Melbourne, Australia

By Ashley Rudolph

If you live on the East Coast like I do, you know how miserable winters can be. There's nothing better than escaping to somewhere warm during those unbearably chilly months. In my case, I was able to spend time in Australia in the middle of winter (and missed a snowstorm!). I loved Melbourne, the food scene, people, the culture, shopping and street art gives the city so much character. Even though I was there on a work trip, I squeezed in some time on the weekend to explore the city. Here are my favorite things about my Melbourne trip.

Top 5 things to do in Melbourne

Visit the National Gallery of Victoria. I loved the Japanese art and Chinese Burial exhibit here but my personal favorite (here and at any museum) was the modern art wing.
Spend Saturday morning at Queen Victoria Market. This market is HUGE. I was surprised when I discovered that there was an indoor and outdoor portion. I didn't spend too much time indoors - I made a beeline to the outdoor portion to stock up on souvenirs and art. I buy a piece of art from every city that I visit, so I was super excited to find some great pieces here!
See Melbourne from up above at the Eureka Skydeck 88. I'm a sucker for a good Skydeck - I blame the Willis Tower in Chicago for this obsession. The one in Melbourne is no different - the views of the city from Eureka Skydeck are unreal.
Shop til you drop. There are many, many cute and trendy boutiques in Melbourne. Even before visiting, I was obsessed with Australian brands and knew that I'd shop on my trip. I went to so many stores that I can't remember them all. Gorman, FAT Store, and Witchery were cool, but there are so many boutiques in CBD, Fitzroy, and Richmond to explore.
Catch a match at the Australian Open. This one is *only* relevant if you're in Melbourne in late January but it's worth a mention. I'm not a huge tennis fan but I had an amazing time at the Open! Have a beer or a cocktail and grab some eats and bounce around between matches for an afternoon or evening. If tennis really isn't your thing, there's plenty of other things to do! Catch a musical performance, visit the many food stalls, or hang out at one of the lounge areas.

Favorite Eats

Breakfast and/or coffee: There are quite a few amazing coffee shops, I ordered a proper flat white everywhere I went. I loved The Grain Store (try the bacon steak), Manchester Press (their bagels are delicious!) The Hardware Societe (get the eggs with pork belly), and The Little Mule (do yourself a favor and order one of their breakfast sandwiches).
Lunch/Dinner: There were quite a few Asian fusion restaurants sprinkled all around Melbourne. My faves were Chin Chin (super trendy/vibey atmosphere - you can walk in for lunch but will definitely need a reservation for dinner) and Red Spice Road.
Drinks: Grabbing a drink during the summer on a rooftop/outdoor space is the best. Get your fix at Curtin House Rooftop Bar and Section 8.

Street Art

Melbourne is known for its awesome street art. There are quite a few graffiti filled lanes but I got my fix on Hosier Lane - the most famous lane for street art in the city. You could spend an hour looking at all of the installations there. My personal faves were the strong female portraits and pieces with a comedic twist, like the one that says "pose for shitty tourist photo here". And yes - I took a photo in front of it.

See The Great Ocean Road

If you visit Melbourne you should definitely spend a day venturing down the Great Ocean Road and visiting the Twelve Apostles. I booked my day trip through Viator. We made a ton of stops along the way but the main attraction was the Twelve Apostles and getting to see them from every angle possible. They're magical. If you do take a day trip - I highly recommend upgrading your experience and adding on the helicopter ride. The aerial view is gorgeous!