Things to do in Canberra over summer

The summer holidays are here, and we’ve found a bunch of activities for you to do over the break while Canberra’s offices come to a standstill. Virtual reality, baseball, the zoo, Summernats, and even some dinosaurs are ready and waiting this Christmas/New Year season.

Visit the dinosaurs at the National Dinosaur Museum

When: Open seven days a week, 10 am to 5 pm, closed Christmas Day (check website for holiday hours on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day)
Where: 6 Gold Creek Rd, Nicholls
Cost: General admission tickets from $12.

Dinosaurs still reign supreme in the imagination of every child. The National Dinosaur Museum in Canberra is Australia’s largest display of prehistoric specimens and artefacts. It’s got enough to get anyone fired up about the long-gone time when reptiles ruled the earth. It has 150 models, 23 complete skeletons, more than 300 individual fossils and a 20-metre animatronic T-Rex. You might just find yourself enjoying it more than the kids. Make sure to hit the gift shop on the way out for your own piece of pre-history to take home.

National Zoo and Aquarium Canberra

When: Open 9:30 am to 5 pm (every day except Christmas Day)
Where: Scrivener Dam, Yarralumla
Cost: Tickets range from $1 for infants to $53 for adults

Keen to see a tiger this summer? A shark? A bear? The National Zoo and Aquarium has all that and a little bit more. Choose general admission and watch exotic creatures from a distance, such as the several skittering between trees and rhinos lumbering across the savannah. If you’re feeling bold, book a close encounter on the website and get personal with some of nature’s most awe-inspiring animals.

The National Zoo hosts a menagerie of native species, including the emu, dingo, tawny frogmouth and tree kangaroo. Australia has incredible wildlife – you might even discover something new.

Zero Latency VR

When: Open 2:30 pm to 9 pm weekdays, 10 am to 8 pm on Saturdays and 10 am to 6:30 pm on Sundays (closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day)
Where: 56 Hoskins St, Mitchell
Cost: Tickets from $59 per person.

Gear up and immerse yourself in a virtual world at Zero Latency VR. Become a part of a completely different reality and indulge your alien-blasting fantasies. Bring friends and family and team up in an immersive space where you can roam within a virtual world using innovative technology. The Zero Latency experience puts you in an entirely different space. Want to walk in the virtual world? It’s streamlined the whole process. There are no cables, wires or suits, just you, your goggles and some mates.

There’s a range of experiences, including licensed content from beloved franchises. Space battles, urban zombie survival, tropical island battles from the beloved world of Far Cry and inter-galactic imperialism in the Warhammer Space Marine experience. Check the website and see what Zero Latency VR has to offer.

UC Capitals

When: Upcoming games on 29 December, 5 January, 11 January and 25 January (see website for game times)
Where: AIS Arena, Canberra, ACT
Cost: Tickets from $30.

The Caps are our most successful sporting team with eight championships to their name but this is a tough season. That said, the atmosphere at the AIS can’t be beaten – so get out there as the Caps go head-to-head with Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and Geelong from the end of December into February. Cheer on the Capitals courtside and sport the colours. You’ll see why the UC Capitals capture the hearts of all Canberrans.

Pompeii exhibit at the National Museum of Australia

When: 9 am to 5 pm until 4 May during normal hours; bookings required (closed Christmas Day)
Where: National Museum of Australia
Cost: Tickets from $12.50, children under five enter for free.

Pompeii and its excavations have inspired archaeologists, amateurs, historians and buffs for centuries. The images and artefacts of a once-thriving city captured in time by ash still grab the imagination nearly 2000 years after Vesuvius erupted. The NMA exhibits treasured items and artefacts of endless historical value so visitors can see the bustling town of Pompeii with their own eyes. Some of these items have never been shown outside of Europe. Jewellery, sculpture, pottery, even dice will take you back in time to explore the humanity of ancient people through the objects they used every day.

Canberra Cavalry

When: 3 to 5 January with a doubleheader on 4 Jan; check the website for game times
Where: EPC Solar Ballpark
Cost: General admission from $12.

Whether you’re a baseball fan or just looking for a great day out, the electric game atmosphere of EPC Solar Ballpark will keep you on the edge of your seat. Bring the whole family and cheer on the Canberra Cavalry – and spend the holidays with your new mates!

Canberra Museum and Gallery

When: 10 am to 4 pm weekdays, 12 to 4 pm weekends (check website for holiday opening hours)
Where: Cnr London Circuit and City Square, Canberra City
Cost: Most exhibitions are free, though charges may apply for some temporary exhibitions.

Canberra has some of the best art in the country, with galleries of different types and focuses. One of the finest is the Canberra Museum and Gallery (CMAG). Explore visual art through its extensive collection.

CMAG hosts exhibitions of art and history, currently delving into the curious yet emblematic history of Scottish immigrants in Canberra. Their club, named in honour of Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns, now has tens of thousands of members. CMAG also hosts the internationally famous works of Sidney Nolan, who captured Australia’s most famous outlaw, Ned Kelly, with his idiosyncratic art style.

It’s a celebration of Australia, our history, our culture, and the parts that come together to make it so unique. Learn about our artistic and social history at CMAG.

National Portrait Gallery

When: 10 am to 5 pm, closed Christmas Day
Where: National Portrait Gallery, King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Cost: Entry to the Gallery is free, but parking and some exhibitions are paid.

We can all be depicted in a thousand different ways, each angle and component emphasised or de-emphasised. What we see in a portrait is just as much a reflection of what the painter sees as what the subject is. It’s one of the most intimate forms of art. A portrait captures the spirit of a person. For many historical figures, it’s the only reference we have for their likeness. Some portraits in the National Portrait Gallery, such as Captain Cook, exude precision, while Sir Charles Kingsford Smith has a debonair confidence one can only expect from a pilot, and Albert Namatjira has a bright artistic optimism. You’ll feel much closer to these icons of Australia than you ever thought possible.

Canberra Outdoor Cinema

When: 21 November to 22 February; check individual showings for times
Where: Eucalypt Law, Australian National Botanic Gardens
Cost: Tickets range from $14.

The best movies coming out this summer are on at the Canberra Outdoor Cinema. If you’re a bit over the stuffiness of a conventional theatre, enjoy the open-air freshness of the Canberra sunset cinema. There’s fresh popcorn and snacks, as well as a licensed bar and food truck. It’s perfect to tuck into while you watch all the best new movies, including Wicked, Paddington in Peru and Gladiator II, as well as classics such as Home Alone, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Love Actually.

Manuka Oval

When: Upcoming games on 28 December and 23 January
Where: Manuka Oval, Manuka Circle, Griffith
Cost: Tickets range from $35 to $70.

Manuka Oval is the best spot in town for cricket and AFL. Check out the website for tickets to the BBL games against Melbourne and Adelaide or the T20 international clash with England. Who doesn’t love beating the old foe at their own game?

Bloc Haus

When: 6 am to 10 pm, Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 10 am to 10 pm, Tuesday and Thursday; 8 am to 10 pm, Saturday and Sunday (closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day)
Where: Unit 2, Building 2, 1 Dairy Road, Fyshwick and 1/2 Essington Street, Mitchell (two locations)
Cost: Day passes from $21, shoe hire $7.

Test out your coordination, strength (and your ability to fall gracefully) at Bloc Haus. Chalk yourself up and scramble up a wall course meant to push the limits of your endurance. A unique and fun type of fitness, bouldering is challenging work, and after a few minutes, you’ll be puffed. It’s a great way to keep your fitness up and enjoy yourself. Sick of the gym, or had enough of your daily running track? Give Bloc Haus a go this summer.

Summernats

When: 2 January to 5 January 2025
Where: Exhibition Park, Canberra (Mitchell, ACT)
Cost: Tickets vary; book here.

Revheads rejoice, 2025 Summernats is just around the corner and you can already hear the tyres begging for mercy. Car enthusiasts show off their souped-up machines, and drivers perform eye-watering burnouts and doughies – it’s an all-around celebration of the internal combustion engine (especially the V8 kind) that Canberrans get keen for every year. Whether you’ve entered your car for a competition or just want to watch the drivers rip it up, motorheads will always have something to look forward to at Summernats, and 2025 looks to be no exception.