Christmas in July: Things to do in Melbourne During the Aussie Winter
Winter has come in Melbourne, and it is time to make the most out of it before spring comes in September. The city is usually wet and cool during this time of the year, and things like catching up with friends over a cup of good coffee sounds like heaven. So fly down to Oz and book a car hire in Melbourne today and hurry to these locations that we are about to discuss!
Here are the best things to do in Melbourne in Winter:
Go Ice Skating
There’s nothing better than going ice skating during winter! Bond with your kids and loved ones at the pop up outdoor ice skating rink in Federation Square. The rink is open until the end of July, so hurry and head on to Fed Square today! It is open from 10 AM to 10 PM daily, and the entrance fee costs around $17.
Attend the Map 57 at St Kilda
Map 57 is an arts festival precinct that is currently happening in St Kilda, Melbourne. It is home to different food stalls, bars, carnival rides, a Spiegeltent, and an outdoor ice rink for kids and adults alike. Expect performances from comedians including Heath Franklin and Fiona O’Loughlin, cabaret performances by Blanc de Blanc, and kids’ performances by Tessa Waters’ “How to be a Rockstar”. The skating rink is open daily with longer hours during the school holidays.
Shop at the Winter Night Market
Visit the Winter Night Market at Queen Victoria in Melbourne, which is opening this 19th of July. It will run until the 30th of August, so you still have ample time to plan around it. The entrance is free and totally worth it since there will be a plethora of food stalls and performances by amazing local artists. Expect an open fire where you can sip hot cider and mulled wine by. Over 30 food vendors are expected to showcase their items, along with 50 designer stalls. Musicians, performers, and fortune tellers are all expected to show up at the event.
Ballarat Winter Festival
Currently happening until the end of July, the Ballarat Winter Fest features food and wine events, an ice rink, gigs and performances, ghost tours, and a Winter Wonderlights projection art festival. If you are a fan of beer, then do not miss the Brew Festival which is happening on Saturday, July 22. You can also keep yourself warm during the Winter by attending the Hot Chocolate Tours, which sounds super delicious! Shop at the pop-up markets, have fun at the winter trivia nights and truffle forages, and see exhibitions and performances by Bullhorn, Renee Geyer, and more.
Enjoy the Ice
Make the most out of winter by skating and riding a toboggan slide! Visit The Common Man restaurant and Bar on Dukes Walks as they bring their riverside ice rink and toboggan slide back. Half-off discounted tickets are available every Monday, but they are limited so you must hurry! During Tuesdays, you and your friends can try this sport called “Curling”, in which players take turns in sliding stones on a sheet of ice all the way to a target area. Make every Thursday night date night with your special one as the “Drink-and-Skate Couples” package is priced at around $60.
Warm Up with Hot Chocolate
For 1 month starting on August 1 until September 1, Melburnians and tourists can enjoy all kinds of hot chocolate. Head on to the Great Ocean Road and Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and drown yourself in hot chocolate flavours such as chocolate brownie, Nutella, cookies and cream, salted caramel popcorn, and even bacon and maple syrup! Book a tasting session of eight hot chocolate flavours for only $18 and get the chance to vote for your favourite one.
Go North and See the Batman Night Market
Visit the suburbs and see something quite similar to the Queen Victoria Night Market. A huge line-up of food trucks, arts and crafts stalls, and street food vendors fill up the place every Saturday night. Live performances by Australia’s finest artists will be expected as well. The food trucks and street food vendors will be changed every week though, so expect a huge variety of Melbourne’s best including burgers, desserts, Vietnamese salads, South American Barbecue, and more!
Every year, winter in Melbourne just gets better and better and it’s a great time to visit the world’s most livable city and discover why for yourself!
1 comment
Anna this is great! It is such a lovely article and I find that the photos are lovely as well. It’s just amazing how you put all these together on “Christmas in July: Things to do in Melbourne During the Aussie Winter” with such great tips! Looking forward to more of these.