Moving to Canberra: Playing tourist in your new city
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At some point in our lives, we’ve all been that tourist – camera always poised, itinerary overscheduled, hopping from hotspot to hotspot.
Since landing in Canberra from the UK, I’ll admit I’ve leaned into it wholeheartedly. I’m enthusiastically drawn to tourist traps.
Maybe it’s something about moving across the world that brings with it a heightened gratitude for everything – good coffee, blue skies, even a perfectly timed sunset. But what I’ve come to realise is that a day spent doing touristy things is rarely a day wasted. There’s a quiet thrill in seeing a place with fresh eyes, in surrendering to the so-called must-sees and letting yourself enjoy them without irony.
Crucially, though, that sense of wonder doesn’t have to disappear the moment you unpack your suitcase and begin – begrudgingly – paying rent. Yes, reality eventually intervenes. I’ve become more financially savvy, learning to say no to every almond croissant and post-dinner Yogurberry craving. But the magic of Canberra, I’ve learned, is not extinguished by routine. It simply asks for a little more intention.
Tourists and a new city often go hand in hand, but usually only for a short while. Instead of letting that feeling fade, I’ve decided to hold onto it and keep playing tourist, even as Canberra starts to feel like home.
So, what does ‘playing tourist’ actually look like once the novelty wears off?
For me, it’s less about ticking off landmarks and more about planning intentional days. Breaking routine. Choosing things that feel just a little out of the ordinary. Finding places on the map I haven’t explored yet, grabbing a pizza, and going without hesitation.
Lately, it’s looked like running around the Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature Reserve without a set-distance in mind. Or showing up to a Canberra Runners event on a whim, if only to confuse Strava or meet people I might have otherwise crossed paths with.
One of my favourite rituals has been grabbing a pizza from Pizza Gusto in Braddon, then heading down to sit just below The Boat House as the sun sets over Lake Burley Griffin.
It’s also been saying yes to smaller firsts: visiting Queanbeyan for the first time (even if the reason was a Spotlight crochet run), taking myself out for breakfast with no agenda, or heading up Mount Painter or Red Hill purely for the view. Sometimes it’s trying a new sport, hiring a boat on the lake, or committing to a slow, long lunch at a place like Four Winds Vineyard.
Playing tourist doesn’t have to mean doing more. Sometimes it’s simply about doing things differently. Looking at your new city with curiosity rather than convenience.
If you’ve recently moved, or even if this is your home of twenty-plus years, consider this your sign. Take the long way home. Say yes to something unplanned. Treat a regular afternoon like an occasion. You don’t need to not know the city well to start enjoying it.
