Melbourne Travel Forum

Dear VT friends,

Hope you can give me advice on the following:

1) We understand that taking cab from airport to CBD area is expensive. Can you recommand a hotel which can be reach by airport express bus? We prefer a hotel with good location and not too expensive. No need to be high end but just clean with a personal bathroom will do for 2 persons.

2) Any local products that are unique/good to bring home as gifts?

3) We hope to spend 3days on the outskirts of cbd area, e.g. great ocean road, phillip island , mornington peninsular, sunnyridge farm. Any great farmstay to recommand?

4) Is it recommanded to self drive or take day tours?

5) any great factory outlets that we should go?

6) We thought of going for dinner at fifteen open by Jamier Oliver. Is it worth visiting ?what is the price range like for a meal ?

7) hows weather like?

8)any 1/2 day cruise to recomand?

many thanks in advance.

Due to extreme climatic changes the World is experiencing at the moment, trying to predict the weather can be difficult because of local, on the day variations.
Most places now are seeing weather conditions well outside the norm.
The information below should be used as a guide only.

Here is the average weather for Melbourne for this time of year.
Enjoy your holiday.

May.
High 62f / 17c
Low 48f / 9c
Rain 3.30in / 85.0mm
Rain days 14
Hours of sun 5
Daylight hours 10
UV level 3 = Moderate
Humidity = None
Sea temp 61f / 16c

There are a few factory outlets in Melbourne. We went to the DFO Dandenong road, Cheltenham, prices were very cheap and we came out with heaps. I will give you the website detail for the DFO's and it also gives information on things to see and do. The website is www.onlymelbourne.com.au Hope this helps. Enjoy your holiday.

You can get a shuttle Bus from the airport into the CBD and usually right to the door of your hotel. I can recommend the Grand Mecure and the Hotel Grand Chancellor which are both in the CBD and less expensive than most. There is a boat trip from the city to williamstown which, I believe, is worthwhile and I would think could be done in half a day.

2) there are a lot of gift stores in the CBD with a wide range of stuff, but Melbourne doesn't really have a 'specialty' except for AFL (Aussie rules football) paraphernalia.

4) I think your cutting it a bit fine with 3 days to do provincial Victoria its an 12 hour drive from Phillip Island to Campbelltown (heart of the great ocean road). In that respect i would organise some day tours from Melbourne CBD (here are a few tourist centers that specialise in this... one is near china town on Swanston Street i think) otherwise you will be stuffed from all that driving.

5) any great factory outlets that we should go?

there is a DFO in southern cross station (and one in the east and west suburbs) however it has become less of an outlet and more of a fashion shopping center.

there is a good Wesco factory outlet near tottenham station on the sydnem train line. Torquey on the surf coast is the home of ripcurl clothing brands there is a dozen or so surfing brand outlets.

7)there is an expression here: "dont like melbourne weather? wait 10 minutes". pack for between 10 degrees c and 25 degrees c

8) there is some cruises that leave from southbank (right next to the CBD) that go to see penguins and seals, but i have never done them.


6) We thought of going for dinner at fifteen open by Jamier Oliver. Is it worth visiting ?what is the price range like for a meal ? 7) hows weather like? 8)any 1/2 day cruise to recomand? many thanks in advance.

Nearly all of the city hotels are serviced by the Skybus shuttle - problem is that you have to change at Southern Cross Station and lug your bags to another bus. Depending on hotel you could be at the end of the bus line. Cost is about $14 each from airport. Cost by cab is around $45 and takes you direct to hotel without having to change bus and lug bags and is a lot quicker.

I went to Fifteen a couple of years ago and enjoyed it as its good restaurant but not the most memorable meal I've eaten, It did have a very nice atmosphere and I would ive it a go while your here, for prices check out their website http://www.fifteen.net/restaurants/fifteenmelbourne/menu/Pages/default.aspx
For a local product to buy I would head to St Kilda on a Sunday as they have a good market with many local artist selling goods, there is also some good local markets in the outskirts of the city which operate on certain days of the month - http://www.craftmarkets.com.au/default.asp.
Agree with other posters re DFO stores but you can also head out to Smith Street in Collingwood or Bridge Road in Richmond. Both have heaps of stores and some good places to stop for lunch.
Weather in May will be cold, all relative I supose, but temps in the mid teens are to be expected. As Melbourne is in the midst of a drought while you may get a day of rain I would not expect much more.

DFO best optionis Southern Cross Station as it is close to the CBD. Other factory outlets are Smith Street and you will also find the AFL (footy) clothing, kind of unique to Melbourne. The weather could be anything, rain/hail/shine but its likely to be cool as winter is just starting to hit in May. Oh and there is no shorage of good restaurants in Melbourne so if you cant get into Fifteen, then no problemo, you will find something good.
Philip Island and Mornington Penisula are day trips but the GOR is more like a two day trip really. Something to consider.

Peter

1) For two people, I would get a cab. It won't cost that much more than two bus fares, and you don't have to stuff around with your bags when you will be tired.

3) You have a lot planned for three days. You might consider doing day bus trips given you want to see a lot in a short space of time?

4) I think this depends on a few things, such as how much you enjoy driving (or not). The roads in Melbourne are not that easy in the sense that there are toll roads which you have to get a pre-paid ticket for, etc. Personally, I would go for the tour because I don't do driving stress in a foreign city very well. Hiring a car would probably be cheaper, though.

5) DFO at Southern Cross is your most convenient bet. Bridge Road is very close to the city too. Just a short tram ride, or 30 min walk.

6) Haven't been. There are many many (!) good restaurants in Melbourne, though. My personal favourite in the city is Blue Stone. Amazing food. I'm sure they have a website.

7) Weather is quite unpredictable. Sorry, can't help you much there.

8) I would be inclined to skip the cruise. Water isn't Melbourne's best feature. Perhaps spend that time on one of your regional excursions.

The weather is starting to get cold this time of the year. Places around melb to visit is docklands they have DFO there, also the big wheel, but out of action at the moment. Southbank is worth looking around. Also u can go to the Victoria Markets.Depends on want u want 2 c. MCG,St Kilda u can catch a tram to there.Also check out thatsmelbourne.com.au