Canberra Unlocked: Belconnen
Framed by the Murrumbidgee River to the west, Black Mountain to the south and the…
20+ COVID-safe ways to spend your summer
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Sun is shining, weather is sweet…there’s just this pesky pandemic to (still) worry about.
But there are plenty of ways to get into life in a COVID-safe way. Here are 20+ of them.
Discover a hidden part of the city.
We promise there’s at least one place on here you haven’t visited. Read the article.
Open-air fun at The Jetty
Kingston’s The Dock team has taken over the East Kiosk on Lake Burley Griffin, serving up food and drink, picnic hampers, and lawn games for hire. The East Jetty space features the BentSpoke Beer Garden with Mr Papa’s Peruvian Street Food truck, and live music on offer Thursday to Sundays for the entire summer. The West Jetty has an all-local wine offering, with Tallagandra Hill Winery and other Canberra District wineries, as well as pop-up food & drink carts.
This Saturday 22 January, Triple J’s Hottest 100 will be kicking off from 12pm—the countdown will be playing right through to number one.
Explore the NGA’s outdoor spaces
Located on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, the Gallery grounds encompass the lakeside Sculpture Garden, Australian Garden and Skyspace Garden. The gardens feature almost 30 works of art by prominent sculptors, including James Turrell’s stupa-form Skyspace and Fujiko Nakaya’s immersive fog sculpture.
Get on your bike!
Take the family mountain biking at Stromlo Forest Park, perfect for thrill-seekers of all kinds.
Watch the sunset over Lake Burley Griffin at Armada Outdoor Bar
Whether you’re enjoying drinks with friends or a casual dinner courtesy of The Boat House’s talented chefs, Armada Bar is one of the hottest venues of the summer.
Get in the swim of things
Explore one of Canberra’s many places to swim that aren’t pools.
Take to the lake
Hire an electric GoBoat from the Kingston Foreshore to float around the city’s waterways. Perhaps pack a picnic basket and make a day of it, sitting on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin getting your Vitamin D fix.
Get up close and personal with furry friends
Feed a koala or pat a roo at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.
Encounter a bettong
Also known as rat kangaroos, you can find these small, nocturnal marsupials at Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary!
View the city from on high
Strap on the sneakers and get ready for a challenging climb, or take the car and just enjoy the view—whichever way you get there, Mount Ainslie Lookout offers one of the best vantage points in the city.
Put the paddle to the metal
Head down memory lane to Regatta Point jetty to see the crew at Capital Paddle and relive, renew or create for the first time, those iconic paddleboat memories as you pedal your way around the heart of Canberra.
Take an alpaca for a walk.
No, really. You can also have conversations with cows or spend time with a donkey!
Immerse yourself in nature
Walk through the leafy trails of the Australian National Botanic Gardens, and perhaps stop for coffee and cake at Pollen Café.
Take a trip to the zoo!
Get up close and personal with some of the world’s most amazing creatures at the National Zoo & Aquarium.
Have a picnic!
Grab the picnic blanket and some deli delights and head to these picturesque picnic spots.
Explore The National Arboretum
The National Arboretum Canberra is a mosaic of living forests and gardens offering breathtaking views, an inspired playground, and a gift shop worth the trip alone.
Do the bridge-to-bridge
Walk, run or ride the shores of Lake Burley Griffin in the cool of the morning or evening.
Have a tinny at The Bar at Snapper & Co.
The Bar at Snapper & Co. will be serving up local beers from Capital Brewing Co and wines from the likes of Lake George Winery and Mount Majura Winery alongside a delightfully summery cocktail menu. Pitcher of Pimms, Citrus Sangria, Moscow Mule or Aperol Spritz anyone?
Get off the beaten track
Discover some of Canberra’s favourite hidden walks. Shh.
Head to Weston Park for family fun
Ride your bikes on the cycle track, play Bocce or Pétanque or enjoy the water playground and wading pool.
Float along the Murrumbidgee River
Swimming in the Murrumbidgee River is a favourite of locals and one of the easiest and cheapest ways to cool down. Canberra is lucky to have 66km of the river for swimming, kayaking, fishing, camping, barbecue-ing and of course, lilo floating.
Drink in the views
Lerida Estate has taken over the deck at the Canberra Visitor’s Centre for a pop-up wine bar over the coming summer months. Book the five-course tasting experience for each hour between 12–4 pm each day (complete with antipasto platter put together by the team at The Italian Place) or simply rock up and snare a wine barrel to lean on. You can sample one of five wines by the glass, with the wine list changing weekly.
Ride the slide
Ride on Corin Forest’s exhilarating Alpine Slide that descends 1.2km through the forest.
Feature image: The Jetty
