Canberra is a great destination to head for a weekend away from Sydney with your dog. There’s plenty of dog-friendly things to do in Canberra, plus a large range of pet-friendly accommodation. Best of all it’s just an easy three hour drive, with plenty of places to stop along the way. Check out my top tips for places to stop on a trip to Canberra.
Best Off-Leash Dog Park To Stop At
While they won’t win prizes for the biggest or most exciting off-leash dog park, definitely the easiest off-leash dog parks to stop at when driving to and from Canberra with a dog are the pair of off-leash dog parks at the Pheasants Nest Service Centres, in between Campbelltown and Mittagong.
Both the Southbound and Northbound Service Centres now have fenced off-leash dog exercise area. Both areas are securely fenced, with bench seating inside, a water fountain, poo bags and bins. There’s also some handy picnic tables just outside the gates.
Another option if you’re up for a longer detour is the large off-leash dog park at Victoria Park in Goulburn. Located in the corner next to the intersection of Faithfull and Clifford Streets, the off-leash area is securely fenced with double gates. Inside are a group of seats, a local noticeboard for dog owners and two water taps and bowls.
Best Cafe on the Way
On my most recent road trip to Canberra with my dog, I stopped for the first time at a fabulous cafe, Some Cafe in Collector. Collector is a sleepy little town just off the Federal Highway, but this cafe is well worth the detour.
Along the front of the cafe is a long verandah, with plenty of dog-friendly tables nestled under the sheltering roof, plus dog water bowls. But if the weather is fine, try to grab one of the tables in the garden to the right hand side of the cafe.
The cafe serves up a simple menu of breakfast rolls, toasts and toasties, sausage rolls and pies, plus rotating specials. Or take your pick from one of the delicious sweet treats in the cabinet inside to accompany a cup of coffee – we loved our Anzac slice. The cafe is open seven days.
Best Winery Restaurant for Lunch
Another great spot to stop for a meal on the way to Canberra is Lerida Estate. This winery at the northern end of Lake George is open daily for lunch and has a beautiful dog-friendly outdoor dining area, at least when the weather is fine.
Make a booking for one of the outdoor tables overlooking the vineyard and the lake (when it has water in it), some with umbrellas or under the trees. Then choose between the a la carte menu (we choose the pork belly and kangaroo fillet) or perhaps just a charcuterie platter.
Our dog was warmly greeted and given a huge bowl of water. He enjoyed sniffling the ground around our table, then chewing on a long-lasting treat while we dined. Note that if you want to enjoy a wine tasting you’ll need to make a separate booking, or just accompany your meal with a glass of their wine.
Best Big Thing for a Road-Trip Selfie
What’s an Australian road trip without a stop at a Big Thing for a selfie with your dog? Luckily there’s a great place to stop on a road trip to Canberra, the Big Merino in Goulburn.
The Big Merino is one of the most iconic big things located around Australia, built back in 1985 to honour the surrounding region’s wool industry. Inside you’ll find a souvenir shop with many wool products, where dogs are presumably not allowed. Instead, take a selfie or two out the front with your dog.
It’s just an easy detour off the Hume Highway to the Big Merino in Goulburn (take the second exit and it’s about a minute off the highway). There’s also a great bakery next door, where you could pick up some pastries.
Best Time to Visit Canberra
Canberra is a city of extremes, with hot dry summers and cold winters that often get below freezing. While I’ve visited before in both summer and winter, my pick of the best time of year to visit Canberra are the spring months, particularly September and October.
During spring the days are pleasantly warm in the sunshine, although you’ll likely need to still rug up at night time. But best of all there’s also some great dog-friendly attractions to visit in Canberra during September and October.
My top pick after my recent road trip to Canberra with my dog are the Tulip Top Gardens. Located in Sutton, just off the highway before you cross the border into the ACT, up to two leashed dogs are welcome to join you at the gardens any day. The gardens are generally open daily from mid-September to mid-October. Their displays of tulips and other blossoms are stunning!
Another dog-friendly flower display is the final day of the Floriade Festival, also held from mid-September to mid-October. Dubbed the Dogs’ Day Out, leashed dogs are welcome to join you on this one day to explore the flower displays in Commonwealth Park – confirm the date each year. While entry is free, as it’s the end of the festival unfortunately I thought the flowers weren’t still at their best.
Another seasonal dog-friendly attraction in Canberra is Corin Forest. This recreation area about a 45 minute drive south of Canberra operates a snow play area each winter. While dogs aren’t allowed in the snow play area most days, towards the end of the season in September they host a handful of Snow Dogs sessions. Check their website and Facebook page to find out the dates and snap up a ticket for you and your pup.
Need to Hire a Car?
When I recently visited Canberra with my dog, Schnitzel, we hired a car for the weekend as we don’t currently have our own car. We made our car booking through DiscoverCars.com – an easy option to search and book cars through multiple brands, with great prices on offer and free cancellation.
When booking a hire car to travel with a dog in Australia, an extra step is required – checking that the hire car allows dogs. Often it’s best to contact the individual car hire location, although Sixt publishes a handy list of their locations that are pet-friendly. Some smaller companies also allow pets for a fee. For more tips, see my guide to hiring cars in Australia.
When hiring a car, I always recommend taking out insurance – either directly through the rental car company, as part of your travel insurance or with RentalCover through DiscoverCars.com. On this trip, I took out the latter option and was grateful for it when I returned the car with a small scratch. The insurance claim was easy and fairly quick to process.
Note: The author received a credit from DiscoverCars.com, but all opinions are her own.
Once You Arrive in Canberra…
About the Author
Shandos Cleaver is the founder of Travelnuity: Dog-Friendly Travel. She has travelled extensively with her Miniature Dachshund, Schnitzel, including to 33 countries across Europe, every state and territory of Australia except Tasmania, and 10 of the United States. She’s passionate about providing inspiration and information to others wanting to travel with their dogs, whether close to home or internationally.