Top 10 touristy things you MUST see and do in Melbourne

There are plenty of things to do in Melbourne, from visiting the zoo or aquarium or hanging out in Docklands for the day or spending the day shopping in Chapel Street.

We have created the below list of the top 10 “touristy” things to see and do in Melbourne to help you plan your next trip!

Melbourne Zoo

The world-renowned Melbourne Zoo is located a few minutes from the Melbourne CBD within Royal Park. It’s beautifully laid out with lots of shady spots for those hot summer days of wandering around the zoo.

The animal displays are large enough for the animals to roam around without being too cramped. You could easily spend the whole day here and make sure to pack a picnic as there are plenty of grassed picnic areas for you to enjoy.

Crown Casino 

The Crown Casino in Melbourne is located on Southbank, right at the Yarra River waters’ edge. This massive complex has a heap of restaurants and cafe within the Crown Casino, a cinema, some shopping mall, lots of shows, hotels, convention centre, days spas and of course the casino!

Dress up for the evening and hit the casino to gamble the night away (responsibly of course!). There is no entry fee however you do have to be over 18 years old to enter the Casino.

Queen Victoria Market

Known to the locals as the Vic Markets, The Queen Victoria Markets are located on the outskirts of the Melbourne CBD but a fairly easy walk from anywhere in the “main” city area. Most locals spend the day at the QVM (Queen Victoria Markets) purchasing fresh fish, fruit, veggies and a great range of deli foods or just relaxing and eating from some of the delicious vendors!

It’s also a great spot for tourists too, for the same reason locals come here but also because there are lots of Aussie souvenirs and clothing to purchase.

Make sure to ask if you can get a discount, while Aussies don’t usually “haggle”, my motto is “there’s no harm in asking!”

We have heard that some vendors will give you up to 20% discount! Or you could hit the markets on Wednesday night for the Night markets, open from 5pm to 10pm from November 2013 to February 2014, drink, eat and party the night away!

Melbourne Aquarium

The Melbourne Aquarium is located on the Yarra River across from the Crown casino, very similar to the Sydney Aquarium with a few small tanks, a penguin tank, a few large walk-through tanks and touch tanks.

While each aquarium is fairly similar, there are small differences which make each unique. The Melbourne aquarium has recently welcomed “Pinjarra” the world’s largest saltwater crocodile as their new main attraction!

Eureka Skydeck

We found the Eureka Skydeck (level 88) to be a little bittersweet, we went at night and found while the view was incredible, it was an awful place to take photos!

All the reflections on the windows make it very difficult to get a decent picture. We would still recommend going as the views of Melbourne are really nice from up there!

You can also try out “the Edge” which is a glass box section of the building that extends out, however, for the price, I think this is a little overrated.

I would suggest going about 30mins before sunset so you can get a bit of daylight, sunset and then if you still want to stick around you can see the city at night.

There is also a restaurant on the 89th floor which you have to book a table beforehand and it’s a little expensive but nice for a special occasion.

Luna Park Melbourne

Luna Park Melbourne is open weekends, school holidays and public holidays from 11am, it’s located in the heart of St. Kilda, just a short stroll from St. Kilda Beach. 

The Park’s biggest attraction is its Scenic Railway Roller Coaster, a large wooden coaster that sends its passengers, at high speed, around the outside of the entire Park.

It boasts the title of being the oldest continually operating wooden roller coaster in the world and the only one of its kind with a standing brakeman in control aboard its moving carriages.

This world-famous roller coaster will not only provide you with heart-stopping dips and turns but also has the most stunning views of Port Phillip Bay that St. Kilda has to offer.

Walk around Docklands

Docklands is a waterfront precinct of Melbourne with lots of restaurants and café’s (my fave is Berth Restaurant & Bar), harbour town shopping mall, Sunday markets, strange art, cruises and so much more.

Go Shopping on Chapel Street

Chapel Street is known as Melbourne Premium shopping, cultural and tourist destination. It seems that no matter what you want to do, you will be able to do it in the Chapel Street precinct.

Start off the day with some shopping then stop in at one or more of the cafes to keep your energy up during the day then treat yourself to dinner at one of the many restaurants and then pop out and enjoy the nightlife on offer.

If you prefer a more cultural experience there are many cultural and art exhibitions street art, boutique and craft shops to visit.

Take a tour of the city by helicopter

This is one of my favourite activities! What a better way to see a city than from the air, views from the beach to the mountains.

You can easily see all the sights of Melbourne city and the wine region in one day. Fly over the MCG, Melbourne Park and Albert Park racetrack, just to name a couple of attractions before heading away from the hustle and bustle for some wine tasting and lunch.

Visit the Melbourne Museum

Melbourne is the arts and cultural hub of Australia. Melbourne Museum explores life in Victoria, with displays ranging from the natural environment to the culture and history of Melbourne.

Located in Carlton Gardens, opposite the historic Royal Exhibition Building, the Melbourne Museum houses a permanent collection in eight galleries, including one just for children.

The highlights include a complete skeleton of a blue whale, the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, a living rainforest, the racehorse Phar Lap and an IMAX theatre on site. All of the major international exhibitions are usually presented in the Touring Hall.

The IMAX at the Melbourne Museum is the world’s largest cinema format, with a screen up to eight storeys high! All types of films from documentaries to latest release movies, can be experienced in 2D or 3D.

Open daily 10 am – 5:00 pm

Read more:

• Where to Stay in Melbourne
• 11 of the Best Hotels in Melbourne for families
• 48 hours in Melbourne – A 2 day Itinerary
• Best Phillip Island Tours from Melbourne
• Best Yarra Valley Tours from Melbourne 
• Best Great Ocean Road tours from Melbourne
• Best Route to take on the Great Ocean Road
• The Great Ocean road from a Drivers Perspective