Your Aussie Adventure Starts Here
Places to Explore Before and After Your Tour

Welcome to Melbourne
We can’t wait to show you around on your Welcome to Melbourne tour. If you’re after some hidden-spots to see before the tour starts, we’ve got you covered. We are the experts after all 💁♀️
Fight off that jet lag first of all. Have a nap, freshen up. Then grab your room mates and start exploring! Don’t worry, all the places below aren’t covered on the Welcome Tour, so you won’t be doubling up on any sightseeing. Instead you’ll get to experience the suburbs that make Melbourne, Melbourne 🤙 And if you run out of time before the tour, there’s plenty of time afterwards – afterall Melbourne isn’t going anywhere.
Souvenir Shop at Queen Vic Market
A short stroll north of your hostel is the iconic Queen Victoria Market. You’ll be able to find practically everything here – from food vans, to fresh fruit and veg, souvenirs to clothes – this market has it all.
Pick up the iconic yellow and green Australia t-shirt (you know the one), a koala keyring and anything else you could want with Australia written all over it. And if Melbourne’s a little chillier then you expected… this is where you’ll find the cheapest jumpers around.
Sample a Melbourne coffee (our recommendation is Market Expresso) and if you’re peckish there are so many food stalls to try.
In the summer months, you’ll find the Night Market every Thursday evening with food vans, vendors, and craft stores selling their local wares. The city then lights up around you giving an excellent view to sit back and enjoy.
Hit the beach at St Kilda
A little further away you’ll find the beach suburb of St Kilda. Now this suburb is well worth the tram ride out of the city, as you get to tick off your first Australian beach!
To take the tram out of the Free Tram Zone, you’ll need a Myki card – you can pick these up in 7-Eleven’s on the train stations around Melbourne – load it up and you’re ready to go!
Once you’re in St Kilda, you’re spoilt for choice on how you want to spend your time. Take a dip in the sea. Check out the shops and grab a drink in the beach club bars along the front.
We also highly recommend staying here for sunset, head along to the pier where you can normally find live music and a crowd gathering.
For those wanting a thrill, Luna Park – Melbourne’s fairground is open every weekend and in school holidays offering fun fair rides and arcade games.
Explore Collingwood and Fitzroy
These two suburbs show off the cool side of Melbourne. Think street art, thrift stores, markets and more.
Start off exploring the many thrift shops for a bargain or vintage gem. On the weekends, you’ll find vintage market stalls spill out in any space they can – so look around street corners and even in car parks to hunt out your gems.
You’ll also find a great music scene here with vinyl shops and also love music in the bars and venues on Johnson St, Sydney Rd and Brunswick St.
And finally, for rooftop bars, great drinks and good food, head to Naked for Satan (yes, that’s its actual name).
Sports galore
Whatever the event, Melbourne will probably have it on at some point. It is absolutely the self-proclaimed sporting capital of the world.
Melbourne plays host to so many global events around the year from Australian Tennis Open to Formula 1 to golf and cricket!
You’ll also find a host of AFL (Australian Football League) games from March to August every year.
If you are a sports boffin then you’ll probably already heard of the MCG. This 100,000 seater stadium is also home to Australia’s National Sport Museum.
If you’re looking for a game while you’re in town, check out Melbourne’s sporting calendar.
Art, music and culture
Melbourne also has a buzzing culture scene so you’ll find museums, galleries and pop up music events across the city.
If it happens to be raining when you arrive (and we’re very sorry you’re not getting the sunny Australia of your dreams) then head to one of our fave museums.
ACMI shows the history of moving art and films, while National Gallery of Victoria hosts permanent and temporary exhibitions of Australia’s art.
There’s nearly always something going on in Federation Square, from live sport screenings to pop-up performances.
Elsewhere in the city, you’ll find comedy clubs, live music venues and great nights out.
Melbourne’s nightlife
We’ll share some tips on tour for where’s best to head for a night in town but for starters try Ballers Clubhouse, located in the CBD, you can play darts or shuffleboard while surrounded by multiple bars.
Keen for something a little more quirky? Head out to Chapel Street in the suburb of Prahran where you’ll find multiple bars and clubs to dance the night away in.
Wanting an LGBTQI-friendly night it – Fitzory is the place to head. Especially on a Thursday night when drag queens take the floor at Yah Yahs and the music rips.
We hope that helps!
Naturally, there are about a million and one other places you can see and things you can do before you start your Welcome to Melbourne tour with us. But this is where we suggest you start, so we don’t double up with the epic places we’re going on tour.
Don’t forget to check out the City of Melbourne’s What’s On – Event Guide to see if there are any events, festivals or happenings going on while you’re here – this city always has something new on that’s worth experiencing!
Looking for even more recommendations?
If you have any questions leading up to your tour, or simply want more recommendations, get in touch and we’ll be happy to share!