Visiting Canberra with kids
Canberra with kids is the national collections: the war memorial, Questacon, the museum and gallery around the lake, with the zoo, arboretum and lookouts on the edges. Entry is free at many of them, which shapes the free-day plan.
Pick a day
Each plan is five or six stops in a sensible order, with the photo, price, ages and hours pulled from the listing itself. Mix and match: a rainy-day stop fits any day.
Your first day
Your first day in Canberra with kids
A first day in Canberra with kids: Commonwealth Park, the National Museum of Australia, Australian War Memorial and Old Bus Depot Markets.
5 stops · starts at Old Bus Depot Markets
A rainy day
A rainy day in Canberra with kids
A rainy day in Canberra with kids: Old Parliament House, Australian War Memorial, Flip Out Majura, Lollipop's Playland and Kingpin Canberra.
5 stops · starts at Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
A free day out
A free day out in Canberra with kids
A free day in Canberra with kids: Royal Australian Mint, National Museum of Australia, Lennox Gardens and the National Arboretum.
4 stops · starts at Royal Australian Mint
With toddlers
Canberra with toddlers and under-5s
Canberra with toddlers: Tim and Gina Fairfax Discovery Centre, Canberra Olympic Pool, National Zoo & Aquarium and the Arboretum's POD Playground.
4 stops · starts at Tim and Gina Fairfax Discovery Centre
With teenagers
Canberra with teenagers
Canberra with teenagers: Power Kart Raceway, Kingpin Canberra, Zone 3 laser tag and Riddle Room escape rooms, with prices.
5 stops · starts at Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
Canberra with kids at a glance
| Best for | Families with school-age kids who like museums and space; the best value capital in the country |
|---|---|
| How long | 3 days (Parliamentary Triangle day, Questacon and zoo day, lake and nature day); 4 with the snow or the coast |
| Best time | Autumn (March to May) for colour and mild days; spring for Floriade; winter is cold but the museums are free and warm |
| Budget tip | Most museums and galleries are free, the lake and parks are free; Questacon and the zoo are the paid days |
| Rainy day backup | The Parliamentary Triangle: Questacon, the National Museum, the galleries and the War Memorial, all under cover |
| Getting around | A car is easiest; the museums are spread around the lake. The light rail links the city and the north; bikes on the lake loop |
When to go: seasons and busy times in Canberra
The next school holidays run 19 Dec 2026 to 31 Jan 2027 (ACT Government (Education)); that is when the big-name places are busiest and accommodation costs most.
| Season | Months | Best for | How busy | Parent tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Dec–Feb | Lake foreshores, splash parks, river swimming holes | Steady | Dry heat and long evenings. Swim in the river or the lake early, then a free national museum in the afternoon. |
| Autumn | Mar–May | Autumn leaves, arboretum walks, bush walks with a view | Steady | Canberra's famous season: cool mornings, warm afternoons, every tree a colour. Easter is the busy week. |
| Winter | Jun–Aug | Free national museums and galleries, frosty lookouts, snow-day drives | Quiet | Cold, bright and often still. Indoors is world class and free; outdoors needs a beanie. |
| Spring | Sep–Nov | Floriade and the gardens, lake bike paths, nature reserves | Busy | September and October bring flower crowds. Go midweek, or pick a reserve on the edge of town. |
Worth the trip: what families rate highest in Canberra
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Australian War Memorial Campbell
The Australian War Memorial on Fairbairn Avenue, Campbell, is Australia's national memorial and museum for those who served in war and on operations.
★ 4.8 (14,502)
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Questacon - National Science & Technology Centre Parkes
Questacon is the National Science and Technology Centre in Parkes, Canberra, with hands-on exhibition galleries for all ages.
★ 4.7 (7,849)
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National Arboretum Canberra
The National Arboretum Canberra is on Forest Drive, off Tuggeranong Parkway, Molonglo Valley.
★ 4.7 (7,790)
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National Gallery of Australia Parkes
The National Gallery of Australia on Parkes Place, Parkes, holds the national art collection.
★ 4.6 (7,009)
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National Museum of Australia
The National Museum of Australia is on Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula, beside Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra.
★ 4.5 (8,473)
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Mount Ainslie Lookout
Mount Ainslie Lookout sits at the summit of Mount Ainslie (842 metres) in Mount Ainslie Nature Reserve, looking over Canberra, Lake Burley Griffin and the mountains of…
★ 4.7 (5,403)
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Kingpin Canberra Canberra
Kingpin Canberra is a bowling and entertainment venue on Level 1 of the Canberra Centre, Bunda Street, Canberra City, near Rebel.
★ 4.8 (4,042)
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National Zoo & Aquarium Weston
The National Zoo & Aquarium at 999 Lady Denman Drive, Weston Creek, combines a zoo and an aquarium, with animals including lions, tigers, cheetahs, giraffes, rhinos,…
★ 4.6 (5,455)
The free days
Six free places parents rate highest. All free things to do in Canberra.
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Mount Ainslie Lookout
Mount Ainslie Lookout sits at the summit of Mount Ainslie (842 metres) in Mount Ainslie Nature Reserve, looking over Canberra, Lake Burley Griffin and the mountains of…
★ 4.7 (5,403)
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Red Hill Nature Reserve Red Hill
Red Hill Nature Reserve is a 293-hectare protected area in Canberra Nature Park, on a forested ridge running more than 3 km from Mount Mugga Mugga north to Deakin.
★ 4.5 (663)
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Lennox Gardens Yarralumla
Lennox Gardens District Park is a formal urban park between the Hyatt Hotel Canberra and Lake Burley Griffin in Yarralumla, entered through a formal gateway with a red…
Playground · ★ 4.6 (695)
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Australian War Memorial Campbell
The Australian War Memorial on Fairbairn Avenue, Campbell, is Australia's national memorial and museum for those who served in war and on operations.
★ 4.8 (14,502)
-
National Gallery of Australia Parkes
The National Gallery of Australia on Parkes Place, Parkes, holds the national art collection.
★ 4.6 (7,009)
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National Rock Garden
The National Rock Garden is a display of large rocks from across Australia and Antarctica, including fossils and minerals, set out in Forest 13 at the National…
★ 4.2 (215)
If it rains
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Questacon - National Science & Technology Centre Parkes
Questacon is the National Science and Technology Centre in Parkes, Canberra, with hands-on exhibition galleries for all ages.
★ 4.7 (7,849)
-
National Gallery of Australia Parkes
The National Gallery of Australia on Parkes Place, Parkes, holds the national art collection.
★ 4.6 (7,009)
-
National Museum of Australia
The National Museum of Australia is on Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula, beside Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra.
★ 4.5 (8,473)
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Kingpin Canberra Canberra
Kingpin Canberra is a bowling and entertainment venue on Level 1 of the Canberra Centre, Bunda Street, Canberra City, near Rebel.
★ 4.8 (4,042)
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Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House Parkes
The Museum of Australian Democracy is inside Old Parliament House at 18 King George Terrace, Parkes.
★ 4.6 (5,311)
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Royal Australian Mint Deakin
The Royal Australian Mint at Denison Street, Deakin, is where Australia's coins are made, with a two-floor museum of rare and historical coins and a Factory Viewing…
★ 4.5 (5,886)
Where families stay
Holiday parks and resorts listed on this site, with the pools, playgrounds and jumping pillows that matter to kids.
| Place | Kind | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Alivio Tourist Park Canberra | Holiday park | O'Connor |
| Jamala Wildlife Lodge | Resort / hotel | Canberra |
| Crestview Tourist Park | Holiday park | Karabar |
| Capital Country Holiday Park | Holiday park | Sutton |
| Canberra Holiday Village | Stay | Symonston |
| Discovery Parks - Canberra | Stay | Gungahlin |
Kids eat free in Canberra: which night, where
23 pubs, clubs and restaurants in Canberra give kids a free meal on set nights, each checked on the venue's own page. The full list is on the kids eat free in Canberra page.
| Night | Where | When and who | Deals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Gungahlin Lakes Golf & Community Club (Nicholls) Raiders Belconnen (Holt) Ainslie Football Club (Ainslie) | Under 13 5:30pm-9pm · with an adult main 5:30pm-8:30pm · 12 and under | 5 |
| Tuesday | Canberra Southern Cross Club Tuggeranong (Greenway) Eastlake Football Club Calwell (Calwell) Bloom Room (City) | All day (lunch or dinner) · Under 13 · with $27+ adult spend, dine in Evening see listing | 6 |
| Wednesday | Canberra Southern Cross Club Jamison (Macquarie) Canberra Southern Cross Club Woden (Phillip) | Lunch and dinner · 12 and under · with $27+ adult spend Lunch and dinner · 12 and under · with $27+ adult spend | 2 |
| Thursday | Weston Creek Labor Club (Stirling) 3rd Space (Hackett) The Irvine Cafe & Bar (Florey) | 6pm-9pm see listing see listing | 3 |
| Friday | Weston Creek Labor Club (Stirling) | 6pm-9pm | 1 |
| Sunday | The District (Crace) Hellenic Club Woden (Phillip) Lanyon Vikings (Conder) | dinner (Sunday nights) 12pm-2:30pm · Under 5 12pm-2pm | 5 |
| Every day | Okami Japanese Restaurant (Braddon and Mawson) Kickin' Inn (Woden) | 3 and under All day · 8 and under · dine in | 2 |
Questions parents ask
- Where should a family stay in Canberra?
- The city or Braddon for walking to cafes and the light rail; Kingston for the foreshore and the Triangle; a holiday park on the edge for a pool and a jumping pillow.
- How many museum days can kids take?
- Two, if you mix them: Questacon one day, the War Memorial or the National Museum another, with the lake, the zoo or the arboretum playground between them.
- Is Canberra good with toddlers?
- Yes: the arboretum's pod playground, the lake foreshore, the free museums' play spaces and the kangaroos at the reserves. See the toddler day plan.
- What about the cold?
- Winter mornings are often below zero and days are bright. Pack a beanie, start the day indoors and do the lookouts after lunch. The museums are heated and free.