Melbourne is, arguably, the best city in Australia for day trips! There are a number of beautiful places within easy reach of the city, that make for excellent day trips from Melbourne.
I spent 5 months living in Melbourne, and I was able to see a lot of places outside of the city. I cannot recommend going on a day trip from Melbourne enough!
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Day Trips from Melbourne
Melbourne attractions are many. The wealth of places to visit in the surrounding area is incredible. Victoria is one of the most beautiful states in Australia, with amazing beaches and spectacular scenery.
To not see any of these sights would be a criminal waste of your time in Melbourne!
Here are a few of my favourites day trips from Melbourne you should definitely do!
Dandenong Ranges National Park
One of the best day trips from Melbourne is the Dandenong Ranges National Park. The Dandenong Ranges National Park is a day trip that is close to Melbourne. It’s easily accessible by car and is definitely worth checking out.
The scenery here is beautiful, with tall hills surrounded by forest. There are also a lot of great hikes and things to do in the area. One of those is the 1000 steps. As you may have guessed, it involves walking! It’s a trail that leads to near the top of Mt. Dandenong!
As well as the 1000 steps, there are a number of other things to do in Dandenong Ranges National Park. You can go on the Puffing Billy Railway, a steam train that takes you through the picturesque surroundings of Mount Dandenong.
There is also Sherbrooke Falls, which is a scenic spot for a picnic, with the beautiful waterfall in the background!
Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road is one of the best places to visit in Australia. The road isn’t the longest, but it’s full of beautiful sights.
It’s only a short drive from Melbourne and is the ideal place for a day trip. Plus, you can easily see all of the Great Ocean Road within a day, making it an ideal location for a day trip from Melbourne.
There are a lot of stops along the road, but they are all worth it. The Twelve Apostles are an incredible sight and are the most popular stop on the road. However, I enjoyed The Grotto more. You can actually walk down into it, as opposed to admiring it from afar.
There is also London Bridge, an arch which sadly collapsed a few years ago, as well as a few beaches for you to wander down to and explore!
You can extend the trip further by heading on to Torquay and Lorne. If you’re big on surfing, you’ll want to do this. These beaches near these towns, especially Bell’s Beach, are famous for their amazing surf!
Phillip Island
If you want a scenic day trip from Melbourne, you can do worse than visit Phillip Island. Despite being a small island, there are plenty of things do on Phillip Island.
Phillip Island is famous for its abundance of wildlife. You can see penguins, seals, and whales around the island. One of the popular activities is the Penguin Parade.
The parade is when hundreds of little penguins waddle their way back ashore at sunset, after fishing for the day. It’s an incredible sight, and one you should definitely do if you love wildlife!
It’s not just penguins, there are plenty of koalas, seals, and whales! A visit to the Koala Conservation Centre is a must to see these wonderful creatures in their natural habitat. While whale-watching is a brilliant activity you can do from May to October.
One activity that is a little different is watching the MotoGP. Every October, Phillip Island plays host to the Australian round of the Motorcycle Racing World Championships. The track at Phillip Island is one of the best in the world. If you’re a motor-racing aficionado, it’s a trip you simply have to make!
Phillip Island is one of the lesser-known places to visit outside of Melbourne, but it’s definitely one of the best!
Wilson’s Promontory
Wilson’s Promontory is one of the best national parks you can visit in Australia, it’s also one of the most lesser-known too!
Located south of Melbourne in Victoria, Wilson’s Promontory is the southernmost point of mainland Australia. It’s also one of the most beautiful in the country and should be one of the must-do day trips from Melbourne!
The park is full of incredible sights, especially as you drive down towards the ocean. One of my favourite places was Whiskey Bay. You can climb on giant boulders at either end of the beach, and take in your surroundings from on high.
Another must-visit place is Squeaky Beach. The reason or the strange name is simple. Whenever you step on the sand, it emits a squeaking sound due to the high amount of quartz on the beach. It’s unlike any other beach I’ve been to.
At 3 hours from Melbourne, Wilson’s Promontory is a long day trip, but one that’s definitely worth it!
Yarra Valley
If you’re a wine lover, a visit to the Yarra Valley is something you should definitely consider and add to the list of day trips from Melbourne!
Undoubtedly, one of the things you’ll be looking to do is check out a winery. There are a few dotted about, and it’s a great way to learn more about the region, and the actual process of making the wine itself.
As well as the wineries, the Yarra Valley is blessed with beautiful scenery. One of the best ways to explore it is by either biking or hiking. There are a number of trails and cycle routes you can tackle. You’ll be able to see the beauty of the Yarra Valley up close!
These are some of the best day trips from Melbourne you can do.
How to get to Melbourne, Australia
Are you planning a holiday in Australia and working on a Melbourne itinerary? Then, you can book your flights right here. You can book a flight through TripAdvisor or Agoda or CheapAir or Cleartrip or Makemytrip or Priceline.
Where to stay in Melbourne
There are many hotels, resorts, hostels in Melbourne. You can book your hotel in Melbourne right here through TripAdvisor or Cleartrip or Agoda or Makemytrip or Priceline and get awesome deals and savings.
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Tours/Activities available in Melbourne
Melbourne has so much to offer. There are many places near Melbourne that are great for day trips. You can plan your Melbourne trip by booking your Melbourne tours, right here. So go ahead and book online the best places to see in and around Melbourne and cover attractions in and around Melbourne.
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To experience the best of Melbourne attractions and experiences, you can book your trips right here.
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The good thing about Melbourne is that there are plenty of places to visit in the surrounding area. These day trips from Melbourne scratch the surface of what is available to you if you decide to visit Melbourne in the near future!
Check out some of our Australia related posts:
The Best Of Sydney
Places You Just Can’t Miss In NSW
Budget Friendly Travel Guide to Sydney
A Road Trip from Sydney to Brisbane
14 Awesome Places Along the Great Ocean Road
Brisbane – A Wishlist of Things to Do
Day Trips from Cairns
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I have always wanted to go to Australia. Melbourne is probably the area I would visit if I were to go!
We are planning on visiting Australia in the next couple years. Other trips have already been planned. Being out doors is important to us so the parks are perfect.
Every since I watched Crocodile Dundee, I’ve always wanted to go to Australia. I’d have such a great time visiting here. I always use booking.com when planning a trip so I was happy so see it as an option in your post.
All of these stops are gorgeous! I’d want to stop at all of them to check out that blue water. Squeaky Beach sounds fun too!
I have travelled quite a bit but I have never been to Australia! Philip Island looks so calming and beautiful – definitely adding it to my bucket list.
I have always wanted to go to Australia. It is very high on my bucket list. I have a friend that lives in Melbourne and I know she has been to a lot of these places, but I’m going to share this post with her because there are probably a few she has not been to yet. That Great Ocean road I want to do so bad
I would LOVE to make it to Australia one day. My sister lived in Perth for six months for work and I was so incredibly jealous. Melbourne has so many great day trips available and I need to enjoy them ASAP!
I would LOVE to visit Australia at some point. Its something I am looking forward to at some point, and can’t wait to see all the sights. These look like some great day trips!
I don’t think I’d ever come back if I went to Australia. Such a beautiful country with a lifetimes worth of experiences to be had
Such a beautiful country! Your pictures are so breathtaking. This looks like such a fun day trip experience.
Australia is in my tip 5 for places I would like to visit. It sounds like you’re the one to come to if I need any help with my trip there!
Wow that is so cool you got to live in Melbourne for 5 months – it looks and sounds like such a fun city to explore. Australia is very high on my bucket list!
Nice! I would love to spend five months in Melbourne. It looks beyond beautiful. I would really like to visit one day.
Australia is so beautiful. I am in love with the sea and I wouldn’t mind the day trips to these places. I love the view and the fact that many of their beaches are untouched.
I wonder if I will ever make it to that continent. It looks so beautiful and I’m sure a lot warmer than here in Colorado.
Melbourne sounds amazing! Too bad it’s so far from where I am (Florida). It would take almost an entire day for me to travel there – looks like it would be worthwhile though.
I would love to travel to Melbourne one day!! These day trips look like so much fun!!
Australia is on my bucket list for next year! I cannot wait to go and your photos are wonderful!
Seems like Melbourne is the next place to head to! Lovely list of day trips you have got there! 🙂
Sorry but GOR and Wilsons Prom are not day trips from Melbourne if you want to see these places properly and safely. The entrance to Wilsons Prom is around 3 hours from central Melbourne and then it’s a further 30-45 minutesdrive to Tidal River, the main servicecentre in the park. If you did it as a day trip you’d maybe have time for a shorter walk and a couple of quick stops before you’d habe to head back to Melbourne. At least 6-7 hours of driving all up for a couple of hours in the park.
It’s great that you got out of Melbourne during you time here but I don’t think it’s fair to other travellers to present Wilsons Prom or the GOR as a day trip. 2 nights minimum for both. So many better options eg Daylesford, Ballarat, Hanging rock
I already plan a trip to Australia, as I have heard about the beauty of this country. But I’m afraid that I will not want to return. Thank you!
Melbourne, the city to which we only did three days in last year and need a heck of a lot more time. Hoping to be back in Australia soon and this time, we will check out the Melbourne area a bit more in detail and do a few road trips. Great list here.
These day trips are a photographer’s dream! So many beautiful places. I think my husband and I would really enjoy the Dandenong Ranges National Park. We love hiking, plus a picnic by the waterfall sounds romantic!
Looks like you could easily spend a week or more based in Melbourne with all that there is to see in the city plus these great suggestions for day trips on top of that. National Parks are a favourite of mine, I love to see natural habitats and the wildlife that lives in them too so I’d want to visit all those in reach of the city. The great ocean road is iconic, I’ve been seeing photos of it my whole lifetime and it’s a drive we really must take! And hell yess to the wine region of Yarra!
Great ocean road trip would be my number one choice of all the places you mention in this Melbourne day trips post. There is fun in driving with the ocean on one side and earth on one side – like driving on the edge of the earth.
Great post! The Great Ocean Road looks beautiful, so I would love to see that and I would love to go to Phillip Island for the wildlife!
Wow, what amazing options! The Great Ocean Road looks so gorgeous, I definitely want it on my bucket list now. Thanks for sharing your amazing trips!
I especially love your featured photo. It’s like Melbourne is waving to me to get there. Thanks for this one!
The Great Ocean Road is amazing. Melbourne has always been a dream destination for me. I also want to see a Penguin Parade!
I went to Australia as a kid and now I’m itching to get back. Melbourne reminds me a lot of the California coast. The Great Ocean Road and PCH seem so similar in so many ways. Even the interior valleys bear resiblences. I absolutely love the composition of your pins.
Your pictures are absolutely beautiful. I love national parks, I visited quite a few of the U.S National parks and became addicted. Maybe I can get myself to Australia and see these too.
Melbourne is so high on our bucket list! We’d love to visit! And yet we didn’t know there were so many nice places you can visit in the area! The Dandenong Ranges National Park would definitely be an interesting one, as we love to hike… yet I’m not sure about the 1000 steps!
I haven’t ever been to Melbourne, but now whenever I do, I know where to go! Thank you for this wonderfully detailed, insightful and useful post. 🙂
I really like Melbourne. Too bad that it is at the other end of the world … But I hope someday I will get to know this end of the world too.
Susanne
Great post! There’s so much to see near Melbourne. The Great Ocean Road and Yarra Valley would be top of my list, the views sounds so great!
It is good to be able to get out of the city for a bit -especially when you have one as busy as Melbourne. There seems to be plenty of options too. I loved Phillip Island followed by Yarra Valley. Both sound so good.
I love Melbourne. Not only coz of the amazing things you can explore in the city but the day tours you can do from the city. Great Ocean Road and the Philip Island tour were my favourite. I also loved visiting wineries. Now I am craving to go back.
That great ocean road looks like something that should be on my road trip bucket list! Amazing! 🙂
Great Ocean Road is the most iconic road trip in Australia in my opinion, from what I have seen and researched until now and I definitely want to get there soon! I would also love to visit Yarra Valley and since I most likely won’t get more time than that, these would be my top picks for road trips from Melbourne.
I have read a lot about the great ocean road and the 12 apostles are something I have been longing to visit. It is good to know Melbourne is surrounded by some amazing location that can be covered on day trips. This post would be my guide for Melbourne 🙂
I love having the option of doing a day trip! It’s nice when you don’t have to constantly be moving around in order to see a lot. I’d love to do a roadtrip on the Great Ocean Road!
I knew about the Great Ocean Road, but not about the others! Looks like there is a heap of fun stuff to do if you are staying in Melbourne. I’d definitely want to go to the Yarra Valley, in fact an Australian winery tour is on my bucket list so I’d add this to the stops!
I have a very close friend who now lives in Melbourne. He has been asking me to visit for some time now. It seems that I might have to take him up on the offer, since the place seems quite lovely. I think I would particularly enjoy driving along the Great Ocean Road.
Great info! Wilson’s Promontory looks absolutely stunning!