All destinations

Ballarat

Gold rush history and living-history museums, Families (Sovereign Hill is genuinely built for a full day)

Melbourne CBD & laneways

Specialty coffee at hole-in-the-wall cafés, Hosier Lane and AC/DC Lane street art

The Dandenong Ranges

Families (Puffing Billy is genuinely a highlight for kids), Walking and forest air without a long drive

The Grampians (Gariwerd)

Hiking and lookout walks, Aboriginal cultural heritage (Brambuk Centre, rock art shelters)

The Great Ocean Road

Dramatic coastal scenery and the Twelve Apostles limestone stacks, Surf culture at Bells Beach and Torquay

Melbourne

Specialty coffee and laneway dining, Live sport — AFL, cricket at the MCG, the Australian Open

Mornington Peninsula

Hot springs and spa days, Cool-climate wine tasting

Phillip Island

The little penguin Penguin Parade at dusk, Family wildlife day trips or overnights

St Kilda

Watching the wild little penguin colony at the breakwater from dusk, Luna Park's heritage rollercoaster, the Scenic Railway (1912)

Twelve Apostles & Port Campbell

Iconic limestone sea stacks rising from the Southern Ocean, Loch Ard Gorge's shipwreck history and beach access

Yarra Valley

Wine tasting and cellar door lunches, Sunrise hot air ballooning

Apollo Bay & the Otways

A quieter, more local-feeling Great Ocean Road base, Rainforest walks and waterfalls

Bendigo

Gold rush history without Ballarat's crowds, Chinese-Australian heritage

Brighton & the bayside beaches

Photographing the Dendy Street Beach bathing boxes, A calm bay swim away from the CBD crowds

Carlton & Lygon Street

Traditional and modern Italian restaurants on and off Lygon Street, The Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens (UNESCO World Heritage)

Daylesford & Hepburn Springs

Spa and bathhouse relaxation, Couples' weekends

Fitzroy & Collingwood

Melbourne's densest concentration of specialty coffee roasters, Large-scale street art and legal graffiti walls

Geelong

Geelong Waterfront's painted bollards and Eastern Beach, The National Wool Museum's industrial heritage

Healesville

Australian native wildlife (platypus, koalas, Tasmanian devils), Craft gin tasting

Lorne

A shorter, less committing Great Ocean Road stop, Beach and cafe culture without the full apostles drive

Queen Victoria Market district

Fresh produce and deli shopping at Australia's largest open-air market, Seasonal Wednesday and Friday Night Markets with live music and food stalls

Sorrento & Portsea

A more exclusive, historic Mornington Peninsula base, The car ferry shortcut to the Bellarine Peninsula and Geelong

Southbank & the arts precinct

Free access to Australia's oldest and most-visited public art gallery, Skyline views from Eureka Skydeck's 88th floor

Torquay & Bells Beach

Watching or learning to surf at one of Australia's most famous breaks, Surf World Museum's history of Australian surf culture

Cowes

A calm family beach on Phillip Island, Accommodation and dining base for the island

Docklands

Footscray

French Island

Quiet, low-crowd wildlife-watching, Cycling (a popular full-island loop for fit riders)

Marysville & the Black Spur

A scenic mountain forest drive, Steavenson Falls and short forest walks

Olinda & Sassafras

Devonshire tea and cosy cafes, Cottage gardens in spring and autumn

Richmond

Williamstown