15 Things to do in Melbourne, Australia - Photo Diary

Video was shot using the iPhoneX + DJI Osmo Mobile 2 for stabilization. Edited with Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2018 and Adobe After Effects CC 2018.

When people think of Australia, the first thought that often comes to their minds is probably the iconic Opera House in Sydney (and maybe kangaroos and koalas). I knew Sydney was a place I needed to check off my Australian bucket list, but Melbourne was another city that intrigued me. If Sydney was the mainstream, beautiful blonde bombshell, I envisioned Melbourne to be her brunette, alternative, artsy sister. While Sydney is known for its beaches and famous landmarks like the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, Melbourne is more renowned for its coffee, street art, and its neighboring adventures on the Great Ocean Road.

Take a look at the map I curated to see all the places below in context.

I arrived in Melbourne after about 20 hours of traveling, first from San Francisco to Sydney, and then after a delayed flight from Sydney to Melbourne. It was tough a 20 hours, so when I arrived, I knew I needed to treat myself to a flat white in the coffee capital on Australia.

1. Have a flat white in the coffee laneways

Melbourne is famous for its laneways, which are tiny pedestrian-only streets filled with hole-in-the-wall shops, cafes, and small restaurants. I chose to explore Centre Place, which is one of the most popular laneways that has graffiti spilling into it and loads of coffee spilling out.

2. Visit the Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes

When the weather’s right, head south of the CBD (Center Business District—what the Melbournians refer to as the downtown area) to Brighton Beach. There, you’ll see a row of colorful huts where surfers will store their surfboards and other surf equipment.

Beware of all the bloggers here asking their “Instagram husbands” to take about a million photos for them.

Bikini: Kendall and Kylie via Revolve

3. Explore the street art on Hosier Lane

Another cheap and easy thing to do in the CBD is to head on over to Hosier Lane after visiting one of coffee laneways and explore the huge amount of graffiti on this street. Street art is not forbidden—it’s encouraged.

Duster Coat: Ba&Sh via Rent the Runway | Shirt: J.Crew | Jeans: Anthropologie | Sneakers: H&M

4. Have breakfast and coffee at White Mojo

Have a sesame latte and some of the prettiest breakfast plates I’ve ever seen at White Mojo Specialty Coffee Roasters.

5. See the mix of traditional and contemporary installations at the National Gallery of Victoria

The NGV (National Gallery of Victoria) is a definite must-do here in Melbourne. It’s Australia’s oldest art museum and holds art ranging from the 19th century to the 21st century. Its collection ranges from Asian to European art, and works by Monet to works by Julian Opie. It was probably one of the most intriguing art museums I’ve ever gone to, and I was in love with the mix of the old and the new. Did I also mention it’s free?

6. Travel the Great Ocean Road

On my third day in Melbourne, I decided to venture out of the city to explore the Great Ocean Road. Instead of going on a regular bus tour, I opted in for an Airbnb Experience with Pete, which was, in my opinion, thousands of times better than going on traditional bus tour. Pete drove our group of five in his mini van along the Great Ocean Road to visit some of its major sights, stopping for meals and coffee along the way.

What set Pete apart the most was how he truly tried to create bonds between the people traveling through his conversations. He would tell us personal anecdotes along the journey and not skimp out on the textbook information for each destination either. I would highly recommend booking a tour with him either on Airbnb or through his Facebook page. You can also check out a video one of his guests made for one of his experiences.

We learned that there are actually 8 apostles, not 12. They decided to lie to all of us and name it the “12 apostles” just because it had a better ring to it.

I would say Loch Ard Gorge(ous) was my favorite (pictured above).

We stopped along Torquay, Lorne, Gibson Steps, 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, and London Bridge. We also got to see a few Koalas out in the wild and have lunch at some local cafes.

7. Have (more) coffee at Brother Baba Budan

Hang with the hipsters at this always-crowded coffee shop serving Seven Seeds Coffee in the CBD and stare up at its incredible ceiling.

8. Chinatown Melbourne

Did you know the oldest Chinatown in the Western world is located right here in Melbourne? The restaurants here are amazingly authentic—none of that chop suey, general tso’s chicken crap that Chinese Americans had to create to appeal to western palettes so they could survive in America. We ended up having hot pot at a place called Dainty Sichuan.

9. Breakfast at Hardware Société

If you didn’t get your “Instagramable and hip coffee shop” fix yet, head on over to Hardware Societe for a French inspired breakfast (I got the baked eggs!).

10. Explore Southbank at night

Walk across Melbourne’s many bridges across the Yarra river and visit Southbank to watch hoards of locals eat, drink, and party on a night out.

11. Have dinner at Supernormal

Have some delicious revamped Asian-inspired dishes at Supernormal. Though the price can be quite steep, the flavors here are the best around. The waiters are so nice to the point where they will give you free dessert because they feel sorry for making you wait so long for the food.

12. Visit the Shrine of Remembrance

Catch a glimpse of Melbourne’s skyline after walking up the stairs to the Shrine of Remembrance, a war memorial to honor the men and women who fought in World War I. Also free to enter.

13. Visit the State Library of Victoria and then have a snack at the Queen Victoria Market

Unfortunately, on the day I visited, the dome of the library was closed off for a special event. However, I found other parts of the library equally picturesque. The library is walking distance from Queen Victoria Market, which sells fresh produce, meat, and seafood, and is full of stalls selling street food, cheeses, and jams.

14. Do your Christmas shopping at the Royal Arcade

When you want to do some more unique, local shopping, head to the Royal Arcade, which originally opened in 1870. This light-filled building houses local chocolatiers, toy shops, as well as cafes and bakeries.

15. Go up the Eureka Skydeck

For a more comprehensive view of Melbourne’s CBD, head up the Eureka Skydeck building (the highest observation deck in the Southern Hemisphere).

Melbourne was coined the world’s most livable city for 7 years in a row (before finally being defeated this year by Vienna, Austria). After experiencing Melbourne’s amazing food from its melting pot of different cultures and interacting with its friendly and upbeat people, I can see why it’s reigned on top for so long. It seems like everyone in Melbourne is accepting of everyone else’s unique backgrounds, and I think that’s why incredible art, food, and culture continue to emit from this city.

♥ Cindy