Fun Things To Do in Melbourne For Couples
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We loved our time in Melbourne. Here are a few ideas on ways to reconnect while you visit the city.
Visit the Melbourne Zoo
Easily accessible by an adjacent train station, the Melbourne Zoo is a great thing to do with kids, teens, or as a couple. The zoo is the oldest in Australia, originally serving as a place to acclimate imported domestic animals to the Australian climate.
You’ll be able to see all your favorite Australian animals (just in case you don’t follow our directions to see penguins and kangaroos below). There are also large enclosures for African animals like elephants and tigers.
Our favorite exhibit was the interactive Lemur experience where you can walk into the Lemur enclosure and see the animals up close on their terms.
Gaze up at the Shot Tower
Coop’s Shot Tower is an example of historic preservation gone right. The historic tower was built in 1889 as a manufacturing facility for lead bullets. The 50-meter-tall building was once one of the tallest in the city.
Located near the city center, the shot tower was in the way of a large planned mall complex built in the early 1990s. Instead of demolishing the historical landmark, a giant steel and glass dome was built to enclose the tower as part of the new mall.
There is a small free museum located at the base of the tower. After the tour, spend some romantic time shopping in the surrounding mall.
Visit Luna Park (and ride The Great Scenic Railway)
The classic seaside amusement park has been spreading joy to young couples since its opening in 1912. The iconic (and terrifying) mouth entrance is the perfect place for a selfie.
Still there from the park’s opening day, and currently the second oldest rollercoaster still in operation The Great Scenic Railway is a “must ride” attraction during your visit. The stand-out feature is the ‘brakeman,” an employee who rides every ride to operate the train’s manual braking mechanism.
See the Brighton Bathing Boxes
South of the city on the shores of Port Phillip Bay you’ll find the Brighton Bathing Boxes. The simple structures are a relic from a more modest time before “sun’s out, buns out” was the standard beach mantra. The boxes are uniform in shape and size, but each has been painted with a character and personality of its own.
The boxes lack modern amenities like electricity and running water, and owners are not allowed to rent them out. These days, the boxes are hot properties, selling for as much as AUS$300,000.
After you see the boxes, spend the afternoon on the beach with your better half, soaking up the sun.
Eat and Shop at Queen Victoria Market
They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Why not plan a date night at Queen Victoria Market, a large open-air market filled with food stalls and artisan shopping experiences?
It's the kind of place that you would have seen shot with a slow shutter speed on an episode of an Anthony Bourdain show. The market is open 5 days a week (closed Mondays and Wednesdays).
During the summer months, the best time to visit is on Wednesday evenings when the beer is flowing and live music and entertainment take the stage to entertain the crowds.
It is the largest open-air market in the southern hemisphere and the only remaining example of Melbourne’s great 19th-century markets.
See Penguins and Kangaroo (In the Wild!)
For foreigners visiting Australia one of the top thrills is to spot real Australian animals in the wild. There are two great ways to almost guarantee an animal spotting to brag about when you get back home. Check out our linked posts below for more detailed instructions.
Seeing the world’s smallest penguin species, the “little penguin” requires a dockside visit to the St. Kilda penguin colony where the little guys come ashore every night at dusk. You’ll find romance while sitting dockside with your partner watching the sunset as you wait for the penguins to arrive.
(Read all about it here).
Accessible by public transportation, a short and peaceful hike in Westerfolds Park will let you get as close as you should get to a court of Kangaroo.
(Click here to learn more).
Share a Flat White Coffee
Melbourne’s coffee scene is popping. Find a cute cafe and order you and your lover a Flat White. The drink is a combination of espresso and micro-foamed milk. Think of it as a latte but with more coffee.
Reconnect with your better half at an outdoor table in one of the many cafe-lined alleys near Melbourne Central Railway Station.
