14 Fun Things To Do In Melbourne

There are plenty of fun things to do in Melbourne – but where to start! Avoid the boring, and spend your time having a blast. From mini-golf, virtual reality to next-level escape rooms, Melbourne has you covered. Read on to discover how to say goodbye to boring afternoons.

590 Little Bourke St, City Centre

Mini golf has made a come-back. Holey Moley is a 27 hole putt-putt course that takes inspiration from pop-culture; there are holes featuring The Simpsons, Forrest Gump and Game of Thrones.

There’s a complete cocktail bar and they sling pizzas from the kitchen. Booze and putt-putt sounds like a good mix, and it is. Along with their CBD location, you’ll find them at Crown Casino at Southbank.

54 Moreland Rd, East Brunswick

There are normal escape rooms, then there is Deep Space. This narrative-driven challenge plays out more like a real-life video game.

You and your crew (up to 5 people) are floating through space onboard your failing ship, along with the ship’s computer ‘Columbus,’ when there’s a hint of life outside.

Throughout the whole game, you are interacting with Columbus; he’s built using artificial intelligence and will answer you in real-time. It’s hard to describe exactly what it’s like, but it is well worth your time. Also, check out Ukiyo by the same team.

Collins Landing Wharf

Ever fancied yourself a captain? ON A BOAT can make that a reality, as you commandeer a boat down the middle of the Yarra River. These boats can hold up to 9 people, and you don’t need a license to drive them. The best part? You can bring your own drinks & snacks on board. Just make sure the skipper stays sobre.

Feeling luxurious, book a deluxe boat with plush seating and builtin Bluetooth speakers. It’s a fantastic experience for both tourists and locals.

22-32 Steel St, North Melbourne

Grab your gun, throw on your goggles and enter the world of Zero Latency. This immersive virtual reality game will have you fighting zombies, defeating robots and will even pit you against your mates. The arena is the size of a tennis court and groups of up to 8 can play.

Level 3, Melbourne Central

10 Pin Bowling, we’ve all tried it before, but perhaps not quite like Strike. There are several locations throughout Melbourne – we can recommend the Melbourne Central and QV locations – and they are super fun. They have a bar, great music, and it’s a great modern take on the 10 pin bowling we grew up on as kids.

They also have regular deals, where you can score some cheap sessions as well as cheap drinks.

With a drink in one hand, and a paint-brush in the other, this is how you’ll spend your evening at Cork & Canvas. Offering group painting sessions, you and your friends will start with a blank canvas, and you’ll be guided through the painting process. By the end, you’ll have your very own masterpiece.

It’s BYO wine and nibbles, but they’ll provide you with all of the other supplies.

106 Hardware St, City Centre

This Viking inspired bar & restaurant is straight out of Norse Mythology. Mjølner, named after Thor’s Hammer, have brought an opulent touch to barbarian dining. This venue is from the team behind Eau de Vie, so expect showmanship. Drink beer from horns, and you can take a flaming shot poured via a beef bone.

Melbourne Museum Precinct, Rathdowne St, Carlton

Boasting one of the biggest screens in the world, IMAX is a theatre of epic proportions; the screen itself spans a massive 32 metres wide by 23 metres high. They screen the latest blockbusters, as well as a collection of educational documentaries in 3D. After you watch a flick, head next door to check out the free exhibition at The Melbourne Museum.

18 Lower Esplanade, St Kilda

Inspired by the theme park Comey Island, Luna Park sits in the beach-side suburb of St Kilda. Here you’ll find a bunch of rides, including the Coney Drop, the Spider and Ferris wheel. Adults might get some nostalgia out of Luna Park, but it’s best suited for the younger ones.

While you’re in the area, go watch the fairy penguins come home to roost.

1 Malthouse Ln, City Centre

Melbourne has a super fun bar scene, but the hidden bar scene is our favourite. Discover the bars behind bookshelves, through wardrobes and down dodgy-looking laneways.

We highly recommend Eau De Vie; this laneway cocktail bar specialises in theatrical cocktails – think liquid nitrogen and flaming drinks. To get there, wander down Malthouse Lane and pull open the wooden door. See our full list of Melbourne’s best hidden bars.

St Kilda breakwater

Every evening in St Kilda, the fairy penguins return home from a day of fishing. Walk all the way along the pier, and you’ll see them waddle up to their burrows. They’re super cute, and they’ll sometimes get pretty close to you. Just remember, no flash photography. And no, you can’t take them home.

Melbourne has one of the best laneway scenes in the world. With an ever-changing art scene there is always new pieces to admire. Take an afternoon wandering around the CBD alleys, and maybe eat at one of their restaurants.

Degraves St, Centre Place, Hosier Lane, AC/DC Lane and Meyer’s Place are our favourite laneways in Melbourne. Read the full list of the best laneways in Melbourne.

Melbourne loves to laugh. Every year the city hosts The Melbourne International Comedy Festival the largest stand-alone comedy festival in the world, with around 6,700 performances. This is a great time to catch a gig.

If you want to see a show outside of the festival, get along to Spleen Bar on a Monday evening. This donation-based gig, showcases some of the city’s up-and-coming comics. Plus they might surprise you with a comedy legend.

Take to the ice at the O’Brien Icehouse in Docklands. This stadium is home to two ice-rinks, and hosts sports like ice-hockey, curling and figure skating. But it’s also open for a casual skate. Come down, hire some blades and hit the ice – just hopefully not literally.