The best of urban Canberra can be enjoyed by the whole family happy these April school holidays with these 5 key events not to be missed.

1: Van Gogh Alive Australia 

Canberra’s Parkes Place Lawns have been transformed into a SENSORY4 Gallery, where you can embrace your favourite paintings, including Van Gogh’s magnum opus, Off the back of Enlighten Festival, Van Gogh Alive Australia will remain on the Parkes Place Lawns until Sunday 10 April, covering the first weekend of the Easter school holidays.

Prepare to transcend time and space as you accompany Van Gogh on a journey through the Netherlands, Arles, Saint Rémy and Auvers-sur-Oise, where he created many of his timeless masterpieces. At the end of it all dine in a recreation of the Café Terrace at night with the family.

Don’t miss out on tickets for this spectacular multi-sensory experience inside the 25,000 square foot immersive gallery. General Admission to the event is costed between $39 – 44 per person.

2: National Portrait Gallery’s Shakespeare to Winehouse exhibition

An exhibition featuring more than 80 portraits usually on display in London’s National Portrait Gallery, has opened in the nations capital, featuring faces who have “shaped British history, identity and culture”.

One of the most significant artworks on display to show the chilren in the exhibition is John Taylor’s portrait of William Shakespeare, painted in the 1600s and thought to be the only portrait the writer ever sat for. Enjoy numerous other portraits of icons from popular culture, scientists and even singing sensation Ed Sheeran.

Shakespeare to Winehouse is an absolutely fantastic opportunity to see these works, some of them for the first time and possibly for the last time, in Australia

To reach the Portrait Gallery from Crowne Plaza, simply take the first exit off Parkey Way, onto Commonwealth Ave/A23.

3: Have fun learning about the world of science

A visit to Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre is a highlight of a family trip to Canberra. This extremely popular attraction is all about making science fun. With regular special exhibitions and over 200 exhibits across eight galleries, there is enough to keep you entertained for hours.

Get innovating these Easter school holidays with the Questacon Maker Project Holiday Program! Held in the custom Maker Space at Deakin, 10 – 15 year olds will spend each session tinkering and designing, guided by Maker facilitators. 

Tickets are essential, and will be available in advance via Ticketek. All participants will need to be signed-in by a parent or guardian 15 minutes prior to workshops commencing.

Questacon is open 7 days a week, with general admission sessions starting every half an hour from 9 am to 3 pm. Pre-booked tickets are essential for all visitors, including infants.

4: Enjoy the entertainment haven at the National Folk Festival

Known as the heart and home of Australian folk culture, the Folkie brings thousands together in a massive celebration of music, storytelling, and more at Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC).

With endless entertainment offerings across the five-day event– held from Thursday 14 until Monday 18 April– there will be world-class performers (including performances from 36 ARIA Award winners). The festival program has been recently announced, packing in a family friendly schedule among, workshops, dance, choir & music schedules.

Designed to impress the whole family, the 2022 festival will proudly showcase the very best of homegrown talent with over 200 acts across 12 venues to enjoy.

For the little ones, ABC kid’s favourite Justine Clarke will be taking the stage to perform some of her biggest hits that will have them singing and dancing.

5: Explore the National Arboretum

Active kids? Pick up your map and clue sheet from the Village Centre and head out into the forests and gardens on a letter search to discover which rare bird is nesting at the National Arboretum.

The orienteering is on daily during the school holidays between 9am and 4pm. It is suitable for all ages.

There is a cost of $5 per family. This is a drop-in activity and no bookings are required.

Book a Family Experience at Crowne Plaza

Crowne Plaza is enticing the family to indulge these Easter holidays in some retail therapy with a $100 Canberra Centre voucher and then get ready for hours of fun with the young ones at Kingpin Canberra with a $50 voucher to play the arcades, go bowling, try an escape room and more!

Our ‘Shop, Play, Stay’ family package includes 2-nights accommodation in a twin room or Suite of your choice, plus a $100 Canberra Centre voucher, $50 King Pin Canberra voucher, and a bonus $50 dining credit.

The post 5 reasons to book a family getaway to Canberra these April school holidays appeared first on Crowne Plaza Canberra.

1. FROSTY FUN

Snow sports or snow play

If you are heading to one of New South Wales’ magical snowfields this ski season, Canberra is the perfect stop along the way only a short detour from the highway to the Snowy Mountains. Kosciuszko National Park has four ski resorts including Thredbo home to Australia’s longest ski run.

Never seen snow before? This winter is your chance and Corin Forest is the perfect first snow experience for all ages. Winter wonderland tasks to tick off your snow bucket list include build your first snowman, throw a snowball and go tobogganing which can all be enjoyed in the Snowplay area which runs three 2.5 hour sessions daily. Plus, learn to ski or board on the specially designed beginners run and at snow sports school.

Skating At Festival

Embrace the magic of winter as you twirl on ice at Skating At Festival. The pop-up ice rink is located at Garema Place, a 7-minute walk from the hotel and is open daily until evening (9pm Mon-Wed, 10pm Thurs, Fri & Sun and 11pm Sat). How about a romantic evening on ice? Each Tuesday is Skate & Date night or if music from the 90s and 00s is more your jam then come on Thursday for Ice Ice Baby. There is also a bar and winter food market and all sorts of rides in addition to the rink.

2. LOVE LEARNING

Headhunt! at the National Portrait Gallery

Perfect for the art enthusiast of the future, Headhunt! is a new and fun way to experience the gallery. Free for families on weekends and during school holidays, iPads are available for this interactive activity. Specifically designed for kids 7 to 15, it gives them the tools to independently explore or take charge and lead your family on your own tour with fun facts and details about the works in the National Portrait Gallery.

Marvellous Motifs at the National Museum of Australia

Perfect for your kids who love art and design or different cultures, Marvellous Motifs is a kids’ activity running from July 9 to 20. The session centres around the exhibition So That You Might Know Each Other which explores the faith and culture of Islam and focuses on the artistic motifs found throughout Islamic art and design. The activity includes a tour of the exhibit and a screen printing craft with Megalo Print Studios where kids will create take-home hand-printed cards. Pre-booking essential, fees apply.

National Dinosaur Museum

Ready to travel back in time 700 million years? The dinosaurs are the big show-stealers at the National Dinosaur Museum but the exhibitions also include a variety of fossils and beautiful murals. Make sure you visit the Dinosaur Garden and get a selfie with your favourite prehistoric beast!

Mid-Winter Nights @ Questacon

For four nights in July, have an up late experience with Mid-Winter Nights @ Questacon. Exciting for all ages, enjoy a science show, stargazing, winter crafts plus food. You can also explore all eight of Questacon’s galleries. The sessions run from 5.30pm to 9pm over four nights from July 11 to 14. For more other current activites, visit our recent best Canberra winter activities.

3. DELICIOUS DINING

Truffle Market Day at Westfield Belconnen

Canberra goes truffle mad in winter with the annual truffle festival. This great event on July 28 allows you to marinate in all things truffles without leaving the city or braving the cooler weather outdoors. The Westfield Belconnen Truffle Market Day will showcase cooking demonstrations from some of Canberra’s top chefs who are experts in truffles plus food and wine samplings and free kid’s activities. Get inspired to include truffles in your cooking and learn how you can be creative in the kitchen.

Five Course Truffle Dinner

For something truly indulgent, how about five courses featuring Canberra truffles and paired with matched wines. On Saturday August 4, Blue Frog Truffles and Contentious Character wines will join forces for a night to truly scintillate the taste buds. Bookings essential.

Blue Frog Truffles Truffle Hunts

Or how about trying truffle hunting yourself? Blue Frog Truffle Hunts are happening every Sunday during the Truffle Festival at 10am. The farm is located close by to the city, only a 25-minute drive from the hotel. The experience includes the hunt with truffle sniffing dogs, information, tastings and the chance to buy truffles and truffle related products to take home and enjoy!

Start planning your winter escape to Canberra now with our winter accommodation specials. 

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Image credits:

Corin Forest image, National Dinosaur Museum and Questacon Image from Visit Canberra, Westfield Belconnen Truffle Market Day courtesy of trufflefestival.com.au

The post Three Ways to Explore Canberra This Winter appeared first on Crowne Plaza Canberra.

Fabulous Food and Wine

In celebration of the harvest of the prized black perigord truffle, experience a range of truffle inspired events this winter in Canberra from June until August. Join in the excitement of a truffle hunt at The Truffle Farm Canberra, enjoy fresh local produce and wines with casual meals or degustation and fine dining experiences. Discover your new favourite recipe or brush up on kitchen techniques with a cooking class at Foodish in Belconnen, located only a short drive from the hotel, including truffle inspired workshops and more.

If you enjoy discovering new food and wine, it will be hard to know what to try first, with such a diverse range of fabulous restaurants and cafes, from award-winning dining venues to popular suburban eateries. Try one of Canberra’s 10 hatted restaurants from the The Good Food Guide 2017, from fine dining to urban cool. Canberra is also the perfect base to explore the Canberra District wine region, with over 30 wineries only 40 minutes from the city.

Visit the Capital Region Farmer’s Markets in Canberra, held on regular Saturday mornings throughout the year at Exhibition Park in Canberra. Try a coffee from a local coffee roaster and enjoy a freshly baked pastry, while browsing the many stalls stocking everything from plants to smallgoods, locally grown vegetables, local olive oil, honey and more.

Canberra has also made a name for itself with its coffee scene, with a number of local roasters creating outstanding blends and also offering single origin coffee, including Lonsdale Street Roasters and Ona Coffee. Check out VisitCanberra for more Canberra coffee inspiration.

Art, Culture and History

If you enjoy lazy afternoons browsing through art galleries, you’ll be spoilt for choice with a diverse range of exhibitions showing in Canberra this winter.

At the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House see Behind the Lines 2016: The year’s best political cartoons. With so many tumultous events in 2016, this exhibition at the Museum of Australia Democracy at Old Parliament House is sure to be an interesting exhibition to add to your itinerary.

Whether you love to cycle, or are just interested in history, the Freewheeling: Cycling in Australia exhibition at the National Museum of Australia explores the history of cycling in Australia and is on show until 9 July. While you’re there, enjoy coffee and cake with beautiful views of Lake Burley Griffin at the Museum Cafe.

One exhibition definitely worth seeing on your visit to Canberra is the National Photographic Portrait Prize exhibition. But you’ll need to be quick, as it is only on show until 18 June 2017 at the National Portrait Gallery. The exhibition includes portraits by contemporary Australian photographers, both amateur and professional, celebrating contemporary photographic portraiture from across the country.

The National Library of Australia offers more than just books!  See Athol Shmith Fashion Photographs, until 16 July 2017 and a new exhibition Melodrama in Meiji Japan from 24 May until 27 August 2017. The bookshop at the National Library of Australia is well worth a visit after browsing through the exhibitions.

Among a number of exhibitions at the National Gallery of Australia this winter is Frank Stella: The Kenneth Tyler Print Collection. Frank Stella and Kenneth Tyler played a significant role in the development of twentieth-century American printmaking. This exhibition showcases a selection of Stella’s groundbreaking prints and is showing until July 2017.

Also at the National Gallery of Australia, see Defying Empire: National Indigenous Art Triennial. This major exhibition surveys the diverse contemporary practice of 30 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, responding to the 50th Anniversary of the 1967 Referendum, and is showing from 26 May until 10 September 2017.

Family and School Holidays Fun

For an easy family getaway and the opportunity to see three of Canberra’s great attractions with one ticket, 3infun tickets include entry to Questacon, Cockington Green Gardens and the Australian Institute of Sport.

Experience hands on science fun at Questacon — The National Science and Technology Centre. Free-fall down a six-metre slide, experience an earthquake or challenge a robot to a game of air hockey. Little people will enjoy Mini Q as they play, discover and learn in a with a range of activities for 0-6 year olds.

Corin Forest is a great first snow experience for families, located only 40 minutes drive from the city in Namadgi National Park.  Or why not put on some skates and make the most of the outdoor ice skating rink that transforms Canberra’s city centre into a winter wonderland with Skate in the City.

During the July school holidays in Canberra you can also visit the city’s many attractions such as the National Zoo & Aquarium and the Australian Institute of Sport. Kids will love The Pod Playground at the National Arboretum Canberra and the Discovery Playground at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.

Sports and Outdoor Adventure

If you enjoy spending time in the great outdoors, you will find many exciting options to choose from in Canberra such as mountain biking at Stromlo Forest Park, walk the Centenary Trail, hike to the top of Mount Ainslie, have fun with a segway tour around Lake Burley Griffin or discover the diversity of plants at the Australian National Botanic Gardens – all easily accessible from the city centre. Hire a bicycle from the front of the hotel and explore Canberra with its extensive network of cycling paths.

Within a 40 minute drive from Canberra city, you’ll find Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. There’s a great Discovery Playground for kids, along with a visitor’s centre and cafe. Join a ranger-guided tour, learn about the breeding programs for endangered animals and try to spot platypus and koalas as you wander through the reserve. Tidbinbilla has Advanced Ecotourism Certification.

For an interesting and educational experience, consider a twilight tour at Mulligan’s Flat Woodland Sanctuary, located around a 25 minute drive from Crowne Plaza Canberra. Suitable for people aged 10 years and up, this tour gives participants the opportunity to learn about endangered woodlands and see nocturnal animals in their natural habitat at night.

Book your Canberra getaway now with our Advance Purchase offer and save on your stay. 

Our Canberra city hotel is located in a tranquil park setting, close to restaurants, shops and major attractions.

Don’t forget about our best price guarantee too – if you find a cheaper price your first night is free.

Click here to book your winter hotel deal in Canberra.

*Please note, some exhibitions required paid tickets. Visit the galleries websites for details.

**Terms and conditions apply.

Images: this page, The Truffle Farm Canberra, photographer Lean Timms; blog listing page, Corin Forest © VisitCanberra.

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