Canberra is such a great city for families, with lots of museums, activities and outdoor spaces for kids (and parents). I’ve taken the family there a few times now, and it’s the perfect city for a weekend getaway. My kids are one and three, so I purposely sought out attractions to suit this age along with activities that my husband and I would enjoy. Here is what I think is the perfect and affordable weekend in Canberra itinerary.
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Getting to Canberra
For this itinerary, you need a car; if you don’t own one, I recommend getting a rental car. Though it’s easy to get to Canberra by train from Sydney, once you’re there, it’s much more convenient to have a car to get around.
Where to Stay in Canberra
Canberra has lots of great family-friendly accommodation, including apartments and kid-friendly hotels. For this trip, we stayed at Ovolo Nishi, a stylish 5-star hotel that welcomes families. Ovolo Nishi has both apartments and hotel rooms, and can provide extra beds and cots, along with high chairs in the restaurant.
Ovolo Nishi is located in the heart of the vibrant NewActon precinct, which means you are within walking distance of Lake Burley Griffin, numerous museums, parks and great places to eat.
Read my review of Ovolo Nishi here.
If you’re looking for more economical accommodation, then Alivio Tourist Park Canberra and Forrest Hotel & Apartments are good options.
Canberra Itinerary for Families
Day 1: Friday Afternoon & Evening
Get on the road to Canberra as early as possible. If you’re travelling from Sydney, it takes around three hours and 30 minutes in the car, but longer if you’re driving in rush hour. For my kids, that’s too long to do in one go, so we break up the journey with a few stops. On the way down, I recommend stopping in the Southern Highlands. A quick detour off the highway and you’ll be in Berrima, a beautiful little country town with excellent food options and a great playground. Gumnut Patisserie is highly recommended.
Once in Canberra, have dinner at Ovolo Nishi’s restaurant, Monster Kitchen & Bar. It’s a relaxed atmosphere with lots of kid-friendly options on the menu, including a very affordable kids’ menu. Alternatively, a short walk away are Rebel Rebel for rustic share plates and La Biccicleta for Italian.
Day 2: Saturday
After breakfast at the hotel, or one of the nearby cafes like Mocan and Green Grout or The Cupping Room, jump in the car and drive across the bridge and park at Questacon. This is the National Science and Technology Centre of Australia, and one of the must-do activities in Canberra for kids. The museum opens at 9am, so assuming you’re up early like we always are with toddlers, you’ll have time for a walk along the lakefront before hand. The walkway is paved and flat, so perfect for strollers.
Questacon is packed with interactive exhibits, experiments, and hands-on fun for kids of all ages. Some of the exhibitions change throughout the year, and during our recent trip, the 0-6 year old section was Mini Q (soon to be closed for redevelopment). This area is designed specifically for curious toddlers with lots of interactive experiences, including water play and a construction zone. There was also a huge LEGO exhibition on, along with regular exhibitions like the Q Lab and Earth Zone. You could spend a full day here, but for young kids, a morning is plenty. This is a ticketed museum, and children under age four are free to enter.
From Questacon, walk back to the lake for lunch. There are a couple of eateries here, and if you’re visiting on a Saturday, there is a market with food stalls too. We ordered from the Fricken Chicken van at The Jetty and enjoyed a poke bowl by the water.
If you’re keen for more museum action, walk to the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. For children, there is Play Up, a free hands-on exhibition with craft, stories, role play and games. If your kids nap at lunchtime like mine, then you can take a free guided tour of Old Parliament House while they sleep in the pram. These last 45 minutes and take place regularly throughout the day.
After a morning indoors, spend the afternoon in the fresh air at the Australian National Botanic Gardens. This beautiful spot has over 70,000 native plants, with trails and walkways. The kids loved looking out for birds, visiting the bee hotel and climbing over the rocks and stepping stones. There is also a lovely cafe for an afternoon caffeine fix.
In the evening, choose one of Canberra’s many restaurants for dinner. Family-friendly options include Lazy Su for Asian share plates, the CBD Dumpling House for delicious yum cha, or head to Fyshwick for tapas and wines at The Contentious Character, or burgers at Capital Brewing Co.
If you want to keep the costs down, another good option is to cook your own dinner on one of the free public barbecues by the lake.
Day 3: Sunday
Start the day at the National Arboretum, an eight-minute drive west of the CBD. This hillside collection of forests and gardens features over 44,000 rare and endangered trees across a 250-hectare site with beautiful views of the city. The main reason to visit with young kids is the excellent Pod Playground, featuring huge acorns for the kids to climb in and out of and explore. The playground opens as early as 6am during daylight savings, and 7am the rest of the year, so it is perfect for early risers.
The Village Centre has a cafe, and there’s also the National Bonsai & Penjing Collection of Australia. If you fancy a hike, the Arboretum has over 20 km of multi-purpose, family-friendly walking and cycling tracks. We were there in April this trip, and the colours of the autumn leaves were stunning.
Head back into Canberra city centre to the National Museum of Australia. This free museum has plenty of interactive displays for younger visitors (and for adults). There is a great play area for under fives called the Discovery Centre, which tells stories from Australian history, each one encouraging different types of play. For babies, the projected ocean floor is a fantastic experience. The First Nations exhibition is also well worth seeing.
You’ll most likely want to be back on the road at this point, and if you’re heading back towards Sydney, I recommend stopping at Fedra Olive Grove, located about 45 minutes north of Canberra on the M23. There is a lovely cafe here, along with a playground, and you can buy their olives to take home with you. (The cafe closes at 4pm).
Other Things to Do in Canberra with Kids
- The National Dinosaur Museum – One of Australia’s largest permanent collections of dinosaur fossils and interactive exhibits.
- Canberra Reptile Zoo – Get hands-on with snakes, lizards, frogs, and more in this kid-friendly and educational reptile experience.
- Cockington Green Gardens – Wander through beautifully landscaped miniature villages from around the world.
- Canberra Walk-in Aviary – Feed and interact with over 500 free-flying birds in a walk-in tropical aviary.
- Mount Ainslie Lookout – Drive (or hike) to this iconic viewpoint for sweeping views over Canberra and beyond.
- Lake Burley Griffin Walk – A scenic and stroller-friendly 5km loop with water views, ducks, sculptures, and playgrounds.
- GoBoat Canberra – Hire a self-drive electric boat for a picnic on the lake. Safe, eco-friendly and license-free—a calm, fun way to explore the water as a family.
- National Zoo & Aquarium – See native and exotic animals up close. Don’t miss the animal encounters and the scenic views from the zoo’s elevated boardwalks.
- Parliament House – Explore the heart of Australian democracy. Free tours, engaging exhibitions, and a great lawn for a post-visit picnic.
