The Best Outdoor Activities In And Around Melbourne

Melbourne is a city full of water sports, beautiful trails and interesting wildlife, which makes it the perfect place to enjoy the great outdoors. So pull on your outdoor gear and check out our list of the best outdoor activities in the city.

1. Go fishing in Port Phillip Bay

Architectural Landmark

Port Phillip Bay harbour in Melbourne, Australia

A year-round fishing spot, Port Phillip Bay is a popular location for both local fishermen and tourists. Most people come to this spot in the hopes they’ll land a red snapper, but the waters are also full of squid, yellow-eye mullet, Australian salmon, flathead and silver trevally, among other marine life. As well as a great fishing spot, Port Phillip Bay is a perfect place to spend a day out. The horsehead-shaped bay is a perfect spot for hiking and scuba diving, as well as spotting local dolphins. Take a walk down the pier and drop in at the local Esplanade Market.

2. Run the Royal Melbourne Botanic Gardens Trail

Botanical Garden

The Royal botanic garden, Melbourne, Australia.

If you like going for a run on your day off, the 3.8km (2.4mi) running route around the Royal Botanic Gardens is one of the most popular trails in the city. Locally known as ‘The Tan’, this trail has a mix of hills, shaded areas and long straight sprints, perfect for working out on hot summer days. If going for a run doesn’t appeal to you, it’s also open for walkers, bikes and dogs. A stroll around the Botanic Gardens will take you around three quarters of an hour. Look out for the colourful birds and interesting plant species, as well as for views across Yarra River.

3. Spend a day on St Kilda Beach

Natural Feature

People visit St Kilda beach in Melbourne, Australia.

The most popular of Melbourne’s beaches, St Kilda Beach stretches 700 metres (1/2mi) between St Kilda Marina and St Kilda Harbour, with clean white sands and inviting water. Home to the city’s water sports, visitors to this spot can have a go at kitesurfing, paddle boarding and windsurfing in the ocean, skimboarding on the shoreline and even rollerblading on the foreshore. This beach is also popular for its wildlife, with local groups of little penguins often seen in the rocks at the shoreline. Spend a day on the sand, before taking a stroll down the iconic St Kilda Pier and getting a drink at one of the many bars and cafés.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.