Melbourne

If you’re looking to escape the hustle and bustle without ever really leaving the city, we reckon you should head on over Brunswick way for some bohemian feels and cafe hang outs. Some of our favourite spots are catching a night out at The Brunswick Green, which hosts regular live music or check out Bar Oussou for some international music (we promise you won’t stop moving). Long colourful streets packed with excellent eats, amazing treats, and tip top beats. What more do you want?

With world class surf breaks, lush rainforests, beach side paradises, and koala-filled tree canopies, it’s easy to see what makes this trip great. Stretching 243KM from the small surf town of Torquay, to the famous 12 Apostles, passing landmarks such as Cape Otway Lighthouse, Apollo Bay, and Loch Ard Gorge, we can’t think of many other greater adventures than this.

One of the most popular day trips from Melbourne, Phillip Island lies just off Australia’s southern coast. Get out to Summerland Beach and gather around at sunset to watch the famous Penguin Parade, when little penguins come ashore in groups. It’s also home to a large colony of Australian fur seals, so be sure to get out to Seal Rocks to check these spectacular creatures out. This is Victoria’s holiday sweet spot. If you are up for some unique wildlife, captivating coastlines, idyllic beaches, a variety of outdoor activities, and world class events, look no further than Phillip Island.

In beachside St. Kilda (or Ireland by the beach as some call), backpackers, families, and joggers converge on the Esplanade, where yachts and windsurfers can be seen on the bay. Boom-time mansions, historic sea baths and Luna Park’s eye-catching rides are reminders of the strip’s past as a glitzy resort. Fine-dining restaurants and old European cake shops can be found along Acland and Carlisle streets with punters filling the area’s streets, bars, and music venues by night.

Today, St. Maintains its vibrant sense of culture and pride, and is increasingly known for its cosmopolitan inner city lifestyle. Though the grit and grunge continues to gentrify at a rapid pace, the locals don’t mind it, because it’s exactly this contrast of character that defines St. Kilda, making it different from anywhere else in Melbourne.

Reminiscing a cross between Venice Beach and San Francisco and a stone’s throw from the CBD, the 3182 postcode is inexhaustible in its list of all that it has to offer. Home to many famous tourist attractions, including Luna Park, a trip to this quirky Victorian city is not complete without a stop to St. Kilda and its strip of palm tree lined beaches, heritage buildings, and eclectic dining scene.

Chapel Street is known to be one of the best fashion strips (if not the best) in Australia. It provides designer chains, but also unique boutique experiences, as well as, the Chapel St. Bazaar, which is a classic place to visit featuring haberdashery, homewares, fashion, and plenty of Eurotrash culture, with many hidden gems to be found.

Chapel Street is also home to some of the best nightlife that Australia has to offer. It really picks up where Sydney slacks a bit as far as clubs go. Weekends see the streets full of internationals from around the world looking for the most popular spot of the night, where touring artists from overseas can be seen playing every weekend. Expect to find anything from house, techno, hip hop, disco, and the good old cheesy classics.