Is Melbourne good for solo travellers, families and older visitors?
All threeAnd nothing worth seeing from Melbourne needs a car.
All three, and it is one of the easiest cities in Australia to be in on your own. The two big days out both collect you from your hotel and bring you back — the Great Ocean Road from $139 and Phillip Island's penguin parade from $149 — so no car, no planning. The Great Ocean Road is rated 2 out of 5 for effort, which is why it works for almost everybody: the Twelve Apostles are a viewing platform, not a hike.
Checked on 6 October 2026.
Melbourne is a walking city with trams, so the city itself asks nothing of you. The question is really about the days out, and the good news is that the two best ones are the two easiest.
If you are travelling solo
- The day trips are small groupsbetween 9 and 34 depending on the trip — moving together all day. It is the simplest way to meet people without having to try.
- Pick-up and drop-off are includedso you are not working out a 6am train in a city you landed in yesterday.
- The city trams are free in the central zonewhich makes the first day cheap and easy.
- Melbourne is the other end of the east coast runif a few days turns into a few weeks.
If you are bringing children
- Phillip Island is the one.Little penguins come ashore at dusk in front of a seated viewing area — it is the most reliably loved day out we sell near Melbourne.
- The Great Ocean Road works toobut it is a long day in a seat with short stops, which suits older children better than small ones.
- Both are back in Melbourne the same eveningso you keep one hotel.
- The Grampians trips add a nightwhich is worth it once children are old enough to enjoy a walk.
If you are an older visitor
Look at the effort column below. The Great Ocean Road days are rated 2 out of 5 — coach travel with short walks to lookouts, and the Twelve Apostles viewing platforms are a few minutes from the car park. The reverse-direction trip is worth knowing about: it runs the road the opposite way to everyone else, so you see the Apostles with fewer people around.
Every day trip from Melbourne, rated
| 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 |
| 1 Day Phillip Island and Penguins | — | — | Around 24 | $149 |
Effort and comfort are each rated 1 to 5 on the trip's own page. All three pick up in Melbourne and return the same day.
Two and three day trips
The Great Ocean Road done in a day is a long day. Two days lets you stop properly, and three adds the Grampians — walks, waterfalls and rock art, inland from the coast.
2 Day Great Ocean Road Tourfrom $3692 days, 1 nightHostel and Cabin2 days — the coast, unhurriedView trip
2 Day Great Ocean Road & Grampians Tourfrom $4752 days, 1 nightHostel and Cabin2 days — adds the GrampiansView trip
3 Day Great Ocean Road & Grampiansfrom $6953 days, 2 nightsHostel and Cabin3 days — the coast and the Grampians properlyView tripLeaving Melbourne for good
Melbourne is a starting point as much as a stop. The coast road west goes to Adelaide in two or three days, and the long runs go north to Alice Springs or all the way to Cairns.
| Trip | Length | Starts and finishes | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Day Melbourne to Adelaide Tour | 2 days, 1 night | Melbourne / Adelaide | $499 |
| 3 Day Melbourne to Adelaide Tour | 3 days, 2 nights | Melbourne / Adelaide | $922 |
| 8 Day Melbourne to Alice Springs | 8 days, 7 nights | Melbourne / Alice Springs | $1899 |
| 21 Days Melbourne to Cairns | 21 days, 20 nights | Melbourne / Cairns | $2749 |
Where this comes from. Effort and comfort ratings, group sizes, pick-up arrangements, trip lengths and prices are each trip's own details as held on its page here, and prices update on their own.