Australian Capital Territory district, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Places to visit near Canberra

Canberra is a city in Australian Capital Territory district, Australian Capital Territory, Australia, home to about 367,752 people. Within 50 km by road there are 249 places to visit — 50 forts & heritage, 46 parks, 32 hill stations & viewpoints and 30 wildlife, forests & gardens. The must-see places are City Hill (1 km), Centenary Obelisk (1 km) and Canberra Museum and Gallery (1 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Canberra on the map

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory district, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Canberra at a glance

Location
Australian Capital Territory district, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Population
about 367,752
Coordinates
35.2835° S, 149.1281° E
Places within 50 km
249 (89 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to February for forts & heritage; October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; year-round for parks

Top places to visit near Canberra

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Canberra: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

More places near Canberra

Things to see near Canberra, by type

Forts & heritage near Canberra

53 forts & heritage within 100 km of Canberra. The closest is Centenary Obelisk (1 km). Best time: october to february.

All forts & heritage in Australian Capital Territory →

Parks near Canberra

46 parks within 100 km of Canberra. The closest is Glebe Park (1 km). Best time: year-round, evenings.

All parks in Australian Capital Territory →

Hill stations & viewpoints near Canberra

37 hill stations & viewpoints within 100 km of Canberra. The closest is Jolimont Centre (1 km); the best-known is Mount Ainslie (4 km). Best time: october to february for cool, clear air.

  • Mount Ainslie · viewpoint · Australian Capital Territory · ~4 km · Must-see
  • Mount Pleasant Lookout · viewpoint · Australian Capital Territory · ~4 km · Must-see
  • Government House · viewpoint · Australian Capital Territory · ~6 km · Must-see
  • Mount Majura · viewpoint · Australian Capital Territory · ~9 km · Must-see
  • Mount Mugga Mugga · viewpoint · Australian Capital Territory · ~9 km · Must-see
  • Oakey Hil · viewpoint · Australian Capital Territory · ~10 km · Must-see

All hill stations & viewpoints in Australian Capital Territory →

Wildlife, forests & gardens near Canberra

34 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Canberra. The closest is Tasmanian Garden (2 km); the best-known is Australian National Botanic Gardens (3 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

All wildlife, forests & gardens in Australian Capital Territory →

Churches near Canberra

23 churches within 100 km of Canberra. The closest is St Johns Anglican Church (2 km). Best time: year-round.

All churches in Australian Capital Territory →

Lakes, dams & reservoirs near Canberra

13 lakes, dams & reservoirs within 100 km of Canberra. The closest is City Hill (1 km). Best time: august to december when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

All lakes, dams & reservoirs in Australian Capital Territory →

A one-day trip from Canberra

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 6 km on the road.

  1. Start in Canberra
  2. 1 km ACT Memorial · monument, Australian Capital Territory
  3. 1 km Canberra Museum and Gallery · museum, Australian Capital Territory
  4. 1 km Centenary Obelisk · heritage site, Australian Capital Territory
  5. 1 km City Hill · hill, Australian Capital Territory
  6. 1 km National Film & Sound Archive · museum, Australian Capital Territory
  7. 1 km Back to Canberra

Plan a longer trip from Canberra — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

How to reach Canberra

    All places near Canberra by distance

    Within 15 km of Canberra

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type

    Places near Canberra by type
    TypePlacesNearest
    Forts & heritage53Centenary Obelisk (1 km)
    Parks46Glebe Park (1 km)
    Hill stations & viewpoints37Jolimont Centre (1 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens34Tasmanian Garden (2 km)
    Other attractions30Legislative Assembly Building (1 km)
    Churches23St Johns Anglican Church (2 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs13City Hill (1 km)
    Museums13Canberra Museum and Gallery (1 km)
    Beaches & coast9Yarralumla Bay (4 km)
    Treks3Cork Oaks Trail (6 km)
    Waterfalls2Waterfall Way (3 km)
    Mosques & dargahs1Canberra Mosque (3 km)
    Rivers, islands & mangroves1John Knight Island (9 km)
    Temples1Hindu Temple and Cultural Centre (11 km)
    Buddhist sites1Khemararangsi Wat (12 km)
    Caves1Yarrangobilly Caves (95 km)

    Canberra: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Canberra?

    City Hill (hill, about 1 km), Centenary Obelisk (heritage site, about 1 km), Canberra Museum and Gallery (museum, about 1 km), ACT Memorial (monument, about 1 km), National Film & Sound Archive (museum, about 1 km), Glebe Park (park, about 1 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Canberra?

    249 places on Spotwander: 50 forts & heritage, 46 parks, 32 hill stations & viewpoints, 30 wildlife, forests & gardens, 28 other attractions.

    Which is the nearest fort to Canberra?

    Centenary Obelisk, about 1 km by road; ACT Memorial (1 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest park to Canberra?

    Glebe Park, about 1 km by road; Veteran's Park (1 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest viewpoint to Canberra?

    Jolimont Centre, about 1 km by road; Black Mountain (4 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Canberra?

    Start in Canberra, visit ACT Memorial, then Canberra Museum and Gallery, then Centenary Obelisk, then City Hill, then National Film & Sound Archive, and drive back — about 6 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Canberra?

    October to February for forts & heritage; October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; year-round for parks.

    Towns near Canberra

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Canberra’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Canberra on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.