As Australia’s second biggest city, Melbourne is a sprawling metropolis that offers something for everyone! I visited in February which I think is one of the best times to go since it’s the tail-end of summer, so you’ll have great weather and not quite as many tourists as earlier in the season.
Here are my recommendations for the top 10 things to do in Melbourne in order from ‘absolute must-do‘ to ‘do if you have the inclination and the time‘:
- The Skydeck
- Rooftop Bars in the CBD
- Botanical Gardens
- Concert at Marvel Stadium
- Museum
- Queen Victoria Market
- Bar Crawl in South Yarra
- St. Kilda
- Zoo
- Aquarium
1. The Skydeck
The best way to see any city is from up high. The Melbourne Skydeck provides an all-encompassing view of the city at a whopping 285m above the ground (aka 88 floors high!). It’s exhilarating – and slightly frightening – to be standing so high that you can look overtop of other skyscrapers. There’s a main foyer with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, an outdoor observation deck, and a transparent glass cube with a glass floor – so you can look straight past your feet and down into the streets below. If the idea of heights makes you queasy, you might still enjoy the indoor part behind the safety of windows, but if even that sounds frightening, then this may not be the activity for you. If you can manage to overcome your fear though, then this is hands-down the number one activity to do in Melbourne!
2. Rooftop Bars in the CBD
Having a cocktail (or two!) with a scenic view of the city’s skyline in the CBD (central business district) is the perfect way to enjoy a summer evening. As a small-town girl who doesn’t come from a place with any sort of rooftop bars, this is by far a novelty. The joyous outdoor atmosphere paired with an elevated view of the surrounding bustling city is not to be missed! I went with a couple friends to HER, which is a multi-storey restaurant & bar, so if you’re somehow not a huge fan of having drinks out on a patio with the best view money can buy (well, technically second best compared to the Skydeck!), then you can enjoy their lower levels which offer a quaint, indoor atmosphere.
3. Botanical Gardens
If you’re looking for reprieve from the bustling city, then the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria Melbourne is the place to be! Within its walls of enchanted greenery, you’ll be transported into a realm of relaxation and awe. As someone fascinated by nature and biology, I love visiting the botanical gardens of any new city I visit. I think it’s exciting to walk through immaculate gardens filled with unique plants that are representative of the country or region – it’s like jumping into a nature documentary! It’s always amazing to see just how many different variations of plants there are.
Melbourne’s botanical gardens blew me away! Visiting is truly worth your while, even if plants aren’t really your thing, especially if it’s your first time in Australia. There are sections of fern forests, desert plants, various water features, and an abundance of unique trees. It’s also a great place to bring a book and sprawl-out on their extensive lawns, or to go for a run with scenic views at each turn.
4. Concert at Marvel Stadium
If you can catch a concert at the Marvel Stadium, it’ll definitely be worth your while! It’s a huge space with an amazing atmosphere. While visiting the city, I was blessed with tickets to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Post Malone thanks to an early birthday present from a bestie. It was definitely a night to remember! The stadium is right downtown and near the hub of the main train station (Southern Cross), so it’s easy to get to from wherever you’re staying.
5. Museum
I can confidently say that the Melbourne Museum is one of the best museums I’ve been to! For a natural scientist, this place is a DREAM. They have a great mix of displays showcasing the living and the dead. They have an indoor greenhouse area with distinctive trees and ponds containing live fish. They also have a variety of living and dead insects on display – including some of Australia’s most venomous spiders! But it was their collection of dinosaurs that really caught me by surprise… they had an entire giant room dedicated towards displaying big dinosaurs (such as triceratops, pterodactyls, and tyrannosaurs to name a few) and a variety of different fossils, it was amazing! This museum also has a great Indigenous history section with a variety of insightful artifacts on display.
6. Queen Victoria Market
This market has been around since 1878, and keeping true to its historic origins, it has expansive selections of pretty much anything you can think of. Located in the city’s CBD (central business district), it’s easy to get to and has a variety of different things to offer, such as your classic fruits & vegetables, meats, fish, & diary, and also large sections of specialty shopping selling clothing, trinkets, other wares, and a wide array of Australian souvenirs as well. It’s a Melbourne staple, so definitely worth checking out, and plus there’s some great city views from there as well.
7. Bar Crawl in South Yarra
South Yarra is a sophisticated, quaint neighbourhood in Melbourne aptly named because it’s located just south of the Yarra River. During the day, its suburb boasts art galleries, boutique shopping, and beautiful old-school architecture, but contrary to its daytime chique, at night, it comes alive with vibrant clubs and lounges. With most establishments lining Chapel Street, it’s easy to hop from one bar to another. It also provides a different style of nightlife to the CBD, so if you’re looking to change up your scene or vibe, this place is definitely worth checking out. Make sure not to miss Leonards House of Love and Bridie O’Reilly’s!
8. St. Kilda
St. Kilda is a quaint little beachy corner of the city. It has iconic palm-lined boulevards, a pier with a Ferris wheel, and a variety of different restaurants and bars. It’s also known for its esplanade market which offers renowned hand-crafted goods. A variety of festivals are hosted here throughout the year, featuring Australian culture, music, and art. It’s a great place to wind down and soak up the summer sun.
9. Zoo
As a staple of any big city, the zoo is a fun way to spend a few hours or part of a day. The Melbourne Zoo has giraffes, elephants, pygmy hippos, gorillas, lions, leopards, and all kinds of other animals! There are also butterflies, frogs, reptiles, seabirds, and of course, they also have a large section dedicated to Australian-specific wildlife, such as kangaroos, emus, cassowaries, koalas, wombats, and Tasmanian devils. As a biologist, I’m fascinated by different animals and always appreciate the chance to see them up-close and in real life.
10. Aquarium
Similarly to the zoo, I love seeing underwater sea life! I think it’s so neat to be able to see animals that live in places that we can never truly become acquainted with due to our terrestrial-bound lives. The Melbourne aquarium, known as SEA LIFE, offers much more than just fish in water tanks. They have a big saltwater crocodile, various reptiles and amphibians (including the cute and mischievously round banana box frog) and they even have PENGUINS! Of course, they also have classic features such as jelly fish, all kinds of other fish, and I thought it was really neat that they had cuttlefish, and the critically endangered Spotted Handfish – which is uniquely endemic to Australia’s island state of Tasmania.
