10 Fun Things To Do in Melbourne Solo (+ 20 Extras!)
Looking for the best things to do in Melbourne as a solo traveller? Melbourne is known as one of the friendliest and happiest cities in the world, making it an amazing city to travel solo.
From spotting penguins in St Kilda, to taking yourself for a coffee in Brunswick, watching the world go by along the River Yarra and meeting like-minded travellers in a backpacker hostel, Melbourne is full of activities for solo travellers.
As I lived in Melbourne for a year, I’ve spent time there both solo and with friends. And whenever I was solo in Melbourne, I always found something to do. In the following post, I talk about the best things to do in Melbourne solo, and why it’s one of the best Australian destinations for solo travellers!
Related post: If you’re moving to Melbourne on a working holiday visa, check out my detailed guide about where to live, how to get a job and what living in Melbourne is actually like.
🇦🇺 Other Melbourne posts:
Things to Do in Melbourne Solo: A Summary
If you are preparing to do some Melbourne solo travel, there are a few things you need to know in order to plan a successful trip. Firstly, solo travel in Melbourne is one of the most popular options for backpackers in Oceania. You will meet so many other backpackers if you stay in hostels or go on group tours, so don’t be afraid to book your solo flights to Australia!
If you’re travelling the Melbourne solo, I highly recommend pre-booking your accommodation in advance. Hostels in Melbourne book out fast, and you don’t want to be disappointed and end up staying somewhere with bad reviews.
If you’re planning on staying in Melbourne long term (on a working holiday visa), make sure you have all the correct documentation and plans to start your new life. If you need some help with this, check out my detailed guide about moving to Melbourne as an expat on a working holiday visa here.
Finally – get excited for your solo trip to Melbourne! Australia is one of the best countries in the world, and you are truly in for a trip of a lifetime. I did my working holiday visa in 2018, and lived in Melbourne for a year. Since then, I’ve returned as a tourist, and hope to keep returning for years to come!
If you have any questions about visiting Melbourne solo, or need some help with your working holiday visa, be sure to let me know over on Instagram. And if this blog post has helped you in any way, let me know too! I love hearing your travel success stories!
Related post: Living In Melbourne As An Expat On A Working Holiday Visa
Where to stay if you’re visiting Melbourne solo
There are plenty of hotels, apartments and hostels to choose from if you are visiting Melbourne solo. After living there for 12 months, we found some of the best places to stay to be the following:
- For backpackers and young adults visiting for fun: Nomads (formally Base Backpackers)
- For backpackers who are also working whilst in Melbourne: Space Hotel (a hostel in the CBD)
- For your own space in the CBD: The Fawkner Apartments
- For your own apartment in St Kilda: Blessington Street Studio Apartments
Getting around Melbourne
You can travel around Melbourne in multiple ways. Depending on how much time you have, your budget and where you want to visit, the easiest ways to travel around Melbourne are by rental car, tram, train or bus.
Tram is the most popular way to get around Melbourne. Public transport in Melbourne is quick, easy and reliable. But, like any other city, you can get around on foot, bike, tram, train or bus.
🚋 TRAM: Trams are the main way of getting around Melbourne.
If you have a Myki card, your travel will be capped per day (meaning you will not spend over a certain price). You can buy your Myki card in any 7-11 convenience store.
🚃 TRAINS: The main train stations in Melbourne are Flinders Street and Southern Cross.
Flinders Street is similar to Kings Cross, and Southern Cross of Liverpool Street station, due to location and size. Both have train lines going into the suburbs and are reliable ways to get to work out of the city.
🚴 CYCLING: There are bikes for hire all over the city, which are really similar to London’s Santander (Boris) bikes.
Download an app and you can hire and drop off cycles at designated points.
🚕 TAXI: Uber is widely available in Melbourne.
✈️ Getting to the airport can either be done via Uber or the ‘Skybus’ which has multiple pick-up and drop-off locations. This costs about $20 return and takes about an hour from St Kilda. You can book buses around Australia here.
Bucket list tours to do solo in Melbourne
Looking to book a tour whilst solo in Melbourne? Tours are one of the best ways to see the hidden gems of the country you are visiting, especially if you are travelling solo and don’t want to pay all of the transport fees by yourself. They’re also a great way to meet other people and make new friends!
NOTE: If you’re travelling during peak season, I highly recommend pre-booking your tours to ensure you don’t miss out!
When travelling, we use this company to book our tours. Tours include skip-the-line tickets to the world’s most iconic attractions, walking tours by top local experts, immersive food and beverage tours, cooking and craft classes, bucket list experiences, and niche offerings you won’t find anywhere else!
Some of the best tours you can do solo in Melbourne include:
- Great Ocean Road + Wildlife Tour: check prices now!
- Penguin + Koala Bear Tour: check prices now!
- Watch a Melbourne AFL Game: check prices now!
- Yarra Valley Vineyard: Chocolate, Wine and Gin Tour!: check prices now!
Best things to do in Melbourne Solo
1. Spot penguins at St Kilda pier
St Kilda is one of the best places in Melbourne for solo travellers for many reasons. One of the best reasons? Penguins! 🐧
Head to the end of St Kilda pier at dusk – on any day of the year – and there’s a high chance you’ll see penguins returning from the sea for the evening. It’s a truly magical experience and one you won’t forget.
🐧 TOP TIP: Feeding and petting the penguins isn’t allowed. Flash photography also frightens them, so make sure to turn your camera/phone light off before you take any photos!
2. Stay in a backpacker hostel like Nomads (formally known as Base)
If you’re visiting Melbourne solo and want to meet like-minded travellers, I’d recommend staying at the Nomads in St Kilda.
Nomads (aka Base) is a well-known party hostel in Oceania, with locations all over New Zealand and Australia. They’re known for being clean and modern, and provide a great space for solo backpackers wanting to meet new people.
Nomads has a daily event schedule, with backpacker-friendly events such as day trips, bar crawls, boozy bingo and pizza nights. The Nomads in St Kilda is just a five minute walk from the beach, and is right next to Acland Street – the best street in St Kilda, known for it nightlife (and cakes).
➡ Book your stay at Nomads now!
3. Visit Federation Square
Federation Square is one of the most culturally important attractions in Melbourne, and is worth a visit if you are in Melbourne for the first time. Known as being the hub of art, creativity and innovation, you can visit Federation Square for a casual solo wander.
If you visit on a non-event day, the square has a number of bars, cafes and restaurants, and is surrounded by art galleries, parks and theatres. It’s definitely worth a visit, and is a perfect thing to do in Melbourne on your own!
🎭 TOP TIP: The closest station to Federation Square is Flinders Street.
4. Grab a coffee and visit the vintage markets in Brunswick
As you may know, Melbourne is known for serving up some of the best coffee in the world. And if you’re heading north of the river, Brunswick is home to some of the most aesthetically pleasing coffee spots.
Brunswick is also home to some of the best vintage clothes shops in the city. Grab your coffee and head down Sydney Street and Brunswick Street for some second-hand clothes shopping (there’s nothing quite as wholesome as vintage shopping with a coffee on a Sunday afternoon). And this is way better done solo!
After trialling quite a few Brunswick coffee stops, we found the best to be Padre Coffee, Lobbs and ONA Coffee Melbourne. And if you’d like to pair this with a vintage clothes market, hit up Melbourne Vintage!
🛌 Need accommodation in Brunswick? I recommend this hostel for first-time backpackers and expats.
5. Check out Melbourne’s street art
Melbourne is the ‘proud capital’ of street art paintings in Australia. Street art, murals and grafitti by talented artists can be found all over the city.
Hosier Lane is Melbourne’s most famous laneway for street art, which is near Flinders Street station in the CBD. Taking a walk through Melbourne’s City Centre to see the street art is one of the easiest and best things to do solo.
If you’re lucky, you might catch an artist at work. We stayed for hours watching some of them paint!
🎨 Other locations in Melbourne for street art include the Keith Haring Mural, Caledonian Lane and the Aretha Brown Fitzroy mural.
🇦🇺 FUN FACT: Banksy had painted over five original pieces in Melbourne, but they were sadly destroyed or painted over by construction workers.
6. Admire the colourful beach huts at Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach is one of the sandiest and prettiest beaches in Melbourne. With the colourful beach huts, it’s a perfect day trip in Melbourne to do solo.
There are buses and trains that run to Brighton Beach, but some backpackers opt do the St Kilda to Brighton coastal walk. This should take just over an hour, with lots of beaches to stop off and admire en route.
🥗 TOP TIP: We found food and drink at Brighton beach to be expensive (and hard to find!) so I’d recommend taking a picnic or your own food if you’re a budget backpacker.
7. Spend time in the CBD
Melbourne CBD is known for its cultural diversity, amazing dining options, cool street art and of course, incredible coffee. Spending time in the CBD is a great way to explore Melbourne solo.
The CBD (Central Business District) is the central hub in Melbourne. Here you can find theatres, museums, rooftop bars and main central stations taking you to the suburbs surrounding Melbourne. It’s also home to big shopping malls, pharmacies, cinemas and nightclubs.
Even if you’re not looking to spend any money, the atmosphere of the CBD is fun. It’s a great way to experience the heart of the city, and walking around it is one of the best things to do in Melbourne as a solo backpacker.
✈️ Still need to book your flights to Melbourne? I recommend this comparison site to find the best flight deals!
8. Eat cake on Acland Street
Acland Street is the main street in St Kilda. It’s full of bars, restaurants, clubs and pubs. And it’s also home to some of the best cake shops in Melbourne.
Monarch Cakes has been baking the same recipes for over 80 years, and is known as one of the best places in Melbourne for a slice of cake. In fact, it’s the oldest cake shop in the entire city!
But Acland Street is always growing in terms of cake shops, and is now home to at least five successful cake shops. Taking a walk along Acland Street, eating cake and drinking a cup of tea is one of the best things to do in Melbourne solo.
9. Party on Chapel Street
Located around 10 minutes from St Kilda via public transport, Chapel Street is the home of nightlife in Melbourne. Chapel Street is perfect if you’re into late nights and dancing until the early hours.
You can either visit Chapel Street solo or head to one of the bars with some of your new friends from your hostel. Most hostels will plan evenings out to Chapel Street during the week and at weekends.
Make sure you visit Melbourne’s best club, Revolver Upstairs, which is open for 24 hours a day, Thursday to Sunday of every week. They even have a pub quiz during the week!
Some other recommendations for Chapel Street include Lucky Coq, Revolver Upstairs, College Lawn Hotel, Poof Doof, Three Monkeys, Jungle Bar and Somewhere Bar.
👩❤️👨 If you’re going to date whilst visiting the Melbourne solo, especially via dating apps, always meet in a public place. Send your location to your friends and keep them updated throughout.
10. Eat street food from around the world at the Victoria Night Market
The Victoria Night Market is one of the best and easiest things in Melbourne to do solo. Try foods from all over the world with a backdrop of the lights from the skyline of the city.
The Victoria Market is located in the CBD, and takes place every Wednesday night throughout Melbourne’s summer months.
If you’re visiting in the winter months, The Queen Victoria market has different events and stalls set up. You can find out about different Queen Victoria events here.
Related post: Living In Melbourne As An Expat On A Working Holiday Visa
20 BONUS activities to do in Melbourne solo
They may be the top ten activities to do in Melbourne solo, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other incredible things to do in this magical city! Take a look at these 20 extra things to do in Melbourne solo:
- Try windsurfing
- Visit Luna Park theme park at night
- Have a cocktail in one of St Kilda’s beach bars
- Cycle the coastline
- Learn about Australia’s history at the Shrine of Remembrance
- Dance the day away at the Arbory floating bar
- Stroll around the Botanical Gardens
- Party at Melbourne’s 24-hour nightclub, Revolver
- Go shopping in the CBD
- Take a road trip to the Yarra Valley
- Visit the Great Ocean Road
- Watch a live gig
- Laugh at a comedy show
- Do a ‘boozy’ brunch
- Take some time out at Melbourne Library
- Watch an Australian footy match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
- Attend the races (check dates, usually November)
- Visit an outdoor cinema
- Have a picnic in Albert Park
- Take a trip to Melbourne Zoo
Day or weekend trips from Melbourne
There are so many day or weekend trips if you’re living in Melbourne as an expat or backpacker. These are some of the best:
- The Great Ocean Road: Driving along the Great Ocean Road is one of the most beautiful and memorable coastal drives, and can be done easily from Melbourne. Either hire a van or car, set up your Sat Nav, and plan a few route stops. We spent 2 days (1-night camping) on the Great Ocean Road and found this to be a perfect amount of time. ➡ BOOK A TOUR NOW!
- Mornington Peninsula: About an hour from Melbourne city centre, the peninsula is a well-known holiday destination for locals. A small coastal town that is a perfect beach getaway. ➡ BOOK A TOUR NOW!
- Wilson’s Promontory National Park: (Known as Wilson’s Prom). The southernmost tip of mainland Australia, Wilson’s Prom has bushland trails and pristine beaches. Spot wild wombats, emus, and kangaroos and pitch up a tent at one of the local campsites. ➡ BOOK A TOUR NOW!
- Phillip Island: If you like penguins, a trip to Phillip Island is a must. A short journey from Melbourne, the island attracts visitors due to its Australian wildlife and the Penguin Parade (which is lots of penguins arriving at the beach during sunset). ➡ BOOK A TOUR NOW!
- Mount Buller: Around 3 hours from Melbourne, Mt Buller is one of Victoria’s most popular snow resorts. ➡ BOOK A TOUR NOW!
- Yarra Valley: If you like wine, visiting the Yarra Valley gives you the chance to taste some of the best in the country, just 30 minutes away. The vineyards here are known for making Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and sparkling wine. ➡ BOOK A TOUR NOW!
Volunteering or house-sitting in Australia
The most budget-friendly options for staying in Melbourne on a budget include either volunteering or pet-sitting. Both of these options will give you free accommodation in return for your services. So, how do you find these opportunities?
🥕 Volunteering: Use Worldpackers. They’re a trusted site with volunteering opportunities all over the world. You can choose the job you do, how long for and how many hours you work per day. Check out Worldpackers opportunities here! (Plus my link gets you $10 off your membership!)
🐈 House or pet-sitting: Use Trusted Housesitters. We have used this company all over the world in exchange for free accommodation. Use the website to find a suitable house sit for you (dogs, cats, lizards, chickens), set the dates you’ll be there and how long for, and apply for a sit!
Making friends whilst solo in Melbourne
If you are visiting Melbourne solo and would like to make new friends, there are a few different things to try out. Do some of the following options to increase your chances of making friends in a new city.
👯♀️ Do a group tour. One of the best (and my highest recommended) ways to meet people and make friends in a new city is to do a group tour. We booked a tour with Intro Travel, and even though it was in Sydney, many of our friends then moved to Melbourne. Thirteen of us from the group tour even travelled the Australian East Coast together! It’s an amazing way to make life-long friends.
💻 Facebook groups. There are many Facebook groups for expats, backpackers and tourists in a new city, and in this case – Melbourne.
🛌 Hostels. Even if you don’t stay in hostels for long, they’re a great way to initially meet people in a new city.
🎾 Join a club! Melbourne has hundreds of clubs to join, from tennis to football, book clubs to wine nights – this is a great way to make friends.
🚶🏼♀️Do a walking tour. Walking tours in Melbourne are free, and you walk around with the same people for a few hours, so it’s easy to make friends.
🏟️ Book a day tour. This is another great form of organised fun that allows you to meet new people. You can check out amazing bucket-list Melbourne tours here!
Best things to do in Melbourne solo: FAQs
1) Is Australia good for solo travel?
Yes! Australia is an amazing place for solo, simply because so many backpackers travel to Australia solo. You will meet many other like-minded travellers who are also travelling solo, especially if you stay in hostels.
🛌 Need a good hostel to stay in when visiting Melbourne solo? Pick Nomads! It’s the perfect social and party hostel for solo travellers. ➡ BOOK YOUR STAY NOW!
2) Where can I live alone in Melbourne?
Most British expats and solo travellers settle in St Kilda. You can expect to make a lot of English, Scottish and Irish friends if you live in this area! For us, St Kilda was perfect. It was a good base for work, has a beach, and nightlife, it’s close to Chapel Street and the CBD, and was where all of our friends lived.
Some other of the most popular areas for expats and backpackers doing their working holiday visa includes Brunswick, the CBD, Prahran, Richmond, Wimbledon, Carlton, Balaclava and Fitzroy.
3) Do I need a car to travel around Australia?
This is down to personal preference. We found Australia easy enough to travel around via buses, trains and even flying, but our favourite mode of transport was hiring a car.
You can hire a car and drive around the entire country at your own pace. Driving in Australia is safe and straightforward. Some of the main towns and cities are a distance away from each other, so to maximise your time in the country, you may want to hire a car.
If you’re looking to hire a car in Australia, we rent our cars from this company. They’re reliable, cheap and have car rentals all over the world! ➡ You can check out the prices for car hire in Australia now!
4) Do I need a SIM card to travel around Oceania?
Yes, it’s worth downloading an eSIM on your phone to ensure you can use it for directions and avoid roaming charges as soon as you arrive in either Australia or New Zealand.
ESIMs are easy to download and ready to use within a few minutes of purchasing, so there’s no longer a need to hunt down free Wifi! ➡ You can check out the prices and packages for eSIMs here!
Package holidays to Melbourne and Australia
One of the best budget ways to visit Australia is via a package holiday. This is an amazing way to see the country without breaking the bank!
What does a package holiday to Australia include? The package holidays will include both flights and accommodation. They’re also all ATOL protected, and you can book with a simple low deposit, spreading the total cost of the holiday across a period of time.
➡ You can look at incredible package holidays to Australia here!
Best things to do in Melbourne solo: In a Nutshell
So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about the best things to do in Melbourne solo. When you’re planning a trip to Australia, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!
If you haven’t seen my blog before, I write posts aimed at first-time backpackers on a budget. I’m currently travelling around the world with my boyfriend (read more here!), creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!
Keep an eye out for more Australian content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!
As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!
Happy travelling 🙂
Jennie x
🇦🇺 🦘Where to next?
- Best Places to Live in Melbourne as a Young Adult or Expat
- Living in Melbourne as an Expat COMPLETE GUIDE
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MEET THE AUTHOR!
Hi! I'm Jennie! As a part-time travel blogger based in London, I'm using my 10+ years of travel expertise to encourage & inspire you to step out of your comfort zone through sustainable, mindful and purposeful travel.
If I'm not writing, I'm either reading, drinking coffee or taking a wild swim (all at the same time if I'm feeling impressive).
Amazing Blog !!
I was so interesting to read and I am so excited to experience all these things in Melbourne. Thank you so much for sharing.
Ah I’m so glad! Thank you and have the best time in Melbourne! DM me if you have any questions 😀 xx