Melbourne Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Melbourne tours, the spectacular Great Ocean Road and Twelve Apostles, the penguin parade and wildlife of Phillip Island, wine and gourmet tours in the Yarra Valley, the heritage Puffing Billy steam train, city laneway and culture walks, and scenic Yarra River cruises. Compare top-rated activities and plan your perfect Melbourne itinerary.
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Explore Melbourne by interest
Whatever brings you to Melbourne — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Great Ocean Road
The Twelve Apostles.
ExplorePhillip Island
The penguin parade.
ExploreYarra Valley
Cool-climate wines.
ExplorePuffing Billy
The steam train.
ExploreCity tours
Laneways and culture.
ExploreCruises & balloons
River and skyline.
ExploreWildlife
Koalas and kangaroos.
ExploreDay trips
Victoria’s best.
ExploreTop attractions in Melbourne
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Twelve Apostles
The limestone stacks.
Phillip Island
The penguin parade.
Yarra Valley
Cool-climate wines.
Puffing Billy
The steam train.
Laneways
Street art and cafés.
Great Ocean Road
The scenic coastal drive.
Yarra River
City cruises.
City & MCG
Culture and sport.
Melbourne in 3 days
- 1Day 1: City
- 2Day 2: Great Ocean Road
- 3Day 3: Phillip Island or Yarra
- 4City, coast & wildlife
Melbourne with kids
- 1Puffing Billy
- 2Phillip Island penguins
- 3Great Ocean Road koalas
- 4River cruise
Great Ocean Road day trip
- 1Coast road to Bells Beach & Apollo Bay
- 2Wild koalas at Kennett River
- 3Twelve Apostles & Loch Ard Gorge
- 4Sunset over the limestone stacks
Laneways & coffee culture
- 1Street art crawl through Hosier Lane
- 2Flat white in a hidden laneway café
- 3Food tastings at Queen Victoria Market
- 4Cocktails in a secret rooftop bar
Full day awayGreat Ocean Road
The Twelve Apostles.
2 hrs awayPhillip Island
The penguin parade.
1 hr awayYarra Valley
Cool-climate wines.
1 hr awayPuffing Billy
The steam train.
In the city awayCity Laneways
Street art and cafés.
1.5 hrs awayMornington Peninsula
Beaches and hot springs.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Melbourne visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
Spring (September–November) and autumn (March–May) bring mild, pleasant weather ideal for the city and day trips — the prime times to visit Melbourne.
Summer (Dec–Feb)
Warm to hot, great for the coast, the Great Ocean Road and outdoor events; it can spike very hot, and it’s the busiest season.
Autumn (Mar–May)
Mild, golden and pleasant, with the wine harvest in the Yarra Valley — a lovely time to visit.
Winter (Jun–Aug)
Cool and grey with some rain, plus snow in the nearby ranges; cosy for the city’s cafés, culture and food.
Spring (Sep–Nov)
Fresh and blooming, with events and racing carnival; pleasant for sightseeing and the gardens.
Pack layers
Melbourne’s weather is famously changeable — “four seasons in one day” — so bring layers and a light rain jacket year-round.
One day
Enough for the city laneways and culture.
Two days
Add the Great Ocean Road.
Three days
The sweet spot: city, coast, and Phillip Island or the Yarra Valley.
Four to five days
Add the Mornington Peninsula, Puffing Billy and more.
A week or more
Use Melbourne as a base to explore Victoria.
Travelling with kids
Mix penguins, steam trains and the coast gently.
Trams
Melbourne’s iconic tram network covers the city, with the Free Tram Zone in the CBD; use a Myki card outside it.
Trains
Suburban trains from Flinders Street and Southern Cross link the city, suburbs and the airport area.
On foot
The compact CBD, laneways and riverside are very walkable and best explored on foot.
Tour transfers
Most Great Ocean Road, Phillip Island and Yarra Valley tours include central or hotel pickup.
Myki card
A Myki card covers trams, trains and buses across Melbourne with daily fare caps.
From the airport
Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) is about 30 minutes from the CBD by SkyBus, taxi or ride app.
Use the Free Tram Zone
Trams are free within the CBD’s Free Tram Zone — handy for getting around the city centre.
Australian dollar
Australia uses the dollar; cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere, so little cash is needed.
Embrace coffee culture
Melbourne is famous for its coffee and laneway cafés — a city food or coffee tour is a great introduction.
Pack for all seasons
The weather changes fast; bring layers and a light rain jacket even in summer.
Penguins at dusk
For the Phillip Island parade, dress warmly — even in summer the evening beach is cool and windy.
Reverse Great Ocean Road
A reverse-itinerary tour reaches the Twelve Apostles ahead of the crowds.
Great Ocean Road tours
Popular day trips sell out — book ahead.
Phillip Island
Penguin Parade tours fill up — reserve early.
Yarra Valley tours
Wine tours are busy — pre-book.
Puffing Billy
Steam-train and combo tours fill up — book ahead.
Balloon flights
Sunrise balloon flights have limited seats — reserve early.
Summer & events
December–February and big events are busy — plan ahead.
Great Ocean Road
Around €70–120 for a full-day Great Ocean Road tour.
Phillip Island
About €75–130 for a penguin and wildlife day tour.
Yarra Valley
Roughly €90–150 for a wine tour with tastings and lunch.
Puffing Billy
Around €60–110 for a steam-train and wildlife tour.
Balloon flights
About €250–350 for a sunrise balloon flight with breakfast.
How to save
Use the Free Tram Zone and a Myki card, walk the laneways, and share group day tours.
Melbourne through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Coast and events.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Warm, busy; book ahead.
- Best for
- Wine harvest, mild days.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Golden and pleasant.
- Best for
- Cafés, culture and snow.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Cool, grey; cosy in town.
- Best for
- Gardens and racing carnival.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Fresh; changeable.