Plenty to do in every season

Summer days, drifting away

Summer in Canberra is glorious! With dry, balmy – and sometimes even cool – nights and average daily temperatures peaking around 27°C, conditions are perfect for swimming, lazy afternoon picnics or a sunset cocktail.

Here are our top activities for summer in Canberra:

1. Take a picnic and swim in the Cotter River

Only 25 minutes from the city, the Cotter reserve and other nearby riverside spots are perfect places to head to for a day trip or a camping holiday. Offering places to hike, fish, swim, canoe and more, the Cotter is great for cooling off in the water or lounging under trees on the river bank on cruisy summer days.

2. Explore Braddon

Escape the summer heat with some retail therapy. Just next door to the CBD and a 20-minute walk from the ANU campus is this trendy inner north suburb boasting modern bars, cafes, restaurants and a range of retail shops.

After shopping, visit the Howling Moon – one of Canberra’s best rooftop bars – to enjoy a beverage and stunning sunset views of the Brindabella Mountain range.

3. Get amongst nature

Surrounded by scenic mountains and national parks, not to mention the stunning Lake Burley Griffin at its centre, Canberra offers endless possibilities for outdoor activities during the sunny months.

Pull on your hiking boots (and your hat) for a bushwalk up Black Mountain or a wander through the National Arboretum. Or take a scenic cycle around the lake. Alternatively, hire a paddle boat and enjoy the view from the water or go fishing, kayaking, camping, swimming, mountain biking, and more.

4. Enjoy an open-air cinema

Catch an evening film with friends at the Sunset Cinema, a pop-up open-air movie theatre located in the beautiful National Botanic Gardens throughout the summer. Walking distance from campus, this is a summer evening experience not to be missed. Watch the film or star gaze (or both) while you nibble on snacks and sip a beverage from the bar. Don’t forget your beanbag or deck chair – but if you do, you can hire these when you buy your tickets.

When autumn leaves start to fall

Get your camera ready. The autumn colours in Canberra are a spectacular sight. While you’re out and about enjoying the eye-catching scenery, here are a few autumnal experiences that will keep you enjoying the city as the weather begins to cool:

1. View Canberra from the sky

Early autumn is the time to enjoy Canberra’s Balloon Spectacular from the ground, but you can also opt to take an early morning flight with a glass of champagne in hand. As well as the impressive array of autumnal colours, you’ll see our dawn kayakers and national attractions from above, and the lovely season-turning mist over the lake that will make you shiver a little while wanting to explore what lies beneath.

2. Explore the markets

About a 15-minute light rail ride from the ANU campus, the Capital Region Farmers Market runs every Saturday morning from 7 am at Exhibition Park (fondly known as ‘EPIC’). The region’s biggest farmers market serves everything you need for a lunchtime picnic by the lake or a cosy dinner with friends – as well as a warm and inviting breakfast as you browse.

Imagine the aromas from where you are now: hot roasted nuts, sticky crepes, spicy empanadas, stuffed bagels and buttery burek, not to mention piping hot coffee. Bring a warm coat and scarf and chat with farmers and producers from the surrounding regions.

Alternatively, you can explore the markets nestled among the beautiful pine forest of Haig Park each Sunday morning. Or get yourself across the lake to wander through the stalls at the Old Bus Depot Market in Kingston and discover a range of collectibles, jewellery, crafts, art and tasty food.

3. Get your groove on

The Groovin’ the Moo music festival runs each year in late autumn. With an excellent line-up of performances, it’s worth getting your friends together for an excellent day out. Bring a jumper or jacket for when the evening cools.

4. Get arty

The National Gallery of Australia is one of Canberra's most interesting – and significant – tourist attractions. With 155,000 artworks housed in the Brutalist-style heritage-listed building, it’s a perfect activity for a brisk autumn day. Immerse yourself in visiting exhibitions and the permanent collection, including works by French Impressionists, Surrealists, and Pop Artists and by Indigenous artists. Don’t forget to visit the shop; it’s the perfect place to buy gifts for friends and family and posters to decorate your room – and the coolest magnets for your fridge!

Baby, it's cold outside!

Winter in Canberra gets a bad rap. But there are few other cities in Australia where you can enjoy the spectacular view of snow-capped mountains from your window. Plus, the clear blue skies and warm sunshine make winter in Canberra the best time of year to get out and about.

Here are our top tips for winter activities:

1. Take a day trip to the snow

Embrace winter in all its loveliness on the ski slopes of Thredbo. Only 2.5 hours from Canberra, take your pick from various activities and winter sports. Alternatively, if you’re just beginning or want something closer to home, Corin Forest has a beginner ski slope and is less than an hour south of the city. Murrays Coaches take day trippers up to Thredbo every day during the ski season.

2. Enjoy live entertainment at Smith’s Alternative

You can’t go past Smith’s Alternative for live music and entertainment. Located in the historic Melbourne Building in the heart of Civic, something is happening there almost every day of the year. You'll surely be entertained when you visit, whether by live music, poetry, stand-up comedy, cabaret, theatre performances, or something else.

3. Rug up and sip a warm beverage at Badger & Co.

Winter is a great time to get to know the cosy ANU bar. Open six days a week (they’re closed on Sundays), pop in for a warm drink, bowl of soup with toasty bread and butter or a burger and beer. With plenty of indoor spots to warm your toes, Badger is the ideal place to catch up with large groups of friends when it’s chilly outside.

They say it's spring

Spring is a breath of fresh (and warm) air after the cold Canberra winter ends. Thaw out with our best springtime activities in and around Canberra.

1. Floriade

Springtime in Canberra would be unfinished without a visit to the annual Floriade flower festival. You can enjoy this celebration of gardens, food, entertainment, markets and flowers entirely for free. Floriade Nightfest is also a must. Explore a range of events running after dark, from chilled-out music and wine to burlesque shows and dance parties and ride the Ferris wheel.

2. Explore the best vintage shop around

Dirty Janes in Fyshwick is a treasure trove of antiques. With a cosy café attached and thousands of items to browse through, do yourself—and the planet—a favour and shop vintage. You can also say hello to the resident goats and chickens wandering around the outside veggie gardens.

3. Discover what’s on at Kambri

The Kambri cultural precinct on the ANU campus hosts events all year round, including live music, debates, meet-the-author events and more. Its beautiful outdoor meeting spaces make Kambri perfect for a spring afternoon.

4. Get on the lake

Rent a motorised GoBoat on Kingston Foreshore and enjoy the scenic views of Canberra’s cherry blossoms from the water. Bring a picnic and eat it with your friends in the boat or cruise Lake Burley Griffin to find the perfect spot to stop for a lakeside picnic in the shade.

If boating isn’t your thing, go for a run (or walk) along the wide paths around the edge of the lake and shake winter off.

5. Enjoy a long lazy lunch in Glebe Park

Find a leafy spot for a summer picnic or a BBQ and while away the afternoon in the shade of the beautiful trees amidst this inner-city pocket of greenery. Take a soccer ball or frisbee and make an afternoon of it.