The 10 Best Indoor Activities in Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne is unfortunately well-known for its ‘four seasons in one day’ weather. But don’t let Melbourne’s unpredictable weather ruin your plans. There are many attractions around the city to enjoy when the weather outside isn’t being cooperative. Here are the 10 best indoor activities to check out in Melbourne.
1. Visit the National Gallery of Victoria for free
Art Gallery, Building
2. Learn more about the city at Melbourne Museum
Museum
Shop until you drop
Melbourne is Australia’s shopping capital. There are outdoor shopping areas, like Chapel Street and Bourke Street Mall. But head to one of the city’s indoor shopping centres when the weather turns bad. Chadstone Shopping Centre is Australia’s largest shopping centre by area, and claims to be the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere as well. More than 20 million people visit the 530 stores annually, which include Myer, David Jones, H&M, Sephora, and Uniqlo. In the city, head to Melbourne Central, which is home to shops, vintage boutiques, a bowling alley, a cinema, and a large food court.
Chadstone Shopping Centre, 1341 Dandenong Road, Chadstone, VIC, Australia, +61 3 9563 3355
3. Relax inside the State Library Victoria
Library
4. Spend the day inside the Crown Complex
Casino
5. Cliffhanger Climbing Gym
Gym
Do as the locals do and brunch
Going for brunch is a very popular pastime for many Melbourne residents. But which cafe do you choose? You could head to Fitzroy, which may be the unofficial brunch capital of Melbourne. Industry Beans is a local favourite, Bentwood Fitzroy does delicious panna cotta, and Belle’s Hot Chicken has chicken and waffles for brunch on weekends. There are plenty of places that do innovative brunch dishes too. Collective Espresso does ‘gravity waffles,’ Kettle Black has the prettiest pancakes, and Common Galaxia is known for its Ferrero Rocher waffles.
6. Visit SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium
Aquarium
Catch a movie
But don’t just watch a film in any old cinema. Lido Cinemas in Hawthorn first opened in 1912, and shows a diverse program of films. Cinema Nova is one of the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest independent cinemas with 16 theatres. It not only does the best choc top ice creams in Melbourne, but it also screens stage productions from the Met Opera and London’s National Theatre. Then there is Yarraville’s Sun Theatre, an art deco dream that first opened in 1938.
7. Scienceworks
Museum
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.