Travel to Canberra, Australia

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, celebrates a bountiful spring at the same time as Northern Hemisphere countries dread the coming of winter! What a wonderful time to visit Canberra, with all its glorious spring flowers, newly born kangaroos, and impressive cultural diversity. As Australia's capital, Canberra is home to embassies from around the world, over 70 countries at last count! The embassy culture is highly regarded throughout Canberra, Australia, and many venues offer the opportunity to meet and interact with Canberra's diverse population. Canberra is also culturally rich, giving the visitor a wide range of experiences to choose between. Or, why choose at all? Get more information on Canberra, Canberra Tourism, www.canberratourism.com.au. Experience everything Canberra has to offer! Take seven days and cram everything into one unforgettable experience!

How to Get There:

My preference for getting to Canberra is renting a car in Sydney, at the airport where most international flights land, and then driving a leisurely few hours south through some of Australia's most dramatic scenery, whether along the coast or through mountains and valleys rich with wildlife and wineries. Having a car at my disposal during my stay in Canberra made it so much easier to spend a few hours a day exploring outside Canberra, all of the region's attractions just a short drive away from Canberra's Civic Centre.

Auto travel in Australia can be exciting, due to the wildlife and beautiful vistas. MY favorite rental company in all of Australia is Drive Now, http://www.drivenow.com.au, where I found awesomely low prices on rentals from a tiny convertible to a large 6-person campervan for my trips through the Outback. The drive to Canberra is on a well maintained highway, and driving gives you time to capture the essence of Canberra and the region.

I once did take the short flight to Canberra from Sydney, but missed the many sights along the highway, so returned via auto rental.

Where to Stay:

For all the conveniences it offers, and the close proximity to Civic Centre, where you can find food, shopping, services and entertainment, the Acacia Motel is a 'best buy' kind of place! The Acacia has a wonderful, clean salt-water swimming pool, rooms with beautifully equipped kitchenettes, a great staff and more. Another huge advantage to making the Acacia Motel your home base in Canberra is you can park your rental car for free, right next to your room. Excellent buy! http://www.acaciamotel.com.au.

For the traveler looking for high-class service, facilities and amenities, Rydges Lakeside is the place to be! Many rooms and suites give you a wonderful view of Lake Burley Griffin, the mountains, and the city, http://www.rydges.com.

For more accommodation choices, check out http://www.canberratourism.com.au.

What to Do:

History, culture, shopping, sports, and more, Canberra has it all. A few of my favorite things to explore in and around Canberra are: the Australian War Memorial, Questacon- the National Science and Technology Centre, the Parliament Buildings - New and Old, Embassy Row, Telstra Tower on Black Mountain, the many art galleries - both privately owned and governmental, and just walking around enjoying all the different and pleasant people!

Australian War Memorial- This magnificent memorial to Australia's heroic military personnel is one of Australia's most visited attractions, and with good reason! The architecture and solemnity of this grand building and grounds is beyond compare. Plan to spend at least two hours to enjoy and explore this attraction, http://www.awm.gov.au.

Questacon - This is a terrific science exhibition, but with a twist! Questacon has over 100 interactive exhibits to explore, with or without children. http://www.questacon.edu.au, and check out the schedules of roaming performers and fun things to do. Take a free-fall of six meters (almost 20 feet!) or take a virtual rollercoaster ride! But, be careful! That virtual rollercoaster ride is so well done you might just feel yourself getting nauseous!

Parliament Buildings - Old Parliament House is graced with elegant architecture and historical significance you will enjoy. Old Parliament House is easily accessible via city bus or private car. The new Parliament House, where daily parliamentary process is interesting, exciting and educational all at the same time is a great place to while away an hour or two, observing wigged and powdered solicitors (lawyers) haggle over procedural law. http://www.aph.gov.au, and sign up for a guided tour, because they give historical and humorous anecdotes, along with making sure you don't get lost in the mazes.

Embassy Row - First off, Canberra's Embassy Row isn't really a row at all! The 70 plus embassies are scattered throughout a few of the nearby suburbs, predominantly Yarralumla, Red Hill, and Forrest. Most of the embassies were designed and built to identify the country. For example, the Thai embassy that is one of my favorites has the Thai roof style and construction of Thailand, with its golden roof and intricate carvings. The curving rooflines and architecture of the Indonesian embassy made me look around every corner for Balinese artists and dancers. Some of the embassies offer guided tours, and many have self-guided tours of the grounds and sculptures.

Telstra Tower and Black Mountain - Black Mountain is home to native flora and fauna, but the real attraction is the fantastic 360-degree views in the Telstra Tower. There are food and snacks available, as well as a dining area. I spent nearly four hours at the top of Telstra Tower (don't worry, there is an elevator!) and could have spent even more time if I was not on my way to a concert with newfound friends!

Pick up a tourist map from the Tourism Offices at 330 Northbourne Avenue of stop in at Canberra International Airport and grab a stack of flyers and brochures from the stands. The cool thing about the zillions of brochures and flyers at the airport is that many of them have awesome coupons, some for as much as 50% discount!

Where to Eat:

Eating in Canberra is a national pastime, or it should be! With so much ethnic and cultural diversity, you could have French cuisine for breakfast (and, no, I don't mean French Toast!), Australian Meat Pies for lunch, and Thai food for dinner for a month and never eat at the same restaurant twice.

There are several small (and wonderful!) wineries in the area that produce excellent wines, known throughout the world. You can find several independent microbreweries, with beers from the full-bodied stouts to creamy pale ales. Many of the wineries and breweries also have full meal service. In addition, when I say full, I really mean FULL!

At some point during your visit to Canberra, I recommend dining lakeside at The Boat House by the Lake, which prepares wondrous meals on a modern fusion menu. I still am not quite sure what 'fusion' food is, but I can guarantee that it is good! Add to the great food, the beautiful views and grounds, and The Boat House by The Lake is well worth the visit!

There are so many great things to do in Canberra, Australia, that I have only just touched on a few of my favorites, but with a little online trip preparation, you can explore for days! Besides all the great things to do IN Canberra, Australia, there are uncounted ways to explore and enjoy the surrounding countryside of Canberra. From the Pacific Ocean beaches to the east, wineries, nature preserves, and countless day drives, Canberra truly is a destination worth waiting for!