This is the outline of a day trip from Sydney to Canberra which can be modified howsoever you wish by making stopovers on the way, staying overnight in Canberra, or visiting more places of interest in the Australian capital.

Difficulty Level: Average      Time Required: 10-16 hours

1. Check your map and get on to the M4 motorway towards Liverpool in southwest Sydney.
2. Continue on the motorway until it becomes the South Western Freeway and then the Hume Highway.
3. Continue on the Hume Highway, until the turnoff to the Federal Highway.
4. Entering Canberra, the Federal Highway becomes Northbourne Ave. Continue on Northbourne Ave.
5. After the bridge over Lake Burley Griffin, Northbourne becomes Commonwealth Ave.
6. Continue on Commonwealth Ave until you reach Capital Circle.
7. Park where possible at Parliament House on Capital Hill.
8. Tour Parliament House, if desired and when tours are available to the public.
9. Walk or drive down to, and visit, the Old Parliament House which is now a portrait gallery.
10. Stop over at the National Library, Questacon the National Science and Technology Centre, and the National Gallery.
11. Cross the lake and visit the Australian War Memorial at the end of Anzac Pde.
12. You might want to stop for lunch in the area around Commonwealth Ave just off Vernon Circle.
13. Visit Casino Canberra if you feel like a bit of a flutter.
14. On the other side of London Circuit, in the west, visit the Academy of Science and the National Film and Sound Archive.
15. Head towards Yarralumla and view the distinctive architecture of a number of foreign embassies.
16. Climb up any of the Canberra lookouts for a bird's-eye view of Australia's capital city.
    

1. You definitely need a map if you don't want to go around in circles in Canberra.
2. Take time to rest at any of the many Canberra parks, particularly around Lake Burley Griffin.
3. Be sure you have an idea of where you want to go because Canberra can get pretty deserted at night.
   

Related Features:

• Get the Runaround in Canberra
• The House on the Hill
• The Man Who 'Made' Canberra
• How to See Sydney in One Day
• How to See Melbourne in One Day