A Complete Guide to Melbourne, Australia

A Complete First Time Visitors Guide to Melbourne, Australia

2/8/2023

We recently spent just over 48 hours exploring Melbourne and trying to fit in as much as we could. To be completely honest we never realized how big Melbourne was - and were shocked at just how much there was to do during our time there! Our best tip for getting around is to get a Myki card and use public transport - just note that each person needs their own card and make sure to tap on and off every time. Their website says you can share cards, but we saw many people getting a ticket for this, we were lucky to get off with just a warning since we had just arrived and still had our luggage. In this post we've gathered our favorite places to stay, eat, and best things to do to make your trip to Melbourne just a little bit easier.

Our Essential Travel Resources :
There are a lot of travel companies out there, but some are better than others. These are our favorite websites and resources to help you plan an incredible trip.

For flights, we recommend using WayAway or Hopper to compare the cheapest dates to travel to your destination.

Car rentals comparisons are best through Discover Cars - just make sure to bring your international driver's permit with you if you're heading somewhere international!

We always use AGODA for hotels. They have an easy-to-use platform where you can compare the best rates.

To keep cell phone service if you're traveling internationally, we always use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required), and always use NordVPN to stay safe while connecting to different wifi connections.

For fun things to do, we always recommend Viator to find the best tours in the area, otherwise Klook also does the trick, especially for tours in Asia.

Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use for travel insurance.

Lastly, my packing list for your international or domestic travels.

Where to Stay in Melbourne

Melbourne is a huge city, with that being said we stayed in two different areas while we were there and would 100% recommend that others stay in those areas as well. The first was a hotel near Chinatown, very centrally located with plenty of incredible places to eat just around the corner. The second was near the Southbank River Walk, a little fancier and a tourist hub due to its' proximity to the many museums. Below we've gathered some other hotels in those areas, as we think they are great, central locations to base out of!

Near Chinatown :

Near Southbank :

The Ink Hotel
WRAP on Southbank
Oaks Melbourne Southbank Suites
Holiday Inn Express Melbourne Southbank

Where to Eat in Melbourne

Our favorite part of staying at the ibis Melbourne Central was that it was so close to so many good spots to eat - and we hardly scratched the surface! We would love to go back one day and continue adding to this list of our favorite finds in Melbourne! Near the Riverbank, places can be a bit spendier, however we did find some great eateries there too!

Gong Cha - our go to bubble tea spot in Australia & beyond
Pepper Lunch - an interesting blend of pepper and rice bowls
Bread Top - local bakery with fresh baked goods & rainbow breads and cakes!
Dumplings Plus - the best veggie dumplings I've ever had, seriously
Mr. Summit - after taste testing toasties around the city, our favorite was Mr. Summit's!
Grill'd - a great stop right on the Southbank for burgers and "chips", head next door to Cups N Cones for a sweet treat after dinner
Melbourne Central Shopping Center/Train Station - a weird recommendation, but if you don't know what you're in the mood for then head here for an overwhelming amount of options and cuisines (like Ikura Sushi!)

Our Favorite Tours in Melbourne :
- Melbourne Dinner Cruise
- Phillip Island Penguins
- Yarra Valley Wine Tour

Best Things to Do in Melbourne

Like we mentioned above, there is seriously so much to do while basing out of Melbourne. Whether you want to get out of town or spend your time exploring the city center museums, there is truly something for everyone! Our ultimate favorite thing to do near Melbourne was seeing the penguins at Phillip Island - but we highly recommend anything on this list!

Taste Test Toasties - toasties (a toasted sandwich and staple in Australian cuisine) you'll see small cafes and restaurants everywhere that claim they have the "best" one around. Want to skip to the best? Our favorite was at Mr. Summit!
Melbourne City Cruises - a unique way to see the city center without too much walking, you can either do half the tour (choose to either go up or down river) or the full tour (goes both ways). We felt that our half tour was plenty!
Swim at Arbory Afloat - located inside a unique floating restaurant, this pool is adorable and has some of the best views of the city!
Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes - an iconic stop in Melbourne, the Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes are adorable and so brightly colored, we recommend stopping here early in the morning to avoid the crowds that gather for photos in the afternoon
Southbank River Walk - located nearby many of the museums in town, this area is great for a leisurely walk to explore, take in the city views, and grab some great foods to eat
Echuca-Moama - looking to get out of town? Head a few hours north into the Murray River Valley and explore the cute towns of Echuca-Moama for some excellent Koala and Kangaroo viewing!
Phillip Island Penguin Parade (or St. Kildas!) - if you're looking to take a day trip from Melbourne, we truly cannot recommend Phillip Island enough. Watching the penguins come up the beach for the night as we sat only 10 feet away was such a bucketlist experience for us. If you don't have the time to drive the 2 hours from Melbourne, then try checking out St. Kildas! (We didn't do this one ourselves but we heard there are also penguins there!