Sick of the city? Want to travel further afield? No problem. Grab a hire car or sort out a tour to take you to any of the five best daytrip spots from Melbourne.
There’s no better spot to experience nature than the Grampians national park. With numerous hiking trails, mountains, wildflowers and Aussie natives including kangaroos, emus, echidnas and wallabies, the Grampians is one of the best national parks in Australia and my personal favourite on this list.
If you’re visiting for a daytrip, I’d recommend parking in the Sundial carpark and hiking the Pinnacle and the Sundial peak. If you have longer in the Grampians, I’d recommend the Boroka lookout for sunrise, the Balconies for sunset with the Pinnacle, Mount William and Mackenzie Falls in between. Halls Gap is a great place to base yourself for the evening with plenty of hotels and hostels.
The Great Ocean Road is one of the most famous daytrips from Melbourne and perfect for drivers. Get your road trip playlist ready and begin.
I’d recommend stopping at the Split Point Lighthouse and Lorne, a charming little town, for a caffeine fix. Then, hit the road again. Once you reach Gibson Steps, you’ll be stopping every five minutes or so to see another magnificent coastal wonder from the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and the Grotto.
The Mornington Peninsula is the easiest to get to of all the potential daytrips at only an hours drive from Melbourne. You can even get there by Skybus from the airport if you wish.
Soak in the calming hot springs, spot the colourful bathing boxes along miles of coastline, catch the Eagle up to Arthur’s Seat or simply laze away on the beach. You could easily spend a week on the Peninsula if you wish.
Phillip Island is another spot for nature lovers, particularly if you love animals like I do. Make sure to stop by and see the Penguin Parade at twilight, see the Nobbies which is home to the largest colony of fur seals in Australia and make some furry friends at the Koala Sanctuary.
Phillip Island is most well known for it’s racing events held at the Grand Prix Circuit, but you don’t have to be a sports fan to visit the Island. There’s plenty of beaches and surf spots as well as charming cafes and coffee shops for those wishing to relax.
One last stop for hiking fanatics is Wilsons Promontory. Like the Grampians, but on the coast! Here your hikes could range from mountains, sand dunes or beaches. It’s a perfect space to spot wombats, emus and kangaroos.
I’d recommend camping overnight to get the most out of your trip and hiking to the summit of Mount Oberon is a must as the views are simply incredible.
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