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If you’re looking for inspiration for a long weekend getaway with the family, then we’ve got you covered with our series of drives presented by Mahindra.
We’re exploring a range of destinations that are perfectly suited for growing families with as many surprise-and-delight features as the XUV700 we’re driving.
The XUV700 has space for seven with three-row seating, an efficient 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, loads of conveniences and the latest digital technologies to make a long weekend road trip both enjoyable and safe.
For the latest instalment in our road trip series, we’re heading to the nation’s capital of Canberra, which is filled with fun and family-friendly attractions.
How to get there
Canberra is 287km – or a three-hour drive – southwest of Sydney.
It’s an easy trip down the Hume Highway through the picturesque Southern Highlands, before turning off onto the Federal Highway just past Goulburn.
There are plenty of places to take a break and stretch along the way, with numerous major fuel stations and countless rest stops that are well serviced with public amenities.
Where to stay
As the nation’s capital, Canberra has a wide variety of accommodation options, from family-friendly holiday parks through to budget motels, serviced apartments, Airbnbs, and luxurious five-star hotels. There’s an option to suit every family and their lifestyle.
Where to eat
Canberra is quickly becoming a foodie’s paradise with an interesting array of dining options and cuisines to suit all tastes and budgets.
Lonsdale Street in Braddon, on the northern edge of the CBD, is the hotspot for colourful culinary delights, from food vans to five-star restaurants, 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 suitable for all ages.
Questacon – National Science and Technology Centre
If the kids haven’t already visited Questacon on a school excursion to the nation’s capital, then it should be at the top of your list and can easily fill an afternoon.
The National Science and Technology Centre, which was first opened in 1982, is crammed with hands-on and interactive experiences designed to inspire kids about the wonders – and breakthroughs – in 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 as interesting to look at from the outside as it is inside.
Opened in 2001, the museum showcases 50,000 years of Australian heritage, from our indigenous roots through European settlement from 1788 and right up to today.
Among its many highlights, it houses the largest collection of aboriginal bark paintings, the preserved heart of champion racehorse Phar Lap and, for automotive enthusiasts, the very first 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 centre.
Entry to permanent exhibitions is free while fees apply to special exhibitions.
National Zoo and Aquarium
Another great attraction in Canberra is the National Zoo and Aquarium, located on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin in Yarralumla.
The zoo has a wide variety of native animals, including kangaroos, wombats, koalas and dingos, while also housing the largest collection of large cats in Australia, including lions, tigers, leopards and cheetahs.
Uniquely attached is the aquarium, which has both tropical marine and freshwater fish on display, including sharks and a giant moray eel.
A family ticket (for two adults and up to three children) costs $170 at the gate or $165 online.
The National Arboretum
For another slice of nature, visit the National Arboretum just across the Tuggeranong Parkway.
It’s a 250-acre 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 tracks and trails for cycling and hiking, casual walkways to scenic lookouts, and the POD playground for kids with giant acorn cubbies, nest swings, banksia pods, and music-making instruments inspired by nature.
Entry to The National Arboretum is free.
Canberra Deep Space Tracking Centre
For something completely different, and a little further out of town, head for a drive through the spectacular Brindabella Ranges to the west of Canberra to visit the Canberra Deep Space Tracking Centre.
Hidden in the Tidbinbilla valley, the Deep Space Tracking Centre is the largest radio antenna complex in the Southern Hemisphere, and has played a critical role in some of the most historic missions to outer space, including the Apollo moon landing and Voyager deep space satellite.
The visitor centre is open on weekends between 10:00am and 4:00pm, and features models of spacecraft, images from around the solar system, and numerous hands-on activities. It even has a piece of the moon on display.
Entry to the visitor’s centre is free.
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