Places to Visit from Melbourne
Road Affair provides readers with the opportunity to earn commissions on any purchases made through this page. Melbourne is Australias second largest city and a place that often amazes and impresses people.
In just a few days, you can visit Melbourne's best attractions as well as explore the city's most famous beaches and parks. During that time, you can start looking for a new place in Australia. There is also value in staying there because Victoria offers plenty of amazing things outside of Victoria that can easily be viewed from one day of travel.
01. The Dandenong Ranges and the Yarra Valley
The Yarra Valley and Dandenong Mountains have been popular getaways for melburnian families for more than a century. This excursion offers something for everybody: from nature to charming villages, amazing cuisine and an exciting ride aboard historic trains.
Start the morning in beautiful scenery through the Dandenong Range, approximately 40km south of Melbourne. You will be hiking through forests, ash trees, and observing the soothing cascades at Sherwood. You are also able to feed native birds at Grants Picnic Ground.
02. Heide Museum of Modern Art
It's a good way to get to Heide Museum for the modern art located in northern Bullen. The Modern Art Gallery displays Australian Art in three exhibition buildings once home to artists John and Sunday, whose family purchased a farm in 1934.
It became home to young, modernist painting called the Heide Circle. This museum sits within fifteen acres of beautiful gardens in which to walk in and enjoy sculptures. The cafe has a good selection of food from their kitchen garden. This exhibition is open Tuesday through Sunday, between 9:15 am and 5:15 am.
03. Peninsula Hot Springs
Do you love pampering? What's more relaxing than a steamy mineral spring pool? This and many more activities are available at Peninsula Hot Springs which is about an hour drive from Melbourne to Mornington Peninsula. Is there a hot tub? What about regenerative medicine? There will be fifty bath experiences for all age groups at this Bath House.
Maybe you prefer to swim in caves or relax by the mountaintop. Steamy mineral water is poured into the many water pools within tea forests creating a peaceful and tranquil environment to soak up all your needs no matter where your choice is taken.
04. Dandenong Ranges
The forest ridge of the Dandenong Range offers an idyllic escape just a minute from the capital's centre. You will find beautiful gardens, hiking tracks and lovely towns to eat delicious lunches. Our Dandenong day trip started at the 1000 Steps, officially Kokodas Track Memorial Trail walk, located on a mountaintop.
It is one of a popular local exercise which requires climbing steps through eucalyptus trees or ferns – even seeing wallabys. The summit isn't visible but it is an experience of the rainforest with a heart pumping. We sat back for an hour. Generally, it is recommended to visit early in the morning during weekdays to stay quiet.
05. Daylesford: Day Spas and Mineral Springs
A Daylesford day trip is the ideal opportunity to enjoy a relaxing city getaway. Soothing mineral pools, wellness centres and spa facilities are the main attractions of the small town and earn it the reputation of the spa-city of Australians.
Often brought here by healing mineral springs and gold rush, Swiss and Italian immigrants emigrated here, giving the town an Old World feel. The famous Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa is located near Hepburn Springs and offers luxurious accommodations since 1895.
06. The Mornington Peninsula
It lies 90 minutes away from Melbourne and is an ideal beach getaway from the city. Its prime sliver of land features quiet beaches surrounded by beautiful villages, beautiful beaches, and rocky coastlines. Sorrento is renowned for being the most fashionable city in Mornington, and was the first settlement in mainland Europe for the state.
Listed historic houses, high-end shops and cafés await your discovery. Take in a stunning ocean landscape or look at Australia's luxury vacation homes on Millionaire's Walk – a 5K cliff-topped trail between Sorrent and Portsea.
07. Hanging Rock Reserve
This beautiful wilderness area in the Macedon Ranges is the backdrop for Picnic in Hanging Rock, which was later transformed into an internationally recognized film. Hanging Rock Reserve actually served to make the film. And if not you'll have a nice view over this extinct volcano.
A relatively steep climb will make it impossible to enter the reserve. The views on the journey are excellent for the effort. Then you can reach Woodend via bus or train to Melbourne. The whole trip takes 70 mins.
08. The Mornington Peninsula
All year around, but extremely busy during summer holidays (from Christmas until the end of January). Beach parking is typically full until late in the morning and there is a line in restaurants and cafes. Traffic will accumulate over miles so factor traffic jams into the Mornington Peninsula Daytrip Plan.
09. Bellarine Peninsula
You can also visit the bellarine peninsula during the summer, even when there are cold temperatures and you don't even need to dip in the waters. Summer beaches are full of people. On the opposite side of the Bay on the Mornington Peninsula is Bellarine Peninsula with two spits hugging the other with hugs. Like Mornington Peninsula, Bellarine Peninsula has many summer holiday destinations and offers beaches and surf bars and it also offers historic towns and wineries.
10. Sovereign Hill at Ballarat
At Sovereign Hill in Ballrat you'll have the opportunity to visit the 1850 gold rush in an authentic museum setting in an historic town. This restored goldmine town located just over 110km from Melbourne makes Ballarat an attractive destination.
You may also observe Victorian-era goldsmiths work on a gold mine, or visit an underground mine where the gold is found. Costumed staff, stagecoaches and dazzling sound and lights shows complete this historic fun. Ballarat was a key site during the Australian gold rush. Find the most important chapters from Australia's history by visiting historical sites in town.
11. Daylesford and Hepburn Springs
Daylesford and Hepburn Springs are available all year. The winters offer some interesting atmosphere. You'll have the rug on, but sitting in fireplaces is amazingly comfy in cafes and restaurant rooms.
12. Torquay and Lorne
Distance from the CBD: 105 kilometers / 1.5 hours in Torquay and 1460km in Lorne. Torquay is the entrance to the great ocean road, which is one of the best surf towns where barefoot is OK for sand. Londe is a bit sophisticated, but still beautiful and relaxing. Despite being a lot in the region, the relaxed atmosphere makes a trip to Melbourne a pleasant day trip.
13. Phillip Island
Winter is cold – even when summer is windy it makes some chills in the air, so wear jackets. During the summer months the little penguins come to the coast and you can add more to your excursion if the sun sets around 8:45.
14. The Great Ocean Road
During summer it is much cooler in winter and very busy during summer especially if school holidays take place.
15. Grampians National Park
Visit the town all year round. It is quite an extensive national park, so there's some wandering around so get ready with water and wear the appropriate clothing for hiking.
16. Wilsons Promontory National Park
In the opinion of locals, Wilson Promontory National Park is the largest wilderness area in the state. It lies at the southern end of the Australia mainland, and is about a 3 hour drive from Sydney.
It's an extended drive for an excursion, but it's worth the journey. Highlights include guided walks through forests, granite rock formations of Giant Rock, white quartz of Squeaky Beach, and Lilly Pilly.
17. The Great Otway National Park
Great Otway National Park is open year round, but it is also quite cold in the cold seasons. Summer holidays mean that the area around the Great Ocean Road is busy so you need to be out early so you can walk around the trail before the crowd descends.
18. Phillip Island, Victoria
Visit Victoria Where: about a two-hour drive south of the city. Aim to reach the fishing village of San Remo before midday to watch the daily feeding of the pelicans and stingrays. From here, a bridge takes you to Phillip Island.
Phillip Island Travel Known for its colony of Little Penguins, Phillip Island is an island packed with coastal wildlife experiences, cultural events and a growing food and wine scene.
19. Phillip Island Wildlife Park
Before all that happens, first head to Phillip Island Wildlife Park to see indigenous animals, including kangaroos, wallabies, and wombats. You can also feed the kangaroos while you're there.
20. Dandenong Ranges National Park
Dandenong Ranges In Dandenong Ranges National Park cascading waterfalls, challenging hikes and towering trees are waiting to be explored. Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens are is perfect for walking the dog, a picnic by the water or just admiring the extensive water features.
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