Our Fave things to do in Melbourne
Melbourne’s best days are the wandering ones.
Not the rushed checklist version. Not the “quick, tick Federation Square and move on” version. The version where you lace up, pick a direction, and let the city layer itself gradually. These are the places we return to every time.
Our Faves!
The State Library Reading Room
The State Library Victoria is our reset button.
Climb the stairs, step into the Reading Room, and look up. The dome pulls your eye skyward and everything else quiets down. It doesn’t matter if you’re reading or just passing through. The space demands stillness.
Cameron could happily lose an hour here. Neil tolerates it politely.
Wandering the Yarra and Southbank
Start at Flinders Street and drift down toward Southbank. The river has a way of smoothing Melbourne’s sharper edges.
Cyclists, buskers, office workers, tourists. It’s busy but not frantic. Early light on the water is best. Late afternoon works too. It’s an easy, flat wander that feels open compared to the grid above.
The NGV
The National Gallery of Victoria is a dependable anchor.
The water wall at the entrance still feels theatrical. Inside, it’s cool, calm, and generous with space. Even if you don’t linger in every gallery, it’s worth stepping in to shift gears from street pace to art pace.
Laneways, Arcades and That Dymocks Stop
One of our favourite walks runs from Flinders Street up through the back laneways toward the top end of the city.
Street art, tiny bars, narrow passages that open unexpectedly into light. It’s Melbourne at its most textured.
We always detour into Royal Arcade and the Block Arcade, both polished and slightly theatrical in their own way.
And yes, a stop at Dymocks Collins Street is non-negotiable. There’s something about picking up a slightly trashy romance from the underground shelves that feels like a city ritual.
Gardens and a Tram to the Sea
If we’ve got the time, we head to the gardens.
The Fitzroy Gardens are our favourite. Less sprawling than the Botanic Gardens, but intimate and beautifully kept. Easy loops. Quiet corners. That said, the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria are worth the scale if you want a longer wander.
And if the city starts to close in, we jump on a tram to St Kilda. The ride itself feels like part of the experience. Sea air resets everything.
Bonus: When the Timing’s Right
If schedules align, Cameron will always push for a concert with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Neil comes along… occasionally. It’s one of those evenings that reminds us Melbourne can do grandeur without trying too hard.
Final Thoughts
Melbourne works best when you let it unfold in loops. River. Library. Gallery. Laneway. Garden. Repeat. We no longer try to conquer it. We just return to the bits we know we love.
What’s Nearby
If you’re basing yourself in Melbourne, there’s no shortage of easy day trips.
Head west to Werribee for the Open Range Zoo and a wander through the State Rose Garden.
Drive south along the coast toward the Great Ocean Road for dramatic cliffs and long stretches of beach.
Take the ferry or drive to the Mornington Peninsula for coastal walks, wineries and hot springs.
Or aim north toward the goldfields — Bendigo, Castlemaine and beyond — where grand architecture and mining history sit comfortably alongside good coffee and slow weekends.
Melbourne makes a solid base. You can dip into the city, then head out again just as easily.
If you like your city days slow and your detours a bit unpredictable, join our Top Secret Travel Dispatches. That’s where we stash the extra stories you won’t find on the main blog.
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A slow morning in the mist at Warrnambool's historic Botanic Gardens, a drive out to Hopkins Falls running at full strength, and an afternoon browsing Fletcher Jones Market.