Victoria is one of the world's great compact travel destinations. Within two hours of Melbourne you can be standing in an ancient mountain range, watching penguins walk up a moonlit beach, tasting benchmark Pinot Noir at a world-class cellar door, soaking in a mineral spring, or eating freshly shucked mussels on a pier. We've explored all of it — many times over — and this is our definitive list of the 10 best weekend getaways and staycations from Melbourne right now.
From day trips to full weekends, from glamping to hatted dining, from rugged coastline to goldfields cities, Victoria delivers on every front. These are the destinations we return to again and again.
Best weekend getaways from Melbourne — at a glance:
- Yarra Valley — world-class wineries and long lunches, under 1 hour
- Mornington Peninsula — Pinot Noir, hot springs and ocean beaches, 1–1.5 hours
- Bellarine Peninsula — boutique wineries, fresh mussels and glamping, 1–1.5 hours
- Phillip Island — Penguin Parade, wildlife and surf, 1.5–2 hours
- Great Ocean Road — iconic coastal drive, Twelve Apostles, 1–3 hours
- The Grampians — national park, Aboriginal rock art and Shiraz, 3 hours
- Daylesford & Macedon Ranges — mineral springs, Lake House and slow weekends, 1.5 hours
- Central Gippsland — Australia's food bowl, Gippsland Lakes, 1–2 hours
- Ballarat — gold rush history, Sovereign Hill and emerging dining, 1.5 hours
- Bendigo — world-class art gallery, goldfields heritage and glamping, 1.5 hours
1. Yarra Valley — Wine Country at Its Best
Distance: ~60km · under 1 hour | Best for: World-class wineries, long lunches, gin distilling, boutique stays
The Yarra Valley is Melbourne's wine country backyard — and it never stops improving. We've been visiting for years and every trip reveals something new. The region has evolved well beyond its cellar door roots into a full destination, with some of the best wine, dining, and accommodation in regional Victoria. Perfect for a weekend getaway (as we've done many times) from Melbourne.
Where to Eat and Drink
Start at Coombe Farm Estate in Coldstream — the former home of Dame Nellie Melba, with extraordinary Guilfoyle-designed gardens and an award-winning Blanc de Blanc. A short drive brings you to Helen & Joey Estate at Re'em Yarra Valley in Gruyere, one of the valley's most impressive recent arrivals. The one-hat restaurant, 16-room boutique hotel, and Art Deco private tasting room make this a destination in its own right — don't miss the Sunday yum cha.
Soumah in Gruyere is four-time Yarra Valley Winery of the Year and unlike anywhere else in the region. Their northern Italian varieties — Nebbiolo, Savarro, Brachetto — are the most distinctive wines you'll taste in the valley, and the Ai Fiori Trattoria on-site is the ideal lunch companion. For the valley's finest dining, Levantine Hill Estate in Coldstream is in a class of its own — Top 3 Winery in Australia (The Real Review, 2025), a breathtaking Karl Fender-designed building, and a five or six-course Mediterranean tasting menu to match. For a more relaxed lunch, Meletos at Stones of the Yarra Valley (12 St Huberts Rd, Coldstream) delivers Italian-inflected seasonal cooking in a converted 100-year-old vigneron's quarters.
The tasting experience at Yarra Yering is the best in the valley — back-vintages of the legendary Dry Red No. 1 and Dry Red No. 2 served by an open fire. Also excellent: Domaine Chandon for sparkling, De Bortoli for the Noble One and cheese room, Rochford for views and dining, and Hubert Estate for its remarkable underground cellar door and Aboriginal art gallery. End the day at Four Pillars Gin Distillery in Healesville — the G&T paddle in Jude's Gin Garden is a perfect late-afternoon finish.
Where to Stay
Balgownie Estate Yarra Valley (882 Maroondah Hwy, Coldstream) offers hotel rooms, vineyard villas, spa, pool, and the respected Restaurant 1309. We've stayed and dined here multiple times — it's one of the most complete wine resort experiences in the region.
→ Read our Balgownie Estate Yarra Valley staycation
→ See our full Best Yarra Valley Wineries guide
2. Mornington Peninsula — Beaches, Pinot and Hot Springs
Distance: ~75km · 1–1.5 hours | Best for: Beach life, world-class Pinot Noir, hot springs, fine dining
The Mornington Peninsula is Victoria's most seductive weekend escape — 40-plus wineries, spectacular ocean and bay beaches, world-class hot springs, and a dining scene that has quietly grown into one of the state's best. We've returned here more times than anywhere else in regional Victoria.
Where to Eat and Drink
Ten Minutes by Tractor in Main Ridge is the Peninsula's flagship dining destination — three vineyards (10X, Judd, and McCutcheon), a two-hat restaurant, and one of Australia's most rigorous wine programs. Book months ahead.
→ Read our Ten Minutes by Tractor experience
Montalto in Red Hill combines an olive grove, sculpture garden, and excellent trattoria into one of Victoria's most complete winery experiences. Pt. Leo Estate is the Peninsula's grandest statement — an impressive Arthur Boyd collection, a sweeping hillside cellar door, and Laura restaurant with views across the bay. Stonier in Merricks is one of Australia's most acclaimed Pinot Noir producers — low-key, serious, and excellent.
For dining beyond the wineries: The Bay Hotel in Mornington delivers sophisticated modern Australian cooking with outstanding bay views — we were genuinely impressed on our visit.
Mr Vincenzo's in Mornington brings playful, creative Italian to the Peninsula with real personality — one of our favourite meals in the region. And Orson in Rosebud (set inside the heritage-listed Broadway Theatre) is one of the most interesting new dining destinations in regional Victoria. Also check out new Onda in Sorrento for unique seaside dining.
→ Read our Mr Vincenzo's review
→ Read our Orson Dining review
Don't Miss
Peninsula Hot Springs at Fingal is one of the great Victorian day experiences — 70-plus thermal pools, a full bathhouse and spa, and an outdoor geothermal area on a beautifully landscaped hillside. Book well ahead on weekends. The Peninsula's ocean beaches at Portsea and Sorrento are spectacular; the bay beaches from Mornington to Rosebud are family-friendly and lovely on warm days.
→ See our family-friendly Peninsula wineries guide
3. Bellarine Peninsula — Victoria's Secret Wine Country
Distance: ~100km · 1–1.5 hours, or ferry from Docklands | Best for: Boutique wineries, fresh mussels, a slow ferry crossing, glamping
The Bellarine Peninsula curves around the western side of Port Phillip Bay and is one of Victoria's most underrated wine regions. Less visited than the Mornington Peninsula, it offers better value, more genuine cellar door experiences, and a slower, more relaxed pace — all within easy reach of the city.
Getting There the Best Way
The Port Phillip Ferry from Docklands to Portarlington is one of the great Melbourne experiences. Running several times daily, the 75-minute crossing delivers sweeping bay views and eliminates the need to drive. On arrival, a local bus connects to several wineries.
→ Read our Port Phillip Ferry and Terindah Estate story
Where to Eat and Drink
Terindah Estate (90 McAdams Lane, Bellarine) is the Peninsula's standout winery destination — The Shed Restaurant serving Bellarine regional cooking with award-winning estate wines and spectacular views across Corio and Port Phillip Bays. Open Thursday to Monday, 10am–4pm. Walk-ins welcome for the cellar door, deck, and mezzanine lounge.
Bellarine Estate is one of the region's most distinctive properties: a working winery, a gin distillery, and accommodation through Coastal Glamp. We stayed a night here — Texas BBQ lunch, a rum barrel tasting with winemaker Julian Kenny, live music on the deck, and waking up in the vines. One of the most enjoyable regional staycations we've had.
→ Read our Bellarine Estate staycation
Portarlington's mussel tours are among Victoria's most unique food experiences — the town sits on one of Australia's best natural mussel beds, and local operators take you out on the bay to pull mussels straight from the water and eat them on board.
→ Read our Portarlington mussel tour story
4. Phillip Island — Nature, Speed and the World's Greatest Penguin Parade
Distance: ~140km · 1.5–2 hours | Best for: Wildlife, Penguin Parade, MotoGP, surf beaches, family travel
Phillip Island is the number one destination for overseas visitors to Victoria — and one of the most diverse compact islands in the Southern Hemisphere. It packs an extraordinary range of experiences into a landmass you can traverse end to end in 20 minutes.
The Penguin Parade
The Penguin Parade at Summerlands Beach is one of the world's great wildlife experiences. Every evening at dusk, hundreds of Little Penguins emerge from the sea and waddle up the beach to their burrow colonies. The world-class Visitor Centre — which we attended the gala launch of — prepares visitors with the full ecology and conservation story before the parade begins. Multiple viewing options are available, from the main grandstand to the exclusive Sky Box and private after-dark guided walks. Always book online in advance — it sells out, especially in summer and school holidays.
→ Read our Penguin Parade Visitor Centre launch story
More to Do on Phillip Island
The Koala Conservation Centre is one of Australia's best koala encounters — elevated boardwalks through natural woodland, with the animals living wild above you. The Nobbies and Seal Rocks at the island's western tip deliver clifftop views and access to the world's largest Australian fur seal colony via boardwalk and telescope. Churchill Island Heritage Farm is the first farm established in Victoria — heritage buildings, animals, and working demonstrations, excellent for families. Wildlife Coast Cruises runs seal colony tours year-round, while whale watching (humpbacks, southern rights, occasional orcas) is outstanding between May and October.
The surf beach at Cape Woolamai is wild and beautiful; Smiths Beach has a long clean swell and a relaxed surf vibe. Cowes on the north side is the main town — good cafes, a bakery, and calm bay swimming.
5. Great Ocean Road — One of the World's Great Drives
Distance: Torquay ~100km · Twelve Apostles ~285km | Best for: Coastal scenery, surf culture, ancient rainforest, world-class landscapes
The Great Ocean Road is a bucket-list drive — 243km of cliff-hugging tarmac, ancient rainforest, dramatic coastal formations, and some of the world's most celebrated surf breaks. Built by returned World War I servicemen between 1919 and 1932, it remains one of the great feats of construction in Australian history and one of the most spectacular coastal roads in the world. Image supplied: Totti's Lorne credit Ashley Ludkin.
The Drive
Begin in Torquay — the heartland of Australian surf culture and home to the Surfworld Museum. Bells Beach, just south, is one of the world's most revered surf breaks and the site of the world's longest-running pro surfing event. Lorne is the first great stop — a beautiful coastal town with a serious café scene, a surf beach, and the kind of summer energy that has made it a Melbourne favourite for generations. The Lorne Hotel is a classic coastal pub.
Apollo Bay is more sheltered and excellent for seafood. The Cape Otway Lighthouse sits at the end of a beautiful rainforest drive — koalas are regularly spotted in the treetops on the approach. The Otway Fly Treetop Adventures canopy walk and zipline above the temperate rainforest is excellent and increasingly popular.
The Twelve Apostles in Port Campbell National Park are the dramatic payoff — limestone sea stacks most spectacular at dawn and dusk when the golden light hits. Loch Ard Gorge nearby is arguably more beautiful still, named for a ship wrecked here in 1878. The Bay of Islands further west is a dramatically undervisited gem worth the extra distance.
6. The Grampians — Wild Beauty, World-Class Wine and Rock Art
Distance: ~260km · 3 hours | Best for: National park hiking, Aboriginal rock art, Shiraz, the Grampians Grape Escape
The Grampians rewards the extra driving distance with something genuinely rare: ancient sandstone ranges rising from the Western Plains, significant Aboriginal rock art sites, spectacular panoramic lookouts, and a wine region producing some of Victoria's most distinctive Shiraz. We have returned here with family many times and it never loses its power. Perfect for a weekend getaway from Melbourne.
The National Park
Grampians National Park — Gariwerd, to the Jardwadjali and Djab wurrung people who have cared for it for tens of thousands of years — is one of Victoria's great natural assets. The Pinnacle walk above Halls Gap gives breathtaking 360-degree views over the ranges. MacKenzie Falls is one of Victoria's most impressive waterfalls. The Balconies at Reed Lookout delivers extraordinary views east over the Wimmera plains. In spring, the wildflower displays are among the finest in Australia — over 1,000 species bloom in the ranges between August and November.
Aboriginal Culture
Brambuk National Park and Cultural Centre in Halls Gap is the gateway to understanding the deep Aboriginal history of the Grampians. The region contains around 80% of Victoria's known Aboriginal rock art. Bunjil's Shelter near Stawell — featuring a striking eagle with outstretched wings — and the Ngamadjidj rock art site are among Australia's most significant and accessible sites; approach them with genuine respect.
Food and Wine
The Grampians wine region produces bold, spicy Shiraz reflecting its warm, continental climate. Grampians Estate is one of the region's leading producers — their 1878 Room and deck is a beautiful setting for tasting and dining.
→ Read our Grampians Estate 1878 Room story
Best's Wines in Great Western (established 1866) is one of Australia's oldest family wineries — the underground bluestone cellars, dug by Cornish miners during the gold rush, are remarkable. The Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld remains one of Victoria's great regional dining destinations, with a celebrated kitchen garden and wine list of international depth. The annual Grampians Grape Escape in April is one of regional Australia's best-loved food and wine festivals.
→ Read our Grampians Grape Escape guide
7. Daylesford & Macedon Ranges — Spa Country, Fine Food and Soul
Distance: ~110km · 1.5 hours | Best for: Mineral springs, Lake House dining, boutique shopping, slow weekends
Daylesford is Victoria's favourite weekend escape — a creative, slightly eccentric hill town built around one of Australia's most important mineral spring resources. It delivers exceptional food, brilliant boutique shopping, therapeutic spas, and an atmosphere that genuinely slows you down.
Food and Dining
Lake House is the crown jewel and one of the great destination restaurants in Australia. Alla Wolf-Tasker AM opened the estate with her late husband Allan in 1984 and has built it over four decades into something unique — a two-hatted restaurant, wine list of extraordinary depth, and a kitchen that draws from their own Dairy Flat Farm (five acres of vegetable gardens, orchard, olive grove, and vineyard). If you do one culinary splurge in regional Victoria, make it this.
The Boathouse on Lake Daylesford is three minutes from town and one of the region's standout casual dining destinations — try the Farmers Skillet breakfast (baked egg, chorizo, Nicola potatoes, Gruyère) with a window table over the lake. The Daylesford Hotel (built 1856, beautifully renovated) has excellent pub food — the signature house-made pie with mash and peas is a highlight; the jus takes three days to make and you can taste it.
Vincent Street is worth a full morning's wander — Larder Café, Jimmy's Bar, Himalayan Bakery, and a string of boutique shops make this one of the best country town main streets in Victoria. For an unforgettable detour, Tuki Trout Farm in Smeaton (20 minutes away) is a three-generation family experience: fish from stocked ponds — a catch is guaranteed — then clean and cook your trout over coals. Children love it; adults love it more.
→ Read our full Daylesford guide
Spa and Wellness
Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa is Australia's premier mineral bathing destination — natural carbonated and mineral pools built over Victoria's richest spring system. Book ahead. Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens, on an extinct volcano above town, is lovely for a morning walk. On the way home, stop at Red Beard Bakery in Trentham (20 minutes away) for wood-fired sourdough and seasonal pastries — the queue out front tells you everything.
8. Central Gippsland — Australia's Food Bowl
Distance: West Gippsland ~80km · 1 hour | Best for: Exceptional produce, boutique wineries, Gippsland Lakes, working farm experiences
Gippsland is where Melbourne's finest restaurants source their best produce — wagyu beef, trout, aged cheeses, olive oil, oysters, and some of Australia's most distinguished cool-climate wines. The region stretches from the Dandenong Ranges foothills to the wild East Gippsland coast, but West Gippsland is only an hour from the city.
Food, Wine and Produce
Cannibal Creek Vineyard (260 Tynong North Rd, Tynong North) is one of Gippsland's quiet achievers and a standout only 70 minutes from Melbourne. Patrick and Kirsten Hardiker have farmed this land organically since the late 1980s, planting their first vines in 1997. The architect-designed cellar door and restaurant — hand-built by Patrick — was recognised as Gippsland's best cellar door food by Gourmet Traveller Wine. French-inspired wines made entirely by hand, a menu celebrating local and on-site produce, and a genuinely warm welcome. Sit at the long jarrah bar, take the verandah, or sink into a lounge by the fire. Open daily 11am–5pm (dinner Friday evenings).
→ Read our Cannibal Creek Vineyard story
Gippsland's broader produce story is extraordinary — Metung oysters, Buxton trout, Warragul butter, South Gippsland cheeses, Lindenow Valley vegetables. The Tarra-Bulga National Park in South Gippsland is one of Victoria's great natural experiences — ancient mountain ash, cool-temperate rainforest, and Cyathea tree ferns lining the creek beds. The Suspension Bridge walk is an easy 45-minute return.
Gippsland Lakes and Coast
Lakes Entrance is the gateway to the Gippsland Lakes — the largest inland waterway system in Australia. A boat trip through the lakes to Ninety Mile Beach is one of Victoria's most beautiful experiences. Metung on the lakes is a peaceful and lovely base for an extended stay.
9. Ballarat — Gold Rush Grandeur and a Surprising Food Scene
Distance: ~115km · 1.5 hours | Best for: Sovereign Hill, heritage architecture, Ballarat Botanical Gardens, emerging food scene
Ballarat is Victoria's third-largest city and home to the most significant physical legacy of the gold rush era in Australia. At the height of the Victorian gold rush it was considered the richest city in the world. Today a different kind of gold rush is happening — exceptional cultural institutions, a growing food and wine scene, and an influx of creatives transforming the city.
History and Culture
Sovereign Hill is one of Australia's finest living history museums — a full recreation of the 1850s gold mining town, with costumed characters, working businesses, underground mine tours, and the Blood on the Southern Cross sound and light show staged nightly. Excellent for children and genuinely moving for adults. The Eureka Centre delivers a compelling account of the 1854 Eureka Stockade — widely seen as the foundation of Australian democracy. The Ballarat Botanical Gardens on Lake Wendouree are magnificent — 40 hectares of heritage plantings, Italian marble statues, and the glittering Robert Clark Conservatory.
Food and Drink
Mitchell Harris Winery on Lydiard Street is one of the best cellar door and wine bar experiences in regional Victoria — Pyrenees and Grampians wines, a sophisticated food program, and one of Ballarat's most beautiful rooms. Dispensary Enoteca, in a former 19th-century pharmacy, is the city's best wine bar — extraordinary heritage space, excellent natural wine list, and superb small plates. The Art Gallery of Ballarat, Australia's oldest and largest regional gallery, runs ambitious special exhibitions year-round.
10. Bendigo — Victoria's Most Underrated City
Distance: ~150km · 1.5 hours | Best for: World-class art museum, goldfields history, glamping in the vines, food and wine
Bendigo has been quietly transforming into one of regional Victoria's most compelling destinations. Once a gold rush city of extraordinary wealth, it now has exceptional cultural institutions, award-winning galleries, a growing food and wine scene, and accommodation ranging from glamping to heritage boutique hotels. We've had some of our favourite regional trips here.
Art and Culture
The Bendigo Art Gallery is the jewel in the crown — the best regional art gallery in Australia, full stop. Its program of major international exhibitions consistently outperforms galleries several times its size. The Chinese Museum Bendigo tells the extraordinary story of the Chinese community during the gold rush — one of the most affecting museums in Victoria. The Bendigo tram (the largest operating vintage tramway in the Southern Hemisphere) connects the major attractions and is a delight in itself. The Joss House Temple at Emu Point — a restored 1860s Chinese Taoist temple — is a moving piece of Bendigo's multicultural story.
Food and Drink
GPO Bar & Grill in the beautifully restored General Post Office is Bendigo's best all-round dining experience — high ceilings, confident Australian cooking, and an excellent wine list. Dispensary Enoteca, in a former 19th-century pharmacy, is the city's best wine bar: extraordinary heritage space, natural wine list, and excellent small plates.
Balgownie Estate Bendigo, 10 minutes from the city centre, is the region's flagship wine estate — hotel accommodation, vineyard villas, restaurant, spa, pool, and cellar door. Their glamping experience (luxury bell tents among the vines, with vineyard tastings and restaurant dining) is one of the best-value luxury regional experiences in Victoria. We loved every moment of our stay.
→ Read our Balgownie Estate Bendigo glamping story
The Mercure Bendigo Schaller on Lydiard Street — Bendigo's magnificent heritage boulevard — is a beautifully appointed hotel with Mark Schaller artworks throughout and an excellent restaurant.
→ Read our Mercure Bendigo Schaller staycation
Planning Your Victorian Getaway
Victoria is an extraordinarily diverse state for its size. The 10 regions above cover everything from 300-million-year-old mountain ranges to some of the world's most sophisticated wine experiences — all within two to three hours of Melbourne. Also check out our 50 Best Things to Do in Melbourne.
Book ahead. Victoria's best restaurants and most popular experiences require advance booking, especially on weekends and school holidays. Lake House, Ten Minutes by Tractor, Levantine Hill, the Penguin Parade, and Peninsula Hot Springs all sell out regularly.
Autumn and spring are the best seasons for most inland and wine destinations. Summer is great for the coast but long weekend crowds can be significant. Winter is underrated — Daylesford, the Grampians, and Bendigo are all excellent in the cold.
Victoria rewards the slow traveller. The best experiences unfold over a long lunch, a cellar door conversation, or a walk through the ferns. Give yourself time.
For more ideas while you're in the city, see our guide to 50 Things To Do In Melbourne.
Updated 2026 © The World Loves Melbourne