Melbourne may just be the coolest city in Australia, and it’s one of the most livable cities in the world. If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in this city where history and modern life are beautifully mixed, these tips will help you have a memorable adventure from the first to the last minute of your stay in Melbourne.
1. Go skydiving
It’s possible to have an action-packed city jump in the very center of Melbourne. It’s a tandem skydiving from Australia’s highest altitude, where you will first experience freefall at 200 km/h for 60 seconds, and then spend some 7 minutes floating above the city, enjoying a magnificent view.
2. Lysterfield Park
This wonderful park is filled with kangaroos, echidnas, and magnificent birdlife. You can even go for a walk by the lake, enjoy the forest or visit horse-riding tracks. There are many spots where you can have a barbeque or a picnic with your family or friends. You can even go canoeing, sailing, mountain biking, and paddle boating – in short, this park offers much more than just a simple walk in nature.
3. Yara valley
Just an hour’s drive from Melbourne, Yara Valley is famous for its wineries, namely, more than 120 of them. Besides enjoying tasting beautiful wines, you can also go on a ride in a hot air balloon to admire the view of lush greenery, vines, and pastures.
You can pay a visit to the Tarra Warra Museum of Modern Art to have a different view of the landscape. If you like bushwalking, then you shouldn’t miss an 18-kilometer long trail where you can go birdwatching, shoreline fishing or sailing. If you want to experience the landscape from water, then choose Yarra river cruise that will show you natural beauties in a different way.
4. Great Ocean Road
If you travel the Great Ocean Road especially in a campervan rental, you will get a ride of your life. It’s one of the most scenic coastal drives in the world. You will get to see 12 Apostles and their towering beauty, famous surf breaks, and lovely waterfalls. On your way, you will get a chance to try scuba diving, surfing, kayaking, as well as to see various cultural sites.
This 243-kilometer long road includes the Great Ocean Walk, the chance to see wildlife at Tower Hill and take a stroll in picturesque seaside villages.
5. Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium
This aquarium offers 12 themed zones, including the coast and the ocean’s depths. This is also the home of the world’s biggest Saltwater Crocodiles, which you can see in the Croc Lair exhibit. You can also visit the interactive rainforest, see more than 10,000 creatures up close, including penguins, sea horses, and elephant sharks. You can even touch a starfish, feed some of the animals, and listen to some interesting lectures on animal wildlife.
6. The Royal Botanic Gardens
Near the city center, this botanical garden is 38 hectares in size, comprising some of the most fascinating plants on the planet. It is a mix of native and exotic plants, including more than 10,000 species.
The second division of the garden is in Cranbourne, the city’s suburb. This division focuses only on native Australian plants, with a special section called the Australian Garden.
7. The Block Arcade
This is one of the finest examples of a 19th-century shopping arcade, with wonderful mosaic-tile flooring, carved stone and glass canopy. The cafes and boutiques in the Block still have the lush, decorative uniform design. Don’t miss the chance to visit the Hopetoun Tea Rooms, filled with tasty cakes and delicious chocolates. It’s possible to go on a guided tour of the Block, and the Hopetoun Tea Rooms are the starting point.
8. Merri Creek Trail
This trail is more than 20km long, passing by lakes, parks and great spots for a barbeque. You can go on the trail just about anywhere, although the recommended places are Dight Falls and Coburg lake Reserve. The waterfalls you’ll come across are truly stunning.
9. The City Circle Tram
Going on a ride on the City Circle Tram will provide you with interesting information on many city sites, including the City Museum, Docklands, the Princess Theatre, and Federation Square. If you want to, you can spend the whole day on the tram. Get the information leaflet, which will also provide you with a user-friendly city map, and use the tram as a “hop on-hop off” service. You can use it either as a means of transport or stay for longer in order to find out more about the city.
10. The State Library
Booklovers will enjoy this cultural site but they won’t be the only ones. This is a city’s landmark, with a breathtaking ceiling, and the La Trobe Reading Room as the most interesting room in the library. There are two free exhibitions that are also permanent: Mirror of the World, where you can learn about the history of books, and Ned Kelly’s armor in the face of Victoria. The library includes more than two million books, as well as numerous newspapers, manuscripts, and maps.
All in all
Melbourne is an exciting city where you can never be bored but its strength is that it also offers wonderful natural landscapes and locations where you can simply enjoy the wildlife. In other words, Melbourne has it all.
