The best times to visit Melbourne are between March and May and September and November. These shoulder seasons feature moderate temperatures and tourist crowds, plus lower airfare rates.
Cool down & download this checklist of the best places to go in a
Melbourne heatwave with kids!
Yes please!
- Hit the beach.
- Outdoor pool.
- Free water play.
- Paid water play.
- Visit the library.
- See a movie.
- Visit an art gallery.
- Head to the museum.
Melbourne warms up in summer with mean temperatures between 14 - 25.3°C (57.2 - 77.5°F). These months are dry, with occasional hot spells that can last more than three days. Melbourne's top temperatures are usually in January and February, when temperatures can occasionally soar past 30°C (86°F).
10 things to do in London during a heatwave
- Hire a boat to explore London's canals.
- Get cool and cultural at Japan House.
- Go to the theatre.
- Indulge in spicy Thai food.
- Blistered tomato and lime salad at Farang.
- Whole Seabass with coconut chilli jam at Farang.
- The Bridge Theatre, London.
- Go Boat, Paddington.
There are great ideas for enjoying the warm weather with your kids or being outside alone!
- Go on a bike ride.
- Take a walk around the neighborhood.
- Grab a drink on the patio.
- Take your dog to a shaded park.
- Feed the ducks at a pond.
- Host a yard sale.
- Skip rocks.
- Go to the zoo.
What is Melbourne Most Famous For?
- Start your morning with a cup of coffee (or 2)
- Spend a few hours at The National Gallery of Victoria.
- Wander around the city's laneways and arcades.
- Visit Federation Square.
- Pop into one of Melbourne's many excellent markets.
- Get lost in the green of the Royal Botanic Gardens.
The 7 Best Neighborhoods in Melbourne for Tourists
- City Center.
- Docklands.
- Southbank.
- South Melbourne and Albert Park.
- South Yarra.
- St Kilda.
- East Melbourne.
Melbourne's top tourist destinations
- Queen Victoria Market (51.8%) Queen Victoria Market.
- Federation Square (50.4%) An ice-skating rink in Federation Square.
- Bourke Street Mall (30.9%) Bourke Street Mall.
- Southbank (29.4%)
- St Kilda (28.1%)
- Crown Casino (25.2%)
- Docklands/Etihad Stadium (22.5%)
- Melbourne Museum (19.6%)
Melbourne in a Day - A Suggested Itinerary
- Take the City Circle Tram.
- Explore Flinders Street Station.
- Grabbing a morning coffee.
- Walk to Eureka Skydeck.
- National Gallery of Victoria.
- St Paul's Cathedral.
- State Parliament House.
- Lunch on Bourke Street or in Chinatown.
25 Best Things To Do In Melbourne (Australia)
- Drink the world's best coffee. Source: flickr.
- Check out the amazing street art. Source: flickr.
- Wander through laneways. Source: flickr.
- Visit Flinders Street Station and Federation Square. Source: flickr.
- Rock out. Source: flickr.
- Learn how things work at Scienceworks.
- Stroll the botanic gardens.
- Have a gourmet Greek dinner.
WHERE TO CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY IN MELBOURNE (AND NOT SEND YOUR FRIENDS BROKE)
- $55 degustation menu. MEATMAIDEN.
- Birthday bao and beer. SUPERNORMAL CANTEEN.
- Japanese and karaoke. TOKYO TINA.
- Vego food and on-order cakes.
- Cheap tacos and tequila.
- Long boozy birthday lunch.
- For mates with dietaries.
- BYO slightly-fancy dumplings.
21 Romantic Things to Do in Melbourne for Couples
- Hot Air Balloon Flight.
- Spirit of Melbourne Dinner Cruise.
- Melbourne Star Observation Wheel.
- Romantic Horse and Carriage Tour.
- Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park.
- Peninsula Hot Spring Spa.
- Luna Park.
- Theatre, Shows & Musicals.
The 101 best things to do in Melbourne
- Get back to nature in the Royal Botanic Gardens.
- Peruse the sheds at Queen Victoria Market.
- Take a drive down the Great Ocean Road.
- See a blockbuster exhibition at the NGV.
- Get a ground pass at the Australian Open.
- Explore Melbourne's laneway icon, Degraves Street.
- Spend the day (and maybe the night) at Melbourne Zoo.
Melbourne Itinerary: 7 Days in the City
- Federation Square & ACMI.
- Discover Melbourne's Street Art.
- Day 4 – Museums and Galleries. Visit the National Gallery of Victoria. Immigration Museum.
- Day 5 – Browse Melbourne's Suburbs. Prahran Market & Chapel Street.
- Day 6 – Trip to Brighton. Brighton Beach.
- Day 7 – Explore St Kilda. St Kilda.
September to November and March to May: Spring (September to November) and Autumn (March to May) are also good times to visit Melbourne courtesy the pleasant weather . June to August: These are the coldest months in Melbourne. This is the off-season when the airfares and hotel rates fall down.
The best times to visit Sydney are September through November and from March to May. Thanks to Australia's location in the Southern Hemisphere, Sydney's warmest weather and peak tourist season falls between December and February (winter in the Northern Hemisphere).
The cheapest airfare tends to be during the low season, which runs from May 1 through the first week in June, and again from about the third week in July through the third week in September.
While Australia is better known as a hot-weather destination, in fact much of the south of the country gets quite cold in the winter. Even places that still experience warm daytime temperatures in July can get very cold at night, such as the middle of the desert.
Melbourne, Victoria is in or near the warm temperate dry forest biome whereas London, England is in or near the cool temperate moist forest biome. The annual average temperature is 5.1 °C (9.1°F) warmer. Average monthly temperatures vary by 2.9 °C (5.2°F) less in Melbourne, Victoria.
Melbourne's top temperatures are usually in January and February. Those months are often dry, with hot spells and cooling afternoon breezes off Port Phillip Bay. June and July are the coldest months and October is the wettest. Annual average rainfall for Melbourne is around 531mm.
In Melbourne, the summers are warm, the winters are cold and windy, and it is partly cloudy year round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 43°F to 79°F and is rarely below 36°F or above 94°F.
Snow in Melbourne is extremely rare. To experience the snow, head to the Victorian High Country, which receive good snowfall throughout winter. Skiers and snowboarders can hit the slopes at Hotham, Mount Buller and Falls Creek.
Free things to do in Melbourne
- Try free exercise classes at Fed Square.
- Get amongst some free live comedy.
- Explore a model Tudor Village at Fitzroy Gardens.
- Explore the Library at the Dock.
- Walk around Queen Vic Market and try all the samples.
- Go for a walk around the Tan.
- Get free wine tastings at Prince Wine Store.
60+ Sunny Day Activities to Do at Home
- Camp out in the garden.
- Set up an art table with paint and paper. Let the kids do the rest.
- Organise a treasure hunt.
- Play Hide-n-Seek.
- Have a garden tea party.
- Let the kids help you do some gardening.
- Fill a plastic or sink bath with water and toys. Plastic jugs and cups should do the trick.
- Play “Simon Says”.
