Canberra Tourism"Canberra tourism is THE place for Museums and Culture! This place grows on you!"
Canberra is the official capital of Australia and is the largest Australian inland city. It is however only the 8th largest city overall. Many Melbourners or Sydney Siders often look at you slightly strangely when you mention that you are going to Canberra. It has a reputation for being a bit boring and quite frankly this just isn't true. It is certainly very different from its cousins Melbourne and Sydney but offers the visitor something very unique that the other cities just don't have - Amazing Muesums. The other thing that makes it different is that Canberra is is a totally planned city. It became the official capital of Australia in 1908 when no consensus could be made between Melbourne or Sydney for capital city. A famous architect Burley Griffin, won the honour of landscaping the city and the design was heavily influenced by the garden movement. As a result, Canberra tourism boasts plenty of greenery and areas of lush vegetation. Given its inland position, Canberra is surrounded by rolling hills and beautiful countryside. It's a great place to bring your bike or enjoy some lovely walks From here its not that far to the Snowy Mountains (2 hour drive – 120km) where you can ski during winter – Perisher Blue and Threadbo are the most well known. In the summer there are also great things to do in the mountains including cycling, kayaking and bush walking. The flowers are particularly beautiful in the summer months. 
These days Canberra tourism is most well known for its museums. This is the place for you if you want to learn more about Australian culture, wars, science, and art. It has an astonishing number of museums for you to explore. Not only that, they are absolutely great. They are very well thought out and interactive. Head less than an hour out of the city and you will find Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve and Namadgi National Park where you can explore the great outdoors. Alternatively, enjoy the Poachers Trail which takes you through over 140 vineyards and over 30 wineries. You can enjoy some excellent farm products here too. There really is lots to do in and around the
Canberra Tourism
area.
When To ComeGiven most people visit the Canberra tourism area for its museums, you can visit all year round. It can get uncomfortably hot In the peak of summer but is a good stop off if you intend to drive between Sydney and Melbourne. Due to its inland location, Canberra is either very hot or very cold so ensure you pack the right items of clothing depending on the season. The famous Canberra tourism Hot Air Balloon Festival takes place over a 2 week period in March each year. The take off and landing of all the balloons is a fantastic spectacle. Usually on a Saturday at dawn, you’ll have to get up early to see it. In Spring there is also a beautiful flower show where fields of tulips and more are displayed. This is usually held in September/October.
Getting There And How Long To StayCanberra has an international airport so you can fly here from most Australian cities. It’s about a 3 hour drive from Sydney and 6 hours from Melbourne if you prefer to explore by car. Allow at least 3 days to see the Canberra tourism sites so you can do it properly. You may decide you need longer if you really get into the museum thing or want to spend more time doing the Poachers Trail. My advice would be to spend a day in the city being a culture vulture and pick one or two of the museums you like the sound of most. Then spend a day in the nearby green areas where you can cycle or bush walk. Or, be more adventurous and try kayaking or mountain biking. On the third day, visit the wineries and enjoy the Poachers Trail. See the section below for more details.
Getting AroundIf you intend to get out of the city itself then I'd suggest getting a car. Most travellers arrive by car anyway. Due to the city being purpose built, things are very spread out making it hard to walk between attractions. A car with Sat Nav would be ideal and as you get closer to the attractions, everything is well signposted. There is a very good bus service run by ACTION. They have special off peak day travel cards for tourists and its easy to get around the city visiting the various sights. There are also lots of bike tracks and if the hills get too much for you, hop on a bus with built in bike racks and you can ride for free.
What to See and DoExplore the museums: What's visually stunning is standing at New Parliament house and being able to see in one straight line the old Parliament house, and the War Memorial. It's worth coming to the New Parliament building just to capture this view. Canberra Tourism at its best! If I only had a day or two in Canberra, I would pick the first two museums on this list and then try and squeeze a third in if had time. I'd then go to the lake or go up the Telstra tower. You can take a tour of New Parliament House. You can even sit in when Parliament is in session and get to understand how it all works. There are guided tours, usually in the afternoon that are very informative. Make sure you visit the rooftop for stunning views over Canberra. I'd allow 45 mins tops to see this classic Canberra tourism attraction. The Australia War Memorial will give you full details on Australia’s participation in the wars over the ages. There is a shrine, museum and archive facility in the same building. This is probably one of the best museums in Canberra and probably Australia. It is so well done and very interesting. I know you are probably thinking "it's not for me, I hate war things", but trust me! Visit this one. You won't be disappointed. Get to understand Australian culture at the National Museum of Australia. Used an aboriginal grinding stone and hear interesting stories of our heritage. This is probably the most popular of the Canberra tourism attractions. Enjoy room after room of interesting art at the National Gallery of Australia. From indigenous art to modern Australian design, there will be something for everyone’s taste in this museum. Don’t miss the Sculpture garden which has a special fog exhibition where you can walk through the fine mist. It’s open on warm days before 2pm. Another great Canberra tourism attraction. If you want to find out more about your own history or trace relatives then head to the National Library where you can browse the archives. The National Science and Technology Centre is a very interactive experience and a great one if you have kids. The Institute of Sport lets you take guided tours with elite athletes. You can study Australia’s sporting achievements and have a go yourself. If you’d rather go star gazing then head to Canberra Space Dome and Conservatory after 6pm (not open Mondays) Explore the Green Given the design of Canberra and Canberra tourism area, there are plenty of beautiful green spaces to explore. Head just 10 minutes out of the city in any direction and you will stumble upon beautiful walking tracks. You can get a full list from the Canberra visitors centre. Lake Burley Griffin (named after the architect of Canberra) is also a lovely place to watch the world go by, take a walk, picnic, boat, kayak or ride a bike. From Black Mountain you can see great views over Canberra. You can visit the viewing tower and revolving restaurant in the Telstra tower. The nearest National Park is Narmadgi and has lots of walking tracks. The two most popular tracks are Yerabi and Square Rock. Both offer picturesque views and the second takes in aboriginal rock art. The park’s main hub is Tharwa and is a good place to start and pick up any information on the walks etc. This park also runs into Kosciuszko National Park at the South East side. Mount Koscuiszko is the tallest peak in Australia and can be climbed for the real adventure lovers out there. Head 40 minutes out and you will find Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. This is a chance to get up close and personal to some of Australia’s wildlife. It’s also a spiritual aboriginal place. Enjoy Fine Wine and Food on the Poachers Trail The official start to the trail is at Hall just 15km north of the city. If you are here on the first Sunday of the month then make sure you visit the farm market here in Hall. You can stock up on some amazing wine and local produce like breads and chutneys. From here the trail takes you through many vineyards and wineries. The key towns are Murrumbateman, Yass and Gundaroo. Each one worth of a stop off and wander around. The best wineries to visit are Clonakilla, Jeir Creek and Wimbaliri and Lambert Vineyards. The area is especially famous for its sangiovese, riesling, chardonnay, pinot noir and shiraz. There are also plenty of galleries and interesting craft shops to visit including Bungendore Wood Works Gallery, Geranium House and Bison Pottery. If you want to enjoy some nice food then try Poachers Pantry or Silo Bakery. There are lots of lovely cafes though to choose from.
Where to stayHotels in the centre of Canberra Tourism area Diamant Hotel a boutique hotel getting good reviews. Hyatt Hotel Canberra – best location for museums and has an old world charm. Come for high tea if you can’t afford to stay here. Personal Recommendation: Another option is to stay in one of the suburbs. I find the city centre a bit soul-less, particularly at weekends. We stayed in Kingston in a lovely 2 bed apartment. This suburb is very close to New Parliament House so is fine if you intend to hire a car. There is a lovely row of shops, cafes and restaurants right outside the hotel. It was buzzing in the evening and we got a real sense of what Canberra is really like. Budget Poachers Trail The Globe Inn Where To EatMost of the restaurants are on Garema Place or Bunda Street in the heart of the Canberra tourism area. You are bound to find something you like down here. Here are a few cafes etc to look out for on your travels For Cocktails try As per earlier try the suburb of Kingston for some lovely local restaurants including Thai, Italian, Vietnamese and Seafood. For a more traditional pub atmosphere Show me more Australian Cities Take me back to the real australia travel home page
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