In and Around Melbourne Australia
I recently spent a month in Melbourne, visiting family and friends. I was fortunate to have made it back to Blighty just before Lockdown!
We may not be able to travel right now but it’s good to think about future breaks as it gives us something to look forward to!
Melbourne is considered to be one of the most liveable cities in the world. It has a laid back, cosmopolitan vibe and has something for everyone:
- Multicultural dining
- City Food Markets such as Queen Victoria Market
- Art galleries & incredible Street Art
- Chilling out by the Yarra River
- Lovely parks around the city
- Spectator sports
- Lovely beaches
- Day Trips to some amazing places such as the Dandenong Ranges, Peninsula Hot Springs, The Great Ocean Road & Phillip Island with it’s amazing Penguin Parade!
Get your guide to Melbourne some more fun places to visit/things to do here
The City Centre
The Southbank
The Southbank is considered to be Melbourne’s premier cultural destination. Take a lovely walk along the Yarra river and enjoy it’s many cafes, restaurants and shopping areas. If art is your thing, check out the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA). Gallery entry is FREE. For some amazing street art, check out Hosier Lane. You can explore the lane for free or, to find out more about the artists and their work, you take a walking tour. Check out Tripadvisor for more details
ACCA Hosier Lane Street Art
The Crown Casino Complex is not just a place for gamers – it actually has something for everyone! It also offers fine dining @ 29 restaurants, luxury shops such as Hugo Boss Burrbery & Louis Vuitton, entertainment, a cinema, spa, bowling, a playtime arcade and luxury accomodation @ the Crown Towers Hotel, which is, apparently, it’s a popular place to stay for celebrities visiting Melbourne. I found it fascinating to walk around the complex as the interiors are stunning!
Crown Complex Retail Street
Ca de Vin Restaurant is a hidden gem in an alley along Bourke St in the CBD (Central Business District) My cousin Paul took me there as he had been before. The atmosphere was lovely. The authentic Mediterranean food is delicious, the service is great and it’s not overpriced!
Docklands is an inner western suburb of Melbourne, situated on the waterfront. It’s around 2km from the Central Business District.
There there is a myriad of things you can do here:
- Taking a walk along the promenade
- Ride on the Melbourne Star – a giant Ferris wheel, similar to the London Eye
- Discover urban art sculptures, all around the Docklands
- Cruise along the Yarra river
- Enjoy some culinary delights at one of the many restaurants, cafes & bars in the area
- Visit the Artvo Immersive Gallery– with 3D ‘trick-art’ where you can feature in priceless photos in amazing scernarios. Explore the interactive gallery with over 11 themed zones. I visited this place with my cousin, Michelle and loved it. We took some crazy photos here!
St Kilda
St Kilda is an inner suburb of Melbourne, 6km south-east of the Central Business District. It has a beautiful beach and lots of great restaurants and bars and the famous Luna Park amusement park, which is great for families
Commonly referred to as “The Epsy”, is a cool place to visit. It’s a grand Victorian hotel with 2 on-site restaurants and 12 bars to choose from. It offers fine food, functions, fun gigs and lovely sea views. Definitely worth visiting this iconic place!
Less than an hour from Melbourne, the Dandenong Ranges has breathtaking scenery, quaint hilltop villages such as the charming Olinda, scenic, winding roads, artist’s studios & craft stores, walking & cycling trails, rides on the Puffing Billing steam train and plenty of cute cafes, bars and restaurants to choose from.
Olinda Village
One of my favourite places to visit, in the Dandenong Ranges was the William Rickets Sancturay. The internationally renowned sanctuary is beautiful, tranquil and inspirational. Created by William Rickets, an Australian potter and sculptor and philanthropist, who respected and admired the Aboriginals and their philosophies such as respected the spirituality of Mother Earth and all things in the natural world. Within the sanctuary grounds, there are over 90 different sculptures, carved into rocks and trees, depicting the Aboriginal people engaging with the earth in a pure forest setting. William Rickets lived and worked in the Sanctuary until he passed away in 1993.
The Mornington Peninsula is is located about an hour, south-east of Melbourne. Here you can walk along it’s many beaches including Frankston, the inlets around Mount Eliza and Mount Martha, Safety Beach, Dromana, Rosebud, Rye, Sorrento and Portsea. Explore the cosmopolitan, seaside villages, enjoy it’s galleries, cafes, restaurants, wineries and Spas. I visited my friend Lynne, who lives in Rye and we had a great time on the beach, eating out and chilling at the beautiful Peninsula Hot Springs
Loved this place! A natural hot mineral spring and spa centre, Relax in the hot water that flows from deep underground into many pools and private baths at this seaside oasis of health and wellbeing. There are also steam rooms, cave pools, spa treatments, the Bath House Cafe and the amazing Amphitheatre where you can watch live music shows and movies whilst lounging on sun beds or bathing in the hot springs! Check out their website for more information Peninsula Hot Springs
Radio Luna Restaurant
Loved this restaurant/bar with it’s delicious food and drink and it’s quirky design. It’s a real hidden gem, near the beach. You can choose from light bites or the main menu and the food is locally sourced . They have live music on the weekends, an outdoor seating and indoor seating and they are dog friendly! The owner Emma and her chef Gabrielle are so lovely. They made everyone feel special with their great service! Definitely a place to visit, if you are in the area. You can check out their Facebook page here: Radio Luna Portsea
Emma & Gabrielle
Rye’s bay beach is popular with swimmers, kite surfers & sailing enthusiasts. It’s Ocean beach is popular with surfers. The seaside town is also popular with foodies as it has a great range of restaurants.
A restaurant close to the beach in Rye. If you enjoy Asian fusion style cuisine, then this is for you! They sum up what they have to offer, really well, on their website:
ABOUT STEAM.
“Steam in essence is hot, fresh and clean… these are the qualities reflected in our modern Asian fusion style.
Featuring our live oysters, from premier regions of Australia, and a heavy emphasis on fresh and local seafood, we have melded the clean delicate flavours of the sea (and the land) with some spice and richness to delight the senses and please the palate…
Our food is designed for the shared table, to be engaging and exciting. It brings friends and family together in a communal dining style that promotes interaction and discussion. The atmosphere is light and festive with a touch of sophistication. Meet our knowledgeable team and discuss our fine selection of local and imported wines and Asian beers complimenting friendly catch ups”
My friend, Lynne and I really enjoyed food here – could be described as Asian style tapas!
Frankston Beach has fairly shallow water so it’s good for families. There is also a children’s park nearby. As with most Victorian beaches, they is a good choice of restaurants.
I visited the area with my cousins, Debbie and Gwen. We enjoyed some genuine Italian food @ Sofia’s Family Restaurant. The menu features traditional and gourmet pizza, pasta, risotto, steaks and fresh seafood and prices are very reasonable! Sofia’s is located at Pier Promenade, Frankston Waterfront with fanstastic sea views. The restaurant has an interesting history- you can find out more on their website
I hope you found this blog post helpful. There is so much to do in, and around, Melbourne, Victoria. This is a great travel guide, to help you plan you trip: Lonely Planet Melbourne & Victoria (Travel Guide)
3 Comments
Alex
What a brilliant guide to Melbourne! I’m heading back next year for the first time in years, and this has really brought back some memories! I’ll be referring back to this post for sure!
cindyforbes1
Glad you found this useful Marie. I’m sure you will love Artvo & William Ricketts Sanctuary- both great experiences!
Marie Gardner
Beautiful photos & great run down about beautiful Melbourne’s many attractions. Inspired me to visit a couple of places that I have not been yet including Artvo which looks like so much fun & William Ricketts sanctuary which looks lovely.