A Splendid Saturday in Melbourne

From secret laneways and rooftops, to thrilling rides at St. Kilda’s Luna amusement park, to enjoying a picnic at the Royal Botanic Gardens, and taking a day trip to the Mornington Peninsula or to Phillip Island for fairy penguins, Melbourne has no lack of activities to keep you occupied for the day. Traveling to this exciting city with friends and family? Here’s a suggestion on how you can spend a Saturday in the city!

Morning – Queen Victoria Market & Checking out Melbourne’s Street Art

Queen Victoria Market is described to be ‘the heart and soul’ of Melbourne. You can eat and shop your way through the food halls, or just soak up the atmosphere of this large open-air market. It’s a great way to begin your Saturday. Feed your stomachs first, before feeding your Instagram with Melbourne’s street art. Colourful and creative graffiti covers almost every nook and cranny of the city, but there are a few hotspots you might want to check out like Hosier Lane, Union Lane, and the corner of Flinders Lane and Cocker Alley.

Queen Victoria Market Details
Address: Corner of Elizabeth & Victoria Streets, Melbourne
Opening Hours: Tue & Thu 6am to 2pm. Fri 6am to 5pm. Sat 6am to 3pm. Sun 9am to 4pm. Closed on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Contact: (03) 9320 5822
Website: http://www.qvm.com.au/

Afternoon – Melbourne Zoo

Whether you’re holidaying in Melbourne with friends or family, if you’re an animal lover, you should pop by Melbourne Zoo. Besides some commonly seen animals, this zoo also showcases Australia’s native creatures such as the Australian Fur Seal, Baw Baw Frog, Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat, Kangaroos, Koalas and many others. 

My favourite is the adorable meerkats. They live in Southern Africa, which is dominated by the Kalahari Desert. Countries where they are found include Angola, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. Meerkats spend most of the day foraging for food. A lookout stands on a high viewpoint until relieved by another meerkat. Danger can come from threats such as jackals, vultures, snakes, servals or hawks.

Details
Address: Elliott Avenue, Parkville, Victoria 3052
Opening Hours: 9am to 5pm daily (animal areas closed from 4.30pm)
Contact: 1300 966 784
Website: https://www.zoo.org.au/melbourne
Entrance Fees: $32.50 AUD (adult), $29.30 AUD (seniors), $16.30 AUD (child between 4-15 years old on weekdays; free entry on weekends and holidays), free entry for children 3 years and below.

Evening – St. Kilda

Rent bicycles or roller-skates and enjoy the breeze while navigating yourselves under the palms on the foreshore or sail. You can also windsurf or kite-surf on the bay. Keep an eye out for little penguins at the St. Kilda Breakwater, catch live music at the Palais Theatre and the Prince Bandroom, and get a thrill on a ride at Luna Park. From the jaw dropping, eye ball popping super thrill rides like the Pharaoh’s Curse and the Enterprise, to the exhilarating rides like the Scenic Railway Roller Coaster, Twin Dragon and the Coney Island Top Drop, you’re bound to have an amazing time. 

Shopaholics and cafe-hoppers can head to Fitzroy and Acland streets for cool cafes, restaurants and bars, fashion boutiques and independent music and book stores. Check out http://stkildamelbourne.com.au/ for more information.

This was how I spent a spectacular day in Melbourne, and I wouldn’t have had such a blast if not for the company of my good friends! Hope you’ll enjoy Melbourne as much as I did!