Best Things To Do in Canberra for Couples

When it comes to romantic things to do in Canberra for couples, the city’s outdoors scene absolutely shines. Think leisurely sunset strolls, secluded picnic lawns and vantage points. Here are a few of our favourites:  

• Lake Burley Griffin: Hire bikes, kayaks or a paddleboard on the foreshore, loop the mirror-flat water and time your lap to watch Parliament House at sunset from the Commonwealth Bridge or Kingston Foreshore. 

• National Arboretum Canberra: Ten minutes from town yet worlds away, the National Arboretum spreads 44,000 rare trees across rolling hills. Picnic beneath perfumed Himalayan cedars, then stroll to Dairy Farmers Hill for big-sky views. 

• Mount Ainslie Lookout: For a dawn date, drive or hike up Mount Ainslie. Watch the city align perfectly down Anzac Parade as the sun rises behind the Brindabellas. 

Cultural and creative date ideas

If the weather takes a turn, or you simply fancy trading gum trees for galleries, Canberra’s cultural scene delivers plenty of fun things to do in Canberra for couples at night and by day. From world-class art to homespun markets, here are our top picks. 

• National Gallery of Australia: Whether you’re interested in Monet waterlilies, iconic Indigenous canvases or the show-stopping “Skyspace” installation, the National Gallery of Australia offers plenty for art-loving duos. Here, you can lose hours debating your favourites before emerging for riverside gelato. Best of all, entry is free—ideal if you’re budgeting for campervan hire.  

• Australian National Botanic Gardens: Just north of the lake, the Australian National Botanic Gardens showcase every climatic zone of Australia in one leafy amphitheatre. Meander through red-dirt desert beds, misty rainforest gullies and banksia-lined ridges, spotting tiny honeyeaters along the way.   

• Old Bus Depot Markets (Sundays): Fancy something laid-back? Point the camper towards Kingston and follow the aroma of bratwurst and coffee beans to Old Bus Depot Markets. The Old Bus Depot buzzes with live folk music, second-hand vinyl stalls and rows of designers selling hand-thrown ceramics and recycled-timber cheese boards. Share a plate of international street food, pick up a souvenir for the van, then stroll the waterfront boardwalk—this is one of the things to do in Canberra that captures the city’s creative pulse in a single shed.   

Image: Tourism Australia

Food, wine & chill experiences

Ask any local about romantic things to do in Canberra for couples and the chat will quickly turn to its vineyards, lake-edge lawns and slow-food scene—easy to enjoy when you’ve got a campervan kitchen for leftovers and a handy bed on wheels for post-lunch naps. 

Wineries & long lunches in the Canberra wine region

Less than a 40-minute drive from the CBD, the cool-climate vineyards around Murrumbateman and Lake George make a blissful detour on any road trip. Start with an intimate shiraz-viognier tasting at Clonakilla, then amble down tree-lined Dog Trap Road to Helm Wines for its 1888-built schoolhouse cellar door.  

If you’re after a modern bistro perched over the vines, Shaw Wines pairs estate riesling with share plates of truffle gnocchi. Simply book a table on the terrace and you’ve nailed the ultimate long lunch. Designate one half of the duo as a driver, or simply park the camper at a nearby holiday park and make use of the local shuttles and taxi services.   

Picnic at Lennox Gardens

When the cherry blossoms flare pink each spring, Lennox Gardens becomes one of the most romantic picnic spots in town. Park the motorhome beside the lake, pick up takeaway sushi or a hot banh mi from nearby Yarralumla shops and nab a blanket-sized patch of grass by the Chinese Pavilion. Or if you prefer to cook your own meals, the public barbecues make it easy to grill up whatever goodies you’ve stashed in the camper fridge, and there’s plenty of space to stretch your legs along the lakeside path afterwards.  

Hands-on food adventures

For a hands-on food adventure, book a class at Foodish Cooking School in Belconnen. One week it’s dumplings, the next it’s plant-based Ottolenghi feasts—either way, you’ll laugh, chop and sip your way through a three-hour date before packing leftovers back to the campervan.  

Prefer eating to stirring? Eat Canberra Food Tours leads small groups around hidden brunch joints, chocolatiers and craft-beer bars, so you can discover new favourites without fussing over maps.   

Pro Tip: For couples who’d rather snuggle onboard than hit the town, check out maui’s tips on how to have a memorable date night in a motorhome—because sometimes the most romantic Canberra evening is the one you create in your own rolling retreat. 

Fun things to do in Canberra for couples at night

Looking for some nighttime date ideas? From rooftop movie screens to speakeasy jazz, Canberra’s after-dark scene is bursting with date-night potential. 

Rooftop & boutique cinemas

On balmy evenings between November and March, Sunset Cinema inflates a giant screen in the Australian National Botanic Gardens and hands out beanbags and blankets—bring a picnic hamper and you’ve got one of the most fun things to do in Canberra for couples at night. Or if you prefer a little more comfort, slide into a velvet sofa at Palace Electric Cinema. Order a local riesling at the bar, then sink into indie flicks or the latest arthouse release without ever feeling like you’re in a multiplex.   

Stargazing at Mount Stromlo Observatory

Want a memory that rivals any romantic restaurant? Drive 20 minutes from the city lights to Mount Stromlo, park the camper and join one of the observatory’s free public astronomy nights. Volunteers wheel out portable telescopes and guide you through the Southern Cross, Saturn’s rings and the glow of distant nebulae.  

Canberra’s bar scene

Night owls will find no shortage of quirky bars for that post-film nightcap. Climb the heritage staircase to Bar Rochford and share plates of burrata under high ceilings pulsing with vinyl tunes. A few blocks away, Hippo Co shakes award-winning cocktails to live jazz four nights a week, while the hidden basement of Molly lures speakeasy fans with candlelight and an encyclopaedic whisky list. Whichever bar you choose, the taxi fare back to your campsite is mercifully short—one more perk of Canberra’s compact layout. 

Unique and adventurous experiences

For couples who measure romance in bucket-list ticks and muddy hiking boots, Canberra dishes up plenty of experiences you won’t soon forget. 

• Hot-air balloon ride: Floating over Lake Burley Griffin at dawn, watching while kangaroos graze on the lawns of Old Parliament House, is just one of the many reasons to add Balloon Aloft Canberra to your travel itinerary. It’s arguably the definitive unique thing to do in Canberra for couples, and a cracking way to celebrate an anniversary mid-road trip. 

• Winter truffle-hunting tours: From June to August, the oak groves at Turalla Truffles come alive with excitable dogs sniffing out black-gold nuggets. Couples looking for a unique foodie experience can join the hunt, learn how to differentiate a ripe truffle, then warm up by the fire with creamy scrambled eggs laced with their fresh find. It’s intimate, earthy and deeply satisfying. 

• Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: Swap city bustle for wedge-tailed eagles and wallaby tracks on scenic trails at Tidbinbilla, 45 minutes south-west of town. The 7-kilometre Gibraltar Peak walk delivers sweeping ACT ranges, while the shorter Sanctuary Loop lets you spot platypus with minimal effort.  

Campervan-friendly holiday parks in Canberra

One of the real perks of exploring Canberra by camper or motorhome is that you can sleep just minutes from Parliament House yet still wake to kookaburra calls. Below are three of the best holiday parks for couples plotting a relaxed road trip itinerary around the capital:  

• Canberra Park: Tucked just off the Federal Highway and a straight ten-minute scoot to the CBD, Canberra Park feels purpose-built for campervan hire travellers. Expect level, roomy sites (many drive-through), immaculate amenities blocks, free Wi-Fi and a camp kitchen kitted out with everything from microwaves to USB charge points.   

• Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC): If you like rolling into events rather than driving to them, base yourselves at Exhibition Park on the city’s north side. The 70-hectare grounds host everything from farmers’ markets to hot-rod shows, yet the camping area stays surprisingly peaceful. You’ll score powered or unpowered sites, potable water, dump points and that hard-to-beat eight-minute commute into town—perfect when you’ve booked a late-night film at Palace Electric. 

• Capital Country Holiday Park: Fancy a rural vibe without sacrificing Uber Eats? Capital Country Holiday Park sprawls across 15 hectares of gum-studded countryside near Sutton, a cruisy 20-minute drive to Canberra’s main attractions. Couples love the lakeside sites, mini-golf course, wood-fire pits and wildlife rambling past the van. It’s a sweet halfway house if you intend to spend equal time sipping riesling in the wine region and café-hopping downtown. 

Canberra events worth planning around

Time your stay right and you can weave one of the capital’s signature festivals into your road trip. 

• Floriade (mid-sept to mid-oct) – Australia’s most dazzling spring celebration blankets Commonwealth Park with over a million tulips, poppies and daffodils. By day, you’ll wander colour-blocked flowerbeds and live-music lawns; by night, the ticketed Floriade NightFest flips the switch on light sculptures and lantern trails.  

• National Multicultural Festival (second weekend in February) – Three summer days when the city centre morphs into a global street party. Think salsa crews on Civic Square, Ethiopian injera stalls wafting berbere and more than 170 nationalities flaunting dance, costume and cuisine. Plus, the free entry is bound to guarantee huge smiles.  

• Enlighten Festival (early to mid-march) – When twilight falls, iconic buildings—Old Parliament House, the National Library and more—become giant canvases for kaleidoscopic projections. Add live music, the famed Night Noodle Markets and hot-air balloons drifting at dawn, and you’ve got one of the coolest things to do in Canberra for couples.   

Tips for camping in Canberra 

Looking to make the most of your camper experience? Keep these pointers in mind: 

• Pick the right season – Summer (Dec–Feb) can hit upward of 35 °C, while winter nights (Jun–Aug) dip below freezing. For picnic-perfect afternoons and thinner crowds, plan your visit in spring (Sep–Nov) or autumn (Mar–May). 

• Book ahead – Holiday parks fill fast during Enlighten and Floriade. Secure powered sites through the thl Roadtrip app or directly with parks as soon as you lock in dates. 

• Chase sunset parking – Kingston Foreshore, Black Mountain Peninsula and the top of Dairy Farmers Hill all offer front-row seats for golden hour dinners. 

• Pack for romance – Battery fairy lights, a snug throw, reusable stemless wine glasses and a compact picnic rug turn an ordinary van into a love nest. For more tips on adding a little romance to your motorhome getaway, check out a full guide to a cosy, couple-friendly campervan date set-up  

• Travel lighter, tread lighter – When it comes to sustainable travel tips, it's the small things that make a big difference: sort your recycling, carry a refillable water tank, switch to solar if possible and always leave your campsite cleaner than you found it. 

Canberra may be best known for its national institutions, but couples soon discover a softer, more playful side—balloon baskets at dawn, lake-edge bike rides and back-country wine tastings all an easy drive apart. Best of all, with a campervan, you’re free to pivot between big-ticket attractions and hidden sunset nooks at your own pace, making every day of the journey feel tailor-made. Looking for more tips on things to do on your trip? Be sure to check out the top things to do in Canberra.  

Ready to hit the road? You can book your maui motorhome online and pick it up from any of the convenient maui hire locations across the country. From there, Canberra’s blend of romantic, fun and truly unique experiences is just a relaxed drive away—happy travels!