We are going to Canberra for Floriade. What else should we see and do there?

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Didy

Have a Great Time

Family Fun
With so many attractions and museums and fun things to do, even the big kids can get away with being children in Canberra. Here are just some of the great things to do for families.
Experience an earthquake and much more at Questacon – the National Science and Technology Centre, or take the kids through the children’s gallery at the National Gallery of Australia. Kids will love the hands-on interactive exhibitions at the National Museum of Australia, or take them on the specially designed kids’ tour at the National Zoo and Aquarium to see tigons, cheetahs, bears, monkeys and the shark tank. Let the kids mint their own $1 coin on the public coining presses at the Royal Australian Mint, which has the capacity to produce two million coins a day.

At the Australian Institute of Sport, take a tour with an elite athlete and test your skills at virtual rowing, wheelchair basketball and the gymnastic beam. The miniature buildings at Cockington Green Gardens make even the smallest child a giant. While you’re there visit the nearby Gold Creek Village which is filled with great family attractions, as well as a tempting lolly shop.

Canberrakids.com.au is Canberra's only comprehensive resource for parents of children aged 0-12. Whether it's local attractions, sports, activities or retail information you're after, you'll find it at canberrakids.com.au. A useful resource when planning a trip to Canberra with Kids.

The following are just a sample of the great attractions you may want to consider:

Australian Institute of Sport’s Sportex exhibition and tour with an athlete
Australian War Memorial’s Discovery Room
Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex
Cockington Green Gardens
CSIRO Discovery Centre
National Gallery of Australia’s children’s gallery
National Museum of Australia’s KSpace or Our Place
National Zoo & Aquarium’s kids tour
Questacon – the National Science and Technology Centre
Royal Australian Mint
Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve

http://www.floriadeaustralia.com/CA256FCD00181C0A/OrigDoc/~83A7783DFD5690FBCA256FFD0003A226?OpenDocument

Canberra's Top Ten Family Attractions
Family Attractions

10 great ways to keep the kids, and adults, amused in Canberra

1. National Museum of Australia: Australia’s national museum housed in an innovative purpose-built building that profiles 50,000 years of indigenous heritage, settlement since 1788 and key events including Federation and the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Five permanent galleries and changing exhibitions. Lawson Crescent, Acton. Open daily 9am-5pm. Free entry.

2. Questacon – the National Science and Technology Centre: making science fun this interactive museum is a hit with both kids and adults. King Edward Terrace, Parkes. Open daily, 9am-5pm. Adults $15.50, kids $9.

3. Australian Institute of Sport: take a tour with an elite athlete and test your athletic skills in the Sportex exhibition. Leverrier Crescent, Bruce. Public tours operate daily at 10am, 11.30am, 1pm and 2.30pm. Adults $13, kids $7.

4. Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex: Canberra’s answer to the ‘Dish’. It’s one of only three active NASA tracking stations in the world. Includes the new Satellite Laser Ranging Observatory and Space Research Centre researching the problems caused by man-made space debris. Tidbinbilla, about 40km south-west of the city. Open daily, 9am-5pm (6pm Summer time). Free entry.

5. Canberra’s lakes are a great place to spend a day messing about on the water. You can hire paddleboats, surf skis, canoes and windsurfers at Acton Park and take to the water of Lake Burley Griffin, the largest of Canberra's three artificial lakes.

6. Zoo Venture: the National Zoo and Aquarium runs behind the scenes tours each day in which you can get up close and personal with many of the animals at the zoo. The two-hour ZooVenture Tour lets you hand feed tigers, lions, bears and is one of the most hands-on animal adventure tours in the country. There are also ‘Meet a Cheetah’ programme that take you inside the cheetah’s enclosure and allows you to touch the fastest land animal in the world. General entry: adults $23.50, kids $12.50. www.zooquarium.com.au

7. Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: wedged between the Tidbinbilla and Gibraltar Ranges, Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve is a 40-minute drive from the city centre along Tourist Drive 5. Tidbinbilla features walking trails, ranger-guided activities and prolific wildlife including koalas, the endangered brush-tailed rock wallaby and the northern corroboree frog.

8. Cockington Green: a miniature recreation of an English village and miniature buildings from around the world set in beautifully landscaped gardens, complete with miniature people. There’s also miniature train displays and a dolls house ‘Misrule’, a replica of the house depicted in the famous novel the Seven Little Australians. 15km north of the city on Gold Creek Road, at Gold Creek Village, off the Barton Highway, Nicholls. Open daily, 9.30am-5pm. Adults $14.50, kids $7.50.

9. National Dinosaur Museum: the largest permanent display of dinosaur and other prehistoric fossil material in Australia with 23 complete skeletons, and more than 300 displays of individual fossils. Gold Creek Village, Gold Creek Road and Barton Highway, Nicholls. Open daily 10am-5pm. Adults $9.50, kids $6.50.

10. Royal Australian Mint: let the kids mint their own $1 coin on the public coining presses at the Royal Australian Mint, which has the capacity to produce two million coins a day. Denison Street, Deakin. Open Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm, weekends and public holidays, 10am-4pm. Free entry
http://www.medina.com.au/default.asp?page=/travel+hotspots/canberra's+highlights/canberra's+family+attractions

Melissa C

If you have children I would go to Questacon it's great

Sammi K

There are HEAPS of things to do

the National Gallery
the National Museum
Questacon (if you have kids - or even if you dont)
If you want to see alternative movies go to Dendy in civic (near Babar's cafe)
If you want to go clubbing go to Mooseheads or lot 33 in civic or go to Kingston (you can catch a bus) which has a Belgiun beer cafe, a few bars and clubs.
If you want to go somewhere for cocktails or a nice meal go to Manuka (its near Kingston so you could do both)
If you want to see music go to the Greenroom in Phillip or the ANU bar
You can visit the mint and go on a tour...

There are heaps of things that aren't obvious. Hope this helps!

The_Mouse

The Australian Museum.
The War memorial do change their exhibition regularly - so it might be worth visiting again.
The Nation Gallery
If you have kids - Questacon.

A walk at the Botanical Garden is always good. Have a nice lunch there anong the tree at a fairly decent café there.

A walk in aviary at Gold Creek , perhaps.

And of course - the Black Mountain tower.

Have a nice trip!

Discover Australia

There's plenty of things to see and do here in Canberra!

There's Old Parliament House, Parliament House, Australian War Memorial, National Gallery of Australia, National Library of Australia, National Museum of Australia, Questacon, The Royal Australian Mint, Cockington Green, Gold Creek Village, Hall Markets (First Sunday of the month except Jan), The Old Bus Depot Markets (every Sunday), Gorman House Arts Center Markets (every Saturday), Tuggerangong Homestead Markets (Second Sunday of the month except Jan), Australian Insitute of Sport, Canberra Stadium, Bundell's Cottage, National Capital Authority, Lake Burley Griffin, Telstra Tower, Black Mountain, Mount Anislie, Red Hill Lookout, Duntroon, Floriade (during September and October each year), National Folk Festival (every Easter at Exhibition Park), Royal Canberra Show (every Feb), Multicultral Festival (Second weekend in Feb), Canberra Balloon Festival, Canberra Day Festival and the list goes on..

Floriade is open every day between.

Weekdays: 9am - 5pm.
Weekends & Public Holidays: 8am - 6pm.
Last entry 30mins prior to closing on each day.

Dates: Saturday 15th of September until Sunday 14th of October 2007.

For more information about Floriade please visit Floriade Australia website:

Floriade Australia:
http://www.floriadeaustralia.com

For information about Canberra either drop into the Canberra & Regions Visitors Center on Northbourne Ave which is open daily or visit our website located at:

See yourself in Canberra:
http://www.visitcanberra.com.au

The website has a lot of information about Canberra and the region and probably is the best place to have a look at before you leave. There is also a toll free number if you need to call ahead and you can also book accommodation online as well.

Alternatilly you can also visit my profile and group located on facebook.com

Discover Australia:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=688440885

I have two groups on this account including a youtube group as well. All the details are listed on my profile on facebook. And everyone is welcome to join.

Thank you

Lizzy

Get hold of some mountain bikes at hit the trails!
Canberra has awesome biking for all experience levels.

mike4bears

check out the opals

Lemon Twist

If you have a car here, go and check out Canberra's wineries - some really interesting experiences.

Just had dinner at Lamberts Vineyard (Wamboin) last night and it was excellent. There's also Madew's, Milimani, Lark Hill (which over-priced and over-rated in my opinion), Gidgee Estate, Helm's - those are all decent - the rest are a mixed bag but some really different stuff out there.

More museum stuff - Australian National Museum. A wander around the Aust National Uni grounds, Botanic Gardens are interesting, Old Parliament House is sure to have an exhibition at the time, the National Gallery can be good, Questacon is great particularly for the kids.

Kella G

This site has some great suggestions
http://www.ozbook.co.nz/state_act/index.htm

See also
http://www.ozbook.co.nz/state_act/index.htm

Elizabeth

No matter how often you've already been, The Australian War Memorial is always worth another visit.

Have a look at the web site below for info on What's On during Floriade2007.
http://www.floriadeaustralia.com/

Aussie Icons Trail.

Follow the Aussie Icons Trail to see special exhibitions, treasures and displays that highlight art, memorabilia, film, music and stories of Aussie icons!

Australian Institute of Sport

Get up close with Australia's sporting legends! With an elite athlete as your guide, our Floriade tour provides you with an exclusive look at our newly opened world-class facilities as well as a preview into how our athletes live their lives.

Blundell's Cottage

Visit Canberra's own Aussie icon, Blundells' Cottage, a worker's cottage built around 1860 on Duntroon Estate. Every Monday during Floriade hear the story of an Aussie legend

King O'Malleys Colonial Aussie Pub

Come on in and vote for the People's Choice Award in the King O'Malley's 2007 Floriade Art Competition.

Wineries

Canberra region cool climate wines are now receiving worldwide recognition. There are 140 vineyards with more than 30 cellar doors in peaceful rural countryside around Canberra, and most are only 30 minutes from the city.

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