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Melbourne
Travel Guides
When is the best time to visit Melbourne?
Weather, price and peak seasons considered, we’ve got the goss on when to travel to Melbourne for the perfect balance of all three.
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The cosmopolitan city of Melbourne was voted the second best destination in Australia at this year’s TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Awards, so naturally you shouldn’t pass up a chance to spend some time shopping its markets, indulging in its world-class fare and digging its underground music scene.
When it comes to the best time to visit though, weather and price might play a part in the decision making process. If you want all the glory without the rain or peak price tag, we’ve uncovered the best time to visit. Read on to find out when and why.
Best time to visit Melbourne
March to May.
Why
March to May is an ideal time to visit Melbourne as it’s after the city’s hottest and wettest months. By travelling during autumn you’ll miss the sweltering 40℃ summer temperatures and sporadic rain showers and instead experience drier and slightly cooler temperatures with average highs of between 18℃ and 25℃.
The city is busy with tourists year-round but gets particularly crowded in December and January, when families and students flock to the city for their summer holiday.
Overview
Melbourne generally has a mild climate. Its summers are hot with average highs in excess of 25℃ in January and its winters are cold with average highs of 13℃. While rain falls year-round, the city experiences its most intense showers from September to February.
Regarded as one of Australia’s most cosmopolitan cities, Melbourne plays host to many annual cultural events, including the world-renowned Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Such events, in addition to its sprawling zoo, lush botanical gardens and vibrant bar and restaurant scene, keep the city busy year-round.
You’ll also need to be mindful of major sporting occasions that take place in the city if you want to avoid the crowds and peak prices. Each year, tens of thousands of sports fans flock to see the Australian Grand Prix (March), Australian Open (January) and Melbourne Cup (November), in addition to the AFL Grand Final (September) and international cricket, rugby league and rugby union matches.
Melbourne is a popular destination for Australian and international tourists and is best avoided during school holiday periods (December and January).
Weather and prices
Best time to visit Melbourne, weatherwise: November to May.
Cheapest time to visit Melbourne: Look for flight and hotel deals in August and September as there are fewer major events taking place in the city.
Best time to visit Melbourne for…
- Shopping: March to May is the best time to visit Melbourne’s shopping centres, luxury boutiques and charming food and flea markets.
- Lavender farm tours: Taking a lavender farm tour in October or November gives you the best chance to see flowers in full bloom.
- Sightseeing: Melbourne is well known for its sprawling zoo and leafy botanical gardens, as well as art galleries, theatres and opulent Victorian-era buildings. All are best explored from March to May.
- Seeing penguins on Phillip Island: If you want to see Phillip Island’s famous penguin colony try doing so from March to May. These are much quieter months than the peaks of December and January.
- Snow sports: Less than a three-hour drive from Melbourne, Mount Baw Baw and Mount Buller are two of Australia’s premier ski resorts. Both are best visited during the July to September snow season.
- Wineries: October and November are the best months to pay a visit to the five diverse wine regions little more than an hour’s drive from Melbourne CBD. Many wineries hold annual festivals during these months, including Geelong’s “Toast to the Coast”.
- Hot air ballooning: You can go hot air ballooning year-round in Melbourne although the best months are from March to May and September to November when the weather is a bit more predictable.
Latest Melbourne travel deals
Hotelopia
Melbourne stays from $66 per night
Available on select stay dates. Sample rate is for a stay at Melbourne Metro YHA. T&Cs apply.
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Hostelworld
Melbourne stays from $17/night
Available on select stay dates. Sample stay is at Nomads Melbourne. T&Cs apply.
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Qeeq
Exclusive
Up to $5 off car hires
Download Qeeq.com app to receive discounts and perks. Available on select dates with Avis, Europcar, Sixt, Hertz, Alamo, National car rentals and more. Minimum spend of $50 required. Plus get free 1-year Flight Accident Protection and Covid-19 Protection. Destinations include Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and more. T&Cs apply.
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Hostelworld
Australia stays from $12/night
Available on select stay dates across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns, Hobart, Perth, Adelaide and more. Sample fare is for a stay at Byron Bay YHA. T&Cs apply.
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RedBalloon
Exclusive
Kids activities at home from $15 + Extra $10 off with code
Available on activities such as online art classes, animal experiences, cooking classes and more. Minimum spend of $80 applies. T&Cs apply.
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RedBalloon
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Up to 31% off flying experiences + Extra 10% off with code
Available on select travel dates in Whitsundays, Gold Coast, Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, Hunter Valley, Sydney and more. Activities include hot air ballooning, skydiving, helicopter scenic flights and more. Minimum spend of $100 applies. T&Cs apply.
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RedBalloon
Exclusive
Kids activities from $18 + Extra $10 off with code
Available on activities which can be given as gifts such as day tour cruises, zoo experiences, hop-on hop-off bus tours, attraction passes, zoo and animal interactions and more. Destinations include Gold Coast, Cairns, Melbourne, Adelaide and more. Minimum spend of $80 applies. T&Cs apply.
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Skyscanner
Virgin Australia sale: Australia-wide flights from $69 each way
Available for flights on select dates from November 2020 - December 2021. Sample fare is Gold Coast-Sydney. Destinations include Launceston, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Ballina Byron, Coffs Harbour, Sunshine Coast and more. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
RedBalloon
Exclusive
Australia high tea experiences from $75 + Extra $10 off with code
Available on select dates across Melbourne, Broome, Sydney, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Adelaide and more. Minimum spend of $80 required. T&Cs apply.
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Expedia.com.au
Domestic flights from $145 return
Available on select travel dates until February 2021. Destinations include Adelaide, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Perth, Darwin, Hamilton Island and more. Sample fare is Sydney-Byron Bay with Jetstar.
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Deal ends
Skyscanner
Australia-wide flights from $41 + one free date change
Available on Jetstar flights until January 2021 to Sydney, Ballina, Uluru, Brisbane, Darwin, Cairns, Hobart, Townsville and more. Sample fare is Adelaide-Melbourne.
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Deal ends
Luxury Escapes
Up to 53% off Melbourne getaway with flights
Available for travel from 2 November 2020 - 30 November 2021. Package includes return airfare, stay at QT Melbourne, breakfast, $25 food and drink credit, and more. Valid for 2 persons. T&Cs apply.
Last verified
Deal ends
Viator
Melbourne Zoo General entry from $40
Available on select travel dates until June 2021. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
Viator
Melbourne Star Observation Wheel admission from $36
Available on select travel dates from December 2020 - October 2021. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
Viator
SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium admission from $39.10
Enjoy the skip-the-line admission on select travel dates until October 2021. T&Cs apply.
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Gift It Now
Up to 39% off Melbourne experiences
Available on select travel dates. Activities include tandem skydives, hot air balloon flights, sightseeing cruises, wine tours and more. T&Cs apply.
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I Want That Flight
Australia flights from $109 return
Available on flights until January 2021 to Hobart, Perth, Darwin, Gold Coast, Uluru, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Adelaide and more. Sample fare is Sydney-Ballina with Jetstar.
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Deal ends
Skydive Australia
Melbourne midweek skydive from $379
Available on select dates for an up to 15,000ft jump over St Kilda. Includes $20 merchandise voucher. T&Cs apply.
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Klook
Up to 20% off things to do in Melbourne
Available on select travel dates. Activities include getaways, wine tours, attraction admissions, tandem skydives, hot air balloon flights and more. T&Cs apply.
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DiDi
Up to $50 off rides
Get $5 off 10 rides in Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide and Newcastle. Valid for new users only. Maximum of 4 rides per day. T&Cs apply.
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Trip.com
5% off Halloween experiences
Available on select travel dates in Sydney and Melbourne. Includes attraction passes, tours, wildlife and animal interaction, whale watching and sightseeing cruise. T&Cs apply.
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Trip.com
Up to 38% off Australia attractions and experiences
Available on select travel dates in Sydney, Gold Coast, Cairns, Darwin, Canberra, Melbourne and more. Attractions include SEA LIFE Aquarium Sydney, Sydney Featherdale Wildlife Park, Madame Tussauds and Eureka Skydeck. T&Cs apply.
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Trip.com
Qantas Airways: Domestic flights from $113 each way
Available on select dates until December 2020 to Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin, Brisbane, Cairns and more. Sample fare is Sydney-Gold Coast. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
Trip.com
Up to 46% off Australia-wide hotels
Available on select dates until December 2020. Destinations include Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Hobart. T&Cs apply.
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Destination International
$499: 3-night Margaret River escape
Available on select stay dates until October 2021 at Pullman Bunker Bay Resort. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
Viator
Exclusive
10% off things to do in Australia
Available on select dates for activities including jet boat rides, sightseeing cruises, tours, wildlife and animal interactions and wine tastings. Destinations include Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Melbourne, Cairns and more. Discount will be applied at check-out. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
Accor Hotels
Get a chance to win a getaway on stays
Accor members must simply register, book, and stay on select hotels between October 2020 - February 2021 to get a chance to win a getaway. Destinations include Sydney, Melbourne, Uluru, Port Douglas and Barossa. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
Accor Hotels
Australia stays from $95/night + Extra 10% off members
Available on stays up until 13 months from the booking date. Destinations include Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide, Perth, Uluru and more. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
Get Your Guide
Australia activities from $10
Available on select dates for activities like sightseeing tours, attraction passes, river cruises, hop-on hop-off tours and more. Destinations include Sydney, Brisbane, Launceston, Melbourne, Cairns, Hunter Valley, Perth and more.
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Get Your Guide
Things to do in Melbourne from $17
Available on select dates for activities such as walking tours, ferry cruises, attraction passes, stand-up paddle lessons and more.
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Oaks Hotels & Resorts
Melbourne stays from $120/night + Extra 10% off with code
Available on stays until June 2021. Sample stay is at Avani Melbourne Box Hill Residences. T&Cs apply.
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Coupon code ends
Experience Oz
Up to 20% off Melbourne attractions and experiences
Available on select dates and attractions like SEA LIFE Aquarium, Eureka Skydeck, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, Eureka Skydeck, Otway Fly Treetop and more.
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Experience Oz
Up to 50% off Australia activities
Available on select travel dates until 2021 on activities like skydiving, hot air ballooning, whale watching, sightseeing tour, wildlife interactions and more. Destinations include Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sunshine Coast, Adelaide and more. T&Cs apply.
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Experience Oz
Melbourne: Up to 13% off Eureka Skydeck admission
Available on select travel dates. T&Cs apply.
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Viator
Melbourne: Eureka Skydeck tickets from $25
Available on select dates until March 2021. T&Cs apply.
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Expedia.com.au
Eureka Skydeck tickets from $25
Available on weekends until March 2021 in Melbourne. T&Cs apply.
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isango!
Melbourne Eureka Skydeck entry from $25
Available until March 2021. T&Cs apply.
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Trip.com
Melbourne: Up to 19% off Eureka Skydeck ticket
Available from November 2020 - March 2021. T&Cs apply.
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Klook
Up to 10% off Melbourne City hot air balloon flight
Available until 31 March 2021 for a 1-hour flight experience. Includes free digital photo, one-way inner city pickup and more. T&Cs apply.
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Klook
Up to 10% off Yarra Valley hot air balloon flight and winery tour
Available until 31 March 2021 for a 1-hour flight experience with breakfast, transfers, wine tasting and more. T&Cs apply.
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Deal ends
Popular Melbourne Travel Deals coupon codes
| Last checked | Code description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Oct 2020 | Up to $5 off car hires | QEE**** |
| 23 Oct 2020 | Kids activities at home from $15 + Extra $10 off with code | FDR**** |
| 23 Oct 2020 | Up to 31% off flying experiences + Extra 10% off with code | RBF**** |
| 23 Oct 2020 | Kids activities from $18 + Extra $10 off with code | FDR**** |
| 23 Oct 2020 | Australia high tea experiences from $75 + Extra $10 off with code | FDR**** |
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