Best Things to Do in Victoria (2026 Guide)

Chapel Street is one of Melbourne’s most celebrated shopping and lifestyle strips, running through the inner suburbs of Prahran and South Yarra with a personality that shifts noticeably along its length. From high-end fashion boutiques to vintage stores and buzzing nightlife venues, the street captures much of what makes Melbourne’s suburban culture so distinctive and endlessly walkable, day or night.

The South Yarra end leans toward designer labels and polished cafes, while the Prahran section embraces a grungier, more eclectic energy with independent boutiques, tattoo studios and late-night bars. A walk down Chapel Street typically reveals:

• The historic Prahran Market, trading continuously since 1864
• A dense concentration of restaurants spanning global cuisines
• Live music venues and bars popular with the after-dark crowd
• Seasonal street festivals celebrating local fashion and food
• Laneway cafes tucked just off the main strip

Well served by tram lines and close to the Yarra River, Chapel Street rewards those willing to wander rather than rush from shop to shop. Its ever-changing mix of retail and hospitality reflects Melbourne’s fashion-forward, food-obsessed identity, making it an essential stop for travellers wanting to experience the city’s suburban energy beyond the CBD grid. Weekend mornings are especially lively, as locals fill the market and cafes before the boutiques open their doors for a full afternoon of browsing. Late afternoon is a particularly good time to visit, as the street gradually shifts from daytime shopping into its livelier evening dining atmosphere.

Set within six hectares of manicured gardens in South Yarra, Como House and Garden is one of Melbourne’s finest surviving nineteenth-century mansions, offering a rare window into the lifestyle of the city’s colonial elite. Built progressively from the 1840s onward, the house blends Regency and Italianate architectural styles into a single graceful estate overlooking the river valley.

Now managed by the National Trust of Australia, the property showcases original furnishings, family heirlooms and decorative arts spanning several generations of the Armytage family, its longtime owners and devoted custodians. A visit typically includes:

• Guided tours through beautifully preserved period rooms
• Sweeping lawns and rose gardens ideal for a quiet stroll
• Seasonal events, from garden markets to twilight concerts
• Afternoon tea served in the estate’s historic surrounds
• Rare specimen trees dotted throughout the landscaped grounds

Como’s location in leafy South Yarra places it near the fashionable boutiques of Toorak Road and Chapel Street, making it easy to pair a heritage visit with upscale shopping and cafe culture nearby. The estate’s elevated position offers glimpses of the Yarra River below, and its tranquil grounds provide a welcome contrast to the busier attractions of the CBD, appealing to travellers with an interest in colonial history and horticulture alike, particularly those exploring Melbourne’s leafy inner-southeastern suburbs at a relaxed pace over a full afternoon. Guided tours run daily and are led by knowledgeable volunteers who bring the Armytage family’s story vividly to life for visitors.

An architectural landmark on Flinders Street, the Forum Melbourne is one of the city’s most extravagant heritage theatres, instantly recognisable by its Moorish Revival facade and twin minaret towers rising above the busy street below. Built in 1929 as a lavish picture palace, it remains a beloved live entertainment venue in the heart of the CBD, having narrowly escaped demolition decades ago.

Step inside and the theatre’s interior continues the fantasy, with a ceiling designed to resemble a starlit Mediterranean night sky and ornate plaster detailing throughout the auditorium and foyer spaces. The Forum today hosts a diverse program of:

• Live music concerts spanning international and local acts
• Comedy performances during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
• Film screenings tied to major festival events
• Theatre and cabaret productions across the year
• Late-night club events in its atmospheric upper foyer bars

Its position directly opposite Flinders Street Station and near Federation Square places it at the very centre of Melbourne’s cultural precinct, within walking distance of the Yarra River, Southbank and the city’s famous laneway bars. As one of the few remaining atmospheric theatres of its era still in regular use, the Forum offers visitors a genuinely memorable glimpse into Melbourne’s golden age of grand entertainment architecture and its enduring love of live performance, standing today as a protected heritage landmark for future generations to enjoy long after the era that first built it has faded from memory.

Kings Domain forms part of a broad network of parklands stretching along the Yarra River just south of the CBD, encompassing gardens, memorials and cultural venues within a single expansive green precinct. Its central location makes it one of the most accessible and frequently visited open spaces in Melbourne, popular with joggers, picnickers and tourists throughout the year.

Within its grounds sit some of the city’s most significant landmarks, including the Shrine of Remembrance, a solemn war memorial offering panoramic views from its upper balcony, and the Sidney Myer Music Bowl performance venue nearby. Visitors to the Domain often enjoy:

• Quiet walking paths shaded by established native and exotic trees
• The Pioneer Women’s Garden, a tranquil sunken garden space
• Proximity to the adjoining Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
• Open lawns ideal for relaxing between sightseeing stops
• Memorial plaques and monuments scattered throughout the grounds

Kings Domain’s blend of commemorative, cultural and horticultural spaces makes it emblematic of Melbourne’s deep commitment to public green space within its urban core. Easily reached on foot from Southbank or by tram along St Kilda Road, it’s an ideal place to slow down and appreciate the city’s parkland heritage between busier sightseeing stops on a longer itinerary. Free to enter and open year-round, Kings Domain remains one of the simplest ways for visitors to experience Melbourne’s genuine affection for its public gardens. Free walking maps are available at nearby visitor information points, helping travellers plan a route that takes in each of the Domain’s landmarks.

One of Melbourne’s most opulent heritage venues, the Melbourne Regent Theatre on Collins Street has been a centrepiece of the city’s performing arts scene since it first opened in 1929. Its grand facade and lavishly decorated auditorium reflect the golden era of picture palace design, complete with sweeping staircases, gilded ceilings and ornate plasterwork throughout every level.

After a devastating fire in the 1940s and a later painstaking restoration, the Regent reopened to become a leading venue for major musical theatre productions, hosting some of the biggest touring shows to visit Australia each year. Audiences come for:

• World-class musical theatre and touring productions
• The theatre’s richly restored Baroque-style interior
• A prime Collins Street location within the city’s arts precinct
• Pre-show dining at nearby heritage laneway restaurants
• The adjoining Plaza Ballroom, a striking function space beneath the theatre

Collins Street itself is regarded as one of Melbourne’s most elegant boulevards, lined with heritage buildings, upscale boutiques and historic shopping arcades. The Regent’s proximity to Melbourne Town Hall and the Bourke Street theatre district makes it simple to build an evening around dinner and a show. For anyone wanting to experience Melbourne’s reputation as Australia’s cultural capital, a night at the Regent is an essential inclusion on any itinerary that celebrates the city’s love of grand, immersive performance spaces and its determination to preserve them for the long term.

Rising above the surrounding countryside northwest of Melbourne, Mount Macedon is a beloved retreat known for its cool climate, historic gardens and sweeping views across the Macedon Ranges. The mountain’s elevation makes it noticeably cooler than the city below, a quality that attracted wealthy Melburnians to build grand summer estates here from the nineteenth century onward, many of which still stand.

Today the area is celebrated for its exceptional cool-climate gardens, many open to the public, showcasing deciduous trees, rhododendrons and towering conifers that put on a spectacular display each autumn. Visitors typically explore:

• The Memorial Cross lookout, offering panoramic views toward the city
• Historic private gardens open seasonally to the public
• Walking trails through native forest and fern gullies
• Charming cafes and produce stores in the surrounding township
• The Sanatorium Lake walk through peaceful woodland

Around an hour’s drive from central Melbourne, Mount Macedon makes an excellent day trip, particularly for travellers wanting to combine scenic hiking with visits to nearby wineries and gourmet food producers in the surrounding Macedon Ranges wine region. Its blend of natural beauty and colonial-era garden heritage gives it a character quite distinct from the more rugged bushland found elsewhere in Victoria. Public gardens such as Duneira and Forest Glade are especially popular during the cooler months, when mist often settles over the ranges and adds a distinctly atmospheric quality to the walking trails.

South-east of Melbourne, Phillip Island Nature Parks protects some of Victoria’s most treasured wildlife habitats, best known for the nightly Penguin Parade, where hundreds of little penguins waddle ashore at dusk after a day spent fishing at sea. It remains one of Australia’s most popular wildlife tourism experiences, drawing visitors from across the world throughout every season.

Beyond the penguins, the Nature Parks manage several other reserves across the island, each offering a distinct and memorable wildlife encounter. Highlights include:

• The Koala Conservation Reserve, with elevated boardwalks through eucalypt habitat
• Seal Rocks at the Nobbies, home to Australia’s largest fur seal colony
• Churchill Island, showcasing colonial-era farming heritage and heritage buildings
• Coastal walking trails with dramatic ocean views
• Surf beaches popular with visitors year-round

Roughly a two-hour drive from central Melbourne, Phillip Island makes for a popular full-day or overnight trip, often combined with the Great Ocean Road region for visitors with more time available. The island’s rugged coastline, rolling farmland and abundant native wildlife offer a compelling contrast to Melbourne’s urban attractions, making it one of Victoria’s essential must-see natural destinations. Visitors are encouraged to book penguin viewing well ahead of time, especially during school holidays and peak summer months, when demand for the evening parade is at its highest. Ferry and coach transfers from Melbourne are widely available, making it possible to visit without a car for travellers relying on public transport.

A National Trust property in Elsternwick, Rippon Lea Estate is regarded as one of Australia’s finest surviving grand suburban gardens and Victorian-era mansions. Built from 1868 for prominent businessman Frederick Sargood, the polychrome brick house showcases exuberant architectural detail rarely seen elsewhere across Melbourne’s heritage precincts and remains remarkably intact today.

The estate’s fourteen acres of heritage-listed gardens include a picturesque lake, fernery, orchard and even the former site of a private zoo, reflecting the ambitious vision of its original owners and their love of horticulture. Highlights for visitors include:

• Guided tours through the mansion’s ornate period interiors
• A picturesque lake with a lookout tower and boathouse
• Seasonal blooms across formal and informal garden areas
• One of Australia’s earliest surviving domestic swimming pools
• A working orchard still tended using heritage growing methods

Rippon Lea has also served as a filming location for numerous Australian productions over the decades, adding a touch of screen history to its heritage credentials. Located in Melbourne’s inner south-eastern suburbs, it’s easily reached by train and offers a peaceful, green retreat from the city centre. The combination of architectural grandeur and expansive, meticulously maintained gardens makes it a genuinely rewarding stop for travellers interested in Victorian-era history and horticulture, especially when combined with nearby Elsternwick’s relaxed cafe scene for a full and unhurried day out. Entry tickets include access to both the house and gardens, making it easy to spend a leisurely half-day exploring the entire estate.

Deep within the Dandenong Ranges National Park, Sherbrooke Forest is one of the most magnificent stands of mountain ash forest near Melbourne, celebrated for its towering trees, lush fern gullies and abundant birdlife. Located roughly forty kilometres east of the CBD, it offers a genuine wilderness experience within remarkably easy reach of the city for a quick escape.

The forest is especially treasured as prime habitat for the superb lyrebird, a shy but remarkable mimic whose calls can often be heard echoing through the gullies, particularly during the cooler winter months of courtship display. Popular activities include:

• Walking the well-loved Sherbrooke Falls and Lyrebird Link trails
• Birdwatching among towering mountain ash, among the tallest flowering plants on Earth
• Picnicking at Grants Picnic Ground, known for its resident cockatoos and rosellas
• Photography among moss-covered tree ferns and dense undergrowth
• Quiet forest walks well away from busier tourist routes

The Dandenong Ranges more broadly are known for cool-climate gardens, historic townships and the much-loved Puffing Billy heritage steam railway that winds through the surrounding hills. Sherbrooke Forest’s dense canopy and misty atmosphere provide a striking contrast to Melbourne’s urban core, making it a favourite day-trip destination for hikers, birdwatchers and nature lovers alike. Combined with a ride on the nearby Puffing Billy steam train, a visit to Sherbrooke Forest offers one of the most complete nature experiences available within an easy drive of Melbourne.

Nestled within the Kings Domain gardens, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl is one of Melbourne’s most iconic outdoor performance venues, instantly recognisable by its sweeping tent-like roof structure suspended above the natural amphitheatre below. Opened in 1959, it was among the first venues in the world to feature a tensile fabric canopy, a design that remains architecturally significant and influential today.

The Bowl has hosted an extraordinary range of performances over the decades, from major international rock and pop concerts to classical orchestral programs and beloved community festivals. Its natural amphitheatre setting allows for:

• Large-scale outdoor concerts with relaxed lawn seating
• Free community events, including the much-loved annual Christmas carols
• Festival programming tied to Melbourne’s busy cultural calendar
• Picnicking on the grassy slopes before evening shows
• Orchestral performances under open summer skies

Set among the leafy Kings Domain parklands close to the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Shrine of Remembrance, the venue benefits from a genuinely picturesque setting just south of the CBD across the Yarra River. For visitors keen to experience live performance the way Melburnians have for generations, an evening at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl combines music, greenery and open sky in a distinctly local, memorable way. Many concertgoers arrive early with blankets and picnic baskets, turning even a standard gig into a relaxed, communal outdoor gathering beneath the stars. Ticketed shows sell out quickly during major festivals, so booking ahead is strongly advised for visitors hoping to secure a good vantage point.

Stretching along the Yarra River opposite the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Wharf is a lively riverside precinct combining retail, dining and open-air promenades. Once a working dock area central to the port’s shipping trade, it has been transformed into one of the city’s most relaxed shopping and leisure destinations for locals and tourists alike.

The precinct’s centrepiece is DFO South Wharf, a large outlet shopping centre offering discounted fashion, homewares and outdoor brands, while the promenade itself is lined with restaurants and bars overlooking the water. Visitors typically enjoy:

• Riverside dining with views across to the Melbourne CBD skyline
• Direct pedestrian access to the Crown Melbourne entertainment complex
• Proximity to the South Wharf Promenade’s public art and open spaces
• Weekend markets and events held along the water’s edge
• Free river shuttle connections to Southbank and the Docklands

South Wharf connects easily to Southbank and the Docklands via a scenic riverside walk, making it simple to combine with a broader exploration of Melbourne’s waterfront precincts in a single afternoon. Its blend of bargain shopping and relaxed river views gives it a distinct character among the city’s retail districts, appealing especially to visitors who prefer an outdoor, low-key shopping experience over the busier Bourke Street Mall in the city centre, particularly on warm afternoons when the riverside tables fill quickly. The precinct continues to grow, with new dining venues and public spaces regularly added along the promenade to meet rising visitor demand.

Overlooking the water in Melbourne’s Docklands precinct, The District Docklands is a modern lifestyle and entertainment hub that has become a popular gathering point for both locals and visitors. Once an industrial dockland area central to the city’s shipping trade, the precinct has been reshaped into a contemporary space of shops, restaurants and open-air public art installations.

The District is known for its family-friendly atmosphere, anchored by the striking Wonderland attraction featuring a giant Ferris wheel and Speed Zone go-karts, alongside a broad selection of dining options overlooking the harbour. Visitors gravitate toward:

• Waterfront restaurants and cafes with harbour views
• Interactive public artworks and open plazas
• Easy access to Marvel Stadium for major sporting events
• Family entertainment including cinemas and arcade games
• Evening light displays reflected across the harbour water

Docklands sits just west of the CBD, connected by tram and a pleasant riverside walking path along the Yarra River. Its relatively recent development gives the area a sleek, modern character distinct from Melbourne’s historic laneways and Victorian architecture found elsewhere in the city, offering visitors a different, more contemporary side of Melbourne’s ever-evolving urban landscape. The precinct continues to expand, with new residential towers, public plazas and hospitality venues opening regularly, reflecting Docklands’ ongoing transformation into one of the city’s most talked-about waterfront neighbourhoods. New public events and seasonal markets are regularly programmed throughout the precinct, keeping the atmosphere lively across every season of the year.