Has anyone been to Melbourne, Australia?

[agnes]

So, I think we're going to try and go to Melbourne in October.  What areas are best to stay in?  Any hotel recommendations?   Any must see's/do's/eat's?  

[lovesherheels]

Lurker here, but my husband and I went to Melbourne at the end of our honeymoon five years ago. We loved it. We were there in April and stayed at Hotel Lindrum. It's in the heart of the city and everything was walkable. 

We had quite a few good meals there. We really enjoyed Il Solito Posto, an Italian place in downtown. We also really liked The Press Club, a Greek restaurant. I'd look into reservations at both; and both were recommended to us by locals.  

We went to see an Australian football match while we were there, which we loved. We also really, super loved the Vinetrekker day wine tour we took to the Mornington Peninsula. There were just five or six of us and we went to four or five wineries. It didn't leave too early and we got back in time for dinner, which was really nice, too. 

I'm so jealous you get to go in October! Enjoy it! 

[jenstar]

Me! I live in Melbourne

I would probably stay somewhere downtown so you're close to everything, there are loads of good hotels in the CBD and always stuff going on. There are free trams too including the City Circle tram which is specifically for tourists.

As far as trips outside the city, there's the Great Ocean Road, the Penguin Parade at Phillip Island, Mornington Peninsula as PP suggested and the Yarra Valley which is a wine/food region. I would recommend any of those, and there are always buses leaving from downtown going to those places.

Melbourne has great food and great coffee but depends a bit on what sort of thing you like happy to answer any questions if I can!

[miso]

Yes, but only for two days on our honeymoon in 2006.

I have zero details for you, but I loved it, and so will you.

[Deleted]

Chiming in, an aussie though I live in Adelaide. We go to Melbourne a lot, and usually stay in the Docklands area. It's close to everything and there are amazing restaurants and things to do there.

Footy season will be over by October, but like lovesherheels suggested, that's something Melbourne is known for.

The weather kinda sucks (for Australia) and can be cold and rainy even in October.
But there are fantastic restaurants, laneways with hidden bars, little boutiques and unique and individual shops to look in. I usually go to Melb with my girlfriends for shopping

Do you have kids? When we stay at Docklands we get a great 2 bedroom apartment which you need, if kids.
Also if kids, the Zoo, the Aquarium are a must.
St Kilda has a beach but it's meh.
There are always lots of shows going on, musicals, theatre, all that. I'm a musician so being biased, I'd recommend going to see a concert or a musical.
Matilda (musical) and Little Shop of Horrors is going on, that I know of.

ETA: wine regions!  Yarra Valley, lots of vineyards and cellar doors to visit.

[agnes]

May 3, 2016 18:28:57 GMT -5 jenstar said:

Me! I live in Melbourne

I would probably stay somewhere downtown so you're close to everything, there are loads of good hotels in the CBD and always stuff going on. There are free trams too including the City Circle tram which is specifically for tourists.

As far as trips outside the city, there's the Great Ocean Road, the Penguin Parade at Phillip Island, Mornington Peninsula as PP suggested and the Yarra Valley which is a wine/food region. I would recommend any of those, and there are always buses leaving from downtown going to those places.

Melbourne has great food and great coffee but depends a bit on what sort of thing you like happy to answer any questions if I can!

I might be tagging you as I start planning

[agnes]

May 3, 2016 23:25:05 GMT -5 @starbound said:

Chiming in, an aussie though I live in Adelaide. We go to Melbourne a lot, and usually stay in the Docklands area. It's close to everything and there are amazing restaurants and things to do there.

Footy season will be over by October, but like lovesherheels suggested, that's something Melbourne is known for.

The weather kinda sucks (for Australia) and can be cold and rainy even in October.
But there are fantastic restaurants, laneways with hidden bars, little boutiques and unique and individual shops to look in. I usually go to Melb with my girlfriends for shopping

Do you have kids? When we stay at Docklands we get a great 2 bedroom apartment which you need, if kids.
Also if kids, the Zoo, the Aquarium are a must.
St Kilda has a beach but it's meh.
There are always lots of shows going on, musicals, theatre, all that. I'm a musician so being biased, I'd recommend going to see a concert or a musical.
Matilda (musical) and Little Shop of Horrors is going on, that I know of.

ETA: wine regions!  Yarra Valley, lots of vineyards and cellar doors to visit.

we don't have kids, but I love zoo's! We also don't really drink. So the vineyards and cellar doors might not be in our future.

Little Shop of Horrors is one of my favorites. That would be fun.

One thing we have planned already ( even though I don't know for sure if I can take the vacation lol) is the Speedway Grand Prix.

[jenstar]

May 3, 2016 23:25:05 GMT -5 @starbound said:

There are always lots of shows going on, musicals, theatre, all that. I'm a musician so being biased, I'd recommend going to see a concert or a musical.
Matilda (musical) and Little Shop of Horrors is going on, that I know of.

ETA: wine regions!  Yarra Valley, lots of vineyards and cellar doors to visit.

I'm not sure if Matilda will still be running in October, but there will always be another show!

[jenstar]

Shedfest is a wine festival hosted by some of the smaller wineries in the Yarra Valley, it usually happens on the second weekend in October.

If you're not scared of heights there's an excellent observation deck in the Eureka Tower at Southbank

ETA: if you want to see some Aussie animals there's also Healesville Sanctuary, out of the city.

[dorothyinAus]

I live southeast of Melbourne. When we go up to stay, we usually stay at the Sofitel on Collins Street.

One of the best things Melbourne has done lately has been the free tram zone in the CBD. I love that! You'll need to purchase a tram fare card for areas outside the free zone, but nearly everything you'll want to see the CBD is within the free zone. It's fantastic!

I would definitely recommend taking the time to see the Shrine of Remembrance. The National Gallery of Victoria is worth a visit too, particularly for the "mouse hole" entrance & water wall, and the stained glass ceiling in one of the galleries.

We haven't really done too much of the touristy stuff -- you know how it is when you live there. But I loved the tour of Victorian Parliament we took. And the Golden Mile Self-Paced Walking Tour is great for a history of Melbourne, and wanders past some really nice places. Information on that can be found at the Tourist Information Center at Federation Square.

As far restaurants, there are plenty to choose from, though coming from the US, I noticed (1) the sticker shock as to how expensive everything is, and (2) how small the drinks are. Even after living here for 5 years I still miss decent sized beverages at restaurants.

I would definitely recommend waking along the laneways and just seeing what you find. Manchester Lane (between Flinders Lane & Collins Street) is a good one for restaurants, and as Degraves Street (between Flinders Street & Flinders Lane).

I live about 45 minutes from Phillip Island, and don't really think the Penguin Parade is worth it, but tourists love it. Note that the Penguin Parade is an evening activity, and Phillip Island is about a 2 hour drive from Melbourne, so if you go, it will be a late night getting back to your hotel. The Nobbies seal colony is better, though you can't get up close & personal with the seals. If you want to be guaranteed to see native wildlife, I second the recommendation of visiting Healesville Sanctuary.

[MixedBerryJam]

The only think I know about Melbourne is that it's pronounced MEL-bn, like there's no vowel in the second syllable.

[mabillon]

I don't usually post here but couldn't help but notice the subject! DH and I have an unexpected week free in July together and Melbourne is at the top of our "to visit" list. @starbound, @jenstar, and dorothyinAus, I may end up having more specific and/or kid questions for you! I want to do Melbourne, Phillip Island, the Great Ocean Road, and the Yarra Valley but with jetlag (luckily not coming from too far - SE Asia) and two littles, don't want to stay in more than two hotels or "base camps" so perhaps will need to eliminate one of those?

I'm really just thinking about what it's going to feel like in a temperature other than "38 and 95% humidity" - ahhh, chilly nights and sweaters!

[frlcb]

Loved it. Stayed at the park Hyatt. Did great ocean road, Phillip island, a winery tour. Such a cool city. We loved the penguin parade but I can see how it is touristy.

[wise_rita]

Why Melbourne over other places? My friend the other day called it "a shitty version of London" which is hilarious because she's not wrong.

Cities bore me, but as far as cities go Sydney > Melbourne. Ditto Great Ocean Road, though. That's amazing.

[dorothyinAus]

May 4, 2016 17:29:56 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Why Melbourne over other places? My friend the other day called it "a shitty version of London" which is hilarious because she's not wrong.

Cities bore me, but as far as cities go Sydney > Melbourne. Ditto Great Ocean Road, though. That's amazing.

That's interesting as I enjoyed Melbourne as a tourist much more than Sydney.  Sydney was just a big city to me.  I really don't need to go back.

(Before I moved to Australia, I did a vacation with three nights in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide and the comparison is based on that trip, not all the time I've spent in Melbourne since.  Though top be honest, on that trip I really enjoyed Adelaide the most.  If the summers weren't horrendous in Adelaide, and DH had a job there, that would win as my choice for places to live in Australia.)

[ufcasey]

Ditto to the Great Ocean Road and penguin parade!