1. Srinagar
Srinagar is main tourist destination in Kashmir valley. It's famous for beautiful lakes and some Mugal gardens. Srinagar attracts honeymooner for his romantic Houseboat and Shikara ride in Dal lake. Apart from Dal Lake City is also famous for Nigeen lake, Wular lake and Manasbal lake. Wular lake is one of the largest fresh water lakes in Asia. Some beautiful gardens are Chashma Shahi, Pari Mahal, Nishat Bagh, Shalimar Bagh and the Naseem Bagh. The Shankaracharya Temple on the hilltop in the middle of the city are important Hindu temples in the city. The Hazratbal Shrine is famous and important place for Muslim pilgrimage.
2. Gulmarg
Gulmarg ("Meadow of Flowers") is popular skiing destination in Kashmir. It's situated 50KM (less than 2 hour drive) east from Srinagar. You can enjoy the Gondola ride to reach the top of the hills. December to Mid of March are the best time to visit Gulmarg for winter sport and skiing. If you are planning to go Kashmir in summer, then Alpather Lake in Gulmarg is the best place for you. It's just 13 KM from Gulmarg. The best time to visit Alpather Lake is during the summer months from May till September. The lake is frozen in winter months from November till February.
3. Sonamarg
Sonamarg is another main tourist place in Kashmir and famous for its Thajiwas Glacier. It's located 80KM from Srinagar on Srinagar-Leh Highway. In late April when Sonamarg is open for road transport, the visitors can have access to snow, which is furnished all over like a white carpet. Ponies can be hired for the trip up to Thajiwas glacier a major attraction during the summer months.
4. Pahalgam
Srinagar to Pahalgam is around 88KM. Pahalgam is popular tourist destination because of beautiful valley. Pahalgam is also the base camp for annual Amarnath Yatra in the month of July and August. Betaab Valley is a very famous tourist spot situated at a distance of 15 kilometers from Pahalgam. This valley is very beautiful with its fresh flowing Lidder River and surrounding snow-covered mountains. Golf course in city is also major tourist spot in Pahalgam.
5. Yousmarg
It is situated 47 km south of Srinagar in west. Yusmarg has a great scope for adventure tourism. Doodganga a river flows through this meadow. On the way to Yousmarg you will pass numerous apple trees as well the town of Charar-i-Sharief. It's worth stopping there as its home to one of the most holy Sufi Muslim shrines in India. A trek of 4 km leads to a small Lake named as Nilnag surrounded by pine trees. Another 10 km trek leads to the most interesting lake the frozen lake in Sang-e-Safed valley, most portion of this lake is covered by ice even during the summer.