Bathinda forms one of the most ancient towns across the whole of Punjab with historical roots that go as far back as 7000 BC. The city was named after the famous Bhati Rajput ruler, Bala Rao Bhatti when it was initially formed in 965 AD. One of the significant battles of yore, the fight between Mughals and Guru Gobind Singh, took place at this very place. As is familiar with every city in Punjab, Bathinda lures tourists with its cultural and historical heritage. Tourists can either stroll through refreshing gardens, explore exciting wildlife parks, step into age-old sacred shrines, or shop at busy street markets when in town. Let us take a look at the different things to do when tourists find themselves within range of Bathinda's scenic landscapes.

Bir Talab Zoo is a scenic sanctuary that spans a 161-acre expanse within the city of Bathinda. Initially built in 1978, the zoo has remained popular among local groups for its excellent collection of gardens and lawns. The highlights of the Bir Talab Zoo include the splendid bird enclosure and the deer zone. Several fascinating birds such as Red Munia, Peacocks, White Sparrow, Indian Peafowl, Parakeets, Parrots, Cockatiel, Budgerigar, and Pigeons thrive amidst the picturesque landscape of Bir Talab Zoo. Apart from birds, this sanctuary is known to house rare species of deer, such as the blackbuck, spotted deer, and sambar deer, within its compounds. Tourists can also spot exciting varieties of flora, such as bamboo, teak, shisham, khair, and flowered amaltas.

Bathinda Lake offers tourists with a rejuvenating atmosphere, amidst which they can spend one of their mornings or evenings in Bathinda. The tranquil waters of this lake create a pleasing view for those who visit the banks of the lake. Couples often find this tourist place a romantic spot thanks to the beautiful surroundings and clean environment. Within the vicinity, visitors can also find a small garden studded with exciting rides for kids to explore. Tourists can also take up boating rides across the lake to witness the flow of beautiful waters close up. Some of the adrenaline-boosting activities that visitors can partake in a while at Bathinda Lake include paragliding, boating, and parasailing. Tourists can either experience extreme comfort atop a Shikara ride or witness a calming influence on a walk past the lake banks.

Situated within touching distance of Bathinda's thermal plant, Rose Garden is famous for its beautiful surroundings. This garden boasts of a beautiful collection of eye-catching roses across its terrain. Spanning 10 acres, Rose Garden nurtures flowering as well as non-flowering plants. Local authorities have also built a cemented track that runs through its abundant vegetation and provides natives as well as tourists with a refreshing spot for morning walks and jogging ventures. The site known as Mini AppuGhar offers kids with thrilling rides such as Bumpy slides, Mini Train, and Coulombs. The sight of several variants of the rose blooming across the garden's grasslands creates a refreshing picture to the eye of every visitor to Rose Garden.

Maiser Khana Temple is a sacred shrine of Bathinda devoted to Hindu Goddesses, Shri Jwaalaji, and Shri Durga. Ancient folklore related to this temple narrates the story of a human going by the name of "Kamal," who served a steadfast penance for not being able to fulfill his pilgrimage duties. It is believed that the man experienced divine apparitions from Goddess Durga in acknowledgment of his unwavering devotion. The local inhabitants now commemorate these sacred visions that the man witnessed by celebrating two festivals every year during Ashtami. Tourists can partake in activities such as singing hymns for religious worship and mingling with people of different cultures that visit the Maiser Khana shrine.

Located approximately 15 km away from the central part of Bathinda, Lakhi Jungle is a beautiful forest. An exciting highlight of this jungle is the sacred gurudwara that resides here, which is believed to be looked over by the Shri Guru Nanak Dev, the founding father of Sikhism. At this very gurudwara, the great Sikh guru enumerated around 1 lakh holy paths related to Shri Japuji Sahib. One of the banyan trees in Lakhi Jungle is revered as it may have formed the place of constant abiding for the Sikh saint. The fact that other Sikh saints such as Guru Gobind Singh and Guru Teg Bahadur also spent time at Lakhi Jungle adds even more impetus to its sacred stature. Followers of Sikhism would find divine intervention being around such a peaceful forest area and a holy gurudwara vicinity.

Located in the older half of Bathinda, Gandhi Market is a famous shop stop for tourists as well as local inhabitants. The market is studded with a multitude of street stalls and shops, which include electronic-repairing centers, warehouses, book shops, eating joints, gift stalls, boutiques, and pharmacies. Gandhi Market is one of the busiest shopping hubs in all of Bathinda and attracts shoppers to its busy streets every day. When tourists are done with their shopping, they can walk into one of the several eateries located on these streets to taste delicious Punjabi street food. The broad range of items available in the shopping stores of Gandhi Market can include trendy silk sarees as well as exciting gift items to take back home for loved ones.

Chill-O-Thrill Water Park is perfectly placed within the Bhucho Khurd area of Bathinda. Tourists, as well as local inhabitants, can spend their weekends at this splendid water park and go through exciting chills and thrills of water rides. Chill-O-Thrill Water Park has land as well as water rides spread across a vast expanse and equipped with high-end technology. The main swimming pool at the park cleverly has its water distributed across the several rides that prevail here. It is an exceptional experience to get into the waters when the famed wave pool reverberates across the water park. Tourists can also engage in tons of fun and frolic by shaking a leg to the full range of music played by the in-house DJ at Chill-O-Thrill Water Park.

The eye-catching natural beauty of Jogger's Park in Bathinda makes it one of the most beautiful parks in the whole of Punjab. The garden boasts of two splendid tracks across its expanse, one for joggers and one for cyclists. The authorities at the premises offer visitors with options to rent bicycles and cycle throughout the lush greenery of the garden. The best part of the trees that flourish across the park is that they provide a soothing canopy for enthusiastic riders from the sweltering sunlight. With benches available for seating and grasslands providing for seating arrangements as well, the park is a bright tourist spot. The presence of abundant vegetation makes the Joggers Park a photographers' paradise.

Bhagwan Chat Corner is a beautiful reserve of the mouth-watering street food that prevails across the city of Bathinda. The usual Indian food items found across the streets of Bathinda include Dal Vada, Dahi Bhalla, and Aloo Tikki. Other than these delicacies, frequent visitors of Bhagwan Chat Corner would also have a special place in their hearts reserved for the Punjabi Tikki of Bathinda. Several Punjabi natives, as well as tourists, throng the restaurant regularly in search of some of the lip-smacking cuisines of the state of Punjab. The cheerful friendliness of the hotel staff at Bhagwan Chat Corner only adds to its already commendable customer-alluring traits.

Pammi's National Bakers is a splendid bakery situated within the Model Town area of Bathinda. This small eatery provides tourists as well as local inhabitants with tasty varieties of pastries and cakes. The joint also offers a varied assortment of snacks items and appetizers meant for tea time. The authorities have created an ambiance that suits the cheerful get-togethers that youngsters usually indulge in with friends. Pammi's National Bakers has gradually progressed to become the prominent producer of biscuits in the region thanks to its high-quality ancestral ways of working. Tourists will find foods such as Aloo Chat and Chhole Bhature available at reasonable prices. The highlight of the bakery, however, is its famous Pineapple Pastries.