Canberra Day Tour: Hop on hop off, all attractions free entry

Build your own day around Parliament House, the War Memorial and Lake Burley Griffin.

A hop on hop off day tour of Canberra departing from the Museum & Gallery at 9:30am or 10:30am, where you choose which attractions to visit and in what order from a timetable your guide provides on the air-conditioned bus. All major sites (Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial, Old Parliament House, the National Museum of Australia, the Embassies and the Lodge) have free entry, and most have cafes. The tour finishes at 4:30pm or earlier if you choose, and hotel pickup is available by arrangement.

The experience

You meet your guide John at the Canberra Museum & Gallery in the city centre, where he walks you through a timetable of stops and helps you plan the order that suits your day. The air-conditioned bus holds up to 20 people, and you're in control of where you go and how long you stay. This is not a fixed itinerary where everyone gets off at the same time. You might start at Lake Burley Griffin to see the Captain Cook Memorial Water Jet and the National Capital Exhibition, then move to Parliament House to see the original Magna Carta from 1297, then cross to the Australian War Memorial to walk past a full-size Lancaster bomber. The National Museum of Australia holds Phar Lap's heart and the prototype 1948 Holden, while the National Gallery displays Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles. Old Parliament House, now the Museum of Australian Democracy, preserves everything from when the government moved to the current building.

Because every major attraction has free entry, you're not paying for access you don't use. Most sites also have cafes, so you can eat where you stop rather than on a set schedule. The tour runs from 9:30am or 10:30am until 4:30pm, but you can finish earlier if you've seen what you came for. If you're staying outside the city centre, John can arrange hotel pickup. Contact him through the booking platform to confirm the fee and location. The bus may be smaller than the standard 20-seater depending on demand, and the operator asks that you call ahead to confirm the tour is running on your chosen day.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned bus.
• hop on hop off access to all major attractions including the Australian War Memorial, Parliament House, Old Parliament House, the National Museum of Australia, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, the High Court, Questacon, the National Library, and the Embassies and the Lodge.
• timetable planning with your guide.
• free entry at all sites.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to FridayDepartures at 09:30 and 10:30

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (17 to 64 years) · Senior (65 to 88 years) · Under 17: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Canberra Day Tours

Is this one for you?You pick the stops and the pace, which suits anyone who wants to see Canberra's major sites without being locked into a group schedule or paying entry fees at places they might skip. The morning or mid-morning departure gives you a full day to work with, and finishing early is always an option if you've covered what matters to you.

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Top questions

What's inside the Australian War Memorial that makes it worth a stop?

The Australian War Memorial holds a full-size Lancaster bomber and is one of the most visited attractions in Australia and one of the world's greatest military museums. Entry is free.

Can I visit Parliament House and see what's actually inside?

Parliament House is open to visitors at no entry fee, and an original Magna Carta dated 1297 is on display there. The building itself is one of the great buildings of the world, designed through a worldwide competition.

Do I have to visit every attraction, or can I skip some and spend more time at others?

You choose which attractions to visit and in what order from the timetable your guide provides. You're not locked into a fixed schedule. You organize your own day and decide how long to stay at each stop.

What happens if I'm staying at a hotel outside the city centre?

Hotel pickup is available depending on where you're staying. Contact John through the booking platform to arrange it. A fee may apply, and he'll confirm the details when you book.

Are there places to eat during the tour?

Most major attractions have cafes on site, so you can eat at whichever stop you choose rather than at a set meal time. There's also a cafe at Old Parliament House.

What's the difference between Old Parliament House and the current Parliament House?

Old Parliament House, now the Museum of Australian Democracy, preserves everything from when the government moved to the current Parliament House. It's Australia's most important building and shows how it was when the Hawke Government left. The current Parliament House is where Australia's Parliament meets today.