The Best Melbourne Day Trips

Need a break from all of Melbourne’s award-winning restaurants, acclaimed art galleries and trendy rooftop bars? You, my friend, are both spoilt and in luck. We look at four of the best Melbourne day trips that are more than doable and extremely worth your while. It’s time to tick these off your bucket list!

Great Ocean Road

The list was always going to start with the Great Ocean Road. Easily something that you could spend up to three days on, this famously scenic stretch of Victorian coastline not only brings you close by the 12 Apostles but will take you past charming coastal towns, national parks, lighthouses and lookouts.

June to October is whale season, so keep an eye out for Southern Right Whales and the occasional Humpbacks and Blue Whales. Top-notch breweries, cafes, restaurants and wineries also litter the famous path, so get ready to stop … a lot.

Mornington Peninsula

A little over an hour away from Melbourne is the Mornington Peninsula – a beautiful mix of rugged headlands, pristine beaches, stunning hinterlands, and of course, lots of cellar doors. Make sure you stop by the historic town of Flinders, Australia’s oldest hedge maze in Shoreham, and hatted and award-winning Paringa Estate.

Grampians National Park

Three hours by road from Melbourne might be a little too far for some, but if you’ve got a hankering for stunning sandstone mountains, wildflowers and wildlife, the Grampians National Park is for you. Photographers and wannabe Instagram influencers should have their trigger fingers ready – this place really knows how to throw a lookout and sunset together. Think pastel skies, rocky overhangs, profound gorges and untouched Australiana as far as the eye can see.

Geelong

Only an hour from Melbourne and on the way to the Great Ocean Road, Geelong is a popular coastal city with a relaxed holiday feel. The sparkling Corio Bay and lively foreshore of Eastern Beach are complemented by gardens, galleries, cafes and plenty of bars, so spending an easy day of eating, drinking and moseying around isn’t the hardest of tasks.

words by niall roeder