Melbourne & Adelaide or alternative itinerary suggestions
 

I am going to Melbourne for a family wedding in November and will stay in Australia for about 2 weeks. On this occasion, I may be travelling on my own.

I’ve gone to see my relatives in Melbourne several times before, so have seen much of the city and it’s environs. My previous itineraries have included visiting Cairns, Sydney, Perth and a road trip between Melbourne and Sydney. This time I’m wondering whether to go to Adelaide and self-drive the Great Ocean road to Adelaide. My initial thoughts on an itinerary is:

6 nights.Melbourne
4 nights Adelaide
4 nights road trip

As my time is flexible apart from the wedding, I can fly into Melbourne and out of Adelaide or vice versa. Any thoughts or comments? I’m also open to go elsewhere.

That sounds like a good plan. There are lots of other options, it depends on your interests. You could skip Adelaide and drive up towards NSW and meander along the Murray River - Echuca, Swan Hill, Mildura etc. If you like history and historic buildings, you could visit Bendigo, Ballarat, Clunes etc. Great art gallery in Bendigo, gold rush history at Ballarat. For beautiful scenery, wildlife and hiking, you could plan a stay in Halls Gap, in the Grampians. There are other places I'm sure but these were the first that came to mind.

If you stick to the original plan, definitely fly into one city and out of another, it saves a lot of time. I guess you know there are two major wine growing areas not that far from Adelaide - the Barossa and the Clare Valley.

If you choose the Great Ocean Road option, you could detour to Cape Jervis and do a day trip to Kangaroo Island. There are day tours available on Sea Link so you would not need to take your car on the ferry.

Thanks so much for the comments/ suggestions. I’m just trying to decide whether to go to Melbourne first and then do the Great Coast Road and Adelaide or the other way round. The advantage of flying to Melbourne at the beginning of the trip is that we would leave the UK a week later and go to the wedding during the first part of the trip although I originally thought to start in Adelaide.

If it were my trip & there weren't any compelling reasons otherwise, I'd do the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne because the ocean will be on the left in the direction of travel. That means not having to cross the road to the lookouts etc.

Thanks. That’s a great tip.about driving from Melbourne,

Regarding the stopovers would welcome some help. At the moment the plan is:

Day 1. Melbourne to Apollo Bay via Lorne - lunch in Lorne

Day 2. Apollo Bay to Port Fairy

Day 3 Port Fairy to Robe Should we make an additional stopover in Portland rather than drive straight to Robe?

Day 4 Robe to Barossa Valley? My partner is not a wine drinker so am not sure if this is a good option. Where else should we stop before Adelaide instead?

You don't need to be a wine drinker to enjoy the Barossa Valley - it's such a pretty area. Mount Gambier could be an alternative but I think for an overseas visitor, the Barossa wins the prize.

I don't think this has been mentioned but if you are arriving after a long flight, don't drive the first day. It's potentially dangerous. Have at least one night in your arrival city before picking up a car.

Good point but not doing the direct flight. Haven’t decided about the car in Melbourne yet. Last time it sat in the hotel garage until I went to stay with my sister-in-law.