Melbourne Itinerary | Top Things to Do!
Melbourne– “the most liveable city in the world”. After exploring it for an entire week, I can 100% agree with that statement! Melbourne is where I began my 2 and half week Australian journey and I quickly fell in love with the city. There’s so much to explore; check out some of my top recommendations on what to do while you are in Melbourne below!
Melbourne Free Walking Tour
I always like to start a new city with a free walking tour! Those who are new to this concept: these tours are run by guides who work solely off tips. At the end of the tour, you pay the guide what you think the tour was worth.
I love taking these kinds of tours because it is a great way to learn the history of the city, see some of the top sites, and get recommendations on how to spend the rest of your time in the city from a local! On this tour, a few of the things you will explore are the CBD (Central Business District), historic buildings, street art, beautiful arcades, and Chinatown.
The tour meets at Gordon Reserve every day at 11 am and 3 pm. You can book it here or just show up to join.
Marvel at Melbourne’s Street Art
If you don’t do the free walking tour above, you definitely need to check out Melbourne’s incredible street art on your own! The top streets to see this urban culture are Hosier Lane, AC/DC Lane, Rutledge Lane, Union Lane, and Caledonian Lane. These are just some of the spots in the CBD but you can find street art anywhere. Don’t be afraid to look up and wander down alleys!
Shop at Melbourne Queen Victoria Markets
These markets have been open since 1878 and are considered the heart and soul of Melbourne! You can shop at over 600 small, local businesses and find anything from fruit to clothing. The markets are open during the day Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. If you are looking for some amazing street food, drinks, and live music, check out the night markets open every Wednesday from 5-10 pm. View the Queen Victoria Market website here to see what’s on!
Enjoy the View at Eureka Skydeck
I love me a good view of a city. Head to the Eureka Skydeck for a spectacular, 360 view of Melbourne. Tickets can be purchased at the building but if you purchase them in advance online, you can save a few bucks! Purchase them here on their website.
Tan at Melbourne’s Beaches
St. Kilda
St. Kilda is Melbourne’s most prominent beach neighborhood. There’s plenty to do there outside of tanning on the beach. Stroll down Fitzroy street and hop in any of their bars or restaurants. Ride the roller coaster at Luna Park. Head out to the boardwalk and watch the penguins at the end of the pier. The best time to see them is 30 minutes after sunset but get there early. People will be lining up to see these little guys.
Brighton Beach
One word: cayoooot! The bathing boxes on Brighton Beach date back to 1862. Today their owners use them to store fishing gear, sun chairs, or whatever else their hearts desire. They are definitely worth a look. Brighton Beach is about an hour walk, a 40-minute tram, or a 10-minute drive down from St Kilda.
Wander the Royal Botanic Gardens
If you’re traveling on a budget, this is another great free activity in Melbourne. You could probably spend an entire day walking around the Botanic Gardens! They are gorgeous. Pro tip: “Responsible consumption of alcohol is permitted in the City of Melbourne’s public parks and gardens by individuals or groups of 50 people or less” according to this website. Bring yourself a bottle of wine and have a cheeky picnic in the park!
Walk the Yarra Riverfront
This part of the Melbourne reminded me a lot of Chicago. The riverfront is lined with heaps of cute restaurants and bars. A lot of them have great happy hour deals too. Check out Arbory Afloat, the most charming boat bar on the river!
Explore the Nightlife
Revolver
Melbourne’s most grungey, grimy club. The perfect combo for a house music venue that is open 24/7. If you come here you might not leave for days. I went here for Australia day at 11 AM and there were still people partying there from the night before. Beware, it’s insanely fun. Located in Prahan.
UBAR
Attached to the hostel I was staying at, I frequented here maybe too often. I was pleasantly surprised to find a lot of locals hung out here too, not just the backpackers from the hostel. Each night they have different themes- karaoke, trivia, etc. Great vibes and drink prices that can’t be beat. Located in CBD.
The George Lounge
Secret speakeasies and hidden bars are amongst the reasons that make Melbourne’s nightlife so special. I accidentally stumbled upon one of these secret bars after seeking out a techno party I saw posted on a flier. The George Lounge is located in the basement of the George hotel and you have to walk down the stairs to get to it. You will be greeted by swanky vibes and fine cocktails, but keep searching to find a tiny, hidden room. Here, I danced the night away in complete darkness, against the strobe lights to some amazing techno music. Located in St. Kilda.
Melbourne Resident Advisor
Resident Advisor has your back when it comes to house and techno events. They stay up to date with everything that’s on in different cities, not only in Australia. This is a website you will definitely want to keep in your back pocket while traveling and exploring the music scene around the world. Here is the link to the Resident Advisor Melbourne page.
Day Trips from Melbourne
Great Ocean Road Tour from Melbourne
This is one of my favorite things I did while in Australia! This trip can be done either by renting your own car or booking a tour. Traveling alone, I booked a tour and did not regret it! We stopped at all the major points along the coast, lunch at a restaurant was included, and we saw multiple wild koalas and kangaroos along the way. The tour guide has been doing the tour for several years and is super knowledgeable. I also did my research and found this tour at HALF the price of the others. Don’t be silly; book this one here!
Wilson’s Promontory Tour from Melbourne
This was one trip that I wish I had more time on. Wilson’s Promontory is about 3 hours away from Melbourne so it’s hard to do in just one day. It is home to some amazing hikes and the fine white sands of Squeaky Beach. I did this tour in a day and was dying to stay at the beach longer. One day is still worth it if you are on a time crunch, but I highly recommend going longer to thoroughly enjoy it. Here is a link to the trip that I booked. This one still cost about $30 less than the others I had found and was a great tour!
Phillip Island
This one is for the penguin lovers. I actually didn’t do this tour but would have if I had more time in Melbourne. Travelers come to Phillip Island to watch the Penguin Parade, where groups of penguins come ashore after sunset. Outside of the penguins, you can also enjoy white sandy beaches, motorsports, and more Australian wildlife.
Other Melbourne Tips
Transportation
Trams are free within the CBD. You will need a Myki card to go anywhere outside the free zone.
SkyBuses operate to and from Avalon and Melbourne International airport. They will take you straight downtown to Southern Cross station in the CBD. If you book your tickets through the app, you can save! Click here to book your SkyBus tickets.
Download the Didi app. It’s just like uber and you should be able to get $20 off your first ride! You need to confirm your phone number, so if you are planning on traveling without cell service, download the app and confirm your number before leaving home.
Discounted Tours from Melbourne
There is a Facebook group called New to Melbourne that has discounted rates on trips such as Wilson’s Prom, Great Ocean Road, and Phillip Island. They only run on specific dates and fill up so definitely check them out before-hand and do some planning to make sure you can book them!
Hostels
I wasn’t ever blown away by the hostels in Australia but Base at St. Kilda was by far my favorite. It is a great location if you want to be by the beach. They also have a bar downstairs with themed nights where locals and backpackers come to party. It’s great for making friends!
If you are looking for a more central location, I stayed at Nomad’s All Nations in the CBD. I felt like it was a little bit harder to socialize there; a lot of people kept to themselves. It was perfect though, for all the day trips I was taking and right in the city center.
Check out Hostelworld here if you would like to take a look at more options!
