Melbourne is one of those cities you have to visit to really understand how magical it is. There is something truly special about the melting pot of cultures all coming together, along with the amazing street art, hidden alleyways, and the air bursting with creativity!
We at Family Days Out have always loved Melbourne, so we're excited to share with you our Melbourne City Guide featuring our "Top 9 Family Attractions", which are really just the tip of the iceberg in what you can find to do with kids and the family in this vibrant, colourful and creative Australian city!
So make sure check out our entire Melbourne City Guide that we've carefully put together especially for you, so you know just how to plan your exciting family day out in Victoria's capital!
Main Image Credit: Visit Victoria
Image Credit: Visit Victoria
In our Melbourne City Guide, we list our top 9 things to do with kids in this incredibly exciting city, plus we share some VERY fun experiences that will bring out the child in all!
We know budgets are a consideration when you are traveling as a family, so also in this Melbourne City Guide we share some really fun FREE things to do with kids that won't break those bank accounts!
Getting around Melbourne without a car is SO simple, so keep reading as we offer some tips on getting around Melbourne on public transport without any issues (in fact, public transport and those famous trams are super fun!) We also have some really fun facts about Melbourne that might just surprise you!
If you want to explore a bit further out for the day, our Melbourne City Guide also features an easy day trip from the city, plus we let you know some famous faces who call Melbourne home!
So whether this is your first trip saying "Yes, take me to Melbourne, I'm excited!" or maybe you have lived in the city your entire life but you never took the time to explore and wonder "What is there is to do near me in Melbourne?", then keep reading because we have the top 9 things to do in Melbourne with kids...and so much more!
Image Credit: Visit Victoria
Prior to Melbourne's growth from a fledgling settlement to Australia's second biggest city, the area was home to the Kulin people and their ancestors for as long as 40,000 years.
Then, in 1797 a man named George Bass arrived in a whaleboat with a small crew, into what is now the Bass Strait. This marked the arrival of the first European settler into Melbourne. Slowly, the next few decades for explorers and surveyors came and went, slowly building up the region for agriculture and habitation.
Finally, in the 1830s, a man named Captain William Lonsdale selected land that would become a new town - Melbourne - named after then British Prime Minister William Lamb - 2nd Vicount Melbourne.
In 1842, Melbourne was incorporated as a "town", and in 1847 Queen Victoria declared it the "City of Melbourne".
What began as a collection of huts and tents on the banks of the Yarra River, with the gold rushes really booming population and industry. During the 1850s, the city's population doubled within a year. In fact, during the late 1880s it was thought to be one of the richest cities in the entire world.
Following World War II, increased prosperity arrived and post-1970s, a wealth of nationalities and ethnicities arrived on Melbourne's shores with their identities, cultures and traditions celebrated, resulting in the city we know today that is just an incredible melting pot of experiences.
For years, Melbourne was voted the world's most liveable city, and when you visit you will see why! It's a truly special city and we can't wait for you to start creating memories!
Image Credit: Visit Victoria
Melbourne has SO many fun and exciting attractions and experiences for the whole family, we can't tell you fast enough!
Hands up who loves wildlife? If that's a big YES, then you will LOVE to hear about attractions such as Melbourne Zoo and SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium, andalso Werribee Open Range Zoo, where some of the world's most wonderful animals are waiting to say hi!
Love yourselves some classic amusement park fun? Head on over to the iconic Luna Park! Love creativity? ArtVo has you covered, with some really spectacluar photos and memories to come out of it!
Want something really unique out of your Melbourne experience? Check out places such as Flight Experience Melbourne where YOU can be the pilot of your own Boeing, and see what it feels like to take the controls in the realistic flight simulator!
Don't forget some beautiful nature based experiences such as the Royal Botanic Gardens (also one of our suggestions for a fun FREE thing to do!)
With so many fun things to do in Melbourne with the family, you'll soon have that itinerary filling up! The biggest question now is, what will you enjoy first?
Image Credit: Visit Victoria
Getting around Melbourne without a car is SO easy, and is also really fun! Most visitors who visit the city base themselves in the city centre, which also happens to be home to museums, theatres, restaurants, and shops!
What's great about the city's grid layout is that is makes it really easy to navigate, with many attractions close by. Your public transport options include train, tram, bus or bike!
There is also a Night Network that operates on weekends with after hours transport to many locations.
The first thing you need to know about Melbourne public transporation is the myki card, which is your ticket to travel on the city's trains, trams and buses. It's a great and convenient plastic smartcard with stored value (which can be topped up and re-used again!)
Then, you have the trains! The metro trains can take you from Flinder Street Station in the heart of the city, right to the outer suburbs. The city loop covers five stations in the central business district: Southern Cross Station, Flagstaff, Melbourne Central, Parliament and Flinders Street. If you head to Southern Cross Station you can find the regional and interstate trains.
You might see those iconic trams passing you by, and THEY are also a great way to see the sights and get from A to B. You can board trams at any signposted stops which also display maps, route numbers and a timetable. Keep an eye out on the front of the tram as the route numbers are displayed there.
We also love that travel within the central area of Melbourne by tram is FREE! (However you will need a myki card if you plan to start or finish your journey outside this central area)
Then of course you have the buses, which run frequently to major hubs, including shopping centres, leisure and sports venues, plus some of Melbourne's biggest attractions!
For more information and links to the specific transport sites, check out VisitVictoria!
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (known to locals as the "MCG" or just the "G") is the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere and is an incredibly important and iconic venue for Melbourne.
You're in Australia, so cricket matters! A visit to the MCG is a highlight, and if you don't have time for a full match, you can still enjoy a tour of the venue! These tours depart every 15 minutes between 10am and 3pm, and allow you to explore the inner sanctum of the MCG. You can even walk on the hallowed arena and follow in the very footsteps legends!
The guided tour runs 75-minutes, and it's where you can immerse yourself in the history (and check out the world-class facilities first hand!) of the MCG, as you venture behind-the-scenes and gain an insight into Melbourne's iconic sporting culture, whilst exploring one of the world's most iconic stadiums!
Image Credit: Melbourne Cricket Ground
An underwater adventure is waiting to happen (AND it also happens to feature Melbourne's ONLY underwater dining experience!) At SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium you can meet some of the unique, weird and wonderful creatures of the world (AND of our waters!)
Kids can meet playful penguins, come face to face with massive sharks, and even see crocodiles up close! There are also plenty of educational experiences waiting for the family too, like talks and feedings not to be missed, plus interactive fun for those curious minds! Make a SPLASH....without getting wet at SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium!
Image Credit: SEA LIFE
Time to have a WILD day out in Melbourne at Werribee Open Range Zoo, around 32km south-west of Melbourne. This African themed zoo is where you can feel like you're traversing the Savanna as you climb on board a guided safari, as you try and spot a host of incredible wildlife including rhinos, giraffes and zebras - cage free!
Then, head on out on the walking trails and come face-to-face with a pride of lions, or visit one of the world's largest gorilla exhibits. Kids always love seeing the cheeky monkeys at play, or it might be the family of hippos in their wetland home that you can't get enough of!
Werribee Open Range Zoo also offer personal encounters that you can book in addition to your ticket, from feeding a giraffe to stroking a serval! Let's hear your best ROAR, kids!
Image Credit: Werribee Open Range Zoo
Science IS fun and this is never more apparent than with a visit to Scienceworks! Here, kids and adults alike can enjoy hands-on fun through the various interactive exhibits, plus enjoy a host of other experiences such as tours, and Planetarium shows!
Play-based learning is what Scienceworks is all about, from the Universe, to the human body, nature and beyond. Those curious minds in the family will love spending the day at this incredible family-friendly destination, with plenty of sensory activities too for those who need it.
Image Credit: Scienceworks
Melbourne Zoo is not only a place where kids can continue their wildlife-filled days out surrounded by the most amazing creatures on the planet, but here they will be at a zoo that is fighting extinction - so you know that it will also be an incredibly invaluable learning and educational experience for children.
In addition to the animal's habitats, you can also enjoy hands-on encounters, behind-the-scenes insights into the zoo, talks and feedings with the knowledgable keepers so you can ask all the questions you like! Time to walk on that WILD side kids, because we're off to Melbourne Zoo!
Image Credit: Melbourne Zoo
Did you know that for decades some of the worlds brightest minds (including Einstein and Picasso) promoted the idea of play and creativity in early learning, and how important that was? Only recently have their philosophies been adopted into modern teaching and luckily for you the team at the Museum of Play and Art are passionate about making a difference in the world and offering that very experience for kids!
Here, kids can spend the day enjoying hands-on and interactive fun throughout the various colorful and exciting exhibits and experiences, and just let those imaginations run wild!
Image Credit: MoPA
Get those imaginations ready because we're about to DREAM! DreamCity is a brand NEW high-tech play city where kids are encouraged to play, dream, be inspired and learn through fun career activities.
Perfect for kids ages 5 to 12 years, DreamCity is an incredible world where science, technology, the arts, maths and engineering all collide in an explosion of fun! It's a place where kids take on the careers of the future, as well as exploring the power of science in everyday lives. They might be operating flight simulators one minute, and performing surgery the next, before heading on over to produce podcasts from the DreamCity studios, all the while be inspired by the possibilities.
Image Credit: DreamCity
Are you excited to experience Australia’s first immersive, ‘trick-art’ gallery!? Here, your family day out will be all about priceless photos and unbelievable scenarios! (They will also make amazing social media posts too - your friends might just not believe their eyes!)
The first of its kind, ArtVo is a self-guided gallery perfect for all ages, where you will be stepping into a world of optical illusions, with the larger than life murals allowing all who visit to come face to face with wild animals, scale rocky crevasses and even surf the ultimate pipelines! ArtVo has over 1400 square metres to explore, taking you through a variety of different zones, each with its own spectacular illusions!
Image Credit: ArtVo
You might have experienced flying on a plane before, but have you ever experienced flying the plane!? Flight Experience Melbourne offers an incredible simulator experience where you can sit in your very own cockpit and try your hand at "flying" a Boeing 737. Yes, that's right - YOU'RE at the controls!
If you've ever dreamed of piloting your very own jetliner, or even just being a pilot for a day, these simulators offer an incredibly fun and realstic experience for all ages and experiences! The instructors (who are also certified pilots) will be with you every step (or flight!) of the way! Kids, buckle up, we're ready for take off!
Image Credit: Flight Experience Melbourne
One of the most iconic sites in St. Kilda is of course Luna Park, filled with those classic amusement style rides that are perfect for the little kids through to the grandparents and everyone in between!
At Luna Park, the whole family can discover a fantastic world of rides, attractions, and games - there really is something for everyone! You can find old favourites like the The Great Scenic Railway, Ghost Train, & Carousel, right through to the big thrill rides such as the Power Surge, Sky Rider, Twin Dragon and more!
So much family fun awaits - can you handle it?!
Image Credit: Luna Park
Famous Melbournites!
Chris Hemsworth
Chris Hemsworth is an Australian actor who is most known for his role as Thor in the Marvel Universe.
Early in his career he starred in the iconic Australian soaps Neighbours and Home & Away. His brother is Liam Hemsworth.
Image Credit: Gage Skidmore
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue is an Australian singer whose career famously started out with her role of Charlene on the TV soap Neighbours.
Her hits include Can't Get You Out Of My Head, Locomotion and In Your Eyes.
Image Credit: Raph_PH
5 Fun Melbourne Facts
Impress your friends with your amazing Melbourne knowledge!
- Melbourne was originally named Batmania after a man named John Batman (claiming to be the founder) named it after himself. In 1837, the city was named after the then-British Prime Minister Richard Lamb, aka Lord Melbourne.
- Melbourne really does have 4 seasons in one day! Always carry an umbrella, sunglasses, and plenty of layers!
- Chinatown in Melbourne is the oldest Chinatowns in the Southern Hemisphere, and the longest continuous Chinese settlement in the Western World!
- Melbourne was home of the very first feature film ever made! The 60-minute (considered feature film length) film "The Story of the Kelly Gang" was shown for the first time in 1906!
- Melbourne was the first city in Australia to enjoy electric traffic lights! They were first installed in 1928 (Sydney was a close second in 1933)
Top 5 FREE Things To Do With Kids In Melbourne
Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
Enjoy some time in nature during your family day out in Melbourne, with a visit ot the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria! These gardens have been a treasured part of the city's cultural life for over 170 years! They were much loved by generations of Victorians, and now it's your turn to be part of that history! Not only is it is a picturesque haven for recreation and fun, but it's also an important resource for education, as well as conservation, science and horticulture.
The Melbourne Gardens spread across 38 hectares and feature a collection of over 8,500 species of plants from around the world! Kids can see amazing and diverse plant collections such as camellias, rainforest flora, cacti and succulents, as well as plants from as far Southern China and, in the Rare and Threatened Species Collection, plants from south-eastern Australia! Nature is calling!
Image Credit: RBGV
Melbourne Night Noodle Markets
The iconic Melbourne Night Noodle Markets are a highlight for many locals and visitors, and one to definitely put in your diary! They only occur for around 18 nights a year, so keep track of the schedule - they are worth it! Each year, Birrarung Marr (on the north bank of the Yarra River) is transformed into a vibrant, open-air street food festival.
It's not just food though! The markets also offer live entertainment (including lion dancing and pop-ups) along with hawker-style stalls serving up their most drool-worthy dishes for you to try! Make sure you visit on an empty stomach!
Tour Melbourne Town Hall
Melbourne's historic Town Hall is one of the most iconic buiuldings in the city, and you can enjoy a free guided tour it, learning all about its history!
During your tour, you can learn all about the Town Hall's unique history as you visit the Grand Council Chambers, and you can even stand in rooms actually once visited by royalty! Did you know that in 1964, a band (maybe you've heard of them) called The Beatles stood on the Portico Balcony, waving to thousands of screaming fans below? A fascinating insight into one of the city's most notable landmarks!
Image Credit: City of Melbourne
National Gallery of Victoria
Did you know that the National Gallery of Victoria (also known as the NGV) is the oldest (it was founded in 1861) AND most visited gallery in the entire country!? The gallery is spread across two amazing buildings – NGV International and The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, and feature work from a wide range of international and local artists, through exhibitions, programs and events. The exhibits cover a host of topics from contemporary art to major international historic exhibitions, fashion and design, architecture, sound and dance
Today the NGV is home to the most significant collection of art in the region with over 76,000 works that span thousands of years! An amazing Melbourne experience!
Image Credit: NGV
Australian Centre for Moving Image
Lights, Camera, Action! The Australian Centre for Moving Image (or ACMI) is where you can be taken on a journey through the past, present and future of the moving image. Kids can see everything from ancient shadow puppets, to Victorian-era original cameras and even the latest in multimedia art!
You can learn all about key moments in the history of the moving image, including the origin of movies and their production design, along with Australian cinematic culture AND the rise of video games! Kids always love the interactive visitor experiences too which allow you to experiment with assembling your own film scenes and even creating your own sound effects in a custom Foley studio! Are you ready for your close up?
Image Credit: ACMI
Best Places to Visit in Melbourne Australia in 2022!
About two hours south of Melbourne by car you'll find the stunning Phillip Island, where you'll find some of the most beautiful nature and wildlife in the country! It's also the home of the very famous Penguin Parade!
What's also great about any visit to Phillip Island, is that your revenue from tourists visiting their ecotourism attractions fund the vital research, conservation and education work that they do. Their staff have to care for over 1,805 hectares of beaches, bushland and wetland reserves on Phillip Island, so another great reason to visit!
Image Credit: Destination Phillip Island
Before modern exploration in Australia, Phillip Island was home to the Yallok Bulluk people of the Bunurong/Boonwurrung clan for many thousands of years.
It was during the early 1800s that this island paradise attracted European settlement leading to a thriving fur seal trade, (a man named George Bass was the first European to visit the Western Point in 1798) thanks to its abundence of wildlife and picturesque bays.
Sealers soon followed, due to the high numbers of seals found on the Bass Strait islands and Seal Rocks near the Nobbies.
Conditions became harsh for settlers during the late 1860s and many crops failed, and with a water shortage many settlers left. However, the discovery that Chicory loved the Island’s climate led to over a century of Chicory production!
Tourism slowly became a popular industry on the island from the late 1800s, with ferry access created and guest homes built.
Today, with easy access on and off the island, the famous penguins and some beautiful walks to be enjoyed, Phillip Island is a wonderful breath of fresh air from the rush of city life, making it an incredibly popular day trip from Melbourne!
Here’s our top 4 Phillip Island things to see and do:
We hope you found this content useful! Please share with your friends, and if you have any comments, or want to let us know what we can do to further help you find fun days out with the family, then just email our team at [email protected]!
Let's get the family adventure started!
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Lisa
Lisa has been a content writer for Family Days Out for nearly 10 years, and a keen travel writer for nearly 20. She loves experiencing the best of a city, discovering the many things to do and immersing herself in the culture, and sharing these experiences with others through her writing.
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