Braidwood
Start your journey through the region with a visit to Braidwood, where you get to try out an array of baked goods, fresh produce and more. If you’re travelling on a Saturday morning, make sure to stop by the National Theatre for the Braidwood Farmers Market, where you’ll find a range of fruit and vegetables, wines and cider, local preserves and jam, as well as garlic, honey, and much, much more. To test out the town’s reputation for amazing pies, pay a visit to the iconic Dojo Bread, which serves up artisan baked goods from pies and sausage rolls to bread and cakes, all made from scratch, or the Braidwood Bakery, a classic bakery guaranteeing a huge choice of exceptional delicacies from sweet to savoury. Nerson’s also offer a variety of sweets and savouries including meat pies and sausage rolls and freshly baked cakes and slices.
If you are on the hunt for souvenirs to take back home with you, you can’t go past the locally run Visitor Information Centre at the National Theatre, which sells a variety of books and local produce, such as garlic and honey, lavender products, and preserves. Braidwood is also brimming with eclectic boutique shopping, local artisan-made art, crafts and jewellery, so make sure to take a stroll around town to explore the town further and uncover its hidden gems.
Bungendore
Next, you’ll be headed to Bungendore for lunch. Choose your favourite from an array of cafes and restaurants, or grab some picnic supplies and head out to one of the local parks or the Weereewa Lookout, which looks over Lake George, to enjoy your picnic on a beautiful summer’s day. After lunch, tour the local shops for unique finds from art to jewellery and more, and pop by the Southern Harvest Farmers Market for some treats to take home with you.
Wineries
Once you have finished exploring Bungendore, get back on the road towards the local wineries, where you’ll get to learn more about the local cool climate wines at a wine tasting at one of the local wineries and pick up a bottle or two to take home. Take your pick from the Sapling Yard private tastings at their Bungendore cellar door, Lark Hill Winery in Bywong, or Norton Road Wines in Wamboin.
Queanbeyan
The final stop of your taste test adventure will be in Queanbeyan, where you’ll be able to enjoy a dinner out with live entertainment. Finish the day off with a drink and a bite to eat at one of Queanbeyan’s many iconic pubs, such as The Royal Hotel Queanbeyan, Hotel Queanbeyan, Walsh’s Hotel, and The Tourist Hotel, or test out the city’s multicultural food scene with a visit to one of the many restaurants in town ranging from Chinese to Thai and Italian to Turkish. If you’re a fan of the performing arts, catch a show at The Q – Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre, conveniently located in the city centre, within walking distance of the city’s pubs and restaurants.
