Hi there everyone and Happy New Year. I thought I would use my 1st blog of 2019 to provide a run down of things to do in Melbourne when you have more than a few days. This was my 3rd trip to Melbourne and I have yet to blog about this amazing city. Previously I have visited some amazing bars/restaurants, seen some incredible art and frequented some mighty fine vine yards nearby. However, it was great to be able to spend a good amount of time here, especially in summer and experience new things that Melbourne has to offer. Lucky for us our friends made pretty good tour guides, having packed in a lot for us to see and do within 10 days (not to mention celebrating the holiday season).
Sometimes too much information included in lists of things to see and do can become tiresome, so I will just keep things brief so as not to bore you. I will show you through pictures, the trips that we made and give a short overview, so that if you happen to visit or live in Melbourne, you may wish to check them out also 😊.
1 – Holey Moley Golf Club ⛳️
This is a mini golf club with a lot of fun. Think crazy golf but indoors and with bar service. Each hole is designed with a crazy theme that brings humour and life to it whilst drawing you in with your camera for a snap or 2. The fact that you can bring your drinks around the course with you is pretty cool and you end up at the Caddyshack Bar. Definitely a must do, especially if it rains. You can read all about it here.
2 – Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
These gardens are stunning for a walk around, providing great views of the city and numerous areas where you can sit for a picnic. It’s pretty cool to be in the city but be surrounded by greenery. We were extremely lucky to have taken part in the “punting on the lake”, a surprise from our friends. You are taken on a tranquil cruise around the lake with a guided tour, seeing the islands surrounding the lake and all the gardens wildlife and plants. It’s a really stunning way of seeing the gardens and we were lucky enough to have brought on our own champagne for the occasion 🥂🍾. I can’t recommend this enough and the staff are extremely friendly and knowledgeable of the gardens.
3 – Entrecôte
This is a Parisian steakhouse and café in South Yarra and is totally worth a visit. The thing that really pulled us here was the jazz band…and they sing in French! Our favourite. Plus we had heard they offer some killer rosé wines 😉. The jazz band, La Nuit Blanche was fantastic. We thoroughly enjoyed listening to the music. The food was delicious and the ambiance was just on point. Sitting in the little terrace/garden, listening to jazz and sipping on rosé wine in the sunshine = blissful Sundays ☺️.
4 – Albert Park
This is a great park only 3km from the city. It surrounds a large lake and is a great spot for walking (with or without a dog), cycling, sailing and rowing. It provides a really stunning view of the city behind the lake. The walking track is 5km in distance and there are spots where you can stop for a picnic or BBQ. You can also see a good amount of black swans and plenty of ducks.
5 – Mornington Peninsula
If you leave Melbourne and drive south east for an hour through the state of Victoria, you will enter the Mornington Peninsula. This is a very beautiful coastal spot with Port Phillip to the left. There is lots to see and do with many little holiday towns and beaches that are both sheltered and open-sea.
We stopped at Cape Schanck which is the most southern part of Mornington Peninsula. Apparently here is where you can breathe in the freshest air, blown straight in from the Antarctic! To get here it is a quare walk through the Mornington Peninsula National Park. A really stunning walk but we wary of the many, many steps. Cape Schanck is beautiful, with some rock pools located there too but it is quite rocky terrain to go and have a good look. It is definitely worth the effort. There is also a lighthouse here that is infamous to Cape Schanck and has been here since 1859, as well as a lighthouse museum.
There are numerous vineyards situated in Mornington Peninsula that are worth a visit if you love wine tasting. We visited 3 different vineyards and each of them were sensational in their own ways:
• Montalto Vineyard and Olive Grove – delicious Chardonnay (and I usually hate Chardonnay).
• Even Keel/Polperro – great to sit outside with a glass of wine by the vines
• Rare Hare – great spot for lunch
6 – Ferry from Sorrento to Queenscliff ⛴
This is the car and ferry service that crosses Port Phillip Bay from Sorrento to Queenscliff. We crossed here in order to continue our journey towards the Great Ocean Road. It’s impressive being able to drive your car onto the ferry. Once aboard you can exit your car and walk around freely. There is a shop and bar onboard with comfortable seating. However, it’s pretty special to stand outside as the ferry sails, often you can see dolphins swimming alongside too!
7 – The Great Ocean Road
For me, this is the trip I have always associated with Melbourne and have always wanted to do it. I have seen many pictures over the years and to be honest, it doesn’t disappoint. The Great Ocean Road was built to commemorate the sailors and soldiers of the 1st world war. The drive along this road is spectacular with beautiful ocean views and many places where you can stop and take photos. We happened to drive on a cloudy day and the views were still spectacular. The main aim of the drive for us was to see the 12 apostles at the Port Campbell National Park. To read all about the apostles you can click here. When you reach the apostles you will not be disappointed. There are a few different locations to view the apostles so make sure you check them all out. There is a map printed at the visitors centre to help you out. Words can’t even describe how amazing this landscape is, so sure to visit soon, as the apostles are subject to some severe weather erosion.
8 – Easey’s Diner
So back into the city of Melbourne and you will find a really cool and trendy diner. You have grab a burger in a tram on a rooftop! Only in Melbourne! Staff are super friendly, food is amazing and you can see great views of the city. The hotdog topped with macaroni cheese is the business.
9 – Melbourne Museum
If you happen to have a rainy day in the city, where better to go than check out the local museum. Melbourne Museum was even better than we had anticipated and we spent a good few hours there. It has everything from dinosaurs to an Australian wildlife exhibition to the history of Melbourne (extremely interesting) to the displays of the Myers Christmas windows. Really worth checking out.
Ok readers so that’s my 9 things to check out in and around Melbourne. Hopefully it will be of interest and you can check them out sometime. There is still so much more to learn about this amazing city!!!
Thanks so much for reading.
W 😊
