Where to stay

In the nation’s capital, we have plenty of options for accommodation. But here are our top five suggestions, all of them close to the ANU campus and giving you choices on price and room features:

1. Pavilion on Northbourne: With free parking, wi-fi and breakfast included, this four-star hotel is a good choice for families and friends popping into Canberra for one night or a longer stay, thanks to its affordability and proximity to the CBD.
2. Adina Serviced Apartments: These apartments, also on Northbourne Avenue, won’t break the bank either, and with features like full kitchens and living room spaces included, staying here could provide the flexibility that saves your family money. Parking is also available for a small fee. The James Court Apartments nearby offer similar accommodation.
3. Crown Plaza: A slightly more luxurious four-star hotel experience, the Crown is in the CBD beside beautiful Glebe Park and less than a 15-minute walk from the ANU campus.
4. Peppers Gallery Hotel: If you want your family really close by, then Peppers is a great choice. Well-priced, with nice rooms in a historic building, it’s located in the suburb of Acton, across the road from the University. While breakfast isn’t included, the hotel’s proximity to the CBD and Lake Burley Griffin means it’s easy for you all to wander out and find a hearty brunch somewhere picturesque.
5. Jamala Wildlife Lodge: For a completely out-there and rather special treat, the Jamala Wildlife Lodge is a Canberra experience your visitors will never forget. Located inside the National Zoo, guests stay in luxury accommodation, including jungle bungalows and giraffe treehouses that peer directly into animal enclosures. The experience comes complete with fine dining, high teas and intriguing close encounters of the animal kind.

Getting around

Canberra has an excellent network of roads and traffic jams are just about unheard of. If your visitors have a car, it’s easy to get around. Parking is readily available and affordable.

And getting around the city is simple, thanks to the public transport networks which include light rail and buses. The light rail runs all the way from the CBD up to Braddon, Dickson and Gungahlin, with stops along the route to hop off and explore what the city has to offer.

Canberra’s shared e-scooter scheme is also a unique, cost-effective and fun way to view the city with your visitors. With up to 1,900 colourful scooters (and helmets) dotted along paths and streets, this is a quick, fun and scenic alternative to walking or driving.

Eating out

When it comes to finding the best food in Canberra, your choices are rather limitless. Considering factors like budget and taste, we’ve pulled together our top suggestions for taking your family or friends out on the town.

Cruisy pub meals

You can’t go past Assembly for a good pub meal any time of the week. Enjoy the flavours of the beautiful food coming off the wood-fired grill while you shout your folks a drink. Or get everyone up to the Old Canberra Inn for a taste of both Canberra’s history (it’s housed in one of Canberra’s oldest buildings) and an excellent pub lunch with live music and a fun, celebratory vibe.

Well-priced casual food

On a lazy weekend afternoon in the warmer months, treat your visitors to fish and chips Canberra-style on the banks of Lake Burley Griffin at the well-loved Snapper & Co. For something very close to home but still incredibly tasty, show off the University’s very own Badger & Co. pub and shout your mates a beverage while they order some bangers and mash.

Celebrations

Sammy’s is acknowledged as one of the best places for a big celebratory meal. Located on Kingston Foreshore, it offers excellent dine-in and banquet choices across Chinese and Malaysian cuisines. If you’re looking to go somewhere closer to campus, Briscola Italian offers a lively but intimate atmosphere with delicious Italian dishes and it sits snugly in the heritage-listed Melbourne Building in the CBD, just a few minutes from ANU.

Fine dining

Perhaps having your parents visit is an excellent time to show off the best dining experience Canberra has to offer. If this is the case, search no further than Raku in the CBD, where fine-dining and Japanese elegance converge. Each dish is an individually planned and constructed artwork to be admired and appreciated as much as consumed and enjoyed.

Hearty brunch

Braddon is the suburb to go to when you’re wanting to show off the best coffee, sourdough and gelato in Canberra. Choose from a range of superb cafes in and around Lonsdale Street, like Rye and Eighty/Twenty, Sonoma and Messina. Alternatively, pop across the lake to Kingston and its neighbouring suburb Manuka and explore the top-notch selection of breakfast and brunch menus at spots like Urban Pantry and the cosy, bookish vibe at Muse.

Things to do

There is certainly no shortage of family activities in Canberra to keep you and your visitors entertained.

Our top choices for cultural attractions, galleries, and museums to visit are:

• the Australian War Memorial
• the National Museum of Australia
• Questacon
• Old Parliament House
• The National Gallery of Australia.

For more ideas and information, read our article on the top 10 cultural attractions in Canberra.

Get outdoors

Regardless of the weather, Canberra offers an array of outdoor activities and fresh air. Whether you and your visitors are up for a bike or boat ride or a quiet wander among beautiful trees, you’ll find something to enjoy.

Our top picks for outdoor fun are:

• hiking up Mount Ainslie
• exploring the National Arboretum, including the Bonsai Garden
• wandering through the Australian National Botanic Gardens (in summer, treat your folks to an outdoor film at the sunset cinema)
• a day trip to Corin Forest in winter, where you can go on the Alpine Slide, toboggan on the snow or build a family of snow people
• a lazy family picnic in Glebe Park.

Get festive

What better way to show off Canberra’s celebratory nature than to take your visitors along to one of the city’s many festivals and markets.

Check out:

• the Balloon Spectacular: it is a unique sight and part of Canberra’s annual Enlighten Festival in autumn
• Floriade: frolic in the flowers at this annual festival in Commonwealth Park
• the Capital Region Farmers Market: about a 15-minute light rail ride from the ANU campus, this fresh produce market is held every Saturday morning from 7 am at Exhibition Park
• the Truffle Festival: treat your folks to a delicious truffle-centred meal or foraging experience in the local region.