If you’re staying in the CBD, there are lots to do. It’s quite convenient to travel around the city and to nearby suburbs because of trams, trains, and Uber (or Didi).
If you plan to do day trips outside of the CBD, we highly recommend renting a car and driving for the convenience (Waze, Google Maps, or Apple Maps will all work well). Otherwise, you can book group tours online.
Itineraries
If you are looking for full-day itinerary suggestions, jump to Daily Itineraries
Going around
Most of the places within the city is covered by the Free Tram Zone, so you can hop on and off on tram rides.
If you will be venturing outside of the city by train, you need to buy a Myki card. You’ll have 2 options:
- Myki Money: where you are charged when you tap on/off. Recommended if you’re only doing a few trips, or staying less than 7 days.
- Myki Pass: paying in bulk for 7, 28, 30 etc. days. Forget about this unless you will be taking the train continuously for a week or more.
Train/tram/bus fares are not cheap in Melbourne (I think they are expensive) so if traveling in groups of 2 or more, depending on distance, grabbing Uber or Didi is could be cheaper. Sometimes it’s just a couple bucks more for the convenience.
I don’t recommend taking the bus for tourists. It’s unreliable and frustrating.
Car rentals give the most flexibility when traveling outside of the city.
In the city
Plays, musicals, comedy shows
There’s always something to see in Melbourne.
- Check the shows that are showing around your travel days.
- The Comedy Festival runs yearly.
- WICKED the Musical also runs from 6 March to 30 June.
Museums
- National Gallery of Victoria for art and seasonal exhibits.
- ACMI has a free exhibit and might have other events going on, usually around film. Great for kids, too.
Markets
- Queen Victoria Market: good for fruits, fresh seafood like oysters, salmon (sashimi), tuna (sashimi), etc.
- South Melbourne Market: same as above, just choose whichever is near you.
Tours
- Free tours and walking tours.
- Group tours, usually day trips outside of the city. Meetup points usually are in the CBD.
Where to Eat
- Lygon street is known for Italian cuisine. Pick whatever fits your budget on Google maps, or check out curated lists online.
- Take a train to Prahran Station and walk to Tsukiji, our favourite sashimi restaurant (freshest fish with an acceptable price tag).
TAKE THE TRAIN, BUT STAY NEAR THE CITY
Venture into suburbs
St Kilda
- Enjoy a beachside stroll
- Eat at any of the nearby cafes
- Have a slice of watermelon cake at Blackstar Pastry
- Catch a show at Palais Theatre
- Bring kids to Luna Park
- Treat yourself with fine dining at Stokehouse
- You can also book some rental activities on the sea like paddle boarding
Port Melbourne
- Grab a coffee or eat at The Sandbar
- Take a stroll at the beachside walk
- Eat dinner at a nearby pub
Cranbourne
- Book a free shuttle from Cranbourne Station to the Cranbourne Botanic Gardens and go on a long walk within the park. Apart from the plants, you’ll see birds, kangaroos and wallabies, or be lucky enough to spot hares in the wild.
- Take an Uber to the Moonlit Sanctuary where you can touch koalas and other animals, feed wallabies and kangaroos.
- Welcome to one end of a train line, lol
Time for an adventure
Australia is known for its beautiful nature, so we absolutely recommend either driving out of the inner suburbs or taking a train further out, or booking some tours for short day trips outside of Melbourne.
- Ride the Puffing Billy (kids may love this), or hire a bicycle for AUD $25 and take the trail around the Dandenong Ranges.
- See penguins in the evening at Phillip Island.
- Go hiking and see wildlife at Wilsons Promontory (free if you are already renting a car and only need to drive there. Tour groups cost more).
- Bring kids to see wildlife at Healsville Sanctuary (you can take the train to Lilydale Station)
- Take the train from Southern Cross station to Ballarat (buy a new ticket using the V/Line train; don’t use the normal myki) and explore a replica mining town and see the gardens.
- Love wine? Indulge in a wine tour around the Yarra Valley
Fishing
Dylan LOVES fishing, and he’s brought home many a fish. There are a lot of piers and lakes that are clean so you can eat your catch as long as they are not a protected species.
Make sure you get a fishing license (you can get a 3-day one for AUD $10), even on the day itself.
- You can fish for free at piers near the city such as Brighton, Port Melbourne, Williamstown, etc.
- Go a bit further and take the train to Carrum Rocks or Mornington Peninsula.
- Share a boat and book a fishing charter with friends to catch bigger fish right in the middle of the sea.
- You can also rent a boat in some ports that won’t require a boating license to operate. They’re cheaper than fishing charters but you can’t venture out too far from the pier.
Fruits and flowers
In summer, go cherry or berry picking at:
- Cherry Hill – needs to be pre-booked
- Cherry Haven
- Ripe n Ready at Mornington Peninsula
- Naturipe for strawberries
- U-pick – needs to be pre-booked
Visit these gardens in spring:
- Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden
- Alowyn Gardens at Yarra Glen (AUD $15 entrance fee)
- CherryHill Blossom Festival – for cherry flowers before they turn into fruits (likely October 2024)
- Royal Botanic Gardens near the CBD
- Warratina Lavender Farm in November
Not quite a garden, but in Victoria you can also visit the Redwood Forest if you want to see tall Californian Redwoods.
Daily Itineraries
If you are looking to fill some days in your holiday, below are full-day activities inside and outside of the city:
DIY Guided City Walks:
Follow the guides for a full day’s worth of walks within the CBD
HOT TIP!
No car? Instead of booking tours, download the Air Tasker app and find a driver for a full day. Just put up an ad and wait until someone responds with an offer. Payments are made through the app. It’ll be cheaper and you don’t need to join strangers or follow someone’s itinerary.