16 Best Things to Do In Melbourne with Kids

16 Top Melbourne Attractions for Families

Now let’s dive into 16 fun things to do in Melbourne with kids.

1. Fitzroy Gardens

The Fitzroy Gardens can be found close to the city centre and have been there for over 150 years. Not many cosmopolitan cities in the world can say that about a park of this large size. The landscape is diverse and follows a classic Victorian-era design.

Large lawns are perfect for a picnic, and the wide pathways make it easy to navigate with a stroller. There’s a great big playground, and your kids will love the fountains, little rivers, and even a few small waterfalls scattered throughout the park.

Have a relaxing picnic here, walk around, and let the kids run free in the playground for a bit. This is a lovely and completely free outdoor activity for the whole family, especially on a sunny day when you need a slower-paced outing during your Melbourne family trip.

Cooks’ Cottage

When in Fitzroy Gardens you’ll run into Cooks Cottage which is kind of a strange attraction, in my opinion. Captain James Cook’s parents built it in Yorkshire, England. Sir Russell Grimwade brought it to Melbourne in 1934. James Cook never even lived in the cottage, because his father built it when he was already out at sea. But still, its connection to the Cook family was enough to transport the whole cottage to the other side of the world.

It is fun to explore this oddity, though. And learn about its English origins and relocation to Fitzroy Gardens. Because it was built in England it automatically became the oldest building in Australia, not built by the First Nations people of Australia.

The fun thing is that your kids can play dress up and play a game of ring toss with the volunteers, while you graze through the factsheet that’s made available to paying customers.

Opening Hours & Ticket Info

Fitzroy Gardens is open daily from around 7.30am until sunset, so you can start your day with a peaceful stroll or wind down after sightseeing. Entry is completely free.

If you want to visit Cook’s Cottage, you do have to pay a small entry fee. Adults pay $7.70 AUD (about €4.50/$4.90 USD), kids ages 5-15 pay $4.20 AUD (about €2.50/$2.70 USD), and there’s a family ticket for $20.70 AUD (about €12/$13.30 USD).

Cook’s Cottage is open daily from 10.00am to 4.00pm, with the last entry at 3.45pm.

2. Legoland Discovery Centre

What kid doesn’t get excited about LEGO? And let’s not forget that most of us parents have very fond memories of building with those small bricks when we were young. Some of us still do!

Legoland Discovery Centre is a huge indoor LEGO playground located inside Chadstone, Australia’s largest shopping mall. This is one of the best things to do in Melbourne with family!

You can check out Miniland, a replica of Melbourne’s most famous buildings and landmarks, which is really beautifully done.

The smaller kids will love the Duplo playground, where they can build and play inside a Duplo-style farmhouse.

Another fun activity is the 4D cinema where you can watch short LEGO movies. I must say this is only fun for kids aged 4-10, so if your kids are older or younger, I’d skip it.

3. Melbourne Museum

The Melbourne Museum can be found in the Carlton Gardens in West Melbourne.

It’s an architectural gem filled with natural and historical treasures. Kids will love all the bugs, dinosaurs and fossils on display. But there’s more to see in this 6 level building, half of which is located underground.

You and your kids can learn about Aboriginal cultures in the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre located inside the Melbourne Museum.

And what about a stroll through the Forest Gallery? It’s housed within an enclosed courtyard, filled with living plants and animals, a full-on eucalyptus forest experience right in the middle of the city. 

The younger ones will love a visit to the Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery, where they can learn through hands-on play and exploration. Designers built it specifically for children and it genuinely shows.

Don’t miss Horridus, a 67-million-year-old Triceratops Horridus skeleton and the most complete of its kind anywhere in the world. It’s the kind of thing kids stand in front of with their mouths open.

Opening Hours & Ticket Info

The Melbourne Museum is open daily from 9.00am to 5.00pm, but it’s closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day, so plan accordingly.

Adults pay $18 AUD (about €10.50/$11.50 USD). Kids 16 and under get in for free, as do concession card holders. Additional charges apply for some temporary exhibitions.

4. Melbourne Star Observation Wheel

Our family loved the ride on the Melbourne Start Observation Wheel, because we got a great overview of the Docklands, the CBD and other parts of Melbourne. Unfortunately, when we came back for a second visit it was closed down. 

In September 2021, its operators announced a sudden shut down. 

The good news is that the wheel will be brought back to life. A new operating partnership has come together, and the Melbourne Star is officially set to spin again at the end of 2026. 

This was our family’s top thing to do in Melbourne, so we can’t wait to see it turning again.

Opening Hours & Ticket Info

Ticket prices and opening hours haven’t been announced yet. I’ll update this section as soon as the wheel opens its doors again. Keep an eye on the official Melbourne Star website for updates.

5. City Circle Tram Tour

Looking for things to do in Melbourne for free? Take a ride in the City Circle Tram! 

Melbourne has the largest urban tram network in the world and is a very convenient mode of transportation.

The best thing is that when you remain within the Free Tram Zone, which covers Melbourne CBD, it is a totally free thing to do in Melbourne. You do need a Myki card (more on that later) if you’re planning on traveling further than the Free Tram Zone.

But why am I so excited about this? The picture above answers that question. We are talking about an old-school tram, giving real San Francisco vibes, don’t you think?

Riding the City Circle Tram is not only a very convenient way to get around central Melbourne, that’s why lots of locals also use it, but it also offers audio commentary about the landmarks it passes by. 

You can hop on and hop off wherever you like. The full City Circle tour stops at 23 locations.

The historical trams are pretty eye-catching if you ask me. It’s like going back in time. A definite must and not just to get around.

Opening Hours & Ticket Info

The City Circle Tram runs every day except Christmas Day and Good Friday. Trams operate from 10.00am to around 6.00pm Sunday to Wednesday, and 10.00am to 9.00pm Thursday to Saturday.

Best of all? It’s completely free within the Free Tram Zone. Check out if your destination is part of this zone. If not, you’ll need a Myki card for everything outside the zone.

6. Flinders Street Railway Station

Flinders Street Railway Station is Australia’s oldest train station and one of Melbourne’s most recognisable landmarks. It was completed in 1910 and has a beautiful green copper dome, an arched entrance, multiple clocks, and a tower on the other side of the station.

Over 1,500 trains pass through this station every day, and you can hop on buses or trams right outside the entrance.

This is another free activity in Melbourne you can do with your family. Most smaller children will love to check out the trains and spend a short amount of time people-watching.

But the most fun your kids will have is counting all the clocks you can find in the station. We had fun as a family counting them.

The clocks indicate the next departures for Melbourne’s train lines. They are computer-operated now, but can you believe they were once manually changed for each train?

Just a short and sweet activity to undertake while you’re waiting for your train to depart or while you’re strolling through Flinders Street.

Opening Hours & Ticket Info

Flinders Street Station is open 24 hours a day and functions as a major transport hub in Melbourne. Entry is free, and there’s no cost to explore the public areas of the station or admire the architecture.

If you’re planning to travel by train, you’ll need a Myki card, which you can top up and use across Melbourne’s public transport system.

7. Queen Victoria Market

Start your morning at the Queen Victoria Market, a major landmark in the CBD area. It’s also major in size, covering over 7 hectares. Don’t come here on Mondays or Wednesdays, because you’ll find that the gates are closed for the day.

There’s a large non-food section selling clothes, shoes, arts & crafts and second-hand toys. I have to say that this part of the market isn’t particularly interesting for kids.

But the food court is a different story! Fresh fruits, poffertjes (a Dutch delicacy that I can best describe as a tiny, fluffy pancake), Sicilian doughnuts, slices of pizza, sushi, oysters and hamburgers. You name it and it’s here. 

8. Chinatown

Melbourne’s Chinatown is the longest continuous Chinese settlement in the western world. It was the discovery of gold in 1850 which attracted Chinese immigration to Victoria on a large scale.

Nowadays you will not only find restaurants who sell Chinese food, but also other cuisines like Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese and Malaysian food.

The lovely scents will eventually lure you in for lunch. You won’t have trouble finding a restaurant and cuisine that every family member wants to enter and try.

We had dumplings at HuTong Dumpling Bar and loved the noodle soup and dumplings we ordered.

Opening Hours & Ticket Info

Chinatown is open all day, every day, no ticket needed. Just show up hungry.

9. Watching a game at Melbourne Cricket Ground

The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is one of the biggest and most important cricket stadiums in the world. But you cannot only watch cricket here.

Also football (Americans call it soccer, but that’s blasphemy 😉 ) and Australian football. Watching a match here is one of the cool things to do in Melbourne with kids. It’s an insanely big stadium and the atmosphere is amazing.

We always love watching sports that we are unfamiliar with when we are on the road. It’s part of getting to know a culture.

We chose to check out an Australian football match. We didn’t get any of the rules, even though a kind family next to us tried their best to explain.

Stadium food

Part of the fun is to try classic stadium foods. You know, when in America you eat hot dogs, in England you eat chips with vinegar, and us Dutchies eat patat (french fries, but more hefty) served with mayo (never ketchup!).

Well, at a stadium in Australia, you have got to order a pie or 2.

To let you in on a little secret, we ate them all over Australia. When road tripping from Perth to Darwin no pie seller was safe, and that was also the case when exploring Sydney.

But I have to say, eating them while thousands of people are singing and cheering either the Geelong Cats or Collingwood on in the epic venue that is Melbourne Cricket Ground made the pies taste even better!

Opening Hours & Ticket Info

The MCG is open for matches and stadium tours.

Ticket prices vary depending on the sport, the teams playing, and your seat. Expect to pay roughly $25-$45 AUD (about €15-€26/$16-$29 USD) for adults and $15-$25 AUD (about €9-€15/$10-$16 USD) for kids.Check the official MCG website for match schedules and current prices.

10. Hosier Lane

Street art is what made Melbourne’s urban art scene known all over the world. There are lots of places in the CBD where you can spot colorful murals. The most known can be found in streets and laneways around Flinders Street.

Cobblestoned Hosier Lane is arguably the most famous spot, and it can be found by crossing Flinders Street from Federation Square.

Everywhere you look there’s graffiti. Cartoons, monsters, tags, you name it and it’s there. Even the garbage bins are tagged up. A visit to Hosier Lane is one of the most fun things for kids to do in Melbourne.

Opening Hours & Ticket Info

Hosier Lane is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

It’s a public laneway, so there’s no admission fee and no set opening hours.

11. SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium

The SEA Life Melbourne Aquarium is a kid favorite. We had been to the Sydney aquarium before and felt that the one in Melbourne was even bigger.

Most of the aquariums are huge, which is great for the animals. We saw lots of sharks in tanks that weren’t only next to us, but all around us. And not just sharks, but also (sting)rays and even dugongs. And don’t forget to check out the penguins. They are always a pleasure to watch.

With all these large animals it is easy to forget the small aquariums, but you really shouldn’t. All the cute and colorful smaller fish are beautiful to watch and they’ll make you want to sit in front of the aquarium for hours on end. Of course Dory and Nemo are here too!

All in all, we liked spending time here and learning about all the different animals we saw. 

But there is something that we did worry about and I would like to address, concerning the well-being of wildlife.

The thing we didn’t like is the shark dive experience they offer. People could feed and pet sharks and that’s just a big no no for us. They are wild animals and it’s sad enough that they are locked up in huge water tanks for our enjoyment and research.

Opening Hours & Ticket Info

SEA LIFE Melbourne is open Monday to Friday from 10.00am to 5.00pm, and Saturday to Sunday from 9.30am to 5.00pm. The last entry is at 4.00pm.

Tickets start from $39 AUD (about €23/$25 USD) for adults when booked online in advance on weekdays, and can go up to $53 AUD (about €31/$34 USD) during peak periods. Kids under 3 enter for free.

Book online ahead of your visit, the aquarium frequently reaches capacity on weekends and school holidays.

Or buy the Melbourne Big Ticket for a discount (more on that later).

12. Scienceworks

Our 10-year-old asked more questions in 3 hours at Scienceworks than he had in the entire week combined. That’s how good this place is.

Scienceworks is Melbourne’s dedicated science and technology museum, located in Spotswood, filled with kids activities and events.

It’s fully interactive, which means your kids won’t just look at things behind glass, they’ll touch, test, build, and experiment their way through.

Sportsworks is a highlight, with over 20 exhibits exploring how the human body moves and performs. Think reaction tests, jumping challenges, and strength comparisons. Kids burn energy and learn something at the same time, which is honestly a parenting win. This sure was a winner with our youngest, who (at 4 years old) was a bit too young for most of the other things to be honest.

Think Ahead looks at the future of science and technology. For older kids and teens it’s genuinely thought-provoking stuff.

Melbourne Planetarium

Inside Scienceworks you’ll find the Melbourne Planetarium, and it’s worth budgeting extra for. The dome theater takes you through the cosmos with full-sky projections that are stunning even for adults who think they know what space looks like.

Programs run throughout the day and cover everything from our solar system to deep space. We went quiet in there. All 3 of us.

Opening Hours & Ticket Info

Scienceworks is open daily from 10.00am to 4.30pm, closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day.

General admission is $15 AUD (about €9/$10 USD) for adults. Kids 16 and under get in for free, as do concession card holders.

Note that planetarium shows are not included in general admission and cost $9 AUD (about €5.50/$6 USD) per person on top of your entry ticket.

13. Immigration Museum

We stumbled into the Immigration Museum without huge expectations, and we ended up staying far longer than planned. 

It’s housed in the beautifully restored Old Customs House on Flinders Street, right in the heart of the city. The building alone is worth a look. But what’s inside is what kept us there.

The museum tells the stories of people who came to Australia from all over the world. Why they left home, what they hoped for, what they actually found.

It does this through personal objects, documents, photographs, and multimedia displays that make history feel human rather than textbook. It’s quite impressive, and our eldest (this was during our first trip when our youngest wasn’t born yet) asked some great questions, and learned a lot during this visit.

Younger kids might connect more with the objects and images. 

Older kids and teens might start to understand what really shapes a country and a culture.

For families with their own migration stories, like mine with a mother who had to move from Indonesia to The Netherlands as a toddler, it can hit close to home in the best way.

Opening Hours & Ticket Info

The Immigration Museum is open daily from 10.00am to 5.00pm, closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day.

Adults pay $15 AUD (about €9/$10 USD). Kids 16 and under get in for free.

14. Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria

If you need to slow the pace down for a morning or afternoon, the Melbourne Gardens is where you go. I heard that there’s a huge part filled with cacti, which I love, so that was the reason we went. 

I never could’ve imagined it would end up being a fun event for the whole family. We packed a picnic to make it fun for the kids, but the eldest loved the zen vibes of the gardens and the youngest quickly found out there’s a children’s garden to explore.

It’s 38 hectares of beautifully maintained greenery right along the Yarra River in Southbank, just south of the CBD, and it costs nothing to get in.

Back to the picnic! The lawns are made for it. We spent a long lazy afternoon here and it was exactly what we needed halfway through our week. Just a chill hang in the middle of a bustling city.

You can easily wander for a couple of hours through themed plant collections, along lakeside paths, and past trees that have been growing here for well over 100 years. It’s the kind of place that feels genuinely restorative.

Children’s Garden

If you’re visiting with younger kids, the Children’s Garden is the main event. It’s a fully fenced area where children can explore nature hands-on, a safe space to run, dig, splash, and get muddy while you sit and breathe for a moment.

There are water features, bamboo groves, climbable rocks, and plant tunnels. It’s designed to get kids curious about the natural world, and it works on kids who claim they don’t like gardens. It just makes this outing family friendly!

Opening Hours & Ticket Info

The gardens are open every day of the year. From October to March they’re open from 7.30am to 7.30pm, and from April to September from 7.30am to 5.30pm.

Entry to the gardens and the Children’s Garden is completely free.

Worth knowing: the Children’s Garden closes during winter for maintenance. During the school term it’s open Wednesday to Sunday from 10.00am to 5.30pm. During Victorian school holidays it’s open daily.

15. Luna Park Melbourne

Luna Park Melbourne is the oldest theme park in Australia. It opened in 1912.

To be honest the Luna Park in Sydney was the only one we knew about in Australia, but when we heard about the one in Melbourne, we needed to take a look.

It sits right on St Kilda beach, which makes it easy to combine with a waterfront walk or a stop at one of the cafes nearby. The location alone gives it a holiday feeling the moment you walk through the famous Mr Moon entrance, similar to Luna Park Sydney.

The Great Scenic Railway is the one you have to do. It’s a wooden roller coaster that’s been running for over a century, and it still delivers.

I have to say I was a bit hesitant to get in, because it’s old and you can see that. Of course I know that they test everything and if it wasn’t safe they would close it, but it kinda added to the adrenaline kick for me.

For younger kids the carousel and moon balloons are perfect. Teens will probably head straight for the Supernova and the Power Surge.

Opening Hours & Ticket Info

Luna Park opens at 11.00am on weekends, school holidays, and public holidays. Closing times vary throughout the year so check the website before you go.

Entry costs $30 AUD (about €17.50/$19.30 USD) and includes 1 free ride. Unlimited ride tickets are $55 AUD (about €32/$35 USD) for adults (13+) and $45 AUD (about €26/$28.80 USD) for kids aged 4-12. Kids 3 and under get in for free.

A family pass for up to 4 guests costs $170 AUD (about €99/$108 USD).

16. ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image)

If your kids have ever asked how a movie gets made, or what actually goes into the sound design of their favorite game, ACMI is going to answer every single one of those questions in the best possible way.

It’s right in Federation Square next to Flinders Street Station, so it couldn’t be more central. And general entry is free, which for a museum this good almost feels too good to be true.

The permanent exhibition takes you from ancient shadow puppets all the way through to current digital art and interactive media. It’s fully hands-on.

Kids can put together their own film scenes, experiment in a real Foley studio, and pick up The Lens at the door, a free handheld device that lets you collect and explore content as you move through the museum.

We went in expecting to spend an hour. We were there for nearly 3. Our eldest was still talking about the Foley studio at dinner.

Opening Hours & Ticket Info

ACMI is open daily from 10.00am to 5.00pm, closed on Christmas Day.

General entry is free. Cinema screenings and special exhibitions are ticketed separately, so it’s worth checking the ACMI website before your visit to see what’s on.

Get the Melbourne Big Ticket – 2026 prices

If you want to visit Legoland and SEA LIFE, you should buy the Melbourne Big Ticket. This way you can scratch off 2 attractions with a discount.

And with 90 days validity between your 2 visits, there’s no need to cram them into the same day.

Both Legoland and SEA LIFE sell the Melbourne Big Ticket directly.

Legoland tickets for SEA LIFE start from $39 AUD (about €22.50/$24.50 USD) online and up to $53 AUD (about €31/$33.50 USD) on the day.

Legoland standalone tickets start from $21.54 AUD (about €12.50/$13.50 USD) online.

Bought separately, that’s at least $60.54 AUD per person online. The Melbourne Big Ticket brings that down to $49 AUD (about €28.50/$31 USD) per person when booked through Legoland, or from $69 AUD (about €40/$43.50 USD) per person when booked through SEA LIFE.

Always check both sites before buying, because the price difference between the 2 is significant. Right now I would definitely buy them from Legoland.

Kids under 2 enter both attractions for free.

You can buy the Big Ticket at one of the 2 attractions. The ticket is valid for 90 days.

Melbourne Itineraries for Families

Not sure how to fit everything in? Here are 3 suggested itineraries built around the attractions on this list. I’ve grouped activities by neighborhood so you’re not spending half your day on the tram.

Note that I didn’t add the Melbourne Star Observation Wheel yet. I’ll add it once it re-opens. Know that it’s located just a short walk away from SeaLife in the Docklands. So once it’s running again, it’s best to combine it with a visit to SeaLife.

5 Days in Melbourne with Kids

Day 1: CBD waterfront

Morning:

• Flinders Street Station
• Hosier Lane
• ACMI

Afternoon:

• SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium

Evening:

• Chinatown for dinner

Day 2: Markets, history, and culture

Morning:

• Queen Victoria Market

Afternoon:

• Immigration Museum

Evening:

• City Circle Tram ride through the CBD

Day 3: Carlton and East Melbourne

Morning:

• Melbourne Museum

Afternoon:

• Fitzroy Gardens

Evening:

• Dinner in Carlton, one of Melbourne’s best neighborhoods for food

Day 4: St Kilda and Botanic Gardens

Morning:

• Royal Botanic Gardens

Afternoon:

• Luna Park

Evening:

• Dinner along Acland Street in St Kilda

Day 5: Scienceworks and Legoland

Morning:

• Scienceworks, including a planetarium show.

Afternoon:

• Legoland Discovery Centre

Evening:

• Head back into the city for your last Melbourne dinner

4 Days in Melbourne with Kids

Day 1: CBD waterfront

Morning:

• Flinders Street Station
• Hosier Lane
• ACMI

Afternoon:

• SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium

Evening:

• Chinatown for dinner

Day 2: Markets, history, and culture

Morning:

• Queen Victoria Market

Afternoon:

• Immigration Museum

Evening:

• City Circle Tram ride back through the CBD.

Day 3: Carlton and East Melbourne

Morning:

• Melbourne Museum

Afternoon:

• Fitzroy Gardens

Evening:

• Head back into the CBD for dinner in one of Melbourne’s many laneways

Day 4

Morning:

• Scienceworks

Afternoon:

• Luna Park

Evening:

• Head back into the city for your last Melbourne dinner

3 Days in Melbourne with Kids

Day 1: CBD waterfront

Morning:

• Flinders Street Station
• Hosier Lane
• ACMI

Afternoon:

• SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium

Evening:

• Chinatown for dinner

Day 2: Museum & Science

Morning:

• Melbourne Museum

Afternoon:

• Scienceworks

Evening:

• Fitzroy Gardens and dinner nearby

Day 3: St Kilda and Botanic Gardens

Morning:

• Royal Botanic Gardens

Afternoon:

• Luna Park

Evening:

• Stroll along St Kilda beach and grab dinner at one of the many restaurants along Acland Street

Day Trips from Melbourne with Kids

Melbourne is a brilliant base for exploring Victoria. Once you’ve ticked off the city highlights, these day trips are worth the drive.

Get your rental car here

Day Trip to Mornington Peninsula from Melbourne

About 1 hour southeast of Melbourne by car, the Mornington Peninsula is where Melburnians go to breathe.

It’s a long stretch of coastline with calm bay beaches on one side and rugged surf beaches on the other, dotted with small towns, good coffee, and food worth stopping for.

Drive down the peninsula, stop at whichever beach calls to you, and end up at Point Nepean National Park at the very tip for coastal walks and a good look at the Bass Strait.

The kids will probably enjoy the rock pools at Sorrento Back Beach.

It’s best done by car. Public transport gets you to the peninsula but limits how much you can cover in a day. 

But you can also join a tour from Melbourne to Mornington Peninsula:

Day Trip to Phillip Island from Melbourne – Penguin Parade

About 90 minutes southeast of Melbourne by car, Phillip Island is famous for 1 thing: the Penguin Parade.

Plan to stay for the evening. The penguins don’t appear until after sunset, which means a late drive home by car or on a tour bus or otherwise opt for a sleepover.

Every evening at sunset, hundreds of Australian Little Penguins waddle ashore from the sea to their burrows. It’s one of those experiences that sounds like it might be overhyped, but it genuinely isn’t.

Note that you have to book tickets to the Penguin Parade in advance from the Phillip Island Nature Parks site.

The rest of the island holds up too. The Nobbies boardwalk gives you dramatic coastal views and a chance to spot fur seals in the distance.

You can also join a seal-watching cruise while here.

The island has a proper holiday feel to it, and it’s easy to spend a full day here before the parade.

If a late drive back to Melbourne is not ideal with younger kids, there are good accommodation options on Phillip Island.

You could also join one of these tours to Phillip Island:

Day Trip to Dandenong Ranges from Melbourne – Puffing Billy Railway

About 1 hour east of Melbourne, the Dandenong Ranges are a complete change of pace from the city.

Think tall mountain ash trees, fern gullies, and the kind of cool, green quiet that kids and adults might both need after a few days of urban sightseeing.

The star of any trip here is Puffing Billy, a heritage steam train that’s been running through the ranges since 1900. You ride in open-sided carriages with your legs dangling out of the windows as the train winds through the forest, over timber trestle bridges, and past some genuinely beautiful scenery. 

The main route runs from Belgrave to Lakeside, which operates daily. Longer routes to Gembrook run on Fridays to Sundays. Book well in advance, especially on weekends and school holidays, because trains sell out.

This is great for younger kids, which is why we skipped it with our teen.

Getting there is easy without a car. Take the Metro train from Flinders Street Station to Belgrave, about 1 hour, then it’s a short walk to the Puffing Billy station.

Or join a tour from Melbourne to the Dandenong Ranges:

The good news is that there are fewer tourists there and mostly families. The bad news is that it can get quite cold and windy with temperatures between 7° and 16° degrees Celsius.

But I have to say, we went here twice during this period of year, and it was actually quite doable. That’s why we didn’t hesitate to pick this period again for our second visit to Melbourne.

If you’re visiting in Melbourne’s summer, between December and February, expect heat, crowds, and school holiday prices.

Temperatures occasionally push above 40°C this time of year, but it drops off quickly, sometimes within the same day.

Which brings up something worth knowing regardless of when you visit: Melbourne’s weather is famously unpredictable.

Locals joke about 4 seasons in 1 day, and they’re not wrong. Always pack a light layer, even in summer.

Getting to and Around Melbourne with Kids

How to Get to Melbourne

Both domestic and international flights arrive at Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine), which is about 23km northwest of the CBD.

You can get into the city by SkyBus, taxi, or rideshare. The SkyBus runs directly to Southern Cross Station and is the easiest option with kids and luggage.

How to Get Around Melbourne

Melbourne has the largest urban tram network in the world, and for families it’s genuinely one of the best ways to get around. Trams run frequently, stops are close together, and the city is easy to navigate.

Within the Free Tram Zone, which covers the CBD and Docklands, all tram travel is completely free. No card, no ticket, nothing. This covers most of the central attractions on this list.

The moment you travel outside that zone, which includes destinations like St Kilda and the Botanic Gardens, you’ll need a Myki card.

Getting a Myki Card

The Myki Card is Melbourne’s public transport card. You load credit onto it and tap on and off at readers on trains, trams, and buses. 

You can pick one up as soon as you land. Cards are available at the airport in T2, T3, and T4 at WHSmith stores and SkyBus booths, as well as at all major train stations and 7-Eleven stores across the city.

You can also buy or top up a Myki Card online.

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Ready to Plan Your Melbourne Family Trip?

From stroller-friendly parks to cultural stops your teens won’t roll their eyes at, every activity on this list was handpicked from our own adventures.

These are the real highlights that made our trips memorable, with the kind of details busy families actually need.

And with the itineraries, day trips, and transport tips in this post, you’ve got everything you need to plan your Melbourne trip without spending hours on Google.

Looking for more travel inspiration? Dive into our other guides about family travel in Australia.

And if you’d rather hand the whole thing over, I’d love to help. Check out my family travel planning service and let’s build your Australia road trip together. You stay in control. You click and book. I do the research.

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