Discover all-day activity with the best things do in Geelong

From 4WD adventuring to conquering Victoria’s largest water park, the best things to do in Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula set pulses racing.

Been to the boardwalk, done the carousel, got the T-shirt? Me too. Geelong, Victoria’s second-largest city, is undoubtedly one of my favourite spots to take the kids. But what struck me during my last visit was all the grown-up activity going on, particularly when I ventured into the neighbouring Bellarine Peninsula. Ranging from offshore expeditions that highlight the port city’s charms to hot air ballooning over Bellarine’s famed wine country, the best things to do in Geelong and the Bellarine threw me for six.

Here’s my hit list, along with some non-negotiable classics for your next visit.

In short

If you only pick one of the things to do in Geelong, make it the Portarlington Mussel Tour. You’ll score a literal taste of the city while out on that shimmering bay.

1. Comb the bay on a Portarlington Mussel Tour

Port Philip Bay at sunset. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The most delicious of the region’s offshore journeys, a Portarlington Mussel Tour offers seriously unique thrills across beautiful Port Philip Bay. I jump on a 40-year-old vessel to meet Lance, a mussel farmer, and his team who strive to keep my small Classic Mussel Tour group (there are multiple tours to choose from including a sunset cruise) entirely relaxed and showered with delights. The team chat all things mussels before launching into a mussel farming demonstration — where guests are invited to pluck your own morsel — as well as a cooking demonstration and the delivery of beautifully dressed mussels and snacks alongside beer and wine. The three-hour tour wraps with dessert, tea and coffee. It’s priced at $295 per person ($310 pp from May 1st 2026) but check the website for other tour pricing.

2. Cycle the Bellarine Rail Trail

You can’t visit Geelong and not do the Bellarine Peninsula, an under-the-radar gem of historic seaside villages, abundant produce, and cool-climate wineries. The best way to get there, I discovered, was on two wheels. The Bellarine Rail Trail runs 35 kilometres alongside a historic train route from the outskirts of Geelong to picturesque Queenscliff. It took around three and a half hours to cycle one way, and wildflowers set a serene scene amplified by coastal and countryside views.

3. Jump aboard The Bellarine Railway’s night ride

While we’re talking rails, let’s shine a light on The Bellarine Railway’s Steamlight Nights journey. Staged on sporadic winter dates each year (check the website for upcoming rides), the vintage steam train journey departs Queenscliff station before rattling through the night to a (faux) snowy playground where you’ll toast marshmallows over fire pits and dust one another in fluttery flakes. Fairy lights dial up the magic, making the whole thing a winner for adults and children alike. In 2025, adult tickets went for $20 a pop while children were priced at $15 each.

4. Tear up dirt tracks with Ragged Edge 4×4

the Ragged Edge 4x4 monster truck — Prepare for an epic road trip with a four-wheel drive in a monster truck.

Switch up the pace in a custom-built monster truck. Ragged Edge 4×4 ’s gnarly wheels offer extreme fun via V8 engines, almighty tyres and four-wheel steering. There are a bunch of packages (including a night drive) and tracks to tackle, all running out of Lara, which is about 20 minutes north of Geelong, but no matter where you land, expect tight turns, vertical rock ledges and other ridiculously hectic obstacles.

5. Cut loose with the kids at Adventure Park

Did you know Geelong is home to Victoria’s largest water theme park? Adventure Park is set to be bigger and better when it opens for summer again in November 2025 (the seasonal attraction turns into a winter wonderland during winter). A total of 21 rides will bring crowds through the doors as highlights including the triple-funnel ‘Tsunami’ water slide and ‘Lazy River’ never fail to get kids grinning.

6. Tour the bay on a Port Philip Ferry

Port-Phillip-Ferry — Port Phillip Ferries connects Melbourne’s Docklands to Geelong via a 90-minute scenic trip.

Geelong is a one-hour drive from Melbourne, but why not catch the ferry instead? Port Phillip Ferries connects Melbourne’s Docklands to Geelong via a 90-minute scenic trip. The ferry itself is modern and clean, and barista-made coffee is plenty welcome. The journey glides across Port Phillip Bay, skirting the Bellarine Peninsula, before arriving smack-bang on the city’s waterfront next to the carousel.

7. Marvel in artworks along the Bollard Trail

the Bollard Trail at the Geelong waterfront — Find over 100 of these colourful characters on the Bollard Trail along the Geelong waterfront. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Keen to get a feel for Geelong’s creative spirit? It runs rife along the Bollard Trail, found at the Geelong waterfront. In the 1990s, the late Melbourne-born artist Jan Mitchell transformed reclaimed timber pier pylons into works of art to showcase the city’s rich history. Her handiwork still stands, a trail of more than 100 colourful characters, each depicting integral pieces of one fascinating tale. The trail runs between Limeburner’s Point to Rippleside Park.

8. Keep creative juices flowing at the Waterfront Art Trail

Tick off the bollards and launch into quirky sculptures, found at the Waterfront Art Trail at 1 Eastern Beach Rd. Encompassing Barcode Fountain, a stainless-steel water feature fitted with blue lighting, Cargo Boxes, packed with curiosities to pay tribute to Geelong imports during the days of early settlement, and more, the art trail is oh so Melbourne (edgy, cool and totally enthralling, in other words).

9. Go hot air ballooning with Liberty Balloon Flights

hot air balloons soaring above Geelong at sunset — Soak up all the scenery on a Liberty Balloon Flight. (Image: Dan Powell)

Find fresh perspective with an up-in-the-air spin care of Liberty Balloon Flights . Launching at sunset all year round, the hot air balloons take off from varying locations depending on where the wind blows. Regardless, you’ll likely soar throughout the Bellarine as views out to Port Philip Bay and the ocean endlessly dazzle. The cherry on top is a sparkling wine-fuelled breakfast waiting for you once you’re safely on ground again.

10. Get your artsy hipster on at Little Malop St

the Geelong Cellar Door at Little Malop St — Geelong Cellar Door has a fantastic range of local craft beer. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Just a few blocks back from the waterfront, Little Malop Street is home to some of the city’s trendiest spots to eat, drink, shop and explore, including Geelong Gallery (more on that standout below). Next door is Geelong’s most architecturally smashing building — the futuristic dome-shaped Geelong Library and Heritage Centre . Across the road, another showstopper: the Geelong Arts Centre , a hub of theatre, music and drama. On the culinary front, don’t miss The Arborist , Sumi Geelong , or Geelong Cellar Door , to name just a few.

11. Soak up serious street art in Geelong

Geelong Street Art — Discover Geelong’s trademark street art hidden down the laneways.

It’s bayside but we’re still in Melbourne. Geelong is famed for its stellar street art, hidden down laneways leading off Little Malop St. Look out for murals depicting significant Geelong identities on Denny’s Place, and a Moi-Yo Miller mural by Michael Cassar on the junction of James Street and Minns Lane. Moi-Yo, born in Geelong, once considered the most beautiful woman in the world, travelled the world as Dante the Magician’s assistant in the 1930s. Meanwhile, a quick stroll to 65 Brougham Street will give you the Unknown Mariner mural by Cam Scale, a tribute to Geelong’s maritime history.

12. Be totally awed at Geelong Gallery

the exterior of Geelong Gallery — Geelong Gallery is one of Australia’s oldest regional art galleries. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Yet another unmissable collective of creativity, Geelong Gallery , established in 1896, is one of Australia’s oldest regional art galleries – and definitely one of the best. Here you’ll discover the annual Archibald Prize, plus dazzling Australian and European painting, sculpture, printmaking and decorative arts collections from as far back as the 18th century.

13. Discover local talent at Boom Gallery

artworks on display at Boom Gallery, Geelong — Boom Gallery showcases the work of local, interstate and international creatives. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Don’t miss Boom Gallery , a dynamic contemporary gallery in Geelong West. The space showcases the work of mostly local, sometimes interstate, creatives which extend to sculptures and jewellery inside a separate object gallery. Check the website for current exhibitions and if something really takes your fancy, regular exhibition openings invite members of the public to celebrate over a wine.

14. Learn something new at the National Wool Museum

a flock of sheep inside the National Wool Museum, Geelong — The National Wool Museum is Australia’s largest museum dedicated to wool. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The National Wool Museum is housed in a beautifully restored 1872 bluestone wool store close to the waterfront. It’s Australia’s largest museum dedicated to wool and traces the industry’s origins from the 1840s through to today. What I love about the space is its fixed, award-winning ‘On the Land: Our Story Retold’ exhibition, which reveals the history of Australian wool through traditional storytelling out of Wadawurrung Country. The exhibition was crafted by Wadawurrung woman Corrina Eccles, Wadawurrung elder Bryon Powell and Wadawurrung artist Deanne Gilson.

15. Step back in time at The Fyansford Paper Mill

The Old Paper Mills at Fyansford is a restored 1870s bluestone complex.

On the city’s fringe, The Fyansford Paper Mill is worthy of your to-do list. The restored 1870s bluestone complex harks back to the beginnings of Geelong’s industrial era. Today it’s an arts and cultural precinct with more than 15 businesses spanning art galleries, studios, retailers and food. Provenance Wines is a standout, arriving as a cellar door and a restaurant. The entire site is just gorgeous, located on the Barwon River with leafy walks and waterfalls to uncover.

16. Sharpen your skills with a Harvest Experience cooking class

Who knew Geelong was the place to refine your culinary chops? Harvest Experience is a family-run business that strives to show visitors how to live directly off the land. There’s a bunch of classes on offer, but I recommend going the original, full-day ‘Harvest Experience’ where you’ll wander the kitchen garden, harvest produce yourself, learn how to prepare and cook it, and finally, gobble it down. Only six people are signed on at a time, making the experience super intimate and personalised. Other classes include a pizza and mozzarella tutorial and DIY sweet condiments lesson.

Beyond the winding bitumen and coastal views lies another side to Victoria’s most famous route.

There’s something hypnotic about this stretch of Victoria’s coast. Maybe it’s the way the road hugs the ocean so tightly, or how the cliffs catch the sun in colours you can’t name. Or, for local Victorians who drove this route as kids, maybe it’s the memories of winding through the impossibly tall trees as they seemingly guide you on your journey like wooden guardian angels. Most travellers know it for the 12 Apostles, but there are plenty of alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road equally as worthy of your time.

So, next time you’re in that neck of the woods, park that car, stretch those legs and try these experiences.

1. Discover living culture at Budj Bim

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism — Walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Breakaway Creek’s Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is a masterclass in educational storytelling. Join a guided tour with Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism to walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system, where the Gunditjmara people built sophisticated eel traps and stone channels more than 6,000 years ago.

Budj Bim’s aquaculture system predates Egypt’s pyramids by roughly 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest examples of human engineering on Earth. If that’s not enough to get your history-loving family members involved in this road trip, we’re out of ideas.

2. Unwind in the hot springs at Warnambool

woman relaxing at Deep Blue Hot Springs — Let mineral-rich water heal you.

If your legs need a break after a long drive, Deep Blue Hot Springs is your remedy. The geothermal pools sit just metres from the coastline, filled with mineral-rich water that bubbles up from deep underground. Move between open-air baths, waterfall pools and quiet zones made for meditation.

The water in Deep Blue’s geothermal pools comes from an ancient aquifer nearly 850 metres below the Earth’s surface, which, in non-scientific terms, means it’s far more likely to have healing properties than the mineral water you’d find at the supermarket.

3. Take to the air at Princetown

12 Apostles Helicopters flight alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road — See an icon from a different view.

You may have seen the Twelve Apostles from the trusty viewing platform, but a helicopter flight with 12 Apostles Helicopters shows you just how sprawling and rugged this coastline really is.

The trip covers everything from Port Campbell to London Bridge (not to be confused with the UK’s own), giving you a rare chance to watch waves carving the limestone cliffs from above. It’s worth noting that the limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles are said to erode by roughly two centimetres each year, so the longer you leave it, the less of the Apostles you’ll see.

4. Step into the past at Flagstaff Hill

Continue the tour through Warnambool at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village and Museum , a recreated 19th-century port town. Hear stories from the days when shipwrecks were as common as seagulls, with an astounding 180 ships believed to have sunk along the Shipwreck Coast in less than five years.

The night show, complete with lights, sound, and sea spray, brings the coastline’s most dramatic stories to life.

If you’re staying the night, Simon’s Waterfront offers relaxed dining with fresh local seafood and oceanfront views. Order the catch of the day and toast to the sailors who never made it ashore.

5. Learn to surf in Torquay, Lorne, or Anglesea

kid having a lesson with Go Ride A Wave — Learn how to hang 10. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Whether you’ve surfed before or can barely stand on a board, Go Ride A Wave will have you upright in no time. Torquay’s calm beaches are ideal for first-timers, while Lorne and Anglesea bring a bit more energy for those unafraid to get dunked.

Bells Beach, just down the road from Torquay, has even hosted the world’s longest-running professional surfing competition since 1962. So, for those eager to have a gander at pros using surfboards like they’re an additional appendage, the competition usually runs sometime in autumn.

6. Tackle the trails in Forrest

Barwon Flow Trails Otways Flow MTB — Hire a bike and explore MTB trails through the Otways.

Forrest is a haven for mountain bikers thanks to an expansive network of trails through stunning natural scenery. The Forrest trail network has almost 100 kilometres of singletrack across 36 trails, so there’s something for every level of rider. That’s including more than 60 kilometres of purpose-built mountain bike trails winding through the Otways’ dense forest. Cycle through ancient myrtle beech trees and towering tree ferns, with smaller ferns and soft mosses forming a carpet at your feet.

Hire a bike from Forrest MTB Hire and take your pick from easy, scenic rides to more challenging singletracks, such as Red Carpet or Rollercoaster.

7. See wildlife up close in Apollo Bay

bush rat on Wildlife Wonders tour — Get help spotting the locals. (Image: Doug Gimsey)

If spotting koalas and kangaroos in the wild feels like winning the lottery, Wildlife Wonders gives you guaranteed sightings without cages or crowds. Every visit to the sanctuary helps fund the Conservation Ecology Centre which supports endangered species across the Otways, so your business is appreciated by humans and animals alike.

The guided walk takes you through protected Otways habitat where you might spot potoroos (or joey lookalikes for those unfamiliar with a potoroo), wallabies, and sleepy koalas lounging in the trees.

8. Visit the Cape Otway Lightstation

Towering over the sea on a cliff above the Southern Ocean, Cape Otway Lightstation has been guiding ships since 1848. Before the lighthouse was built, Cape Otway was one of the most treacherous points on the Victorian coast, with dozens of shipwrecks occurring in its surrounding waters. Pick the right day, and you may bump into a local willing to tell you about the wreck of Eric the Red .

While at the Cape Otway Lightstation, explore the keeper’s quarters, walk the coastal trails, and take in views that only stop short at the horizon.

And no, contrary to popular belief, the Round the Twist lighthouse is actually located in Split Point, just shy of two hours in the direction of Melbourne. Nothing’s stopping you from embarking on a lighthouse crawl, though.

Plan your next no-stone-unturned journey along this iconic Aussie road at visitgreatoceanroad.org.au.

16 unique and surprising things to do in Geelong