When I first started planning this trip—both Leah’s and my first time in Australia—we wanted to do everything. But with a country the size of the U.S., three weeks isn’t nearly enough to see it all.
I consulted my friend Kaushik, who lives in Melbourne, to help us cull our itinerary. He suggested skipping travel to Melbourne entirely for the Australian outback. (“The outback” refers to nearly everything beyond the coastal and major cities.) “Melbourne is just for the culture,” he insisted.
Our trip was beginning in Sydney and ending in Western Australia, so Melbourne was along our route. Despite Kaushik’s advice, we went. For the culture.
We had four days and five nights in Melbourne. Kaushik recommended staying outside the CBD (Central Business District) in the “vibier” neighborhood of Collingwood. Though it meant more moving around, I convinced my travel buddy to split our stay between two hotels. We’d spend the weekend in Collingwood, then shift to the city center for Monday and Tuesday nights.
We landed from Sydney around 5:00 PM on Friday, right into a torrential rainstorm. The rideshare queue stretched over an hour. (Note to self: Never book a flight that lands during Friday rush hour.) Once we made it to Collingwood, we knew we had made the right choice. Waking up with Melbourne’s coolest neighborhoods just steps away was the best amenity.
- Melbourne Itinerary At-A-Glance
- Where To Stay in Melbourne: Collingwood or the CBD?
- Where To Eat
- Where To Drink
- Where To Shop
- Things To Do
- Review: Full-Day Phillip Island Tour
- Add These To Your Melbourne To-Do List
Melbourne Itinerary At-A-Glance
- Day 0.5 (Friday Night): Check into Collingwood hotel, dinner in Collingwood
- Day 1 (Saturday): Day – Grabbed breakfast from Tarts Anon, Lune Croissanterie, Shopping: Rose Street Art Market, Fitzroy Market, Fitzroy; Night – Drinks, Dinner, and Dancing in Brunswick/ Brunswick East (Old Palm Liquor, Bar Spontana, The Lame Duck)
- Day 2 (Sunday): Day – Carlton (Coffee and Treats at Tokyo Lamington, Shopping at Suk Workwear; Night – Drinks at Builders Arms Hotel, Dinner at Toddy Shop
- Day 3 (Monday): Day – Coffee at Terror Twilight, Yarra Bend Park, Abbotsford Convent. Transfer hotels (to the CBD). Lunch at Soi 38, Shopping in Melbourne CBD, Federation Square. Night – Dinner at Supernormal
- Day 4 (Tuesday): Full Day Tour to Brighton Boxes, Moonlit Sanctuary and Phillip Island Penguin Parade
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Where To Stay in Melbourne: Collingwood or the CBD?
Veriu Collingwood (Collingwood). Location, location, location. Proximity to Collingwood, Fitzroy and Brunswick is why you stay here. We booked the Superior Veriu Suite, a step up from the standard Veriu Suite, with the addition of a balcony. While spacious, ours faced the neighboring building and was mostly shaded—especially on lower floors of the seven-story hotel. Not that it mattered much; September’s cool temperatures meant we barely used it.
At 28 square meters, the Superior Veriu Suite impressively fits a kitchenette (with a stovetop and oven) and a combination washer/dryer. The layout, however, wasn’t ideal for storing and accessing two pieces of medium-sized luggage. The suite felt better suited for a long stay solo traveler.
Guests have access to a rooftop pool and an indoor hot tub. The hot tub, which comfortably fits about four people, was a welcome perk. I had it all to myself on Sunday afternoon—perfect for a much-needed detox after a Saturday night bender.
Laneways by Ovolo (CBD). A Memphis-inspired boutique hotel in a prime location on the edge of Melbourne’s CBD. It’s a quick 10-minute walk to Flinders Lane, home to many of the city’s award-winning restaurants and bars. The hotel’s thoughtful perks set it apart: helpful staff, a complimentary daily Apero hour with wine, crisps, and an abundance of gummy candy; plus a free souvenir tote bag. (We asked for a second tote and the staff graciously obliged.) Guests have access to a lounge and complimentary washer/dryers—always a plus on a long trip.
We booked a Downtown Studio Suite and were upgraded to a Midtown One Bedroom, which had a separate bedroom and lounge area. We’d need the extra space to reorganize our bags before the final leg of our three-week, three-part Australian adventure. The bedroom was spacious, as was. the ADA shower (although not the most stylish). The front desk even offered a luggage scale upon request.
Where To Eat
Bakeries and Pastry Shops
American Doughnut Kitchen (Queen Victoria Market): I was initially skeptical about whether hot jam doughnuts were truly a must-try. (We’ve got doughnuts in America.) Turns out, the ones from Melbourne are German-inspired, and became a post-war thing. These little doughnuts sounded simple, but they were delicious.
The ADK truck near the Queen Victoria Market (QVM) was about a 20-minute walk from our hotel. We didn’t expect the line when we arrived, but managed to grab a bag of ten doughnuts with just enough time to rush back to meet our Phillip Island tour bus.
Lune Croissanterie (Fitzroy): We waited. In line. For croissants. On our way to the Rose Art Street Market, we stopped by this popular Fitzroy bakery, a cavernous spot dedicated to the art of croissants and other baked goods – something straight out of the movie The Menu. We grabbed a plain and an almond croissant to go, shedding pastry flakes all over the stools outside the market. The croissants were impressively laminated and crisp, but personally, I prefer them softer and more buttery.
Tarts Anon (Collingwood). After morning tea and coffee in the hotel room on Saturday, we ventured out to this bakery specializing in tarts to grab a 5-Slice Suitcase (because we meant business). The menu changes seasonally, offering both sweet and savory options.
We picked three sweet tarts—Plain Old Lemon, Ube and Coconut, and Chocolate and Hazelnut—and two savory ones—Cauliflower and Shiitake, and Pea and Feta. Though we were most excited about the sweet tarts, the savory ones were just as delightful.
Tokyo Lamington (Carlton): A fancy Lamington shop offering creative twists on the classic Australian treat—square-shaped butter cake coated in chocolate and rolled in coconut.
To ease into our Sunday (and out of our hangovers), Kaushik and I shared the Fairy Bread Popcorn, Black Sesame Cheesecake, and Yuzu Meringue Lamingtons. Fairy Bread was the least impressive, though by far the most photogenic. It was encrusted in colorful rainbow sprinkles and had a notably strong butter flavor. Much like hot jam doughnuts, I had no idea Fairy Bread was another Australian invention. The Black Sesame Cheesecake was subtle but tasty, and the Yuzu Lamington was bomb— I’m a fan of tart citrus.
I snagged a tiny bite of the short yet substantive katsu sausage roll. This is a cute spot for a coffee and a chat. (Note: There are also two locations in Sydney.)
Restaurants
Bar Spontana (Brunswick): A spontaneous wine bar—hence the name—paired with regional Thai dishes. By the time we arrived for our 8:00 PM reservation, the place was buzzing.
We had wine—lots of it. Alongside our glasses, we feasted on Pla Lui San (fried whole fish), turmeric and black soy octopus with coriander, Gra Prow eggplant in a sticky soy glaze with holy basil and garlic, and Hat Yai fried chicken with five-spice seasoning.
Commis (Collingwood): After enduring an hour-long wait for a ride from the airport in a torrential downpour, we were relieved to find dinner just across the street from our hotel. This cozy wine bar with gastropub-style food was the perfect welcome to Melbourne. We tried kangaroo tail croquettes—our first (and, dare I say, only) kangaroo culinary moment of the trip.
Soi 38 (CBD): We were among the last to dine at Soi 38’s original location in the Wilson Carpark before their 2025 move to Royal Lane. Expecting a shorter wait on a Monday afternoon, we lucked out—after checking into Laneways, we walked right in. The lunch menu is limited to noodle bowls and sides, but when you’re hungry, fewer choices can be a blessing.
Luckily, street-style noodles are Soi 38’s specialty. Leah had the Tom Yum noodles with pork and prawn wontons. I ordered vegetarian tofu laksa with added wontons. We devoured our bowls without hesitation. $10 AUD per bowl (before extras) is hard to beat.
Supernormal (CBD): Kaushik works nearby and did us a solid by putting our names down for a table in advance. Even with that head start, we still had a two-hour wait. We passed the time with a drink at MoVida Next Door before finally being seated. We started with Shark Bay scallops in kelp butter, followed by the raw snapper (loved it), the signature lobster roll, fluffy duck bao, and a rich pasta special with crabmeat and roe.
For dessert, we had a raspberry and black sesame soft serve ice cream twist. The Pocky vending machine and Street Fighter arcade game near the loos were a playful touch.
Toddy Shop (Collingwood). After raging until 4 a.m. the night before, we decided to keep our Sunday dinner low-key. After an aperitif at Builders Arms, we walked to this cozy, intimate spot serving South Indian cuisine. We each had one drink— I went for the spicy mango margarita, while Kaushik opted for a beer and a Toddy. We shared a variety of small, flavorful plates, including Goat Nadan and Prawn Moilee.
Where To Drink
Coffee and Tea
Terror Twilight (Collingwood): The coolest coffee shop in Collingwood just happened to be next door to Veriu. Here, Millennial pink and monstera are alive and well. While I don’t usually drink coffee (unless I’m in Italy), the More Life smoothie—packed with spinach, banana, mango, mint, passionfruit, coconut water, coconut flakes, cacao nibs, honey, and maca powder—was the ideal fuel for our walk to Yarra Bend Park.
Traveller Coffee (CBD). This tiny hole-in-the-wall coffee stall near Laneways was recommended by the front desk. Just before Leah, a dozen coworkers got in line, but thankfully the queue moved quickly, and she was able to grab a cuppa before we had to catch our tour to Phillip Island.
Bars
Builders Arms Hotel (Fitzroy). A classy corner pub on Gertrude Street and part of the Trader House Hospitality Group, which also owns popular spots Cumulus and Supernormal. With the sun still up, it was just warm enough for us to enjoy a sundowner outside before heading to dinner at Toddy Shop.
The Lame Duck (Fitzroy). Never have I seen so many young people dancing to 70s and 80s hits in a non-ironic way. Poor Leah, the proud Texan (Austin, Texas – she’ll have you know), kept getting cornered by curious Aussies wanting her take on the upcoming U.S. election. But that didn’t stop us from shutting the bar down.
Old Palm Liquor (Carlton / Brunswick). As the host led us through the central courtyard to meet Kaushik (whom I hadn’t seen in years), I was giddy with anticipation. Admittedly, the details of our big Saturday night are hazy. Though we had dinner reservations at Bar Spontana, we wanted a few things to peck at. Over catch-up cocktails, the fried injera and stracciatella did their best to line our stomachs for what would be a long night ahead.
Where To Shop
You can’t go wrong strolling the rectangle of streets framed by Johnston and Gertrude to the north, Brunswick to the west, and Smith to the east. The street art in Collingwood and Fitzroy gave me a Bushwick (Brooklyn) vibe, and the street style was super-inspiring.
Art
Outre Gallery (Collingwood). This approachable art gallery specializes in affordable prints from contemporary artists. I fancied a David Booth print of the Napier Hotel, which we’d passed along our walk to Yarra Bend. I discovered an American artist’s abstract renditions of the cast of characters from Sesame Street – a fun find.
Beauty
Mecca (Melbourne Central Mall, CBD). Think of Mecca as Australia’s saucier version of Sephora. I’d read rave reviews about their private label line, Mecca Cosmetica, from Redditors, but after our Sephora sunscreen haul, I resisted temptation. Here you’ll also find Lanolips, an essential Aussie lip balm.
Sephora (Melbourne Central Mall, CBD). Australian sunscreen is praised for its superior formulations, and Ultra Violette was the brand that kept popping up on Reddit. Their most awarded product, Queen Screen, is a sunscreen serum with a luminizing shimmer—too much shimmer for me. I picked up their Supreme Screen SPF 50 and a travel kit featuring Fave Fluid (facial sunscreen) and Extreme Screen (hand and body sunscreen). I added an Airyday SPF 50+ Watermelon lip balm to my basket, which sounded too yummy to pass up. (Note: Mecca doesn’t carry Ultra Violette or Airyday products.)
Clothing
Kloke (Fitzroy). This contemporary women’s and men’s wear brand offers a range of stylish, easy-to-wear pieces. I fell for a plush purple-gray oversized alpaca-blend cardigan, which to this day I regret not purchasing, though it would not have fit into my suitcase.
Suk Workwear (Carlton). This women-owned brand is known for its stylish and functional jumpsuits. Kaushik patiently waited as I debated between the sleeveless zip-up Yard Suit in petrol green and the long-sleeved, snap-up Ringer Boiler Suit. (I ultimately chose the all-black Ringer Suit.) Suk’s designs are as effortlessly cool as they are practical and they offer their jumpsuits in both Long and Short lengths—something I truly appreciated as a vertically-challenged girl.
Arts & Crafts
Drapers Fabrics (Fitzroy). If there’s a fabric store nearby, we will stop in. I tried to resist adding to my ever-growing stash but kept circling back to the remnant bin to touch a buttery-soft fuchsia silk piece sourced from Italy. At just $5–6 USD, it was a steal of a souvenir.
Gifts and Souvenirs
Haigh’s Chocolates (Various Locations). Originally from Adelaide, this chocolate shop came highly recommended by our Sydney host, who swears by their dark honeycomb block. I couldn’t resist picking up a white cockatoo plushie, complete with a pouch of milk chocolate nonpareils hanging around its neck.
Things To Do
Self-Guided Street Art Tour. We followed an old self-guided street art tour I found online (last updated in 2018). While some murals remained in their marked locations, others had been replaced with new works. Along the route, we stumbled upon even more murals beyond those listed in the guide, proof of Melbourne’s ever-evolving street art scene. (For those looking for a more structured experience, Blender Studios offers a well-reviewed guided tour.)
One highlight was the Keith Haring mural near the Veriu. It was celebrating a 40th anniversary during our visit and was vandalized the day after we saw it! As you explore Melbourne, take time to look up, peek around corners, and wander through the laneways—you’ll be rewarded with stunning street art at every turn.
Abbotsford Convent. Once a convent, now Australia’s “largest multi-arts precinct”, Abbotsford Convent is a hub for creativity and culture. After walking from Collingwood to Yarra Bend Park—making a quick stop at Studley Park Boathouse—we wandered the complex in search of artisanal finds. Unfortunately, many shops and studios were closed on a Monday morning.
Leah left with a small bud vase from Ghost Wares, a ceramics shop on the edge of the Convent, one of the handful of businesses open that day. We spent some time admiring the beautiful flowers on the convent campus and saw sheep lounging in the shade at Collingwood Children’s Farm.
Yarra Bend Park. Before transferring to our second hotel in the CBD, we took a leisurely walk east on Johnston Street to Yarra Bend Park, a peaceful green space offering a bird’s-eye view of the city skyline. Along the way, we passed the historic Studley Park Boathouse before making a final stop at Abbotsford Convent. It was the perfect way to stretch our legs and wrap up our time in the “Brooklyn of Melbourne”.
Review: Full-Day Phillip Island Tour
For our day trip from Melbourne, we were struggling to decide between a Great Ocean Road Tour and a trip to Phillip Island. A one-day bus tour of the Great Ocean Road felt rushed, so we decided on Phillip Island. It started at 10:00 AM, giving us just enough time to grab coffee and donuts before meeting our hotel pickup. After extensive research, I booked this tour on Viator. Admission to all attractions was included in the price.
Brighton Bathing Boxes
The first stop was Brighton Beach, home to the famous Brighton Bathing Boxes—colorful, compact beach shacks lining the shore. We had about 15 minutes to snap photos before hopping back on the bus.
Moonlit Sanctuary
Next, we visited Moonlit Sanctuary, a wildlife conservation park where you can see dingoes, wallabies, wombats, and, of course, koalas. If you want to hug a koala, be prepared to pay extra (around $20–$30). This stop was self-guided, allowing us to explore at our own pace. We had about an hour and change to explore the sanctuary and grab lunch.
Phillip Island & The Penguin Parade
After a few scenic lookout stops, we arrived at the Phillip Island Visitor Centre for the main event—the Penguin Parade. Dinner isn’t included in the tour, but you can grab some quick bites (think chicken fingers) at the Visitor Center before securing a good viewing spot on the bleachers by the beach.
The Penguin Parade is a nightly event where the world’s smallest penguins (known as Fairy Penguins), just a foot tall, waddle from the ocean up to what’s known as the “Penguin Highway” to their burrows in the sand dunes. As night fell, the crowd hushed in anticipation. We expected to see a mass of penguins swimming in, but they were surprisingly difficult to spot at first—tiny dark specks emerging from the water.
Our guide advised us not to stay at the beach the entire time, but to move to the VIP bridge along Penguin Highway. This turned out to be the best vantage point, where we watched dozens of penguins waddling right past us. (Note: Cell phones / cameras are not allowed on Penguin Highway and there are attendants who will reinforce this rule should you break it.) The Penguin Parade was adorable and the entire tour was certainly worth it.
We didn’t return to Melbourne until around 10 PM. Our guide was fantastic—charming, a big disco fan, and open to music requests. He even dropped us off at Stalactites, a Greek restaurant with a takeaway window where we grabbed falafel wraps before heading back to the hotel. We had to pack for an 8:00 AM flight to the Margaret River Region the next morning.
Add These To Your Melbourne To-Do List
Jim’s Greek Tavern (Collingwood). With Melbourne boasting the largest Greek population outside of Greece and Cyprus, it’s a must to experience Greek cuisine at least once. (Do gyros from The Real Greek Souvlaki Bar around 3:00 AM after our night out at The Lame Duck count?). Next time, we’ll definitely make room in our feeding schedule for Jim’s, which is supposed to be very legit.
The Great Ocean Road. A guided day trip (and even the guided the two-day trip) seemed a bit rushed without a car. We chose to visit the fairy penguins instead.
Melbourne is for the culture. Soak it up. What it lacked in reliable weather, it more than made up for in character: vibrant neighborhoods, top-tier people-watching, and a creative scene that buzzes loud beyond the city center.
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