'The Aussie city I needed convincing to visit just became my favourite weekend escape with kids.'

My favourite part about winter is usually escaping it. 

If our family gets time for a break in Sydney's cold months, I crave a sunny stretch of sand up north to defrost and recharge.

I don't do the cold by choice. But this winter, I'd promised my daughter snow. 

So, I put my sunny hopes aside for an escape I thought would be mostly about the kids. 

With limited days off, I settled on a close and unexpected destination – Canberra, with a day visit to Corin Forest.

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I hadn't been there as a tourist since I was 12 on a school excursion. I figured we'd see snow, kids' museums and maybe find some nice meals. Well, how embarrassing, I had no idea the nation's capital served up such elite dining and accommodation. Family-friendly options without sacrificing taste - of both kinds.

This visit for my three little children turned into one of the best weekenders for us all.

Where to stay in Canberra with kids.

We stayed at the East Hotel, in Kingston, 10 minutes south of the city centre. It's close enough to the monuments and galleries, but away from the hustle and bustle. 

The boutique hotel caught my attention because it had a dedicated kids' apartment and looked cosy and chic for us parents who like a luxe stay.

Walking into the lobby I got a bit of an 'adults-only' vibe with the fire, moody bar and a lot of breakable glass décor. Then I noted the self-serve lolly jars. Kids were welcome here. 

That impression cemented by our warm greeting at reception and our two-bedroom apartment – built just for kids. 

East Hotel in Canberra. Image: Supplied.

The main studio did not feel like a regular hotel rom. It was spacious with a large kitchen, open living space, king bed, a balcony and a full-size hidden washer and dryer.

The kids squealed when they opened the door to their room with its bunk bed, beanbags, mini table and chairs with textas, books and a cupboard full of games. 

Then I heard a 'Yeessss'. A chocolate mini bar and Xbox 360 of course. A day later a Nintendo Switch arrived for them to try-out. 

What to do with kids in Canberra?

To be honest, we didn't touch the surface of what's on offer for families in Canberra. I have unmarked 'things to do' in my phone notes. Our next visit will include the Australian War Museum, National Museum and the zoo. 

For our family of little kids, our first stop was the POD playground, at the National Arboretum of Canberra to stretch the legs and lungs after three hours in the car. 

Now, I have seen my share of playgrounds. And this is up there as one of the prettiest settings for a park. The nature-inspired design of giant acorn cubbies, swing nests, climbing ropes and tube slides is surrounded by stunning rare and symbolic trees. 

Behind it, is a panoramic view you cannot miss. 

Image: Supplied.

Our first day was spent at Corin Forest. The next morning was kid heaven - Questacon. Give yourself about four hours here. Each of the eight galleries at the science and technology museum had my kids entranced. 

I wondered if my two-year-old might be too young. But he was thrilled, especially with every ball experiment. The staff were gracious in answering my seven-year-old's questions about air, magnets and sound. My five-year-old ran around the Earth room in awe seeing lightning come to life and feeling tremors in the earthquake house. There's a Mini-Q room for under six years, and the calm space under the huge floating moon with invisible note writing left my children speechless. 

After a rest, we spent the afternoon on the city's iconic Lake Burley Griffin. Down the road from our hotel was the Kingston Foreshore and a dock for GoBoats — where you can drive an electric-powered boat to check out the city's sights from the water. 

After a quick tutorial and stuffing small bodies in life jackets, we were gliding around the lake. The boat was quiet and easy to drive, no experience needed. Our primary-aged children learned to steer within minutes and got a thrill navigating under bridges and spinning a few slow-paced donuts.

Image: Supplied.

The boats have a table for your BYO champas (if you're not driving) and a platter. There is seating for eight people with blankets for cooler months. Toddlers and dogs are welcome. Adding to the fun was a captain's hat and colouring-in for the kids.

On our final day, we stopped in at Quizzic Alley, a Harry Potter-themed shop. A little trick for road trips – gift a small toy or book of your child's choice for the drive home – our magical purchases entertained my kids for half the drive home.

As we left Canberra, we stopped in at Gold Creek Village. We only stayed for an hour, but could have spent the day. The site has four attractions for kids — the National Dinosaur Museum with real fossils, miniature villages at Cockington Green Gardens', a Walk-in Bird Aviary and the Canberra Reptile Zoo.

Where to eat in Canberra with kids.

The best restaurant we dined in was so good we ate there twice.

Agostinis is an Italian restaurant attached to the East Hotel. The lively, old-school vibe is so welcoming of families and the food was fantastic. The kids settled in with colouring-in and a custom menu, opting for bolognese and margherita pizza before finishing with a gelato. 

Standouts for me were the fettuccine marinara and the starters: rosemary focaccia with smoked burrata and a perfectly crunchy, cheesy, frico — a pancake-like dish from Italy's northeastern region of Friuli, where the restaurant's owners' family originates. 

Another family-friendly dinner option is the Capital Brewing Co. in Fyshwick. It has a causal atmosphere with an open fire, a large beer garden and kids' cubby house. The food is moreish burgers and hotdogs courtesy of Brodburger. 

For breaky and lunch, my picks are Urban Pantry in Manuka, or Local Press on the Kingston foreshore. Here, the menu is all whole foods, no nasties. The space was sunny and rustic for a big breakfast with organic eggs, mushrooms and broccolini. Our kids found the sweetest item on the clean menu – a strawberry waffle, with berries and chocolate. 

Agostinis (L) and Urban Pantry (R). Image: Supplied.

Another quiet brunch stop away from the busyness of the city is the Italian-inspired Café Sosta at Black Mountain Peninsula. It has a huge window overlooking the water and a playground up the road. The café run by Bisa Hospitality, the group behind Agostinis, has brilliant coffee and choose-your-own-topping paninis like tomato and buffalo mozzarella or fried chicken, apple, and pickled cabbage slaw.

For an afternoon tipple, we visited The Dock after our GoBoat ride. It's a great stop if you're after pub grub or a place to watch sport and the sun go down over water. 

My choice for a cheeky margi or aperitif is Joe's Bar, back at East Hotel. It's dark, intimate and cool, and the perfect comfy corner before or after a night out. Enjoy one of the bar's many fine wines or bespoke cocktails, with a snack from the pizza oven.

Every family trip – carve out solo time.

Not only did I skip out on babysitting to have a solo margarita – I found time for a spa. 

My favourite hack for surviving a family holiday is for parents to have solo time. Even if it's a short walk or a few pages of a book – if you're a mum, ditch nap time to be by yourself, so it feels more like a holiday and less like parenting in a new place.

My husband and I tag-teamed visiting Mudd The Spa, inside Hotel Realm. For $25, we had access to the five-star spa's pool, sauna, steam room and gym for the day. We had a short sauna, swim and deep breathing session before trying — and failing — to make our toddler sit in a restaurant. 

The final verdict? I way underestimated how trendy and tasty Canberra is for adults and how nice a cold adventure is for a winter reset. You can put kids first on a holiday — with outings and even hotel picks — without sacrificing on fun, food and spa time. 

Feature image: Supplied.