Melbourne event weekends: what to do between sessions
Laneway cafés, sport-mad stadiums by the Yarra and the Great Ocean Road and Phillip Island on the doorstep.
Events we cover in Melbourne
17 Jan 2027*Australian Open
Melbourne, AustraliaTennis6 Feb 2027*Laneway Festival Melbourne
Melbourne, AustraliaFestival2 Apr 2027Australian Grand Prix
Melbourne, AustraliaF11 Oct 2027Rugby World Cup 2027 in Melbourne
Melbourne, AustraliaRugby8 Oct 2027*Melbourne Marathon
Melbourne, AustraliaMarathon
Melbourne, AustraliaTennis6 Feb 2027*Laneway Festival Melbourne
Melbourne, AustraliaFestival2 Apr 2027Australian Grand Prix
Melbourne, AustraliaF11 Oct 2027Rugby World Cup 2027 in Melbourne
Melbourne, AustraliaRugby8 Oct 2027*Melbourne Marathon
Melbourne, AustraliaMarathon
Arriving
Melbourne airport (MEL) has the SkyBus to Southern Cross in 20 to 30 minutes.
Where to stay
| Budget | Where | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Southern Cross and the CBD west | Chain hotels near SkyBus. |
| Mid-range | Southbank and St Kilda | River or beach, trams to Albert Park. |
| Splurge | Collins Street | The "Paris end" grand hotels. |
Three hotels we would book
- Budget: Ibis Melbourne Hotel and Apartments
- Mid-range: Novotel Melbourne St Kilda
- Splurge: Crown Towers Melbourne
Tours
Where to eat
With kids
- Melbourne Zoo.
- Scienceworks.
- SEA LIFE Melbourne.
Rainy-day backups
- NGV.
- ACMI screen museum.
- Melbourne Museum.
Free things to do
- Royal Botanic Gardens.
- Hosier Lane street art.
- St Kilda pier penguins at dusk.
Getting around
- Trams are free in the CBD zone; Myki cards elsewhere (contactless rolling out).
- Tap on with a contactless card on trains, trams, buses and ferries in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.
- Uber, DiDi and taxis are easy; distances outside the centres are long.