Melbourne advice please
Feb 27th, 2009, 06:25 PM
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Melbourne advice please
I have read so much information on different travel sites that I no longer have any idea what makes sense. If you have experience with Melbourne, could you please let me know what you think is the best use of 10 days (May 15th-25th)? We have never been to Australia but, tempting as it is to see a lot of areas, we really don't like large tours or moving from place to place. Rather, we would prefer to spend most of our time in and around Melbourne and perhaps 1 side trip (possibly overnight). We are a couple in their early 50's. We generally travel to Western Europe and a bit to Asia. We are beat down corporate business travelers in the US......1-2 nights in every city imaginable (yuck!).
I would love to hear from locals or someone who has experience in the Melbourne area. Thanks so much for your indulgence.
I would love to hear from locals or someone who has experience in the Melbourne area. Thanks so much for your indulgence.
Feb 27th, 2009, 08:10 PM
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There are several of us on this forum who live in Melbourne so I am sure you will get plenty of advice. I am a resident for over 40 years so here goes!
I think you will love Melbourne as a city. It has wonderful restaurants, interesting Galleries & Museums, beautiful gardens, a tremendous lifestyle and very friendly people.
Anway things to see and do in and around Melbourne.
1. At least 3-4 days just exploring the city.
www.visitmelbourne.com.au the free tourist tram and bus is a great way to get around and takes you to all the best sights. Make sure you also explore Melbourne's lane ways for interesting shops and places to eat, the Queen Victoria Market, the Botanic Gardens, the MCG, The National Galleries, Southbank etc.
Sample some of the great restaurants including MaHa, Taxi, Grossi Florentino, Veu du Monde, MoVida,Rockpool, Bistro Guillame etc. there are heaps
2. Day trips. These should include the Dandenongs and the Yarra Valley wine region(mostly untouched by the recent bushfires), the Mornigton Peninsular, Ballarat and Daylesford, the Grampians and Phillip island and the Penguin Parade.
3. For a 1 or 2 night trip and an absolute must I would suggest hiring a car and driving the Great Ocean Road. Spend a couple of nights at either Lorne or Apollo Bay and explore that area. The GOR is one of the great coastal drives and the area gives you the opportunity to see the native animals in the wild including Kangaroos & Koalas.
4. If you have had any sailing experience the Sandringham Yacht club can arrange for you to spend a day on Port Phillip Bay on a yacht. This is a unique way of seeing the city from a different point of view. http://www.syc.com.au/ and an offer very few no about!
5 Although I live in Melbourne I have also lived in Sydney and as much as I hate to say it Sydney and the Harbour should also be on your list. Even if it is just an overnight!!!
I think you will love Melbourne as a city. It has wonderful restaurants, interesting Galleries & Museums, beautiful gardens, a tremendous lifestyle and very friendly people.
Anway things to see and do in and around Melbourne.
1. At least 3-4 days just exploring the city.
www.visitmelbourne.com.au the free tourist tram and bus is a great way to get around and takes you to all the best sights. Make sure you also explore Melbourne's lane ways for interesting shops and places to eat, the Queen Victoria Market, the Botanic Gardens, the MCG, The National Galleries, Southbank etc.
Sample some of the great restaurants including MaHa, Taxi, Grossi Florentino, Veu du Monde, MoVida,Rockpool, Bistro Guillame etc. there are heaps
2. Day trips. These should include the Dandenongs and the Yarra Valley wine region(mostly untouched by the recent bushfires), the Mornigton Peninsular, Ballarat and Daylesford, the Grampians and Phillip island and the Penguin Parade.
3. For a 1 or 2 night trip and an absolute must I would suggest hiring a car and driving the Great Ocean Road. Spend a couple of nights at either Lorne or Apollo Bay and explore that area. The GOR is one of the great coastal drives and the area gives you the opportunity to see the native animals in the wild including Kangaroos & Koalas.
4. If you have had any sailing experience the Sandringham Yacht club can arrange for you to spend a day on Port Phillip Bay on a yacht. This is a unique way of seeing the city from a different point of view. http://www.syc.com.au/ and an offer very few no about!
5 Although I live in Melbourne I have also lived in Sydney and as much as I hate to say it Sydney and the Harbour should also be on your list. Even if it is just an overnight!!!
Feb 27th, 2009, 09:27 PM
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I would recommend that any visitor to Melbourne start off with using the free city circle tram - http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/m...e-city-circle/ as it'll give you some orientation to the city centre - sometimes recorded commentary aboard but if not look for the guide brochure and if holders by doors and/or back of drivers cabin are empty there could be a cardboard box under the side facing seats with some.
Melbourne has lovely gardens from the NE [Carlton Gardens with old Royal Exhibition Building and Melbourne Museum IMax Theatre complex behind and take a walk around the back of Imax too if you enjoy interesting architecture, and then about a block or so away from SE cnr. of Carlton Gardens you have the Fitzroy Gardens that run down behind the east end Government Buildings/churches just about all the way to MCG.
You can walk from the MCG over to the Tennis centre and then across the other side of the Yarra is the Botanical Gardens.
Unfortunately, many years of drought and a particularly hot summer/warm autumn may not have the gardens looking their best, but still many lovely areas.
It is more the eastern end of the CBD, both north and south where you'll also find most of the older heritage buildings, though still many all the way along Flinders Street, the nominal southern edge of the CBD with Yarra river on the south side and the Casino and Southbank with many eateries on the southbank as name implies.
The heart of the CBD is there is one to be thought of is the junction of Flinders Street and Swanston Street, the Flinders Street Station with famous 'meet me under the clocks" facade on SW cnr., Young and Jacksons Hotel, also famous if infamously for the old six O'clock closing swill days of over 40 years ago and 'Chloe' on NW, St Pauls Cathedral on NE and then Federation Square, a real love/hate development on the SE cnr. and the Visitor Information Centre downstairs there.
There are many different dining precincts about the city, Hardware Lane for cosmopolitan, Lygon Street for Little Italy, Little Bourke Street Chinatown, Lonsadale and around corner a bit in Russel for Greek, Brunswick Street Fitzroy for pubs/cafes scene and a number of other plaves further out from the CBD but easily accessible by tram, and so with eating, parks, museums, theatres, shopping - Melbourne Central and the many arcades mainly between Bourke and Collins and Flinders, you can easily use a week in Melbourne.
. http://www.tramrestaurant.com.au/ for a differnt dining experience as is http://www.fairfieldboathouse.com/?_page=2 one of my favourite spots - have a row on the river while there.
You may find www.parkweb.vic.gov.au a very useful site too and do get yourself out to Belgrave [suburban train] and check out Sherbrooke Forest - lovely tea rooms at quaint villages of Sherbrooke and Kallista and well worth spending a night or two in the Dandenongs - http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/resources/10_1395.html http://www.grantsonsherbrooke.com.au/ and staying a couple of days you may want to ride the http://www.puffingbilly.com.au/
Another train trip you could do is out to Ballarat and stay overnight at http://www.sovereignhill.com.au/ , right in the village and for dinner and "Blood on the Southern Cross" show - entertainment and history.
If you're interested in a drop of wine, there's Mornington Peninsula and the Mt Macedon region in addition to the Yarra Valley.
Do a google on tours and you'll see so many but if you'd rather drive, a great 4-6 day loop could see you heading via Dandenong Ranges down to Phillip Island for the Penguin Parade and overnighting in a B&B before heading abck to Mornington Peninsula and overnighting either at Sorrento, Portsea or Queenscliff [via ferry] and then on along the Great Ocean Road with many lovely places to overnight at, Lorne, Apollo Bay or Port Fairy being my favourites and then you could take in The Grampians out west, overnighting there before overnighting in Ballarat.
I agree Sydney is a city that also has much to interest and you cannot beat the harbour though development is a crime!, but if you do want to base yourself more in one spot, even two days in Sydney would be too much of a rush.
Melbourne has lovely gardens from the NE [Carlton Gardens with old Royal Exhibition Building and Melbourne Museum IMax Theatre complex behind and take a walk around the back of Imax too if you enjoy interesting architecture, and then about a block or so away from SE cnr. of Carlton Gardens you have the Fitzroy Gardens that run down behind the east end Government Buildings/churches just about all the way to MCG.
You can walk from the MCG over to the Tennis centre and then across the other side of the Yarra is the Botanical Gardens.
Unfortunately, many years of drought and a particularly hot summer/warm autumn may not have the gardens looking their best, but still many lovely areas.
It is more the eastern end of the CBD, both north and south where you'll also find most of the older heritage buildings, though still many all the way along Flinders Street, the nominal southern edge of the CBD with Yarra river on the south side and the Casino and Southbank with many eateries on the southbank as name implies.
The heart of the CBD is there is one to be thought of is the junction of Flinders Street and Swanston Street, the Flinders Street Station with famous 'meet me under the clocks" facade on SW cnr., Young and Jacksons Hotel, also famous if infamously for the old six O'clock closing swill days of over 40 years ago and 'Chloe' on NW, St Pauls Cathedral on NE and then Federation Square, a real love/hate development on the SE cnr. and the Visitor Information Centre downstairs there.
There are many different dining precincts about the city, Hardware Lane for cosmopolitan, Lygon Street for Little Italy, Little Bourke Street Chinatown, Lonsadale and around corner a bit in Russel for Greek, Brunswick Street Fitzroy for pubs/cafes scene and a number of other plaves further out from the CBD but easily accessible by tram, and so with eating, parks, museums, theatres, shopping - Melbourne Central and the many arcades mainly between Bourke and Collins and Flinders, you can easily use a week in Melbourne.
. http://www.tramrestaurant.com.au/ for a differnt dining experience as is http://www.fairfieldboathouse.com/?_page=2 one of my favourite spots - have a row on the river while there.
You may find www.parkweb.vic.gov.au a very useful site too and do get yourself out to Belgrave [suburban train] and check out Sherbrooke Forest - lovely tea rooms at quaint villages of Sherbrooke and Kallista and well worth spending a night or two in the Dandenongs - http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/resources/10_1395.html http://www.grantsonsherbrooke.com.au/ and staying a couple of days you may want to ride the http://www.puffingbilly.com.au/
Another train trip you could do is out to Ballarat and stay overnight at http://www.sovereignhill.com.au/ , right in the village and for dinner and "Blood on the Southern Cross" show - entertainment and history.
If you're interested in a drop of wine, there's Mornington Peninsula and the Mt Macedon region in addition to the Yarra Valley.
Do a google on tours and you'll see so many but if you'd rather drive, a great 4-6 day loop could see you heading via Dandenong Ranges down to Phillip Island for the Penguin Parade and overnighting in a B&B before heading abck to Mornington Peninsula and overnighting either at Sorrento, Portsea or Queenscliff [via ferry] and then on along the Great Ocean Road with many lovely places to overnight at, Lorne, Apollo Bay or Port Fairy being my favourites and then you could take in The Grampians out west, overnighting there before overnighting in Ballarat.
I agree Sydney is a city that also has much to interest and you cannot beat the harbour though development is a crime!, but if you do want to base yourself more in one spot, even two days in Sydney would be too much of a rush.
Feb 28th, 2009, 03:10 AM
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Carole also look at www.hiddensecretstours.com which does a 2 hour walking tour that is quite unusual and really well reviewed . It ends with a drink in a lively bar after taking you to spots as a tourist and even locals do not know about - graffiti lanes , hidden galleries and artist' studios, smallbars ,avant garde shops , architecture etc.
And I think the correct web address is without the .au -----www.visitmelbourne.com
And when you want some definitive recommendations - if at all - as to where to stay ,eat etc or there is something you are interested in eg art , clothes , market , wine etc just let us know .
And I think the correct web address is without the .au -----www.visitmelbourne.com
And when you want some definitive recommendations - if at all - as to where to stay ,eat etc or there is something you are interested in eg art , clothes , market , wine etc just let us know .
Feb 28th, 2009, 09:39 AM
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Thanks for the additional comments. I have another question about hotel accomodations. We are attracted to the Langham and I see from other reviews it is a good choice. However, Hilton is opening a new location at South Wharf. My husband is "Diamond VIP" with Hilton so they treat us very well (upgrades, free internet, lounge level). It sounds like this is a new hotel and not a rebranding. Do any of you know how the location compares to The Langham (hotel location and surrounding neighborhood)? Thanks again for your help
Feb 28th, 2009, 12:21 PM
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The Hilton at South Wharf is a brand new hotel (I don't think it is open just yet ) built primarily for the Convention business at the new Convention Centre. It's location is good, but not as good as the Langham. It is close to a free tourist tram stop so it would still be easy to get around the city. The Langham probably has the best location in the city for access to restaurants, shops, views etc.
Although much older (1980's) The Hilton on the Park is in a good position opposite the Fitzroy Gardens and close to the major sports stadiums. It has a tram (not free) stop out the front and the stroll across the gardens to the top of Collins Street is most enjoyable. There are also good restaurants nearby including The Press Club on Flinders St. that the former food critic of the New York Times thought to be Melbourne's best.
Although much older (1980's) The Hilton on the Park is in a good position opposite the Fitzroy Gardens and close to the major sports stadiums. It has a tram (not free) stop out the front and the stroll across the gardens to the top of Collins Street is most enjoyable. There are also good restaurants nearby including The Press Club on Flinders St. that the former food critic of the New York Times thought to be Melbourne's best.
Feb 28th, 2009, 03:23 PM
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The HSW is allegedly on schedule for opening sometime in April so it could fit with your plans and though it is kind of just out of the CBD and as DU advises built to take advantage of conventions, the location is being heralded as the http://www.newmelbourne.com.au/ - and makes some sense with Docklands redevelopment on north side and limitations to development in other directions.
And so if you want to experience a new emerging area that'll possibly be a buzz as the Southbank was in developing and is
still courtesy of Casino and eating establishments, it'll be something - the only detracting features I expect could be the sense of other constructions still occurring and then it is kind of sandwiched in too close to some major traffic thoroughfares for my liking.
When I say just out of the CBD, a stroll along the river will get you over to the Crown Casino and Southbank precinct where a little further along is the Langham - in the past it was necessary to negotiate a Spencer/Claredon St. crossing but with the South Wharf promenade it could be quite likely that it is connected through beneath the bridge over the Yarra - I'll need to check it out myself next time in town.
There is also a footbridge across to the Docklands area and where you can catch the free City Circle Tram.
http://www.mccd.vic.gov.au/About-The...-Precinct.html gives a bit more insight.
And so if you want to experience a new emerging area that'll possibly be a buzz as the Southbank was in developing and is
still courtesy of Casino and eating establishments, it'll be something - the only detracting features I expect could be the sense of other constructions still occurring and then it is kind of sandwiched in too close to some major traffic thoroughfares for my liking.
When I say just out of the CBD, a stroll along the river will get you over to the Crown Casino and Southbank precinct where a little further along is the Langham - in the past it was necessary to negotiate a Spencer/Claredon St. crossing but with the South Wharf promenade it could be quite likely that it is connected through beneath the bridge over the Yarra - I'll need to check it out myself next time in town.
There is also a footbridge across to the Docklands area and where you can catch the free City Circle Tram.
http://www.mccd.vic.gov.au/About-The...-Precinct.html gives a bit more insight.
Feb 28th, 2009, 09:03 PM
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Bushranger I have not done that walk but interstate friends have done so and liked it a lot .I have no idea what guided tours etc cost these days but I think this takes you to places you may be unlikely to otherwise find out about etc .Depends on ones budget I suppose .
Feb 28th, 2009, 10:38 PM
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There's an article in the February Virgin Blue magazine about someone who has set up some special interest walks around Melbourne. If it's still in circulation tomorrow, I'll add a post giving the contact details.
I know Melbourne pretty well ( LOVE it!) and these walks seemed so interesting that I'm going to take one next time I'm down there.
(Hello JohnFitz, hope you & yours are ok - was thinking about you when Bruno's place was burnt)
I know Melbourne pretty well ( LOVE it!) and these walks seemed so interesting that I'm going to take one next time I'm down there.
(Hello JohnFitz, hope you & yours are ok - was thinking about you when Bruno's place was burnt)
Mar 1st, 2009, 01:15 AM
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Look at your link John and you'll see what is on offer @$115 and a couple of hours wandering around Melbournes Lanes will hardly reveal anything that you cannot find yourself - there's walking guides and other info you can pick up at the Visitor Information Center.
Mar 2nd, 2009, 03:08 AM
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Thanks for yourkind inquiry Bokhara.Yes we and all friends and family are fine and have been spared from the fires although we had a fright last week with a dear friend in Hepburn Springs but the fire - thank the Goddess - did not eventuate . I am just grateful that we did not buy the weekend getaway in Kinglake this time last year and opted for lovely Flinders at the beach instead .
Now I know you love your food and if you have not done so do splurge when next in town on Vue de Monde . Went again recently and it is by far and away the best food in Australia imho . The finesse and everything about the esperience is exceptional .Our NSW friends dining with us consider that it outranks Tetsuyas , and that is saying something ! .
Bushranger , I can't comment .Sometimes you get what you pay for especially insight and commentary that a map and or booklet / guide cannot impart .These walks apparently give you entre to places otherwise not possible .I guess it all depends on the individual and their budget .
Now I know you love your food and if you have not done so do splurge when next in town on Vue de Monde . Went again recently and it is by far and away the best food in Australia imho . The finesse and everything about the esperience is exceptional .Our NSW friends dining with us consider that it outranks Tetsuyas , and that is saying something ! .
Bushranger , I can't comment .Sometimes you get what you pay for especially insight and commentary that a map and or booklet / guide cannot impart .These walks apparently give you entre to places otherwise not possible .I guess it all depends on the individual and their budget .
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