Great Ocean Road — are two days enough?
Two is rightOne is doable. Three adds the Grampians, not more coast.
Two is right. The road itself is about 240km from Torquay to Allansford, but it is slow, winding and the stops are the point — one day means seeing the Twelve Apostles at whatever time the schedule reaches them, which in summer is the middle of a crowded afternoon. Two days lets you stop properly, with a night at Apollo Bay, from $369. Three days does not give you more coast — it adds the Grampians inland. A day trip still works, from $139, and is a perfectly good way to see it if that is the time you have.
Checked on 6 October 2026.
This is the most-asked question about the Great Ocean Road and the answer is unusually clean: two days, and the third day is a different trip rather than more of the same one.
What each length gets you
| Length | What you get | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| One day | Bells Beach, the Memorial Arch, Kennett River koalas, Loch Ard Gorge and the Twelve Apostles. Back in Melbourne for dinner. | You arrive at the Apostles when the schedule says, which is often the busiest part of the day. It is a long day in a seat. |
| Two days | The same, unhurried, with a night at Apollo Bay. Time at Cape Otway and the rainforest walks. | Nothing much. This is the right length. |
| Three days | The coast plus the Grampians — walks, waterfalls and rock art inland. | The third day is not more coast. Take it only if the Grampians appeal. |
| Carrying on | The road continues to Adelaide in two or three days. | You do not come back to Melbourne. |
The day trips
| Trip | Effort | Comfort | Group | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Day Great Ocean Road + Rainforest Tour | — | — | Max 34 | $139 |
| 1 Day Great Ocean Road Reverse Tour (with lunch) | — | — | 9 to 21 | $149 |
Both are rated 2 out of 5 for effort — the Apostles are viewing platforms a few minutes from the car park, not a hike.
The reverse-direction day trip is worth knowing about. It runs the road the opposite way to everyone else, so you reach the Twelve Apostles when the coaches going the usual way have left. Same price bracket, fewer people in the photograph.
Two days
| Trip | Length | Where you sleep | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Day Great Ocean Road Tour | 2 days, 1 night | 1 night at Apollo Bay, in hostel and cabin accommodation. Rooms are dorm share. | $369 |
| 2 Day Great Ocean Road & Grampians Tour | 2 days, 1 night | 1 night at Halls Gap, deep in the Grampians National Park — either a private ensuite room at the Gariwerd Motel or shared accommodation with a shared bathroom at the Grampians Eco YHA. | $475 |
The $369 trip is dorm share at Apollo Bay. The Grampians version offers a private ensuite at Halls Gap — see our page on where you sleep.
Three days, and onward to Adelaide
3 Day Great Ocean Road & Grampiansfrom $6953 days, 2 nightsHostel and Cabin3 days — the coast and the GrampiansView trip
3 Day Melbourne to Adelaide Tourfrom $9223 days, 2 nightsHostel and Cabin3 days — Melbourne through to AdelaideView trip
2 Day Melbourne to Adelaide Tourfrom $4992 days, 1 nightHostel Style2 days — Melbourne to Adelaide, fasterView tripIf you drive it yourself
- It is slower than the distance suggests.240km of winding coast road with stops is a full day on its own.
- Go west to east if you canthe lookouts are on the ocean side, so you are not crossing traffic to reach them.
- Start early for the Apostles.First light and last light are both better than the middle of the day, in every way.
- Cape Otway and Kennett Riverare where the koalas are, and both are short detours off the road.
Which day trips suit whom
Both Great Ocean Road days are rated 2 out of 5 for effort, which makes them among the gentlest trips we sell. There is more on which day out of Melbourne suits families, solo travellers and older visitors on our who Melbourne suits page.
Where this comes from. Trip lengths, effort and comfort ratings, group sizes, where you sleep and prices are each trip's own details as held on its page here, and prices update on their own. The road length is the published Great Ocean Road route.