Canberra Travel Tips. An article sharing travel tips about visiting Canberra. How to get there and more…

Mark Ford

It’s great to have you here searching for Canberra travel tips. Australia’s landscaped capital Canberra is three hours drive from both snowy mountains and beautiful beaches in New South Wales. The city pays tribute to Australia’s history and shapes the nation’s future. With extensive natural environments, relaxed atmosphere and fun activities Canberra is more than a political capital. The city was designed for a young nation on growth. Here, many of the country’s most important stories have taken place. Here you have defined what it is to be Australian. A central point in the city’s history is Lake Burley Griffin. After a long fight between Sydney and Melbourne, it was decided that none of them could become the capital. In 1911, an international competition was launched instead to draw a whole new city. The winner was Chicago architect Walter Burley Griffin. His garden city lay around an artificial lake that fits perfect into the landscape. From the viewpoint of Mt Ainslie you can see the brilliant design. It is located just outside the city center.

Lake Burley Griffin Beach is the Parliamentary Triangle. It contains some of the country’s most important buildings. In them, Australia’s stories are interwoven. Parliament House is an icon as all Australians recognize. It is also drawn by the winner in an international competition. This is Australia’s political center of power but visitors are welcomed as they are. See how history is written here and then go up onto the grass fence to look at the view. Just nearby you will find the Old Parliament House. The corridors of this beloved building are a time capsule about major Australian events. Visit the Prime Minister’s Office which looks exactly as it did when the government moved in 1988. The building that houses the National Museum of Australia is designed to mimic a puzzle … which weaves together many stories.

Canberra Travel Tips – How To Get From The Airport To Canberra

Canberra, Australia’s capital is served by Canberra Airport located 8 kilometers from the city center. When searching for Canberra travel tips there are a number of ways that will get you as smoothly as possible from the airport to the city center. Depending on your budget, urgency and convenience we’ve put together a simple guide on the best options to get from the airport to Canberra. 

Bus

Canberra City Center

The ACTION Bus 11A operates 7 days a week from the airport to Canberra. The bus ride takes around 15-20 minutes depending on traffic and a single ticket can be purchased from the driver for AU$4.80. 

There’s also the Airport Express Shuttle bus that can be booked online and will get you from the city center to the airport in 20 minutes for AU$12.

Taxi

Taxis are readily available outside the terminal just a short walk from the baggage claim area. The taxi ride from the airport to Canberra takes around 12 minutes and will cost you AU$20-$30.

Uber also operates in Canberra and costs AU$16-22 for the 12 minute ride. Uber drivers will pick you up at the Express pick up area on the ground floor, around 20 meters from the arrivals hall. 

Canberra Travel Tips – How To Get Around Canberra

Canberra is a compact city which is a great thing for walkability and the city also operates an extensive network of public transportation which is effective, efficient and will get you around the city conveniently. When searching for Canberra travel tips there are a number of various options to choose when looking at public transport and that’s why we’ve put together this simple guide on what they are and how much it costs. Let’s have a closer look. 

Canberra

Bus

There are a wide range of public transport city buses operating in Canberra getting you from the city center to the key destinations. There’s also the free Culture Loop bus service that departs each hour between 9am and 4pm which stops at some of the major tourist attractions such as the National Museum, Parliament House, Questacon science museum and Canberra region and visitors center. 

Light rail

Canberra operates a light rail system that runs along the city’s main street Northbourne Avenue and connects several popular hotels and restaurants in Dickson, Braddon and the city center. 

Taxi

Taxis are readily available to hail on the street in Canberra and the fare starts at $5 with a distance rate of $2 per kilometer. Uber also operates in the city. 

Tickets

The easiest way to navigate effortlessly between the various public transport options is to buy a MyWay card, which gives you the ability to tap up as much money you want and it also gives you a discount on the fares. MyWay cards can be purchased at ticket vending machines, recharge agents, Canberra Service center or online. The MyWay card cost $5 and a single ride cost around $3. 

Best Places To Stay In Canberra

Canberra is a picturesque city surrounded with green spaces and nature reserves. Although the city is the capital it gives a laid back small town feel and was designed to be a “garden city”. When searching for Canberra travel tips there are a number of great neighborhoods to stay in depending on your prefered experience. That’s why we’ve put together this simple guide on the best places to stay in Canberra. Let’s check it out.

City Centre is not surprisingly located in the heart of Canberra and is filled with urban areas, trendy cafes, restaurants, shopping malls and it’s within walking distance to many of the major attractions in the city. This is the best place to stay if you want to live right in the center, close to the parks, museums and to be able to mostly experience the city by walking.

Canberra City

Recommended Hotel: Avenue Hotel Canberra

Woden Valley is a relaxed area located in the south of Canberra with plenty of parks, green spaces, nature reserves and it’s also home to the Parliament House. There are also plenty of cafes, restaurants and interesting attractions to check out in this neighborhood. This is the best area to stay if you want a calm and relaxed experience.

Recommended Hotel: Abode Woden

Braddon is located in the north of Canberra city and it’s one of the oldest suburbs that was settled back in 1922. It features a lot of 20th century architecture and the area offers a lot of cool cafes, restaurants, bars and shops at the Lonsdale Street. This area is a great place to stay if you’re interested in architecture and want an authentic experience of the city.

Recommended Hotel: Mercure Canberra

Top 7 Experiences You MUST Have In Canberra

1. The Parliament House has been the political hub of Australia since it was opened in 1988 when it replaced the old Parliament Building from 1922. The building is iconic for its beautiful architecture, especially at sunset. There are tours available for you to learn more about Australia, its politics and there’s also plenty of art on display inside the building that shares the history of the country. 
2. At the National Zoo & Aquarium is the only combined zoo and aquarium experience in Australia. Here you can experience plenty of amazing wild animals close up. If you take the two hour ZooVenture tour you can feed a bear, pat a massive rhino, hand feed a giraffe and get behind the scenes of this incredible zoo. 
3. Namadgi National Park is located 40 kilometers south of Canberra and offers stunning nature with grafite mountains, lush forests, colorful birdlife, and this is the perfect place to stay a day trip if you want to hike in the outdoors and experience the incredible nature that Canberra has to offer.
   

   National Zoo & Aquarium

4. National Museum of Australia has many fascinating exhibitions where you get to learn more about the history, geography and culture of Australia. And at the National Gallery of Art you will take in an incredible collection of Aborigional art. Canberra has plenty of great museums to offer and these are the top ones if you want to take in the history of the city and Australia. 
5. National Botanic Gardens offers a fantastic display of Australia’s plant life with beautiful wild flowers and it’s the perfect place to take a relaxing walk or enjoy a 45 minute bus tour of the Gardens to learn more about nature, in an air conditioned comfortable way. 
6. Enjoy the many farmers markets that Canberra has to offer, especially the Old Depot Market and the Capital Region Farmers Market where you can get a hold of the tastiest fruits and vegetables as well as handcrafted souvenirs to bring back to the friends and family back home. 
7. Take an AIS sports tour while visiting the AIS center and learn about the history of Australian sports. This premier sports precinct is one of the major attractions to tourists with a 90 minute tour that covers the country’s past, present and future in sports. A must for all sports fans. 

Canberra Travel Tips Video

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