Friends Visiting Melbourne for a Week. Looking for Suggestions

Lomicron on 12/04/2019 - 13:05

G'day everyone.

I've a group of friends (with kids), coming over to Melbourne for a week (21 April to 27 April) to visit Melbourne. Then they're off to Sydney, Gold coast and Cairns.

While they're in Melb, I would like to take them around beautiful places(kid friendly) in Melb.

We will be 8 adults and 4 kids.

They're visiting Australia for the first time (and on a budget) I want to make it a memorable one for them and looking for suggestions from fellow Bargainers.

Can you please suggest some good places with bargains(I know it will be little tough one given that it's easter and school holidays)?

Any recommendations for car hire places? I was looking to hire one passenger van(15 seater) but they're very hard to find.

Below was my suggestions to them for places around Melbourne.

Great ocean road trip
Phillip Island
Puffing billy (If weather permits)
Lakes entrance
CBD, eureka, mcg etc..CBD bus tour
Melb aquarium / sea life
Melb zoo
Lego land discovery
Tree top walk
Hot springs

Ideally, if someone was on a budget, how would one enjoy visiting good places while keeping budget in mind.

Any tips/ suggestions welcome guys.

Thank you

Travel Melbourne Victoria

Comments

  • JIMB0 on 12/04/2019 - 13:17
    +6

    It's a shame they weren't here this week, could have joined in an animal rights protest as well as a union march.

  • [Deactivated] on 12/04/2019 - 13:22
    +5

    Dandenongs have some really nice Autumn public gardens. (Not to be confused with Dandenong, which is a hole.)

    • ScuseMe on 12/04/2019 - 13:38
      +5

      If they are into daredevil activities taking a walk in Dandenong in the night could be a great experience too provided they got travel insurance

  • barbarella on 12/04/2019 - 13:24
    +1

    Delete Lakes Entrance and Great Ocean Road off the list - as I think they are both too far to go in the short time they have in between other activities closer to Melbs
    No use driving all day just to turn around and come back. Lakes Entrance is great if one stays there for a few days and has a GOOD look around.

    • 0FoxGiven on 12/04/2019 - 13:38
      +7

      I second taking lakes entrance off the list. Its a long boring drive till the place and there isn't much to do there except for fishing and boating which can be done closer to Melbourne.

  • sparkles on 12/04/2019 - 13:25
    +2

    Forget the people mover, you haven't had a true Melbourne experience until you've done at least 20 minutes sardined on an overcrowded delayed train with broken airconditioning.

  • GG57 on 12/04/2019 - 13:38
    +1

    Not ideal dates for a visit, being the week of Easter heading into Anzac Day.
    Without knowing the ages of the kids, and what interests your friends have, or where they are visiting from, I would (as others have said) stay closer to Melbourne than venture to Lakes Entrance / Great Ocean Rd.

    There will be a lot of sporting events that week; maybe get some general admission tickets to an event that is of interest.
    Explore the NGV, the Museum/IMAX and/or Scienceworks.
    Go for an extended tram trip (avoid trains as they are primarily not working just now) or combine that with a Melbourne Bike Share ride (tram one way, bike the other).
    You could do a treasure hunt by preparing a map of the CBD with clues for certain things to see and meet up at the end.

  • lolz112 on 12/04/2019 - 14:02
    +2

    Swap the phillip island for the penguins in St Kilda unless you actually wanted to visit Phillip Island.

  • [Deactivated] on 12/04/2019 - 14:23

    I remember when I was a kid and we had family visiting from the UK. We took them to the MCG area to see the big new lights on. It was awesome but we were easily amused back then.

  • qwerty on 12/04/2019 - 14:57
    +1

    Serendip sanctuary + youyangs cost nothing and is a great day out

  • billy bass on 12/04/2019 - 15:04

    if they arent from australia , go check out an afl game at the mcg.

  • AustriaBargain on 12/04/2019 - 15:11

    Eureka Tower and a camera capable of shooting against a very bright background.

    • WreckTangle on 12/04/2019 - 20:22

      Yeah, before it gets dwarfed by that new big one

  • carlJack on 12/04/2019 - 15:16
    +2

    Aren't Aquarium and Zoo better in Sydney than Melb? if They are going to Sydney then they probably want to go to Taronga Zoo and sealife acquarium. When I visited melbourne, Great Ocean drive was the best part of the trip. Loved it.

    • SlartiBartFozz on 13/04/2019 - 19:50
      +2

      Absolutely agree with this. Sydney has a better Aquarium and Zoo than Victoria, you should check they have those on their itinerary.

      As for the other options, you could combine the Peninsula Hot Springs, Philip Island Penguin Parade / Chocolate Factory and Mornington Tree Surfing & Ziplines & Enchanted Gardens, (depending on the kids ages that's a great way to spend a day or three). Alternatively, of course Daylesford has more Hot Springs to choose from, you could combine that with a trip to Bendigo.

  • nomoneynoproblems on 12/04/2019 - 15:56

    Where are they from? No point in taking them on cbd tours if they're from new york, know what I'm saying.

  • elgrande on 12/04/2019 - 16:19

    Sydney

  • oscargamer on 12/04/2019 - 17:31

    Werribee zoo.
    Melbourne zoo.
    Scienceworks.
    Botanic gardens.
    Melbourne museum.

  • afoveht on 12/04/2019 - 21:30

    Hire bikes and do some rides.

    My clan is in Sydney; we go to Melbourne at least every couple of years and always bring the bikes and use public transport. A great way to see things close up, admire interesting buildings / gardens that you normally just pass by, cruise through the parks, circle Port Phillip, ride along the Yarra, ride through various interesting places and stop at the shops, etc. We find Melbourne super bike-friendly with all the tracks and bike lanes and flat terrain; we take the kids down Brunswick Rd Fitzroy - I'd never ever think of taking them through King St Newtown (Sydney equivalent).

  • djones145 on 12/04/2019 - 21:48

    have a look at merlin pass
    u can go to Melbourne zoo
    sydney wild life park
    sydney aquarium
    madam tussors
    centre point tower

    also look for multi passes

  • SomeGuyOnOzB on 24/04/2019 - 09:11

    Would they like to see dingoes, pat little wallabies and much more?

    Moonlit Sanctuary!
    If you are with RACV, you can get 10% off on tickets.
    https://www.racv.com.au/membership/member-benefits/member-di…

    There are also packages for more of an experience too (eg patting koalas, walking dingoes …)

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