Melbourne gets more first-time visitors every year who show up expecting a quieter version of Sydney, but they leave with a whole new appreciation of the city. It may not have a world-famous harbour or an Opera House; what it has is great art culture (it is the cultural capital of Australia after all), beautiful hikes, stunning drives, rich history, jaw-dropping landscapes and so much more…
If you have a trip to Melbourne planned and you're trying to figure out the best Melbourne experiences, what to do here, how to do it, where to go beyond the CBD, and other crucial Melbourne facts, then this is the list to start with… Let’s go!
Things To Do In Melbourne
Explore the Laneways and Street Art
The artsy laneways are one among the things that make Melbourne the cultural capital of the country. Hosier Lane is the most famous, and of course, it lives up to it. The cobblestone alley running off Flinders Street is covered floor-to-wall in rotating murals, paste-ups and stencil work that gets repainted constantly, so you might not see the same art twice. If you want rock art and history, visit the AC/DC Lane. Other lanes like Centre Place and Croft Alley are worth weaving through too.
Tips
- Early morning visits are less crowded and give you great photo ops.
- Explore Degraves Street for coffee and a quick breakfast.
- Wander a bit and you will find hidden cafes and vintage shops.
Visit the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV)
The two main buildings of the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) are:
- ‘NGV International’ on St. Kilda Road
- ‘The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia’ at Federation Square
The former one, as the name suggests, has international works of art; it is also the oldest public art gallery in Australia. The collection spans from ancient to contemporary art, including European masterpieces, Asian art (Chinese, Indian, Korean), and specialised Oceanic collections. It is also famous for its Waterwall entrance, the stunning stained-glass ceiling in the Great Hall (by Leonard French), and the sculpture garden.
The latter is the “world's first major gallery dedicated exclusively to Australian art”. Visitors can explore over 20 galleries featuring Indigenous and non-Indigenous works from the colonial period to the present, including paintings, photography, fashion and sculptures. The building has over 20,000 Australian works of art.
Both buildings are open daily from 10am to 5pm.
Explore the Queen Victoria Market
The Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne covers two city blocks near the northern edge of the CBD, and you can take the free tram along Elizabeth Street and get off right at the market entrance. It is open most days except Mondays and Wednesdays (open at night from Nov–Mar).
The market runs across multiple sheds covering fresh produce, deli goods, clothing and general merchandise, with the cheese halls being more famous. So, if you’re visiting Melbourne and want to wrap up your shopping and cultural fix in one spot, then this is the place to be!
Cruise on the Yarra River
Every famous city in Australia has a waterbody that defines it. For Hobart it is the Derwent River, Gold Coast has the Broadwater, and for Melbourne it is Yarra River. Don’t be disillusioned by the brown colour of the river! Once you get on a cruise, you’ll discover the wondrous side of the city that would never be possible with a shore-based exploration. On Yarra River Cruises, departing from Southbank Promenade, you can see:
- Flinders Street Station
- Southgate Arts & Leisure Precinct
- Crown Casino
- Melbourne Star
- Bolte Bridge
- Docklands Stadium
The timings of Yarra River Cruises depend on the type of cruise you choose—sightseeing, lunch or dinner!
Things To Do Near Melbourne
Visit the Mornington Peninsula
To get to the Mornington Peninsula from Melbourne by public transport, you should take a train to Frankston Station, and from there connect to local buses. But if you’re driving, it is only a 1.5-hour drive from Melbourne (which is recommended for easier access).
Mornington Peninsula is famous for its unique beaches and hot springs, though the Peninsula Hot Springs near Fingal are the headline act, particularly the hilltop pool that looks across Bass Strait at dusk. This wellness destination has more than 50 bathing experiences.
Beyond the hot springs, it is famous for its distinct beaches. Some of the famous ones are:
For Families & Swimming:
- Safety Beach
- Dromana Beach
- Mount Martha Beach
- Rosebud Beach
For Surfing:
- Gunnamatta Beach
- Sorrento Ocean Beach
- Portsea Surf Beach
- Flinders Ocean Beach
Hidden Gems:
- Shelley Beach
- Bushrangers Bay
- Half Moon Bay
Port Phillip Bay Cruises
If you want close encounters with Burrunan Dolphins, Australian Fur Seals, Short-Beaked Common Dolphins, Black-Browed Albatross, Australasian Gannets and more, then you need nothing else but a Port Philip Bay cruise. Some cruises even allow swimming and snorkelling ops with dolphins and seals. On these cruises, you move away from city life, and get into nature. Cruises depart from different points:
- Queenscliff Harbour: Less than a 2hr drive from Melbourne. You can also take a train from Southern Cross Station to Geelong Station, then take a bus to Queenscliff.
- Sorrento Pier: Around 1.5hrs of drive from Melbourne. For public transport, take the Frankston Line train from Flinders Street Station to Frankston Station (approx. 1 hour), then get on a bus from Frankston station to Sorrento (about 1 hour 15 minutes).
Drive the Great Ocean Road
About 90 minutes west of Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road officially starts at Torquay and runs 243 kilometres to Allansford. Most people do the Great Ocean Road drive on a day trip; that's fine for the highlights, but two days (at least) lets you enjoy it thoroughly. The major attractions along the way include:
- The Twelve Apostles
- Loch Ard Gorge
- Town of Lorne
- Apollo Bay
- Gibson Steps
- Great Otway National Park
- London Bridge rock formation
- Wild koalas at Kennett River
- The Grotto
But pay attention during the drive, because the road is narrow in sections, with plenty of hairpin bends along the clifftop stretches.
Hike at the Grampians National Park
The Grampians is about three hours from Melbourne, and they're worth every minute of that drive (of course, you’ll need a car to reach there). It has some of the best hikes in Victoria.
- The Pinnacle Lookout trail from Wonderland carpark is the most popular route, with stunning views of Halls Gap and the surrounding peaks. It’s doable for most people in two to three hours.
- The Grampians Peak Trail is a challenging walk that is 160 kilometres through the full range and takes around 13 days end-to-end, with huts and campsites along the way.
- Wonderland Loop is best if you’re doing a day trip, and it passes through the canyon, Giant's Staircase, and up to the Pinnacle before looping back down.
So, from coastal drives to laneways covered in colour, every spot on this list adds a small piece to the bigger picture of what makes the place so likeable. Whether you tick off one or all of these experiences, you will leave with the sense that Melbourne always has more waiting for you next time.
