A teenager’s guide to Canberra (by a teenager)
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Canberra is often referred to as ‘The city that’s always asleep’ by teens and social media.
I’m here to prove that statement wrong, this is a list of teenager-friendly things to do in Canberra, written by a teen herself.
Revelation Puzzle Rooms
I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t enjoy an escape room with friends, and I believe I’ve found Canberra’s best ones.
Hidden away in the streets of Fyshwick are Revelation Puzzle Rooms. These escape rooms are brilliantly themed and a load of fun. There are four different rooms available; Toxic, Cold Case, Doomsday, and Overdose.
Arguably the best part is that all four rooms’ stories connect so it doesn’t matter the order you do them in but at the end of the four rooms, you’ll have a story that you and your friends helped piece together. And just as a bonus, you get a little keepsake pin after completing every room.
Friday night disco @ Phillip Ice Skating
If you’re looking for a fun activity that makes time fly and ensures everyone has fun, take a trip to the Phillip Ice Skating Rink on a Friday night.
The disco lights and music make for a fun night with friends. They play music everyone loves, from ABBA to Queen, so you’ll find a song to bop your head to. I’m not an amazing ice skater but by the end of the night I can confidently skate away from the wall (with the helping hand of a friend or two) and into the rink to enjoy the rest of the disco.
Disco night is a must-do for all the bored teens in Canberra looking to be dancing queens (and kings).
Holey Moley Canberra
This new addition to Canberra’s city is a fun and flashy activity that is a must for teens with a competitive side – Holey Moley Miniature Golf. As a bonus, there is a restaurant inside where you can order food and drinks (non-alcoholic of course) while you play.
Don’t be fooled – as fun and cute as Holey Moley is, it is far from easy. There are up to 18 holes available to play and each hole is themed. In my opinion, the best holes are the Operation Ouch and The Simpsons-themed ones. There is also a heap of cute merch items you can buy, including various visors, and a trophy for the winner. At Holey Moley it doesn’t matter if you’re an insane golf dad or a bored teen, you’re guaranteed an entertaining night out with friends.
Via Dolce
If you’re looking for an Instagram-worthy lunch spot with your friends, Via Dolce is the place for you. Not only is one pizza enough to feed you and two of your friends, but they also have the BEST mocktails in town.
If there’s a mocktail on the menu, I’ll order it, so it’s safe to say I’ve had a fair few, but Via Dolce’s Virgin Strawberry Mojito is the best mocktail I’ve ever had. Their portions are fairly large so you can easily split a meal between friends, making it cost-efficient. I go with two of my friends often, and a pizza and three Virgin Strawberry Daiquiris between us is enough to satisfy our Italian craving.
Go to a Canberra United game
Whether you understand the rules of football (soccer), we can all agree that the recent women’s World Cup has made our Tillies famous. I think the impact that the Matildas have had on young people in particular is amazing. Before the World Cup, the only Matildas player I could name was Sam Kerr, and now I’ve started a jersey collection.
So if you love The Tillies I would highly recommend visiting McKellar Park once the A-League season starts back up to support our local team. I’ve been to both a Matildas game and a Canberra United game, and the atmosphere of both games is spectacular. Canberra United’s captain Michelle Heyman is a current and much-loved Matilda, and the rest of the girls will be the future of The Matildas. There’s often a merch table and sausage sizzle, not to mention tickets are very affordable, usually not exceeding $20.
Shopping!
This article is being written by a self-proclaimed shopaholic who thinks Canberra’s malls often get a bad rap. Sure our Westfields aren’t as big as Sydney or Melbourne, but for a teenager who would shop till they drop, it doesn’t bother me that much.
Between Belconnen, Woden, Tuggeranong, and the City, Canberra has plenty of malls with shops targeted at teens that I love. I prefer to have space when I shop and I enjoy the fact that our shops are never overly crowded, you can take your time and go to all the shops you want without feeling rushed by the huge crowds that are common in larger cities.
So before you judge Canberra’s shopping scene, take a trip to one of the malls with your friends and give a shopping day out a try.
Feature image: Holey Moley. Image supplied
