The Melbourne Travel Guide: Culture, Street Art, and Urban Wildlife
After an incredible wildlife safari at Wilsons Promontory, we packed up our 4×4 camper van, said goodbye to Yanakie, and drove about three hours northwest. Talk about a change of scenery! We swapped the quiet beaches and wild wombats for the bustling streets of Melbourne, the vibrant capital of Victoria.
With around 5.2 million people, Melbourne is Australia’s second-largest city and is widely crowned as the country’s cultural and event capital. Fun fact: it was even named the most livable city in the world for seven consecutive years! From stunning historic architecture to a legendary coffee culture and an unexpected wildlife encounter right in the suburbs, here are the absolute best things to do in Melbourne.
📍 Quick Guide: The Absolute Highlights of Melbourne
If you are short on time, these are the must-see attractions in the city center that you can easily combine in one day:
🏛️ Flinders Street Station & The Forum: The bustling heart of the city with jaw-dropping architecture.
🎨 Hosier Lane & Meyers Place: Melbourne’s famous laneways filled with world-class graffiti and street art.
🌳 The Shrine of Remembrance: A beautiful Greek-style monument offering great views over “The Garden City”.
🛍️ The Royal Arcade: Step back in time for some shopping and spot the mythical giants at the entrance.
✈️ Planning your trip to Australia? Before you book your flights to Melbourne, make sure to compare & book flights here to get the best airfare deals. Don’t forget to stay connected on the road! You can easily grab a Saily eSIM with a 10% discount (use code WOUT15) or check out the Holafly eSIM for unlimited data with a 5% discount (use code WOUTHOLA).
🌟 Things to Do in Melbourne: The Full Breakdown
1. Dive into the Famous Street Art Scene (Hosier Lane)
You cannot visit Melbourne without exploring its legendary laneway culture. The city is basically a giant open-air gallery! The absolute epicenter is Hosier Lane. Walking through this alleyway is mind-blowing; every single inch of the walls is covered in colorful, shifting graffiti. Looking for a hidden gem? Check out Meyers Place too, where the street art makes you feel like you’ve stepped straight into a tropical rainforest.
If you prefer exploring with a local guide to learn the stories behind the murals, you can book the best Melbourne street art and city tours online.
💡 Wout’s Travel Tip: To manage your bookings on the go, download the GetYourGuide app and get a 5% discount on all activities using our exclusive code WOUTOFTHEWORLD5!
2. Admire the Architecture at Flinders Street & The Forum
As you cross the Princess Bridge into the Central Business District (CBD), you’ll face Flinders Street Station—the busiest train station south of the Equator. Right across the street stands St. Paul’s Cathedral and The Forum. The Forum is easily my personal favorite building in Melbourne; its stunning historic facade blends perfectly with the modern skyscrapers around it.
3. Pay Your Respects at The Shrine of Remembrance
Melbourne is nicknamed “The Garden City” for a reason, and this beautiful monument sits right in the green heart of it. Built in 1934 in a striking classical Greek style, The Shrine of Remembrance was originally created to honor Victoria’s World War I veterans. Today, it serves as a powerful memorial for all Australian service members and offers a peaceful walk with great views of the city skyline.
4. Shop Beneath the Giants at The Royal Arcade
For a unique shopping experience, head into the historic Royal Arcade. This beautiful old building breathes pure elegance. Keep your eyes open at the entrance: you’ll be greeted by the mythical giants Gog and Magog—who honestly look a lot like Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones!
💡 Wout’s Travel Tip: Melbourne has a Free Tram Zone in the CBD! You can hop on and off any tram within the city center completely for free (including the historic City Circle Tram). Perfect for exploring with kids without wearing out their legs!
🛏️ Where to Stay & Camper van Realities
Road-tripping Australia in a big 4×4 holiday home on wheels means you have to get creative with accommodation near major cities. Greater Melbourne is spread out over 31 smaller municipalities, making it surprisingly easy to find a spot.
We found a fantastic and budget-friendly campsite in the suburb of Berwick at the Edwin Flack Reserve (booked via the WikiCamps app). For just $35 AUD (around $20 USD), we had a safe place to park the camper van, plenty of space for the kids to play, and hot showers.
If you’re not traveling with a camper van and prefer the comfort of a hotel room in the city center instead, you can find and compare the best Melbourne hotel prices here. If you need a regular car instead of a 4×4 camper to explore Victoria, we highly recommend you compare the best car rental deals here.
TRAVEL TIP! 🚐🇦🇺
Rent a 4×4 camper for the full experience! Use code WOUTOFTHEWORLD
Planning your dream road trip in Australia? To help you map out your adventure, you can use Dutchies Travel. Depending on how you like to travel, you can choose exactly how much guidance you want:
Choose your travel style:
DIY Travel Plan (Free): Perfect if you love to plan and book independently. You’ll receive a strong baseline route packed with highlights, travel times, and transport suggestions to build your own trip.
Custom Travel Plan: Perfect if you want expert guidance. You’ll get a fully personalized itinerary including routes, accommodations, activities, and transport options. They can even handle the entire booking process for you.
Good to know: Booking separate campervans, cars, tours, or activities is also completely possible if you already know what you want!
How to lock in your discount:
Many travelers assume that using a travel agency costs more — but that’s not true here. Thanks to their strong partnerships, Dutchies Travel receives exclusive discounts from local providers. That means you often pay the same price (or even less!) than booking directly.
To activate your exclusive discounts and support our channel, simply follow these steps on their request form:
Under “How did you hear about us?” select Influencer from the dropdown menu.
Mention our code WOUTOFTHEWORLD in your message to secure extra discounts on your bookings or when buying gear in their online shop.
🧭 Whether you want to build it yourself or have them handle the heavy lifting — all you need to do is enjoy the adventure!
Our Complete Video Travel Guide 👇🏻
The BIG LAP of Australia
We did it – completed the entire Big Lap of Australia! Our BIG LAP journey took us along the North, East, South, and West coasts of this incredible continent, covering over 25,000 kilometers of diverse landscapes and unforgettable experiences.
From tropical rainforests in Queensland to the most beautiful natural wonders, from the endless Outback to the white beaches of Western Australia – we’ve documented it all.
Watch the complete Australia Big Lap Video Playlist!
What you’ll find in our complete Australia guide:
- Detailed route information for every state and territory
- Comprehensive budget breakdowns and money-saving tips
- Camping recommendations and wild camping spots
- Must-see attractions and hidden gems off the beaten path
- Practical planning advice for families and solo travelers
- Seasonal recommendations and weather considerations
- Vehicle preparation and maintenance tips
- Border crossing information and permit requirements
Use our complete Australia travel guide as your personal route planner and discover why the BIG LAP is the ultimate Australian experience that will change your perspective on travel forever!
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Welcome to Wout’s World!
We’re Wout & Suus, traveling full time around the world with our little globetrotters Jens & Céline.
So far, we’ve explored and filmed 153 countries, capturing it all in complete video travel guides, inspiring travel articles and more, to help you plan your next adventure!
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