Canberra’s Best Family Activities for Winter 2026: Snow Play, Museums and Free Stargazing

With school holidays underway in the capital, families are looking for ways to keep the kids busy without blowing the budget. Canberra has plenty of options, from hands-on museums and snowy mountain escapes to free astronomy nights, and several new attractions have just opened for the season.

According to VisitCanberra, the city offers more than 100 family-friendly activities, including interactive museums like Questacon and the National Museum of Australia, as well as outdoor adventures at the National Arboretum and Cockington Green Gardens. Winter 2026 has also brought fresh options, including electric picnic boat rentals at GoBoat Canberra and a treetop ropes course at Majura Pines.

Snow play and tobogganing at Corin Forest

Just a 50-minute drive from the city centre, Corin Forest Mountain Resort is open for its snow season from April to September this year. Families can enjoy snow play and tobogganing on real snow without heading to the Snowy Mountains. The resort is one of the most popular winter day-trips for local families and tends to book out on weekends, reports travel guide A Lovely Planet.

Free stargazing at Mount Stromlo

For a no-cost evening out, the Mount Stromlo Observatory runs public astronomy nights every Friday from 7 to 9 pm, between April and September. Run by the Australian National University, these sessions let visitors peer through telescopes and learn about the night sky from astronomers. No bookings are required, but warm layers are a good idea, it gets chilly up on the mountain.

The Australian War Memorial also offers free entry to its galleries, though timed tickets are required. It’s a sobering but educational stop for older kids, and the memorial’s gardens and Anzac Parade are worth a stroll.

Dinosaurs, reptiles and treetops

Back in town, the National Dinosaur Museum and Canberra Reptile Zoo are perennial favourites for younger children. Both are located in the Gold Creek Village precinct, where you can also grab lunch at one of the nearby cafes. For active families, Treetops Adventure in Stromlo Forest Park offers an aerial obstacle course with ziplines and rope bridges suitable for children as young as three.

New this year: GoBoat Canberra has launched self-drive electric picnic boats on Lake Burley Griffin, perfect for a calm family outing. And the tree ropes course at Majura Pines is now open for bookings, offering a high-ropes experience among the pines.

Plan your winter family day out

Most attractions recommend booking ahead, especially for Corin Forest and the ropes courses. The free observatory nights and War Memorial galleries are budget-friendly options that don’t require much planning beyond packing snacks and checking the weather.

Whatever you choose, Canberra’s winter calendar is full of ways to get out of the house, and into the mountains, museums or treetops.