Canberra, Australia + Add a trip

First, have breakfast in Manuka or Kingston - lots of choices for any palate.

Then, visit any of the major cultural institutions - the War Memorial, National Gallery, National Library, Questacon, High Court, Parliament House - which are within 10 minutes drive of each other. You could even walk between them.

If you like art, the National Gallery has a fantastic collection - they change it often, it has some iconic paintings and the main collection is free (so you can pop in and have a quick look or a long one). If you like nature, the Botanic Gardens are great - a huge variety of native plants, including some interesting microclimates. Dickson is great for Asian food...

Visit the Black Mountain Tower. For $7 or so you get unrivalled views over Canberra, complete with maps and pictures. There's also a post box (unsurprisingly, the highest in the ACT), a souvenir shop and cafe. If you're looking for an expensive but memorable night out, then have dinner in the revolving restaurant. Book in summer for an early dinner so that you can see the city in the light and then, as you come around again, see it in dusk and night-time colours. Amazing views and excellent restaurant.

if you are into the home-brew craziness that makes canberra worth living in, as opposed to the big synthetic "national" attractions. check out the wild and cheap times organised by the Canberra Musician's club and their co-conspirators, which tend towards fantastic live music parties in various of the enormous back yards that are canberra's finest feature... see http://www.canberramusiciansclub.org.au/ and http://www.culturazi.com/ and also http://the-riotact.com/ for notices of the upcoming things.