How do I plan a trip to Melbourne?

Melbourne: Australia’s cultural and sporting capital; a town you can show up in, walk down pretty much any central street and find something fun and interesting to enjoy.

The question of how to plan a trip to Melbourne is a pretty simple one: all you have to do is follow the locals. Melbournians are fiercely proud of their city, and love it for the sum of its parts.

Whether they’re at the MCG watching their favourite Aussie rules team play, checking out a gig in a dingy, beer-soaked pub, boogying the night away in a swanky nightclub or skipping all of that for a morning in the gardens and galleries, Melbourne is a city that has it all for everyone.

Let’s check out some of the best things about this city to help you plan your Melbourne adventure:

The footy

Do not, absolutely do not, visit Melbourne in the cooler months of the year without heading to a game of Aussie rules football. The game was invented in this sports-mad city, and this fact becomes glaringly obvious when you see just how pumped footy fans get about seeing their beloved team in action.

If you can, see the game at the MCG – it’s the spiritual home of AFL and one of the world’s biggest and best stadia at any rate, so you’re in for an exhilarating time at one of these gladiatorial contests.

The music

Melbourne is a music city, boasting some of the world’s best bands and some 62,000 concerts each year. This figure alone puts it at the top of the world music calendar, and you can enjoy one of these 62,000 gigs in any part of town on any night of the week!

Whether you’ve booked tickets in advance for a huge show at Rod Laver or Festival Hall or seeing a local band tear it up at the likes of the Tote or Croxton, you’re going to see – and hear – a pretty damn good band.

The cafes

Wanna act like a real Melbournian? The snobby, hip, wannabe Europeans that the rest of the country seems to hate us for but is really just jealous their city doesn’t rule as much? Head down to a cafe, any cafe: Melbourne has thousands of them and they’re mostly really good – it’s a great way to get a feel for the vibe of this wonderful town.

Cameron Ward

Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia

Cameron Ward turned his travel passion into a thriving Australian tourism business. Before he co-founded his own business, Sightseeing Tours Australia, he was enjoying being a Melbourne tour guide. Even now, Cameron delights in helping visitors from all around the world get the most out of their incredible Australian trip. You’ll see Cameron leading tours or writing about his favourite Australian places where he shares his local insights.