri Hill, which should also be visited on was established the cordite factory the Ooty-Coonoor roadway in 1904. Hindustan Photo Films factory, Asia 's biggest in this industry, has been set up on Gudalur bus route 8 km away. Despite all these, Ooty is for the tourists. The area around Charring Cross. Tourists' shopping spots at Ooty are at the cooperative sugar market, municipal market Poompuhar, Toda showroom, Cheralam Departmental Stores. Eucaliptus oil is a must purchase item. Tea, cardamom, clove, cinnamon are all available at the Ooty shops.
Doddabetta 10 km to the east on Kotagiri roadway also possesses scenic beauty. It is 2623 m above sea level. Pykara Falls and the hydroelectric project can also be visited. Doddabetta is the meeting place of the Western Ghat and Eastern Ghat ranges of mountains. From its peak Coonoor, Mettupalayam and Coimbatore are visible and even Mysore can be lighted in a cloudless day. A telescope has been installed at Doddabetta. It will thus be advisable to take the bus at 10 O'clock for Doddabetta, visit Boatnics on way back and walk back to hotel after going around the town. Afternoon, one can go for boating in the lake by autorickshaw or by walking.
Some 17 km away Glen Morgan is reputed for its scenic beauty. The Todas live here. One can visit Power House at Singara 4 km away, with the permission of the Electricity Board. At Pykara 23 km on Ooty-Mysore roadway a dam has been built, water reservoir has been made and electricity being generated. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve has been set up in the natural surrounding. A path has gone deep into the forest through tea plantation to the living zone of Todas and Sholas. Rhododendrons, magnolias, orchids make the way very pleasant. Seeing the wilds like tiger, panther, deer & others is not impossible on the way. Buses go to Pykara from the town. The A valanche river on its way has taken the name after an avalanche of 24 km down from the hill hit the area in 1823. Farther 20 km, down this road the nature lovers' dream spot of Upper Bhavani is situated on the bank of the Bhavani river on the Kerala-Tamilnadu border. From upper Bhavani one can trek to Silent Valley through Sishpara, Bangi, Thappal. From Ooty 40 km away on Mukurti Peaks , 8000 ft above sea level is the national park for the Nilgai herds. Though a forest bungalow exists at Mukurti, it will be advisable to get back to Ooty in the day by jeep.
On the Ooty Hill has got Kalhatti Waterfalls, FrogHill, Cairan Hill, Snowdown and Elk Hill which can be observed by walking around them or by car.
