Assuming that you are arriving in South Mumbai in the first half of the day, few options for hotel stay are given below :

• Hotel Options @Colaba
  • Gulf Hotel (Approx INR 1400/- per night)
  • Garden Hotel (Approx INR 2000/- per night)
  • Strand Hotel (Approx INR 3500/- per night)
• Hotel Options @Dadar
  • City Guest House (Approx INR 1500/- per night)
  • Ramee Guestline (Approx INR 2250/- per night)
  • Kohinoor ATC (Approx INR 3550/- per night)

Explore More Hotels in Mumbai

• You may have breakfast in the city. Some options are -
• Breakfast Options @Colaba-
  • Kyani & Co - Famous for its Parsi food, Omelette and Bhurjee Pav are recommended.
• Breakfast Options @Prabhadevi-
  • Prarthana Pure Veg - Both North and South Indian food available.

The Gateway of India: It is recommended to start your exploration with this famous monument. If you are not already in Colaba, then you can get down at CST or Churchgate and take a cab or shared taxi from there. The Gateway was built in the early 20th century for the King and Queen of England. There is no entry fees for the monument and it remains open throughout the day.

The Taj Mahal Palace hotel is right opposite the Gateway of India and you can witness its magnificent architecture. It is a very popular photography spot  for tourists with the marvellous Taj in the background. 

The Afghan Church located in Colaba can be explored and you can take a stroll around the Colaba causeway. There are a number of street shops where you can find books, clothes, artificial/costume jewellery, etc. at a cheap price. This entire area is one of the oldest in Mumbai & walking here is an activity in itself.

Lunch Options @Colaba Causeway - 

• Bademiya - Well known for Mutton Kebabs.
• Cafe Mondegar - Historic cafe also known for its wall sketches by Mario Miranda. Veg and Non-Veg Foods are available here.
• Olympia - Street food style outlet famous for Mughlai food.
• Kailash Parbat - Famous for its Vegetarian food.
   

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS): The museum is located in the Kala Ghoda area which is about 10 minutes walking distance from the Gateway of India in the Kala Ghoda area was earlier known as the Prince of Wales Museum. It is one of the biggest museums in India and houses many ancient artefacts and sculptures.

• Timings - 10 AM to 5 PM
• Ticket Cost - INR 50/-
• Duration - 2 hours

Kala Ghoda Statue: The statue and its surroundings form the art district of Mumbai where the CSMVS is also located. This area hosts the Kala Ghoda Festival in February each year. One can visit other museums and galleries located nearby such as  NGMA, DAG and Jehangir Art Gallery.

While walking down from Kala Ghoda to Hutatma Chowk, you can enjoy photography & capture the beautiful architectural marvels such as the University of Mumbai, Rajabai Tower, State Central Library and Flora Fountain On the way, the experience of the fast moving vehicles, vibrant crowds of Mumbaikars moving between offices and Local Railway Stations on working days is enthralling. 

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus: It was earlier known as Victoria Terminus (VT). This historic station, dating from 1878, is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its iconic colonial British architecture and one of the most magnificent and renowned buildings of Mumbai. You can come here just before the evening and spend an hour here taking pictures and looking at the surrounding buildings (BMC or GPO). There is also a separate area for taking selfie pictures.

Just opposite CSMT station, you can enjoy Vada Pav at Aram, a popular Vada Pav centre.
You can also relish Pav Bhaji at Cannon, a famous Pav Bhaji centre.
A Kala Khatta stall serves you the Kala Khatta Sharbat which has a unique taste. 

In the evening you can stroll around Marine Drive which is about 1 km from CST. Marine Drive is known for its long promenade around the sea and gives an charismatic view. Also, the sunset colors in the sky are worth witnessing and cherishing.

You can also go to the Girgaon Chowpatty area located in the northern side of Marine Drive. The street food is a must-try here along with Barf Gola (Ice Candy) and Kulfi. There are also people who give head massages on the beach itself and one can try this out as well.
 

After spending quality time with your family or friends, you may choose your dinner options from below:

• Dinner Options @Marine Drive -
  • Status Restaurant - A Veg restaurant, famous for its Gujarati Thali, South Indian and North Indian Food.
  • Shivsagar - Famous restaurant for Veg Thali and South Indian food.
  • Vanakkam Vihar - Best for South Indian food opposite Opera House theatre.
  • Crystal Hotel - Known for its simple North Indian menu opposite Chowpatty.

You may explore food stalls that have local items as well at Girgaum Chowpatty itself.

Overnight Stay at Accommodation

Start your day a bit early, approx 7:30 AM. You may have breakfast in the city. Some options are -

Breakfast Options @Colaba- 

• Leopold Cafe - Historic cafe well known for Continental food.
• Sahakari Bhandar - South Indian food.

Breakfast Options @Prabhadevi- 

• Kamat - South Indian Food
• Chai pe Charcha - Maharashtrian and north indian breakfast place.

Elephanta caves: You can take a ferry that leaves every 30 minutes from the The Gateway of India (Apollo Bunder). 

You can reach the Gateway via shared cab from CSMT or Churchgate Station. The ferry takes around 1 hour to reach the island, and from the jetty, a further 30 mins walk is needed to reach the caves.

• The caves are around 2000 years old and have Buddhist stupas in addition to Hindu stone sculptures dedicated to Lord Shiva. You can spend around 1-1.5 hours here exploring the caves. The last ferry leaves from the island at 5 PM. It is ideal to take the noon ferry back to Mumbai. 
  • Timings 9:30 AM to 5 PM
  • Ticket Cost - INR 150/- for round trip ferry and INR 40/- for entry. (150 + 600 for foreigners)

 After returning to Gateway of India, you can explore lunch options as below: 

Lunch Options @Apollo Bunder-

• Delhi Durbar - Well known for Mughlai food.
• Cafe Paris - Chinese/Punjabi food available here. Both veg and non-veg.

After lunch, you can explore the Crawford Market which is  the Fort Area, and one of the biggest shopping markets of South Mumbai and you can shop for food items, groceries, clothes, household goods here. You will also find rare and imported items here. 

After shopping around you can visit the Mumba Devi temple which is near Crawford Market. It is believed that Mumbai derives its name from this historic temple. 

In the evening, you can walk around Khotachi Wadi, an area in Girgaum. It is one of the last remaining old villages of Mumbai and the small quaint village houses in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city is a nice surprise to see.

Dinner Options in a radius of 4-5 km around Girgaum- 

• Sardar Pav Bhaji - Well known for Fast food and its famous pav bhaji
• Swati Snacks- Famous for Gujarati snacks.
• High Street Phoenix - Lots of options in this mall. 
• Panshikar Aahaar - Popular for Maharashtrian food

• After dinner, one can see the beautiful Opera House theatre from the outside. One can visit the Worli Sea Face and sit/stroll around on the promenade and look at the Bandra Worli Sea Link. The bridge is built on the sea connects these 2 suburbs of Mumbai because of which it has become an icon of the city.
• After Dinner, you may also explore Paan at Muchhad Paan at Mumbai Central and also, ice cream at Naturals near Mumbai Central station.

Overnight stay at Accommodation.

Have breakfast in the city early in the morning.

• Breakfast Options @ Fort -
• Britannia - Historic Irani cafe.
• Jyothi Lunch Home  -Simple breakfast items available.
• The Nutcracker - Famous for its egg dishes.

In the morning, you can visit the Walkeshwar and Banganga temple area and then Hanging Gardens located in Malabar Hill area. The terraced, landscaped garden is an attraction in itself. (Timings 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.)

After Hanging Gardens, you can visit The Babulnath temple.
Mahalakshmi Temple - One of the most visited temples in Mumbai, situated on the seashore where people can also enjoy the beauty of the sea, sitting on the rocks, after Darshan.

From here, you can go directly to Haji Ali Dargah : 500-year-old dargah situated on a small island connected to Mumbai via a small causeway and is one of Mumbai’s most famous religious places.

Nehru Centre, Worli - This is a cultural centre with galleries and a permanent exposition of Discovery of India. The cylindrical structure built here is the centre of attraction.

Nehru Planetarium, Worli - If you are an astronomy enthusiast, Nehru Planetarium in Mumbai is your place to go. It features a white dome, which is stunningly spectacular. (Timings 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ticket Cost - INR 100/-)

Nehru Science Centre, Worli - This is a science museum which houses numerous scientific exhibits and interactive experiments to develop scientific temper in people of all age groups especially students.

Siddhivinayak Temple is located in Prabhadevi and is about 6 km from Nehru Planetarium. It is one of Maharashtra’s iconic Ganesh Temples and a must-visit if you are in Mumbai. (Timings 5:30 a.m. to 9:50 p.m.)

You may have lunch at Prabhadevi or Dadar.
Lunch Options -

• Hotel Chaitanya - Malvani sea food
• Gypsy Corner - Veg Marathi food - Spl. Dalimbi Usal, Pithla Bhakri
• Sindh Hindu Restaurant - Good for fast food
• Cafe Madras - Famous for South Indian dishes, you can try Neer Dosa here.
• Ekadashi Upahargruha - Local Maharashtrian food items are available here.

After lunch, you can head back to your accommodation or continue your onward journey as per your travel plans.