Melbourne in Summertime
Summertime is always a favourite time of year, who doesn’t love sunshine, great weather and the perfect time to go to the beach? While Melbourne may not have the summer credentials of Queensland or Sydney Harbour, the city will surprise you with the amazing array of outings, festivals, places to go and things to do
Beaches
Naturally, summertime is the time to get to the beach, but which one? Most people don’t realise this, but Melbourne has some of the longest and safest beach fronts in Australia! Port Phillip Bay is protected by the heads at Port Lonsdale and Point Nepean, so our bay side beaches do not experience rough conditions, rips and other hazards that can make many Australian beaches safe for the experienced only. (Of course, for the adventurous, we have one of the world’s most famous and outstanding surf beaches only a little more than an hours drive away at Bells Beach near Torquay)
For a quick dip and an easy trip, you can head down to Port Melbourne and enjoy over 11km of beach along past St Kilda. If you’re travelling further afield, then carry on along the Mornington Peninsula to Frankston and on to Rye and Sorrento, where kilometre after kilometre of shallow sandy beach await your pleasure.
Of course, if you are looking for more adventure and trying your hand at surfing, head in the other direction through Geelong down to Victoria’s aptly named Surf Coast. From Queenscliff to Torquay, on to the Great Ocean Road past Lorne and Apollo Bay you’ll find some outstanding open water beaches and surf conditions.
Gardens
Victoria is known as the Garden State and summer is a great time to visit our Botanical Gardens along the Yarra River, only minutes from the CBD. 38 Hectares of gardens, walks and lake, the perfect summer picnic location. Bring your own, or drop into the Jardin Tan or Terrace for a delicious lunch in the sun.
Always a favourite with families, it’s one of our favourite places to while away a warm afternoon in the shade of the trees and just enjoy some time with nature. Despite being in the middle of Melbourne, it feels like city life is a thousand miles away.
Rooftop Bars
The best place to be on a warm summer’s night has got to be one of Melbourne’s many rooftop bars, from hidden gardens in the middle of the city, to grand old pubs in the suburbs, Melbourne has some fantastic spots to take in the sun and a beer (or mojito) or two. One of our favourites is one of Melbourne’s oldest pubs, the Imperial Hotel on Meyer’s Place, a tip top rooftop at the top of town.
And while the CBD has its fair share of great rooftop bars, it’s worth a trip further out to the suburbs, with Fitzroy and Richmond boasting some of the best around. We love Naked in the Sky on Brunswick St in Fitzroy, and it’s always hard to go past one of Melbourne’s favourite pubs, the Corner Hotel in Richmond which boasts a recently renovated rooftop.
