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A Girl’s Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

  • April 12, 2018
  • By 50 Shades
  • 27 Comments
A Girl’s Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

I would be one of the first to put my hand up when it comes to a girl’s weekend away. There is something about getting away with your BFFs and indulging in all things that girls enjoy. I’m talking about things like seeing live shows, walking in Botanical Gardens, eating out for every meal, browsing shops or markets and enjoying a few drinks together. I recently got to do all of my favourite things with my favourite girl – my daughter, in the city of Melbourne. So here is a girl’s guide to a weekend in Melbourne.

Melbourne

The welcome to Melbourne brochure is spot on! Visitors to Melbourne are spoiled for choice with sporting events, arts and culture, great shopping, incredible cuisine, quirky arcades and laneways, and pretty public parks and gardens.

A Girl's Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

Fitzroy Gardens in Melbourne

This state capital city located in southern Victoria on Port Phillip Bay is a vibrant, throbbing, and sports mad metropolis. With Melbourne’s exciting mix of style, sport, culture and dining it gets under your skin and you’ll never want to leave – believe me!

How to Get Around in Melbourne City

The tram network in Melbourne City is amazing. There is a free tram zone that includes the city centre and extends from Queen Victoria Market to Docklands, Spring Street, Flinders Street Station and Federation Square. But there is also the free City Circle Tram that is great to get your bearings and hop on and off at your leisure for sightseeing the city.

A Girl's Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

Melbourne City Circle Tram

Otherwise you get yourself a myki card available everywhere, so that you can use Melbourne’s public transport network, including trams, buses and trains. $10 will easily get you around Melbourne for a day.

A Girl's Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

Melbourne Arts Tram

A great place to start your Melbourne City adventure is at the Melbourne Visitor Centre at Federation Square, located opposite Flinders Street Station. Here you can obtain maps, brochures, souvenirs and even book tours.

Where we stayed in Melbourne

We were fortunate to get a great deal via Travelzoo for a couple of nights at the Pullman Melbourne on The Park Hotel. This 4 star hotel is located adjacent to the Fitzroy Gardens, on the fringe of Melbourne CBD, close to the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

A Girl's Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

Views over Fitzroy Gardens from our room at the Pullman on Melbourne Park

Luxury Escapes are currently running a great offer for a “French Escape with Sofitel Melbourne”, located right in the heart of the city in Collins Street. Check it out!

Where we ate and drank in Melbourne City

Melbourne is renowned as the “Coffee Capital of Australia” and offers a vast array of laneway sidewalk cafes brewing up the best coffee. There is no doubt that Melbourne is a serious culinary hotspot, with everything from burger joints to swish eateries with big-name chefs, and there’s also a thriving bar scene.​

A Girl's Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

Melbourne’s Laneway Restaurant & Cafe scene

This is where we ate and drank during our two day visit:

  • Chin Chin Australian/Asian fusion restaurant in Flinders Lane for lunch – Caramelised Sticky Pork with sour herb salad and chilli vinegar was to die for!
  • Good Heavens rooftop bar for cocktails in Bourke Street – great views over the tree-lined street and an upbeat atmosphere.

    A Girl's Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

    Enjoying an afternoon aperitif at Good Heavens rooftop bar

  • Gyoza Gyoza Japanese Izakaya style tapas bar in Little Bourke Street for dinner – all tapas meals are $6.80 so ideal if you’re on a budget and the grilled miso eggplant was amazing.
  • Time Out Cafe in Federation Square off Flinders Street for breakfast – one of the best views in Melbourne overlooking the square and the iconic Flinders Street Train station.
  • Amigos Mexican inspired restaurant in Hardware Lane for lunch – a funky little Melbourne laneway restaurant with a good selection of fresh tacos.
  • Supernormal Restaurant Asian influence in Flinders Lane for dinner – a first class dining experience with a mouth watering menu. The Duck Bao was simply sumptuous!
A Girl's Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

The Conservatory in the Fitzroy Gardens

Things to see and do in Melbourne City

We arrived into Melbourne early Saturday morning and immediately ditched our bags at the hotel, and set off on foot to the city centre. There was no time to waste, as we had a long list of things we wanted to see and do and another list of where we wanted to eat and drink in Melbourne City.

Strolling along Collins Street, we came across the Regent Theatre and noticed that Priscilla: Queen of the Desert was playing. We enquired about tickets and before we knew it we had two tickets to the 2pm matinee that afternoon.

A Girl's Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

Ready to go to the show at the Regent Theatre

We also noticed that the Melbourne Comedy Festival was in full swing during the weekend and grabbed ourselves a ticket for Sunday to see Cal Wilson at the Victoria Hotel.

But there was much more to experience and here is what we packed into our two days:

  • Go to the Melbourne Visitor’s Centre at Federation Square and do your homework before venturing any further. You can also embark on a free 2 to 4 hour walking tour of Melbourne City departing daily at 9.30am.

    A Girl's Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

    Federation Square and St Paul’s Cathedral opposite.

  • See the famous Shepparton Moooving Art Cows at Federation Square, sit on the steps and watch buskers and the crowds coming and going from Flinders Street Station across the road. Federation Square is a modern piazza that has become the heart and soul of Melbourne.
  • Visit the National Gallery of Victoria in Flinders Street for a fantastic exhibition of artwork.

    A Girl's Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

    National Gallery of Victoria facade

  • Take a look inside the iconic St Paul’s Cathedral in Flinders Street. It is open every day to pilgrims and visitors for worship, prayer and visiting.
  • Walk into Flinders Street Station, Australia’s oldest train station, with its distinctive yellow facade and green copper dome it’s a city icon.

    A Girl's Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

    Flinders Street Station facade in Melbourne

  • Cross Princes Bridge on the Yarra River over to the Southbank precinct – an entire new entertainment area with loads of riverside dining options known as Southgate. Watch the row boats on the Yarra or take a Yarra boat cruise down the river.

    A Girl's Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

    The Yarra River and Southgate Precinct

  • Stroll down Flinders Lane, arguably Melbourne’s tastiest street, and work up an appetite amongst the large array of restaurants and cafes. Check out Hosier Lane, AC/DC Lane, Duckboard Place and Centre Place for some of Melbourne’s finest street art murals. If you want more art stop by at Flinders Lane Art Gallery.

    A Girl's Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

    Hosier Lane street artist at work

  • Enter the Chinatown Precinct in Little Bourke Street that dates back to the Gold Rush days in the 1850s.
  • Make your way down Collins Street past the Melbourne Town Hall, where there are free one hour tours.

    A Girl's Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

    Melbourne Town Hall

  • Shop until you drop in Bourke Street Mall and wander over to Queen Victoria Market for fantastic market shopping.
  • Relax on the lawns outside the State Library of Victoria in Swanston Street and people watch.

    A Girl's Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

    State Library of Victoria is a great place to relax

  • Wander down Spring Street past Parliament House, Old Treasury Building and the Treasury Gardens.

    A Girl's Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

    Parliament House in Melbourne

  • Immerse yourself into the glorious Fitzroy Gardens and see the Model Tudor Village, Conservatory, Cook’s Cottage and ornamental fountain.

    A Girl's Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

    Captain Cook’s Cottage in the Fitzroy Gardens

  • Get your AFL footy jersey on and attend a game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) or otherwise just do what we did and stroll around the outside of the massive sport arena.

    A Girl's Guide to a Weekend in Melbourne

    The mighty MCG and statue of Kevin Bartlett AFL Legend

  • See where the Melbourne Open is hosted at Olympic Park and Rod Laver Arena.

We only skimmed the surface of what this great city has to offer over a period of two short days. There aren’t enough superlatives to describe our weekend in Melbourne, however brilliant, breath taking, buzzing and beautiful do come to mind. Bring on the next girl’s weekend away!

Do you like getting away with your girlfriends for weekends of girlie stuff?

This post is part of the Lovin’ Life Linky with a Lovin’ Life Team of the “ageing positively” kind who are as keen as I am to promote the Lovin’ Life mindset.

The Lovin’ Life Team includes:

Lyndall from Seize the Day Project
Deb from DebbishDotCom
Min from Write of the Middle.
Leanne from Deep Fried Fruit
and of course me, Kathy from 50 Shades of Age


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By 50 Shades, April 12, 2018 Kathy was a 50 something year old when she started up this blog 6 years ago, but has since turned over another decade and is now in her early 60s. She is married with two adult children and lives on the Tweed Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Kathy enjoys living life to the fullest and loves to keep fit and active by maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Some of her interests include reading, photography, travelling, cooking and blogging! Kathy works part-time as a freelance writer but her real passion is travelling and photographing brilliant destinations both within Australia and overseas and writing about it.
  • 27

50 Shades

Kathy was a 50 something year old when she started up this blog 6 years ago, but has since turned over another decade and is now in her early 60s. She is married with two adult children and lives on the Tweed Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Kathy enjoys living life to the fullest and loves to keep fit and active by maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Some of her interests include reading, photography, travelling, cooking and blogging! Kathy works part-time as a freelance writer but her real passion is travelling and photographing brilliant destinations both within Australia and overseas and writing about it.

27 Comments
  • Ingrid @ Fabulous and Fun Life
    April 12, 2018

    I visited Melbourne for a girls’ weekend away a year ago but now I’m yearning to go back! So much to see and do! And don’t get me started on the clothes shopping there!

    Ingrid
    http://www.fabulousandfunlife.blogspot.com.au

    • Kathy
      April 12, 2018

      There is so much to do and see as I have shown. We didn’t even venture out of the CBD either! Next time we’ll have to explore further afield. #TeamLovinLife

  • Jo Tracey
    April 12, 2018

    My fave city. I have another weekend planned in June/July with my daughter – our annual long weekend down there. Good choices re Chin Chin & Supernormal – 2 of my faves too!

    • Kathy
      April 12, 2018

      I’ve always favoured Sydney over Melbourne for a weekend escape, but I think this visit has quickly changed my mind. Both Chin Chin and Supernormal came as recommendations and I’m so glad we dined at both. They were incredible.

  • Min@WriteoftheMiddle
    April 12, 2018

    Gosh you crammed a lot into your 2 days. This is a fabulous list of things to do, places to go, where to eat and I will most definitely refer back to it before I go to Melbourne next. I hope it is soon I get back to Melbourne. I haven’t been there since 2012 and I absolutely love it there! Last time I went I stayed at the Citadines on Bourke – absolutely fabulous! Modern, fresh, new and centrally located at the top end of Bourke St – close to everything and just a hop, step and a jump to the nearest tram stop. #TeamLovinLife

    • Kathy
      April 12, 2018

      We did cram a lot in. Sunday morning I was solo as my daughter spent the morning catching up with friends. This gave me the opportunity to take my camera around the sights of the city. It was a great weekend!

  • Sue from Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond
    April 12, 2018

    Melbourne is great Kathy and I always enjoy your travel posts – you really have become such a wonderful travel writer! We have only been to Melbourne for long weekend get-aways. Once for my husband’s 50th and we took in a drive with an overnight stay along the Great Ocean Road. The next was for his 60th and I had a limo collect us from the airport, a night at the Crown Casino then off to Mornington Peninsula and Phillip Island. He is 70 next month so maybe another trip is on the cards and this time staying put in the City! Great photos.

    • Kathy
      April 12, 2018

      Oh thank you Sue. We have done the Australian Open previously and then a a few days driving the Great Ocean Road. I would highly recommend doing Melbourne and incorporating a few other places of interest, such as Great Ocean Road, Bellarine Peninsula, Mornington Peninsula or the Goldfield cities of Ballarat or Bendigo (my hometown). Sounds like you have already done this! #TeamLovinLife

  • Leanne | www.crestingthehill.com.au
    April 12, 2018

    Melbourne is a lovely city but I must confess that in my heart of hearts, Sydney is my favourite. When you’re in WA it’s an expensive trip to pop over for a weekend, so once has been enough for me. It might be different as a girl’s outing, but I went with my husband and it was nice but not as great as I’d been led to believe – probably because I’m not a foodie or a shopper and it’s a mecca for both of those.

    • Kathy
      April 12, 2018

      Prior to this trip I would have favoured Sydney too, but now I’m leaning towards Melbourne. It is a long way for you to fly from the West. You would need to incorporate some other places in Victoria into your trip, such as Great Ocean Road, Bellarine Peninsula, Mornington Peninsula or regional Victoria, to make it worth your while. #TeamLovinLife

  • Life Images by Jill
    April 12, 2018

    My weekend was a “bit” different to yours! Happy travels Kathy. Your blog is always a wonderful place to come to for travel hints.

    • Kathy
      April 12, 2018

      I’m intrigued! I will have to check out your blog to find out about your weekend. For a girl that prefers countryside as opposed to cityscapes, I certainly enjoyed my two days in Melbourne. #TeamLovinLife

  • Sydney Shop Girl
    April 12, 2018

    Kathy, it’s a sign. Reading your brilliant guide to Melbourne has convinced me that it’s been far too long since I was last there.

    SSG xxx

    • Kathy
      April 12, 2018

      Ha ha. I’m happy that I have convinced one reader to visit Melbourne. It was amazing. #TeamLovinLife

  • Deborah
    April 12, 2018

    I don’t know Melbourne well but know Jo Tracey loves going there and am always following her posts about her passion for Melbourne food and street art.

    I probably should make more of an effort to see places here in Australia!

    • Kathy
      April 12, 2018

      Oh yes Jo is in love with Melbourne and she is a full-on foodie. I think you would enjoy visiting Melbourne. It is a city that has everything.

  • Lydia C. Lee
    April 13, 2018

    I love Melbounre – it’s impossible not to eat and drink well there.

    • Kathy
      April 13, 2018

      Yes the foodie scene is amazing. There are cafes, restaurants and bars absolutely everywhere. So hard to choose! #TeamLovinLife

  • Janet
    April 13, 2018

    I’ve only been on a couple of flying visits to Melbourne – have been to Cook’s Cottage and the Old Melbourne Gaol, and the City Circle tram but that’s about it. Have yet to experience the shows, the shopping or the cafe culture … definitely on my bucket list!

    • Kathy
      April 13, 2018

      We didn’t get to the Old Melbourne Gaol sadly. We had to practically drag ourselves out of Myer’s 40% off clothing sale! It’s a definite must see. #TeamLovinLife

  • Sue
    April 13, 2018

    Looks like you had a fabulous time Kathy! I love Melbourne, and we usually visit at least once a year. I spent a few lovely days sightseeing with my stepdaughter a few years ago while her dad went to the MotoGP. We had lots of fun too!

    • Kathy
      April 13, 2018

      We did have a fabulous weekend in Melbourne. I want to go back to see more as two days wasn’t enough! #TeamLovinLife

  • Jo
    April 13, 2018

    What a fabulous two days.I loved your re-cap and suggestions about where to go and what to so. Photos are great too – iPhone or camera?

    • Kathy
      April 13, 2018

      Thanks Jo. I used my new iPhone 8 and I was really pleased with my photos. We did have spectacular weather however. #TeamLovinLife

  • Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit
    April 17, 2018

    Great photos! Melbourne is fun, #teamlovinlife

    • Kathy
      April 17, 2018

      It was thoroughly enjoyable weekend and Pricilla Queen of the Desert was outrageously funny.

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