Popularly known as the cultural capital of Australia, Melbourne is an enthralling place that can leave you stunned with its rich culture, coast, cuisines, festivals, and coffee. The city is an admired tourist attraction with a unique blend of art, culture, and nature.
The theme parks, laneways, and museums make Melbourne a perfect place for adventure enthusiasts. Melbourne has something for everyone, so, if you are a nature and wildlife gateway person, worry not, Melbourne won’t disappoint you with that too. Without any further delay, let’s discuss some captivating tourist attractions in Melbourne.
Best Places to Visit in Melbourne
Need help in deciding where to go in Melbourne, we got you covered. Melbourne has so much to explore that sometimes it gets hard to decide what exactly you should start with. The below-given list will suggest you some of the best places to go in Melbourne so that you don’t miss any exotic and worth-visiting locations.
Eureka Skydeck
Eureka Skydeck is a 285-meter-high viewing platform and one of the major tourist attractions in Melbourne. It is the highest observation point in the Southern Hemisphere, that’s why it is listed among the best places in Melbourne. The iconic 360° view of the city from Eureka Skydeck will leave you mesmerized. You can also get binoculars and viewfinders there to get a closer look at a particular place in the city.
Visiting Time – From 10 am to 10 pm
Favorable Season to Visit – Spring and Summer
Entry Ticket: –
- For Adults – $12
- For Children Below 4 – $8
- Concession Tickets – $10
Federation Square
Popularly known as Fed Square, Federation Square is an unskippable name when talking about the best places to visit in April in Melbourne. Established in 2002 at Flinders Street Station in Australia, Fed Square is a central hub of creativity, culture, and cuisine. It has become a popular exhibition site since its opening.
Visiting Time – Open 24 hrs a day
Favourable Season to Visit: –
- March to May
- September to November
Entry Ticket – Free entry
Puffing Billy Railway Steam Train
If you are a nature lover who prefers being close to nature, you would love Puffing Billy Railway Steam Train. Operational since 1900, Puffing Billy Railway Steam Train is a historic train that takes passengers through the verdant rainforest of the Dandenong Ranges.
The train gives a nostalgic Vintage train vibe and is perfectly maintained by the authorities. Boarding a Puffing Billy Railway Steam Train feels like traveling back in time, which makes it a major Melbourne tourist attraction.
Operation Days – Operates daily except Christmas Day
Best Season to Visit – Summer
Entry Ticket: –
- Family – $196.50
- For Adults – $78.50
- For Children 4-15 – $39.50
- Infants – Free
The operational charges of Puffing Billy Railway Steam Train may vary depending on your starting point and destination.
Sovereign Hill
The Sovereign Hill will remind you of the Gold Rush Days. You can travel back in time and experience Ballarat’s Gold Rush Era at Sovereign Hill through the immersive exhibits. To get the exclusive vintage experience, you can ride a carriage across the streets. Besides, you can also learn traditional crafts and communicate with locals to connect with the people.
Public Visiting Hours – Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm
Favourable Season to Visit – October to April
Entry Ticket: –
- For Adults – $49
- For Children 5 to 15 – $29
- Family (2 Adults and 2 Children) – $129
- Single Parent Family (1 Adult and 3 Children) – $93
- Concession Tickets – $40
Melbourne Museum
The Melbourne Museum is located inside the Victorian-Era Carlton Gardens and gives a modern contrast to historic manicured grounds. Melbourne Museum is an incredible place that has stored the history and landscape of Victoria, from rainforests to dinosaurs.
The interactive exhibitions and galleries have not missed even a single segment of Victorian history. It is among the most fascinating Melbourne tourist attractions that introduces visitors to the rich history of Melbourne.
Visiting Time – From 10 am to 5 pm (closed on Good Friday and Christmas)
Favourable Months to Visit – September to May
Entry Ticket: –
- Adults – $15 (estimate)
- Seniors – $10 (estimate)
- Child – Free
Royal Exhibition Building
Located exactly opposite to Melbourne Museum, the Royal Exhibition Building is a UNESCO-listed royal building that proudly represents Melbourne’s history. The exhibition building was constructed for international exhibitions in 1880 and 1888 and is counted among the landmark places in Melbourne. This Australian masterpiece is the only oldest exhibition pavilion left in the world.
Public Visiting Hours – From 9 am to 5 pm
Best Season to Visit – Spring
Entry Ticket: –
- Adults – $29
- Senior Citizen – $32
- Children below 3 yrs of age – Free
Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium
The Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium unlocks the door of the majestic underwater world for tourists. The aquarium is home to diverse marine species, and you can closely explore the sea creatures in several themed zones inside the aquarium.
Mermaid Garden is the center of attraction in the museum, as it has astonishing mermaid statues surrounded by sharks. The best part about visiting the museum is that you can enjoy all those exhibits without harming or scaring the underwater creatures.
Public Visiting Hours – From 9:30 am to 5 pm
Favourable Time to Visit: –
March to May
September to November
Entry Ticket: –
- For Adults – $47
- For Children 3 to 15 yrs – $32
- Infants – Free
- Concession Tickets – $36
The charges of the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium may vary during the off-peak weekdays.
Healesville Sanctuary
Nested around bushland, Healesville Sanctuary is a famous Melbourne Sightseeing location. It is an expansive conservation zoo that preserves native wildlife by providing a protected environment.
Healesville Sanctuary is a beautiful place best suited for people who have a knack for wildlife photography. During your visit to the Healesville Sanctuary, you can get an interesting insight into the specialty and facts of native stories from locals.
Public Visiting Hours – From 9 am to 5 pm
Favourable Time to Visit – Early in the Morning
Entry Ticket: – $42 (estimate)
Melbourne Cricket Ground
If you are a cricket lover, Melbourne Cricket Ground is a must-visit place for you. Popularly referred to as “The G,” Melbourne Cricket Ground is one of the largest cricket grounds in the world, with a capacity to accommodate 10,000 spectators in one sitting.
The size of the stadium is quite big, and you would require a lot of time to visit the major attractions like changing rooms, members’ lounge, national sports museum, and playing area in the stadium.
Public Visiting Hours – From 10 am to 3 pm
Best Months to Visit: –
- March to May
- September to November
Entry Ticket: –
- For Adults – $35
- For Children up to 15 – $18
- Concession Tickets – $29
Royal Botanic Gardens
Inaugurated in 1846, Royal Botanic Gardens is a peaceful parkland with diverse flora and exceptional landscape. Royal Botanic Gardens have a significant role in preserving endangered plant species and plant research.
Once you visit the park, you will witness the plethora of plants and due to the beautiful plant species, it is considered amongst the best places to visit in Melbourne CBD.
Visiting Time – From 7 am to 6:30 pm (estimate)
Favourable Months to Visit – April to July
Entry Ticket: –
- For Adults – $5.50
- For Children and Senior Citizens – $4.40
Fitzroy Gardens
Created as a reserve in 1848 Fitzroy Gardens is a gratifying plant conservative with historic significance. It is considered as one of the most historic parks in Melbourne that has beautiful shrubs, lawns, and flowers.
In Fitzroy Gardens, you will see a dotted heritage building around the park with seasonal floral displays. The views, vibe, and calmness of the environment make it one of the most beautiful places in Melbourne that you must visit.
Public Visiting Hours – From 9 am to 5 pm
Favourable Season to Visit – Autumn (March to May)
Entry Ticket: – Free
Werribee Zoo
Visiting Werribee Zoo can give you an African Safari experience in Melbourne. The zoo has several wild cats and other animals, and you can observe them and their habitat just by riding on a safari jeep or some other vehicle.
Werribee Zoo is a great place to visit with family, your kids will absolutely enjoy watching animals in their habitat. It is a place where animals from African Savannah visit freely without any fear, and watching them is absolute bliss.
Visiting Hours for Public – From 9 am to 5 pm
Best Time to Visit – Early in the Morning and Late Afternoon
Entry Ticket: –
- For Adults – $42
- For Children (4-15) – Free on Weekends and Holidays and $21 on Weekdays
- Concession Tickets – $31.50
- Seniors – $38
Queen Victoria Market
Queen Victoria Market is one of the best tourist places in Melbourne, ideal for searching for souvenirs, tasty treats, and retail therapy. Since 1878, the exquisite market has been an iconic part of the city’s landscape and offers a lot of things to shopping enthusiasts. Queen Victoria Market assembles over 600 businesses under one roof and provides a popular platform to them for selling their products.
Visiting Time: –
- Tuesday – 9 am to 3 pm
- Thursday – 9 am to 3 pm
- Friday – 9 am to 3 pm
- Saturday – 9 am to 4 pm
- Sunday – 9 am to 4 pm
Best Time to Visit – Early Morning
Entry Ticket: – Free for 6 am to 9 am, after that $6 for two hours
Melbourne Zoo
Melbourne Zoo is another celebrated tourist attraction in Melbourne for wildlife enthusiasts. The popular zoo is full of greenery with Sumatran Tigers, Orangutans, Snow Leopards, etc., which makes it a perfect escape place from the hustle-bustle of the city. Melbourne Zoo is among the best places to visit in Melbourne, so you should immediately add it to your bucket list.
Public Visiting Hours – From 9 am to 5 pm
Best Time to Visit – Prefer coming early in the morning
Entry Ticket: –
- For Adults – $42
- For Children – Free
Otway Fly Zipline
Otway Fly Zipline is the dream destination for adventure enthusiasts. The zipline will take you 30 meters above the rainforest, thus allowing you to enjoy the diverse flora and fauna and spectacular view.
With its alluring views and peaceful acquaintance, the Otway Fly Zipline is one of the best places to visit in Melbourne in summer. The Otway Fly Zipline will thrill you and give you a memorable experience for a lifetime.
Visiting Time For People – From 10 am to 5 pm daily
Best Season to Visit – Visit in summer for the best experience and to avoid rain
Entry Ticket: –
- For Adults – $120
- For Children (5 to 15 years) – $85
- Family Tickets (2 Adults and 2 Children) – $375
Gumbuya World
Popularly known for the adventure rides, the Gumbuya World is a three-in-one combination of the theme park, water park, and wildlife park. You can enjoy adventures of rides and thrilling activities in the lap of nature away from the buzzing life of the city. Gumbuya World is the only place in Melbourne that provides all three unique experiences in one place.
Visiting Time – 10 am to 4 pm on wildlife days and 10 am to 6 pm on water, wildlife, and rides days
Best Season to Visit – Summer
Entry Ticket: –
- For Adults – $52.29
- For Children (3 to 15) – $49.19
- Infants – Free
Abbotsford Convent
Inaugurated as a convent in 1863, the Abbotsford Convent is a National Heritage building which is Australia’s largest multi-art area. The building proudly showcases the city’s cultural scenes. You can download self-guided audio tours to your phone to explore the campus and history of the building.
If you are a music lover, you will definitely love the Indigenous Sound Trail, originally created by the Wurundjeri Elders, who are the Traditional Custodians of the land. It features soundscapes by popular and admired local musicians.
Visiting Time: –
- Sun to The – 7:30 am to 9:30 pm
- Wed to Sat – 7:30 am to 10:30 pm
- Closed on public holidays
Entry Ticket: – Free
National Gallery of Victoria
Situated on St. Kilda road, the National Gallery of Victoria has a vast collection of international art from all around the world. The gallery has a treasure of over 70,000 unique and exclusive pieces hosted across permanent displays and temporary exhibitions.
The entire building is a beautiful piece of art that carefully preserves the huge collection of artworks of various genres and disciplines. It is among the oldest public galleries in the city and one of the major tourist attractions in Melbourne.
Visiting Time – From 10 am to 5 pm
Best Season to Visit – Fall and Spring (March to May and September to November)
Entry Ticket – Free for Everyone
The Great Ocean Road and 12 Apostles
The Great Ocean Road and 12 Apostles are the most awe-inspiring routes that have a captivating coastal drive of cliffs, Australian beaches, and courtesy of the Southern Ocean. It is one of the most epic road trips to explore in Australia.
The Great Ocean Roads consist of coasts, aesthetic villages, and golden bays. There you can enjoy the enchanting cliffs with the soothing sea breeze. Beautiful views and calming breeze make The Ocean Road and 12 Apostles one of the best places in Melbourne.
Visiting Time – 365 Days a year from dawn to dusk
Best Season to Visit – Spring and Summer (February to May and September to November)
Entry Ticket – Free
St. Kilda Beach
St. Kilda Beach is one of the fun beaches to explore in Australia. Honestly, summer in Melbourne is absolutely incomplete without spending a day sitting by the seaside of St. Kilda Beach. The beach will surely give you quality time, and there you can find many enthralling activities like kite surfers, swimmers, joggers, etc.
Furthermore, St. Kilda Beach is the house of the famous Sunday Esplanade Market, Luna Park, Palais Theatre, and Sea Baths. The view and fun activities make it one of the finest tourist attractions in Melbourne.
Best Time to Visit – At night or before Sunrise
Best Season to Visit – Summer
Entry Ticket – Free
Melbourne’s Laneways
The vibrant laneways are the cornerstone of the city. Melbourne’s Laneways represent the street art and lively lifestyle of the people of Melbourne. Melbourne has more than 40 laneways and each one has bustling boutiques and exclusive coffee shops.
You can also find premium restaurants that serve up internationally inspired plates and cuisines in the illustrative laneways of Melbourne. With some of the most interesting shopping arcades, Melbourne’s Laneways can also give you some retail therapy. In addition, the laneways are on top of their beauty and look incredibly beautiful during festivals.
Best Season to Visit – Festive Season
Entry Ticket – Free
Luna Park Melbourne
Luna Park Melbourne is a renowned theme park and has been one of the major tourist attractions in Melbourne since 1912. It has a carnival theme and its plethora of rides will thrill you. Here you can explore one of the oldest wooden roller coasters in the world, The Great Scenic Railway. The exciting rides and the nostalgic theme will remind you of your childhood and will give a lifelong remembering experience for your kids.
Visiting Time: –
- Monday to Friday – Morning 9 am, to Evening 5 pm
- Saturday and Sunday – Morning 11 am, to Evening 6 pm
Best Season to Visit –
- March to May
- September to November
Entry Ticket:–
- Up to 3 Years – $18 (Unlimited Rides)
- 4 to 12 Years – $41.50 (Unlimited Rides)
- 13+ Years – $51.50
Virtual Reality Escape Room
The Virtual Reality Escape Room will take you to the world of action and fiction where you will be solving mysteries, riddles, and puzzles. The exclusive games will jog your mind and commemorate your experience.
You will enter a world of vivid graphics and colors in a Virtual Reality Escape Room. Adventurous games and unique puzzles make the Virtual Reality Escape Room worth experiencing.
Game Completion Time – 1 hour (but you can stretch it to 1.5 hours)
Legoland Discovery Centre
Legoland Discovery Centre has a whopping 2 million Lego bricks and many play zones that will revive your inner child. In total, there are 13 family play zones with different Lego installations.
At the Legoland Discovery Centre, you can make your own Lego building. There is a racing section with a racing track where you can race Lego cars. In a nutshell, Legoland Discovery Centre is all about Legos, fun, and photos.
Visiting Time:–
- Monday to Friday – 10:30 am to 3 pm
- Saturday – 10 am to 6 pm
- Sunday – 10 am to 5 pm
Best Time to Visit – Afternoon
Entry Ticket:–
- Standard play session – £25 per person (estimate)
- Legoland Discovery Centre and one more attraction – £35 per person (estimate)
- Legoland Discovery Centre and two more attractions – £50 per person (estimate)
- Annual pass – Starts from £30 per person (estimate)
Scienceworks
If you are fond of space exploration, you will surely love the renowned science and technology museum. Scienceworks connects you deeply with science in a more fun way. It is an interactive learning gallery that has multiple exhibits and installations.
The exhibits and installations in Scienceworks develop the curiosity of learning science in all age groups. It is a perfect place for science and robotics enthusiasts and if you are having a long trip to Melbourne, Scienceworks should definitely be on your wish list.
Visiting Time – From 10 am to 4:30 pm (Closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day)
Entry Ticket:–
- For Adults – $15
- Seniors – $10
- For Children till 16 years – Free
- Concession – Free
Tips to Make Your Melbourne Trip Memorable
A perfect trip doesn’t exist, and you need to put in a lot of effort to make your trip worth remembering. So, here are some useful travel tips for an exquisite Melbourne trip.
1. Plan Ahead
Melbourne is a bustling city, so planning ahead will always save you from the last minute-fuss. From December to February, the city observes huge traffic of visitors and if you are planning to visit Melbourne in its peak season planning ahead will surely be your savior.
Book the event tickets beforehand and make a list of must-do activities in advance. Planning everything you want to do in advance will save you a lot of time and money.
2. Be Mindful While Choosing Accommodation
If your trip to Melbourne is short, then you must choose your accommodation wisely. Before booking your stay, carefully think about the things you want to do in Melbourne, and then book your hotel accordingly.
For instance, if you are visiting Melbourne for adventure, glamorous nightlife, food, and music festivals, investing in expensive accommodation would be a waste of money. The majority of your time will be spent in a cab or public transport, so, it’s better to get accommodation near the CBD in Melbourne.
3. Pack Meticulously
Regardless of the season, you should pack a jacket, umbrella, light-weight raincoat, and trousers as the city experiences four seasons in one day. Locals in Melbourne usually wake up to a cloudy day with chilly air and sleep with thunderstorms and wild winds at night.
In midday, the temperature generally hits 35 °C, which confuses visitors in Melbourne. You need to pack appropriately to face both wild winds and hot air.
4. Never Forget to Explore the Food
Melbourne is a paradise for foodie people. The city offers diverse cuisines around the world, and you can eat any dish, from Afghani to Italian, in Melbourne. If you have a low budget, nothing to worry about, Melbourne cuisines have something for every budget.
Additionally, even the authentic cuisine of Melbourne fits the budget of almost all tourists. Besides, it’s best to make reservations beforehand otherwise you would need to wait for a long time, especially during the peak season.
5. Get Well-Versed with Road Rules
In case you want to drive a car or other vehicle in Melbourne, firstly, you need to get along with the traffic rules of the city. Trams are popularly used as public transport. So, remember that you will be sharing the road with the tram and avoid overtaking them.
Apart from this, there’s a thing called “Hook Turn” in CBD. Hook turn is used for turning your car to the other road. Suppose you want to move into the right lane, then instead of sitting in the right lane and waiting for your turn, you would sit in the left lane.
You can move only when the light gets orange and if there’s no other vehicle in front of you. Hook turns are quite complicated, so you should be very careful while taking a hook turn.
Planning carefully is very important for ensuring a joyous and hassle-free trip. If this is your first international trip then, as an additional tip, I will suggest you reach the Airport on time. Now, moving further, let’s discuss the best places to visit in Melbourne.
Sum Up
If you are planning a long trip to Melbourne, the aforementioned tourist attractions in Melbourne are a must-visit. In case you are up for adventurous activities and willing to explore the best in Melbourne and Australia, you should try RV in Australia. The places listed above are very celebrated among tourists and will give you a worth remembering experience.
