Canberra to Bowral road trip: Stops, distance & drive time
The Canberra to Bowral road trip covers a 170km distance in about two hours. Fun stops along the way include the Henge, Lake George and Sutton Forest Estate Wines.
Bowral is most attractive town in the Southern Highlands region of New South Wales. What’s more, it is also perfectly located to be an easy weekend break from Canberra. It’s easy enough to get from Canberra to Bowral after work on a Friday night, then come back late on Sunday.
Canberra offers wine and distillery tours, plus guided visits to the National Museum of Australia. To investigate Canberra tour and experience options, head here. To find the best Canberra hotel deals, book here.
Canberra to Bowral distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Canberra to Bowral is 170km. That makes for a driving time of two hours. Of course, you can stretch things out a bit if you wish by making a few stops along the way.
5 great Southern Highlands experiences to boost your visit
- Personalised private Southern Highlands wine and attractions tours – tailored to your tastes.
- Tutored wine-tasting and canapes experience.
- Beekeeping experience – learn how honey is made.
- Guided wine-tasting at the Mill – with tasting notes procided.
- Behind the scenes tour of a sustainable winery in Berrima.
The top Canberra accommodation picks
There is a large selection of Canberra accommodation options. But these are particularly good choices…
- The one with the highest guest rating: A By Adina Canberra.
- For something cool and stylish: East Hotel and Apartments.
- The one where the VIPs stay: Hyatt Hotel Canberra.
- For high quality apartments: Quest Canberra City Walk.
- For something much cheaper and family-focused: Alivio Tourist Park.
The Canberra to Bowral drive starts out along the Federal Highway. It heads past Valour Park and the Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve, then the Stonehenge replica known as the Henge and Tulip Top Gardens near Sutton, NSW.
Afterwards the Canberra to Bowral road trip route creeps up on Lake George. The Weereewa Lookout offers the best photo opportunities here. There are also a couple of wineries – Lerida Estate and Lake George Winery – near the northern part of the lake.
Canberra to Bowral road trip: Goulburn and Sutton Forest
The Federal Highway then goes through Collector before meeting the Hume Motorway at Goulburn. Attractions here include the Big Merino, the Goulburn Rail Heritage Centre and the Goulburn Historic Waterworks.
Best places to stay in Goulburn
The top Goulburn accommodation choices are:
- For good quality, business traveller-friendly apartments: Quest Goulburn.
- For a cheap, decent motel for a no-fuss one night stay: Black Sheep Motel.
- For road-tripper convenience next to the Hume Highway: Mercure Goulburn.
- For free parking in the city centre: Heritage Motor Inn.
On the way from Goulburn to Bowral, the cellar door at Sutton Forest Estate Wines is a potential stop, too.
Canberra to Bowral drive: Bowral attractions
Once in Bowral, there’s gorgeous accommodation available at the Berida Hotel and Milton Park, as well as inventive wineries such as Centennial Vineyards. Cricket fans will lap up the Bradman Museum, too. Fitzroy Falls or Belmore Falls in the nearby Morton National Park offer a more natural bent on the region.
5 great Southern Highlands experiences to boost your visit
- Personalised private Southern Highlands wine and attractions tours – tailored to your tastes.
- Tutored wine-tasting and canapes experience.
- Beekeeping experience – learn how honey is made.
- Guided wine-tasting at the Mill – with tasting notes procided.
- Behind the scenes tour of a sustainable winery in Berrima.
7 great Canberra experiences to book before you arrive
- Full day city highlights tour – including Mount Ainslie, Parliament House and the Australian War Memorial.
- Tidbinbilla wildlife and birds tour – see kangaroos, koalas, platypus and emus in the wild.
- Hot air balloon flight – see Canberra’s unique design while floating above the city.
- Small group wine tour – discover the amazing wineries and food producers of the Canberra region.
- Australian Institute of Sport tour – see where Australia’s next generation of sporting greats train.
- Australian Museum – expert-guided tour of the museum highlights.
- Brewery tour – hop between Canberra’s best craft breweries.
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