Get Moving: Active Ways to Explore Canberra

In day-to-day life, many of us head to the gym for fitness and exercise. And, of course, you can still do that at Novotel Canberra at our gym on Level 2.

But when you’re visiting somewhere new, it can be nice to swap your usual workout for something different and explore a little. Canberra has plenty of ways to get outdoors and get active, giving you a guilt-free excuse to skip leg day.

Walk Your Way Around the Capital

First up, the easiest way to get active in the capital is to pick one of the many walks around the city.

With bush tracks and lakeside paths and scenic city walks, there’s something for different interests, abilities and paces. And if you want to dial things up a little, you don’t necessarily have to walk them, Canberra’s trails and paths are equally good for a run.

Not sure where to start? Check out our guide to 10 Canberra Walks Worth Exploring for some of our favourites.

Hit the Mountain Bike Trails

Canberra is the mountain biking capital, with an impressive network of trails within easy reach of the city.

Stromlo Forest Park is one of the best-known places to start, with bike hire available on weekends and trails ranging from easy greens through to proper black diamonds. If you don’t know what a black diamond is, perhaps start with the green trails.

And Stromlo is just the beginning. Majura Pines and other dedicated riding areas around Canberra offer even more terrain to explore. Head to our Local Attractions page and filter by Mountain Biking to discover more options.

Climb, Zip and Take to the Treetops

If you like your adventures a bit more vertical, Treetops Adventure at Majura Pines gets you up into the canopy with high ropes, aerial challenges and ziplines, with courses designed for different ages and comfort levels.

If you’d rather keep your feet closer to the ground, Canberra also has indoor bouldering gyms. If you’re new to this space, bouldering, is rope-free climbing on shorter walls with padded flooring below. Our suggestion is BlocHaus in Fyshwick so you can recover at Capital Brewing Co afterwards.

Jump, Bounce and Unleash Your Inner Kid

Getting active doesn’t need to feel like exercise.

Flip Out Majura and BOUNCE Belconnen both welcome adults as well as kids, with trampolines, climbing, obstacle courses and other activities to tackle. Some individual activities have height or safety restrictions, but there’s plenty for grown-ups to get involved in.

And these trampolines will have you puffing in minutes, you’ll just be too busy having fun to notice.

See the Countryside From the Saddle

For a completely different outdoor adventure, head beyond Canberra to Murrumbateman and explore the countryside on horseback.

Guided rides through the surrounding bush and farmland offer a completely different perspective on the region, with options available for beginners through to more experienced riders.

It’s a chance to get outdoors, try something you might not normally do at home and see a little more of the countryside surrounding the capital.

Make a Splash

There are plenty of ways to get active on the water, too.

Hire a kayak, canoe or stand-up paddleboard and explore Lake Burley Griffin from a completely different angle. It’s active, scenic and refreshingly different, plus you might discover a few muscles you forgot you had.

In warmer weather, you can also head out to swimming spots such as Pine Island, Uriarra Crossing or Casuarina Sands for a refreshing river swim. Always check current conditions and water-quality advice before getting in.

Or if you prefer, our heated indoor pool has a max depth of 1.2m with 14m lap length.

So, What Are You Waiting For?

Try something different or simply take your usual workout outdoors and explore Canberra.

And, of course, pictures or it didn’t happen. Show us how you got moving around the capital and tag @novotelcanberra on socials.