Melbourne, Australia is a fantastic choice for anyone coming to the Land Down Under, and offers a great variety of things in the city and outside it.

This is a destination guide, intended to provide assistance for you as you plan your own visit to Melbourne, Australia. We paid for all attractions out of our own money and do not have any relationship (financial or otherwise) with the operators of the services described below. That allows us to give our honest feedback about what we did and did not like.

Why Melbourne, VIC, Australia?

What isn’t there to love about Melbourne? The city has a beef with Sydney, both vying to be the crown jewel of the country. And while Melbourne might not have as many iconic sights like the Sydney Opera House, Melbourne has plenty of sports stadiums. Sydney has ferries to take you around the city, but Melbourne has free public transportation (more on that below). Sydney has a zoo and Melbourne has…the ability to email trees and have a relationship with them.

All kidding aside (and yes, emailing trees is a real thing — just click on a tree and you can email it), Melbourne is a great place to visit.

But if you’re touring the countryside, don’t be surprised to see dead animals on the road. We saw plenty of marsupials like kangaroos, wallabies, and even wombats on the side of the road after getting struck by cars. You might even see a giant X on the animals. Given how small marsupial babies are, locals come by to check on the dead animals to make sure there is no joey still in the pouch. If there’s no joey, they put an X on the animal.

If you happen to need Wi-Fi while in town, when you’re inside the city, you can get free Wi-Fi. Just be on the lookout for the free phone booths below, which also double as Wi-Fi hotspots.

How long to stay?

This was our first visit to Melbourne, and we ended up staying 3 nights in the city. As a first visit, that was a bit on the short side, especially if you have plans to take day trips outside the city. We’d push the minimum to 4 nights given everything you could potentially do, which gives time to both explore the city and also check out the sights outside town.

Beware the hook turn in Melbourne

What exactly is a hook turn? You’ll find them near the light rail lines. Though you drive on the left, you can’t make a right from anywhere. Instead, you need to follow the signs that tell you to wait on the left. In fact, it’s generally as far-left as you can go, so you can clear the way for anyone wanting to go straight.

The thing is… you’re typically not going to find a turn signal that will tell you it’s clear to turn. Instead, you just need to camp out there until the light is about to turn red. Even if the light is green, you need to wait until the coast is clear. That’s about as good as I can describe it. Hook turns aren’t common even within Australia, but you’ll find them here.

Something to keep in mind should you decide to rent a car in Melbourne.

Public transportation is free within the zone

Melbourne has a free public transit zone where jumping on their tram system is completely free. You’ll see the free tram zone in the picture below.

Boarding the free tram is simple. Just step on and that’s it. No need to swipe a card or download an app. Then, when you’re done, just exit.

You’ll know which stops are free because they’re visibly identified with plenty of signage. You’ll also hear an announcement when you get near the end of the free zone. Once you’re outside the zone, you’ll have to pay a nominal amount to continue by tapping the entry/exit scanners inside the tram.

Top Things to Do in Melbourne

Kings Domain & Queen Victoria Gardens

Address: Alexandra Ave, Melbourne VIC 3004, Australia
Link to official site: https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/kings-domain
Good for ages: All ages
Closest tram stop: Arts Precinct/St Kilda Rd (not in free tram zone)
Stroller-friendly: Yes

Our first stop in Melbourne is the large gardens outside the free tram zone. You could walk to this park from the free tram zone, which we did, or you could pay a small fee for the tram to take you here. The best time to come to Kings Domain, the Queen Victoria Gardens, or the Royal Botanic Gardens is in the morning. You get that fresh morning air surrounded by nature, completely making you forget you’re in a major city.

Nature is abundant here, with plenty of ponds and animals that call these gardens home.

One area we liked to visit is called The Grotto, which silences out everything except for some running water. Feeling stressed? Just being here will help.

Plenty of Australians exercise in the morning, so there are going to be plenty of people here running by. Perhaps you’ll join them or just take comfort in knowing you’re not alone in appreciating the outdoors.

ACMI

Address: Federation Square, Flinders St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Link to official site: https://www.acmi.net.au/
Good for ages: All
Closest tram stop: Swanston St/Flinders St (in the free tram zone)
Stroller-friendly: Yes

ACMI is going to be our biggest regret of the trip because when we passed by, it was already closed for the day. And naturally, we were flying out early the next morning. Our tour guide had mentioned that this is an excellent place to bring the kids. There are movies, games, and other interactive and educational exhibits. You can log all your experiences onto a souvenir disc that you take home with you, allowing you to relive the memories.

And guess what? Admission is free. The kids made me promise them to take them to ACMI the next time we’re in town. I’ll have to do that someday.

Polly Woodside Park

Address:Polly Woodside Park, 21 S Wharf Promenade, South Wharf VIC 3006, Australia
Good for ages: All
Closest tram stop: Casino/MCEC/Clarendon St (one stop past the free tram zone)
Stroller-friendly: Yes

If the Kings Domain area of parks is just too far of a stroll for you, there’s a closer park that might appeal to you. Polly Woodside Park is home to a few different activities, making it more than just a regular park.

For example, a mini golf course calls this park home, though it is on the small side.

Next to the mini golf course is a ferris wheel. While you could get decent views from here, it’s not tall enough to overlook the tall buildings nearby.

If you just want to go jogging around the Yarra River, this is a great place to do it. Though we weren’t here for exercise, the brisk air in late fall is pretty inviting to go for a light run.

And if you’re around here at night, you’ll want to keep a look out for the fire show at the top of each hour. The casino in this area funds some pyrotechnics when night falls. It’s a little less intense to see it from across the river, but if you’re on the same side as Polly Woodside, hopefully the sudden big flames above your head don’t scare you.

SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium

Address: King St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Link to official site: https://www.visitsealife.com/melbourne/
Good for ages: All ages, depending on the program
Nearest rail station: Melbourne Aquarium/Flinders St (in the free tram zone)
Stroller-friendly: N/A

One of the places on our short list to try out is diagonally across the river from Polly Woodside Park–SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium. Of course, with all of the other animal-related activities we did while in Melbourne (you’ll see further below in the list), we passed on adding yet another animal experience. But if you want something in the city that you could easily stop inside for an hour or two, this isn’t a bad choice at all.

Parliament of Victoria

Address: Spring St, East Melbourne VIC 3002, Australia
Link to official site: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/
Good for ages: Ages 5 and up
Nearest rail station: Spring St/Bourke St (in the free tram zone)
Stroller-friendly: No

The Parliament of Victoria hosts free tours during weekdays when Parliament is not in session. These tours are about 45 minutes in length and bring you to the Legislative Chambers and the Library, and give you some flavor of the legislative process in Australia. Given the content, we think children younger than school age probably won’t sit still very well.

This is another activity that we thought of doing but just didn’t have the time given two full day trips that we did when in Melbourne.

Catch a sporting event

Everyone in Melbourne loves sports. That’s why they built 6 different major stadiums all around the city, many in walking distance of the free tram zone. These stadiums include:

• AAMI Park — home to soccer and rugby
• Ikon Park — home to Australian Rules Football
• John Cain Arena — home to tennis, basketball, and netball
• Marvel Stadium — home to Australian Rules Football and soccer
• Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) — home to both Australian Rules Football and cricket
• Rod Laver Arena — home to tennis and some indoor sports

There’s a reason why some sporting events get played here, such as when the LA Rams took on the 49ers in September 2026. It doesn’t matter what sport plays here, there will be local interest.

We didn’t get a chance to check out all the stadiums, and I was only able to take a (poor) photo of Rod Laver Arena as we passed by. Sometimes traffic patterns just don’t permit a better picture.

The Penguin Parade

Address: 1019 Ventnor Rd, Summerlands VIC 3922, Australia
Link to official site: https://www.penguins.org.au/attractions/penguin-parade/
Good for ages: All ages
Nearest rail station: N/A
Stroller-friendly: No

We found the Penguin Parade day trip to be the best thing we did in Melbourne, but the pictures aren’t going to do it justice. Photography of any kind is not allowed when the penguins return home.

The Penguin Parade is the name given to that moment at the end of the day when the little penguins come home at night. They’re tired but they’re also on the lookout for predators who might be waiting for them. So, you see them run by in groups back to their homes.

Your visit starts at the Visitor Centre located on Phillip Island, between 90 minutes and 2 hours outside Melbourne. Though the Visitor Centre is open earlier in the day, we wouldn’t recommend coming until late afternoon if your goal is to also see the penguins.

Inside the Visitor Centre are a couple of restaurants and some interactive exhibits for the kids. If your kids need an opportunity to blow off some steam, this is the place to come do it.

Though there are cheaper tickets available, our recommendation is to splurge on the Penguins Plus seating. You’ll be far closer to the action and will see penguins walk right next to the viewing platform, in some cases stopping right next to your feet. There were hundreds of penguins returning home this evening, which were incredibly cute as they huddled together, scared of everything.

This felt like a nature experience like no other, especially since it’s not like we live near any penguins normally. For more on our time at the Penguin Parade, check out our dedicated post to our full day trip (with Moonlit Sanctuary).

Moonlit Sanctuary

Address: 550 Tyabb-Tooradin Rd, Pearcedale VIC 3912, Australia
Link to official site: https://moonlitsanctuary.com.au/
Good for ages: All ages
Nearest rail station: N/A
Stroller-friendly: Yes

Of all the animal sanctuaries and zoos we visited in Australia, this is our favorite. What stands out with Moonlit in our minds is how close you can get with the kangaroos and wallabies, and how simple and authentic the place felt. Moonlit is on the smaller side, but we came away with the impression that the animals are well taken care of.

Exactly how close can you get to the wallabies and roos? Close enough that they’ll hop right on over to you and eat from your hand. You’ll want to purchase some roo food as you enter or expect to see frustrated faces from your kids or significant other. They don’t bite, so don’t be afraid to let them come over. Just mind the ducks–those birds do bite so shoo them away.

Moonlit Sanctuary is also one of the few places in Victoria (the state Mebourne is in) where you can touch a koala. To be clear, the koala is still in the tree, but you can come up and touch it. If this interests you, you must book a meet & greet with the koala (ideally in advance). Any interaction with the koala must be done in the presence of trained professionals. Otherwise, you can just view them from afar.

There are plenty of other local animals here like dingoes, wombats, and the cute Tasmanian devil. Don’t let his cute face fool you though, he has jaw strength strong enough to break your bones. Australia has such cute, vicious animals.

For more on our time at the Moonlit Sanctuary, check out our dedicated post to our full day trip (with Penguin Parade).

Puffing Billy

Address: (Various stops)
Link to official site: https://puffingbillyrailway.org.au/
Good for ages: All ages
Nearest rail station: N/A
Stroller-friendly: No

Puffing Billy is the name of the steam engine train that runs a historic route on the outskirts of Melbourne. This railroad passes through the stations of Belgrave, Menzies Creek, Emerald, Lakeside, and Gembrook. While this railway was once used for hauling materials, it’s now a big tourist attraction to ride for the scenery.

What sets this apart from other scenic trains is the ability to hang your legs out the window as you travel. Kids are welcome to do it too provided they are tall enough, though you might want to be near them to make sure they don’t fall off. Tour groups tend to travel in just one direction but if you come here on your own, roundtrip travel is available. Depending on the weather, you might want to bring a jacket (in the winter) or sunglasses (in the summer).

Make it all the way to the Lakeside Visitor Centre and you can see the original steam engine in their free museum. Overall, this is a cute activity to do with the kids, especially if you’re a train fanatic.

For more on our time at Puffing Billy, check out our dedicated post to our full day trip (with Healesville Sanctuary).

Healesville Sanctuary

Address: Glen Eadie Ave, Healesville VIC 3777, Australia
Link to official site: https://www.zoo.org.au/healesville
Good for ages: All ages
Nearest rail station: N/A
Stroller-friendly: Yes

Yet another animal sanctuary on our list, but Healesville is markedly larger than Moonlit is. In fact, Healesville feels almost like a small zoo though populated with just local animals. Between the two, Moonlit has more of an intimate feel but that doesn’t mean that it’s not a waste to come to Healesville. If you’re looking for more variety of animals, Healesville has you covered.

There is plenty of opportunity to see koalas here, but unlike at Moonlit, you won’t be able to touch them here at Healesville.

What animals are unique to Healesville that didn’t exist at Moonlit? Plenty! Like the tree kangaroos pictured below or the platypus (not pictured).

If you had to just pick one, we would opt more for the intimate nature of Moonlit and how close you get to the animals there. But if the kids wanted a lot of variety, perhaps Healesville is more for you. For more on our time at the Healesville Sanctuary, check out our dedicated post to our full day trip (with Puffing Billy).

Where to Eat in Melbourne

Here is an assortment of the restaurants we ate at during our visit to Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

The Simple Foodie

Website: https://the-simple-foodie.square.site/
Address: G03/591 Flinders St, Docklands VIC 3008, Australia
Dedicated kids menu: No
Closest tram station: Batman Park/Flinders St (in the free tram zone)
Reservations needed: N/A

If you want something simple for breakfast, this is a good choice to consider. Simple Foodie is exactly as its name implies–a simple place to come order some coffee and grab some food. Think of it as almost a small cafeteria but with food you’d want to eat.

We showed up early in the morning before most other stores seemed to be open (sometimes that happens with jetlag). And there were plenty of breakfast items here, both hot and cold. The quality of the food was good compared to what you otherwise might expect from food that’s sitting in a heated area. That said, I can’t say with confidence that the food would remain crispy after sitting in the heated section for a long time.

Ultimately, this hit the spot for us this morning. We just wanted something quick and painless, and that’s exactly what we got with Simple Foodie.

Schmucks Bagels

Website: https://schmucksbagels.com.au/ (you might need a VPN based in Australia for this to load if you’re outside the country)
Address: Tenancy 9/567 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Dedicated kids menu: No
Closest tram station: Spencer St/Collins St (in the free tram zone)
Reservations needed: N/A

There are multiple locations for Schmucks Bagels and we went to the location that was closest to us. This appeared to be an Asian-run business with plenty of little trinkets and decorations scattered throughout the store. As the name implies, if you’re looking for bagels–and in particular, bagel sandwiches–this is the place for you. Seriously.

As many breakfast places do, they also have roasted coffee here, though I can’t comment on it since I’m not an addict. The menu of sandwiches is quite extensive and you can customize them if you need something swapped out. Sometimes kids just don’t want the sauce.

As for the food, it’s extremely filling. I mean, bagel sandwiches are filling already but they just load these things up. If bagels aren’t your thing, you can also choose from the small selection of pastries they have. All in all, it’s filling so try not to overorder like we did. One sandwich too many for the four of us. Oh well!

Royal Stacks

Link to official site: https://www.royalstacks.com.au/
Address: (multiple locations)
Dedicated kids menu: Yes
Closest tram station: (multiple locations, including in the free tram zone)
Reservations needed: N/A

OK, fine. We will end up going to fast food restaurants when we are on vacation. What’s the matter with that? Sometimes the kids get a little homesick and food is a great way to cull that longing feeling. Thus, we ordered food to-go from Royal Stacks, a place that has some extra bar-style entertainment if you decide to dine in. It’s a bit fancier than, say, Hungry Jacks or Maccas (sorry, my inner Australian is coming out… I mean McDonald’s). And it’s also a bit more expensive too.

Still, if you want a guilty pleasure, there are far worse things you can do. Burgers, fries, and a shake is just what the doctor ordered to cure that case of homesickness.

And the kids agreed. Spend a little time in the room eating fast food never felt better.

Supernormal

Link to official site: https://supernormal.net.au/melbourne
Address: 180 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000
Dedicated kids menu: No
Closest tram station: City Square/Swanston St (in the free tram zone)
Reservations needed: Yes

We couldn’t exclusively dine at quick-service restaurants on this trip and so we checked out Supernormal, which is best described as an Asian Fusion type of restaurant. The entrance is located in what feels like a back alley, but once you find those neon cherry eyes, you’ll know you’re in the right place. Reservations are highly recommended given how packed the place seems to be for dinner.

The menu is mostly a mix of Asian favorites with a slight twist. If you’re not feeling like Asian food, but still want something good, you might be interested in their lobster roll. The bread is nice and soft and the lobster is plentiful, making this an easy choice to include for dinner.

Or, if you want something else, a popular dish here is their version of Peking Duck, which is instead double deep fried. Purists will say this isn’t true Peking Duck, but I don’t think it tries to be. The dish knows it’s playing a similar role since it comes with bao and plum sauce, but the crispy, almost-burnt flavor on the exterior proves it’s a different take on the dish. Think of the food here as an Australian spin on Asian food and you’ll enjoy it.

For more about our dinner at Supernormal, check out our dedicated post to our visit to the restaurant.

Where we stayed

Intercontinental Melbourne, The Rialto

Link to official site: https://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/us/en/melbourne/melha/hoteldetail
Good for kids: Yes and no, it’s not dedicated to kids but they won’t feel out of place here
Closest tram station: William St/Collins St (in the free tram zone)
Points needed: 40,000 to 50,000 IHG points per night

Intercontinental hotels are always an interesting enigma to me. They’re positioned high enough in the IHG umbrella that you must think of them as luxury hotels. But many of them feel more like old-world luxury from a time gone by. Not all of them do, but this one feels like it’s an accurate description. That said, there’s nothing wrong with the stay–you get what you pay for–but don’t come in expecting to get blown away and you’re fine.

The rooms felt pretty basic. We had a room with two beds in it, which were good enough for sleep but didn’t offer otherworldly rest. The room itself didn’t have much going on aside from a small table and a desk. Again, that’s just how Intercontinental hotels feel, but they come at a great price relative to other luxury hotels. So there’s that.

On the top floor of the hotel is a pool, which is a nice feature to have especially when it’s cold outside. Overall, we were actually quite happy with the stay. It served its purpose and we didn’t need something overly fancy given how little we spent in the room most days. You can’t really rate it poorly when it does what you want it to do, right?

If you’d like to learn more about our stay at the Intercontinental Melbourne, check out our dedicated post to the hotel.

Sample 4-day Melbourne itinerary

If you only have four days in Melbourne, what should you do? Our recommendation would be the following:

Day 1

• Morning: Kings Domain & Queen Victoria Gardens
• Midday: Parliament of Victoria
• Afternoon: ACMI

I always like starting off easy, which is what you’ll get with this recommendation. It’s all about keeping things simple with a morning visit to Kings Domain, Queen Victoria Gardens, and the surrounding park area. Wake up, take a jog, and get lost in the large green expanse. We didn’t have a chance to explore everything here, but there should be plenty to see including the botanical gardens and the conservatory.

From there, consider adding some education to your visit by taking a tour of the Parliament of Victoria if you happen to be traveling here on a weekday. Afterwards, let off some steam at ACMI, which might be especially needed if you have kids with you.

Day 2

• All-day: Penguin Parade and Moonlit Sanctuary

This combination of Penguin Parade on Phillip Island and Moonlit Sanctuary is tops. If you’re an animal lover, there’s really no better combination than this. Depending on the time of the year, this tour might start earlier in the day or later in the day. It ends up timed with when the penguins return home and they always return home after sunset.

Of the animal sanctuaries and Australian zoos we’ve been to, nothing so far has beaten Moonlit Sanctuary for us. Animals are important, which is why we want to go someplace where they seem well looked after. And Moonlit, with its smaller size and very friendly staff, gave that impression fully.

Day 3

• All-day: Puffing Billy or the Great Ocean Road

Melbourne has so much to do outside of the city that adding in another day trip feels natural. Some of the more popular options include Puffing Billy or the Great Ocean Road.

Between the two, Puffing Billy is probably the tour to do if you have younger children in your party, especially if you pair it with other fun activities like Healesville Sanctuary. Kids will be engaged the whole time and the train ride can be fun for them.

What is the Great Ocean Road? It’s a massive 12+ hour journey outside Melbourne that can include some of the following highlights:

• Spotting koalas in the wild
• Shipwreck Coast, which includes the iconic Twelve Apostles limestones
• Great Otway National Park, a walk through a rainforest
• Cute coastal towns and the Memorial Arch, honoring those who returned from WWI

Day 4

• Morning: Polly Woodside Park
• Midday: SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium or the casino
• Afternoon: Watch sports

Our last day in Melbourne wraps things up by starting with another morning activity, heading over to Polly Woodside Park. Then, later in the day, you might as well also check out the SEA LIFE aquarium since you’re already in that area (perhaps those without kids might want to see the nearby casino). And what trip to Melbourne is complete without seeing some kind of sporting event? Even if you don’t know the rules, it can be fun just to be in the atmosphere.

Let us know what you like to do in Melbourne, Australia!

Suggested reading:

• Trip Introduction: Secret Trip 2.0 is Back With New Players
• Pro Tip: Exchange Currency at Your Destination
• The Travel Gadgets That Make Our Travel Easy