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If you’re looking for inspiration for a long weekend trip with the family, then you’ve come to the right place: Our travel series presented by Mahindra.
We explore a range of destinations that are perfect for growing families and offer as many surprises and delights as the XUV700 we drive.
The XUV700 seats seven people with three rows of seating, an efficient 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, numerous amenities and the latest digital technologies to make a long weekend getaway both enjoyable and safe.
For the latest installment of our road trip series, we travel to the country’s capital Canberra, which is full of fun and family-friendly attractions.
How do I get there?
Canberra is 287km – or a three-hour drive – southwest of Sydney.
It’s an easy drive along the Hume Highway through the scenic Southern Highlands before turning onto the Federal Highway just past Goulburn.
There are many options for breaks and routes along the way, numerous large gas stations and countless rest areas that have good public facilities.
Where to stay
As the country’s capital, Canberra offers a wide range of accommodation options, from family-friendly holiday parks to budget motels, serviced apartments, Airbnbs and luxury five-star hotels. There is a suitable option for every family and their lifestyle.
Where to eat
Canberra is quickly becoming a foodie’s paradise with an interesting selection of restaurants and cuisines to suit all tastes and budgets.
Lonsdale Street in Braddon, on the northern edge of the CBD, is the hotspot for colorful culinary delights, from food trucks to five-star restaurants, from casual cafes to pizza bars and everything in between.
What to do
A long weekend in Canberra can easily be filled with family-friendly activities for all ages.
Questacon – National Science and Technology Center
If the kids haven’t visited Questacon on a school trip to the nation’s capital, it should be high on your list and easily fill an afternoon.
The National Science and Technology Center, which first opened in 1982, is packed with hands-on and interactive experiences designed to excite children about the wonders – and breakthroughs – of science.
Questacon is located in the Parliamentary Triangle near the High Court of Australia on King Edward Terrace in Parkes.
A family ticket (for two adults and up to three children) costs $70.
National Museum of Australia
The stunning National Museum of Australia is just as interesting to look at from the outside as it is from the inside.
Opened in 2001, the museum showcases 50,000 years of Australia’s heritage, from our Indigenous roots through European settlement from 1788 to the present day.
Among the many highlights are the largest collection of Aboriginal bark paintings, the preserved heart of champion racehorse Phar Lap and, for automotive enthusiasts, the first-ever Holden prototype.
There’s even a dinosaur skeleton in the main foyer.
The National Museum of Australia is located on the Acton Peninsula, just a short drive from the city center.
Admission to permanent exhibitions is free, but fees apply for special exhibitions.
National Zoo and Aquarium
Another great attraction in Canberra is the National Zoo and Aquarium on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin in Yarralumla.
The zoo is home to a wide variety of native animals, including kangaroos, wombats, koalas and dingoes, and is also home to the largest collection of big cats in Australia, including lions, tigers, leopards and cheetahs.
The aquarium is unique and features both tropical marine and freshwater fish, including sharks and a giant moray eel.
A family ticket (for two adults and up to three children) is $170 at the door or $165 online.
The National Arboretum
For another slice of nature, visit the National Arboretum just across the Tuggeranong Parkway.
It is a 250-hectare park with more than 40,000 rare and endangered trees planted in various gardens and some of the most spectacular views of the city.
There are paths and paths for cycling and walking, leisurely strolls to scenic viewpoints and the children’s POD playground with giant acorn boxes, nest swings, banksia pods and nature-inspired musical instruments.
Admission to the National Arboretum is free.
Canberra Deep Space Tracking Centre
If you want to experience something completely different and a little further out of the city, drive through the spectacular Brindabella Ranges west of Canberra and visit the Canberra Deep Space Tracking Centre.
Hidden in the Tidbinbilla Valley, the Deep Space Tracking Center is the largest radio antenna complex in the Southern Hemisphere and has played a critical role in some of the most historic missions in space, including the Apollo moon landing and the Voyager space satellite.
The visitor center is open weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features spacecraft models, images from across the solar system, and numerous hands-on activities. There’s even a piece of the moon on display.
Entry to the visitor center is free.
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