PLEASE NOTE: Safe to say this is a very delayed post as it’s about a trip from April 2021, so unfortunately some of the activities and things mentioned are no longer open/available.

With Chris being from Tasmania and not having explored much of Melbourne prior to moving over in late 2020, I decided to organise a weekend staycation with an itinerary that included some of the city’s top attractions.

Where to stay

Melbourne is a relatively big city and the options when it comes to accommodation are abundant not only location-wise but also in price range. As I wanted us to be as centrally located as possible, I opted for Ink Hotel Melbourne, which you’ll find in the middle of Southbank on City Road right behind the Crown Casino complex. Every now and then I enjoy splashing out on accommodation, but for a trip like this where it was essentially just a place to sleep, I was pretty happy to go with a mid-range price point, which is exactly what Ink is – sometimes they also offer hotel deals, so keep an eye out for those!

Activities

In a bustling city like Melbourne, the list of activities available to you is endless; from high-end shopping along Collins and Little Collins Street to a self-guided street art tour of the city’s laneways, take your pick!

As we were staying Friday night through to Sunday afternoon, I had to be selective with what we could realistically fit in during this time frame – we did manage to fit in 7 main attractions/activities over the course of the weekend.

First up was The Hangman’s Night Tour at the Old Melbourne Gaol. There are a few visiting options for the Gaol, you can opt to go during the day and do a self-guided tour of the various buildings or do a guided tour, some of which run during the day and others that are only available on select nights of the week. The Hangman’s Night Tour is an exclusive guided tour that takes you through every corner of the Gaol in an elaborate roleplay style with the master of the rope who tells you bone-strumming tales straight from the gallows. I’d recommend setting aside an hour and a half for this activity.

THe Hangman’s Night Tour cost: $80.68 for 2 adults.

Next on the list was meant to be a ride on the Melbourne Star, however, as the tour at the Gaol was delayed by 30-45 minutes we had to reschedule and ended up doing the Melbourne Star the following day instead. Unfortunately, the observation wheel is now closed permanently so I won’t bother chatting about it anyway!

The Melbourne Star was at The District Docklands so while it’s not something you can visit anymore, you can explore the shopping centre still. One of the activities we did get up to here, which is still open, is Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq – because who doesn’t love being a big kid in an arcade?

Saturday morning started with a visit to Sea Life, Melbourne’s aquarium situated right on the river. To save time and to guarantee entry, I highly recommend pre-booking your tickets online rather than purchasing them on the spot, especially on weekends. I know it probably seems like an odd thing to do without kids, but it was actually a really fun time exploring the underwater world. I think all up, we probably spent around 2 – 3 hours here.

Sea Life entry cost: $92 for 2 adults.

In the late afternoon, we met up with some friends and played a round of mini-golf at the Pixar Putt set up in Fed Square. Unfortunately, this is another activity which is no longer available.

Pixar Putt cost: $80 for 2 adults doing 18 holes.

At Fed Square, along with a variety of bars and eateries, you’ll find IceBar where you can enjoy a drink or two in a -10° environment. This is another activity that I’d recommend pre-booking tickets for as they limit the number of people allowed in the bar at any one time. At the time of booking, I also pre-purchased our first round of drinks – as I was pregnant at the time I opted for a mocktail and a standard cocktail for Chris. Keep in mind, it is a costly activity considering what you’re getting but I suppose it’s all about the experience right? While inside you can also have your photo taken in various staged spots and then purchase them at the end – talk about a money-making scheme!

IceBar cost: $93.20 for 2 adults entry with 1 deluxe cocktail and 1 mocktail.

Our final activity for Saturday evening was a movie date at the IMAX theatre, which you’ll find at the Melbourne Museum Precinct. If this is somewhere you’ve never been before, don’t expect it to be like your standard movie cinema; the novelty of IMAX is the towering seven-storey screen accompanied by hair-raising surround sound. We saw Godzilla VS Kong, and if the seven-storey screen wasn’t big enough, the movie was also in 3D to enhance the experience even further. Compared to your standard HOYTS or Village Cinema, tickets are expensive but as a once-every-now-and-then-treat, it’s worth it.

IMAX cost: $88 for 2 adults with premium seating.

Last but not least, the final activity to round up our Melbourne staycation was a Sunday morning stroll through the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV). Entry into the NGV is free however, there are some ticketed exhibitions and programs that require you to pay.

Places to eat

Whether you’re keen for a pub feed, a MICHELIN Star restaurant, or happy to enjoy a treat at a little cafe there are endless options throughout Melbourne to keep your tummy happy.

Crown is home to some of Melbourne’s critically acclaimed restaurants but also a food court offering diverse cuisines and budget-friendly options. So after our tour of the Old Melbourne Gaol, we headed back to Southbank and wandered along the river before settling on dinner at the Italian restaurant Criniti’s. Despite being a Friday night, we easily got a table without a booking – probably because it was around 9pm by the time we had dinner!

Whether you’re the type of person who likes a hearty breakfast to start your day or content with the liquid gold that many consider a good cup of coffee to be, Ink Hotel offers both. While their breakfast menu is basic compared to many other places in Melbourne, our booking came with the option to choose a menu item included in the cost of our stay so we utilised that saving. Let’s face it though, Melburnians are known for being coffee snobs so if you’re after something a little nicer than a hotel lobby breaky, you don’t have to look far in the city.

As our activities on Saturday took us to The District Docklands, we ended up having a Greek-inspired lunch at Yassas, and I’d highly recommend a meal here if you’re ever in the area. If Greek ain’t your cup of tea, then there are plenty of other options in their eatery ranging from the likes of Carl’s Jr. for burger enthusiasts to Fukutontei Ramen for those wanting Asian, and many more!

While there are plenty of other places to dine at, experiences to tick off (like a visit to the southern hemisphere’s highest observation deck that is Melbourne Skydeck) and things to do in Melbourne other than just those listed above, this itinerary is exactly what we managed to fit in for our one weekend.