Floriade

If you fancy getting out of Macarthur and going somewhere a bit further afield, Floriade opens this weekend in Canberra.

Floriade is more than just a flower festival, it's a celebration of Spring and this year's highlights include Katie Noonan, DonateLife concert, Inspiring Showcase and Kitchen Gardens, Animal Kingdom, CIT Kids' play areas, and carnival rides.

If you've already got plans for this weekend, the event runs from 11th of September to the 10th October so you won't miss out. Canberra is an easy two and a half hour drive down the Hume Highway but why not make a full weekend of it and enjoy the additional ticketed events such as Floriade NighFest or the Da Vinci Machines Exhibition.

Canberra is a great destination to take the kids. If they get tired of looking at flowers there's Questacon science centre, Cockington Green Gardens miniature world, the National Dinosaur Museum for budding paleontologists, and the Australian Institute of Sport for those keen to follow in the footsteps (or swimming strokes) of some our national sporting heros.

If you're an NRMA member, you can great savings with a Canberra 3 in Fun ticket which gives discounted entry to Questacon, Cockington Green and the Australian Institute of Sport.

There are lots of places to stay in Canberra, but for somewhere cheap and cheerful we recommend the Capital Country Holiday Village just north of Canberra on the Federal Highway.