5 Ways to Entertain Yourself in Melbourne
As anyone who's spent time exploring Australia knows, Melbourne is a very fun city. Known largely for sport, adventure, and nearby beaches, it's the capital of Victoria and a very popular tourist destination.
There's a great deal to be said to anyonelooking into visiting for the first time regarding where to stay, where to eat,fun day trips, what to expect from the culture, etc. But here we're focusing onsome of the basics any traveler will want covered: how to have fun in thecity.
Specifically we'vesingled out five ways to entertain yourself in Melbourne.
Major Sporting Events
Your ability to take in a sporting event whileyou're in Melbourne depends to some extent on scheduling. But there's anargument to be made that this is the best sports city in the world, or at leastup there with the likes of London and New York.
Melbournesporting events occur all through the year and includemajor competitions like tennis's Australian Open, Formula 1's Australian GrandPrix, and horse racing's Melbourne Cup Carnvial, to name a few. And that's tosay nothing of golf tournaments, sailing regattas, marathons, football, rugby,and cricket! The city just loves its sports, and taking in any kind of match ortournament is a blast.
Hiking in Port Campbell National Park
Port Campbell National Park is near Melbourneand makes for one of the better sightseeing expeditions in Australia - which isreally saying something. Known mostly for the "“Twelve Apostles," 12 stunningrock formations sticking up from the ground, its' a massive park offeringeverything from scenic roads and viewing platforms to helicopter tours (whichactually aren't too expensive). But a hike through the area is a great way tospend a chunk of your day.
The Games at Crown Melbourne
There are some misconceptions about the casinoculture in Australia, perhaps stemming from an international feeling thatanything goes "“down under." Particularly online however things are a littlemore restricted than people think. Online gambling takes place throughoutAustralia, but only sports betting and lottery -not casino gaming. Thus, even the locals have to find another option, and TheCrown Melbourne provides just that. This is by no means a casino city, but TheCrown has a very professional casino full of all the traditional gamingoptions, along with beautiful surroundings, in-house bars, etc. It's a greatplace for a night out.
The Melbourne Zoo
Australia is known for its unique wildlife, andwhile you can see a lot of cool animals in the wild if you know where to go,you can see just about everything the country has to offer at the MelbourneZoo. Having been open for over 150 years, it's still a wonderful place to hangout. You'll see kangaroos, platypuses, koalas, and other native Australiananimals, as well as some more traditional zoo animals like giraffes andelephants.
Rooftop Cinema
This is a little bitmore of a niche idea, or even an off-the-beaten-path option. It's not obscure,but it's not typically at the top of tourism lists in Melbourne either.Nevertheless, Rooftop Cinema is a very fun attraction. Literally just a cinema on a roof in the heart of Melbourne, it shows both modern and classic films on anoutdoor projection screen. You can pick a table, sit with friends, enjoyrefreshments and nice weather, and watch a movie with the skyline in thebackground. It's a simple activity, but the sort of thing that really makes youfeel like you're getting to know a city.
