Canberra has been named Australia’s ‘Fifth Most Family Friendly City’! And it comes as no surprise to the locals who spend their lives here and if you look around you, at pretty much any moment, you’ll notice the stroller swarm of parents. A never ending tide of families. And why not? Canberra really is amazingly family friendly.

Still don’t believe us, because you’re living under a rock in Tharwa? Here are just 5 of the more obvious family friendly spots in Canberra:

The National Arboretum

Listed here for its amazing nature walks and beautiful forests. A particular favourite being the Cedar Pine forest with a gorgeous wooden deck and BBQ area, which is an ideal stop over for families. And of course any mention of the Arboretum can’t happen without including the famous playground, which is easily the best around.

Questacon

Who doesn’t love a bit of science and fun? It’s great for kids of all ages, and you’ll often see a horde of dads having equally as much fun as the kids. Questacon is Canberra’s National Science and Technology Centre and offers a wide range of activities from musical to chemical, scientific and frenetic. And for the parents, there’s even Questacon after Dark.

National Dinosaur Museum

Seriously. Dinosaurs. And with the recent Jurassic World, it’s the best time to get the kids through and marvel at the coolest creatures ever to walk the earth.

National Zoo & Aquarium

When the fossils fail to amuse, there’s nothing better than roaming through our very own zoo and aquarium. It’s an ideal outing for the family as you roam the pathways, see the big cats, re-enact scenes from the Wizard Of Oz (lions, and tigers, and bears….), and walk amongst our local fauna as roos, wallabies and emus stroll through open areas where the kids can get up close and personal (carefully that is).

Lake Burley Griffin

And of course, it goes without saying that anywhere along the shores of our gorgeous LBG is iconic for families. Whether having a picnic in the spring, heading out on paddle boats and taking a stroll along the foreshore, it’s a serene outing that doesn’t cost a cent (except for the paddle boats).

With so many activities throughout Canberra, including cinemas, hikes, outlooks, restaurants, museums, galleries, exhibits and a ton of playgrounds, it’s easy to see why Canberra’s in the Top 5 on Lonely Planet.