Popular hangouts in Chandigarh
A city having just the right mix of youthful zeal (of the student population), soaring ambition (of the middle aged, business-suit clad executives) along with the much-needed poise (provided by the senior citizens) has to have all kinds of Hang-outs for all age groups! And the Tricity has them all!!

The number of places worth seeing in Chandigarh is quite large. Few of them have been listed here; and also the major reasons for their popularity:

The Geri Route
Stretching from Sector 10, DAV college and Govt. Arts College to be precise, to sector 11 (the two Govt. colleges), this narrow road is synonymous with harmless bird watching and doing all sorts of lovey-dovey things. Popular among the youngsters for the sheer charm it possesses, this road (technically it is the connecting internal road of sector 10 and 11!) is perhaps the most happening place in Chandigarh as far as the youth-brigade is concerned.
The ‘Geri-crowd’, as the guys and gals roaming here are called, is full of energy, especially in the evening. Abuzz with activity, this route has many popular restaurants, ice-cream parlors, cafes and flower shops situated along it. Hotel Mount view (Sector 10), Barista-11, CCD-11 and Vijay’s Ice cream parlor in sector 10 are some prominent hangouts along the stretch. One has to be there to feel the buzz and know what this word ‘Geri’ actually means!!

Panjab University
It sounds strange when a University campus is listed as a “ Hangout”, but in the city of Chandigarh, if there’s one place that has all the features of a perfect hangout, it is the good old ‘PU’! Visitors to Chandigarh must see the Panjab University Building in sector 14. It has numerous parks and pools all over it, which has enhanced the whole landscape. Capturing the charm of Gandhi Bhavan with a camera is a challenge for first-timers and professional photographers alike.
Tourists are visibly amazed and impressed by the novelty of the innovative and precise design of the University Library Building and the Circular Students Center. The student center is so popular that people of the city call it by a nickname (normally given to a lovable living creature!). The nickname is “Stu-Cee”!
Be there to feel the vibes! For more on PU, Click Here
Sector 17- The Plaza
The heart of Chandigarh lies here, in ‘Seventeen’! All sorts of activities, ranging from shopping, window-shopping (perhaps the most popular of the lot), eating out to harmless flirting, bird watching and sitting idle (yes, that’s an activity too!) can be done here. What makes it even more chilled-out is the fact that it is a Vehicle-free zone (The Plaza, that is).
People across all age groups come here to take part in these activities and have a great time. With the ISBT located in this sector itself, the place is abuzz with activity all the time. Indian Coffee House, Hot Millions, Blue Ice, well.. You name it and… they have it! Click here to know more.

Sector 22- Rehri Market
Shastri Market in sector 22 is popularly known as the Rehri market of ‘Baaiis’ (Hindi for 22). This market is actually a bunch of sheds stacked together like an over-populated beehive, but that is precisely where its charm lies! One can get the best of brands           (fake, obviously! But who cares when you get a pair of ‘Lee’ jeans for as little as 350 rupees?!) and the most fashionable and ‘in’ things inside this very ‘bee-hive’!
Guys and gals, ladies and pot-bellied uncles are all there to buy all sorts of stuff ranging from a pair of Chappals to a Tantra T-shirt to a “100% pure cotton shirt”. Shastri Market is to Chandigarh what Janpath is to Delhi and the Flea Market is to Goa.

Sector 35- the café lane
Starting with the restaurant - 24-hour All time Fusion and ending at Hotel South End, this lane of eateries, bakeries, discotheques and cafes is among the most frequently thronged places in the whole of the Tricity. Lined up along this stretch of SCOs are popular hang-outs like CCD-35 (i.e. Café Coffee Day, Sector 35), Barista-35, Hot millions, Nik’s Bakery and a large number of party-places like The Party, Lattitude (Gravity) and Pind Khushian Da among others.
 This lane is a part of the 34-35-36 route where the youngsters in a bid to woo each other flaunt all kinds of swanky cars, mobikes and branded clothes. Wanna see the youth of Chandigarh in full bloom? Come to “Thirty-five”!

Rock Garden
An epitome of creativity and innovation, this garden stands for the fact that  “Beauty, actually, lies in the eyes of the beholder”. A unique garden that consists of various art objects, this garden is actually made out of the so-called waste products.
Using industrial & urban waste, the creator (Sh. Nek Chand) has made the garden, its artworks, the sculptures, and the beautiful maidens with earthen pots on their heads and each and every waterfall. Nek Chand, who was the then Road Inspector in the Engineering Department of Chandigarh Capital Project, made this dream-like garden.
A fantasy that has been etched in stone (waste, that is), Rock Garden is one hell of a mystery with lots of gates, waterfalls, mazes and all kinds of fun stuff. The innovative Rock garden is a mystique and if you wish to know more about it, click here!
Sukhna Lake
People throng this place in the morning to enjoy the cool breeze and the romantic and serene beauty of nature (Although, the lake is Man-Made!). Sukhna Lake serves as a perfect picnic spot and just the apt place for pursuing water sport activities like boating, yachting and water skiing etc. Meditation is another thing this lake is cut out for. Savoring the delightful and melodious humming of birds, you can unwind and relax each and every one of your nerves. Locals and tourists are all there in the evening to take a boat ride or; just to ‘be there’.
So, if you want to rejuvenate and refresh yourself, this Lake is the perfect destination for you. Take a joy ride in the pedal boat or just walk and let yourself be your own self for a while! For more, click here!
Leisure gardens
Starting from the Fitness Trails in Sector 10 (the Mecca of Fitness Freaks), the garland of gardens has Zakir Rose garden-16, Shanti Kunj-16, Fragrance Garden-36 among other gardens along its route. These gardens serve different purposes for different people. Lovebirds are there to get close and cozy, Fitness freaks come for jogging and stuff like that and the Old-timers are there for a walk and a chat (you might find boisterous laughter clubs and yoga clubs as well!).
These gardens are beautiful, soothing, happening, warm, fresh and romantic, all at the same time. No matter how you look at them, you just cannot deny the fact that the gardens have a life of their own!

The Movie scene
Theatres like Piccadily in Sector 34, Batra in sector 37 and Kiran in Sector 22 are very popular among the cine-goers. Neelam in sector 17 and Nirman in 32 are also good places to be if you want to watch a movie.
Fun Republic (Mani Majra) is the only multiplex at the moment but with the advent of TDI, Ansal and Shalimar malls in the tricity, the number might get to double figures in no time. The people of tricity love watching movies as is evident by the fact that getting tickets on weekends is next to impossible.