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.

The charm of Mildura is hidden in plain sight along the Sturt Highway. The capital of Tropical North Victoria is in a league of its own.

From the moment you arrive in Mildura , the warm air and palm trees invite you to slow down. While most Australians might drive right past it, Mildura is full of surprises. Here you’ll spend one day witnessing over 50,000 years of First Nations history in a UNESCO-listed National Park, and the next dining in a hatted restaurant after wandering through 12,500 fireflies as the outback sunset bursts to life above. From roadside fruit stalls and family-run wineries to houseboats and galleries, it’s time to explore Mildura.

Feast Street, at the heart of Langtree Avenue in Mildura. — Taste, wander and be surprised in Mildura.

Taste Mildura’s produce

It makes sense to start your trip by addressing the most important question: where to eat. In the beating heart of Australia’s food bowl, sample the local produce directly from the source. And then, of course, experience it through the menu of a hatted chef. Or sandwiched between pillowy slices of Nonna’s ciabatta.

Rows of orchards and olive groves invite you to spend the day traipsing from farm to farm. Taste olives propagated from Calabrian trees brought over in the 40s, oranges picked right from the tree and squeezed into juice and spoons full of honey . Bring the holiday back to your kitchen by stocking your pantry at roadside produce stalls, or calling into the ‘silver shed ’ (Sunraysia’s gourmand Mecca).

Thanks to the warm, balmy air and fertile soils, the wineries dotted along these hills produce award-winning local wines. Like Chalmers , a family-run, innovative winery dedicated to making their wines as sustainable as possible. And picturesque Trentham Estate offers views of the snaking Murray River as you sample their vintages.

Venture beyond the gnarled shadows of olive groves and fragrant rows of blossoming fruit trees and you’ll find an otherworldly side to Mildura. With Discover Mildura as your guide, visit Murray River Salt’s Mars-like stacks. The naturally pink salt is formed from an ancient inland sea and evaporated entirely by the sun to create one of the region’s most iconic exports.

Start your day with just-squeezed sunshine.

Hatted dining & Italian history

Mildura is home to a proud community of Calabrians and Sicilians. This, paired with the exceptional local produce, means that you can find paninos on par with those in Italy. The Italian is a Paninoteca serving up made-to-order, hefty, authentic Sicilian paninos. Nonna Rosa’s pork meatballs, slowly cooked in tomato ragu and served in a crusty, fluffy roll topped with gratings of Grana Padano cheese and salsa verde, will call you back to Mildura for the rest of your days.

To find hatted dining in Mildura, simply follow the staircase down into the basement of the historic Mildura Grand Hotel to find Stefano’s . Following the muscle memory and instinct of his Italian roots, he delivers on the principle of ‘cucina povera’. That is, the Italian cooking ideology that turns simple, local ingredients into magic.

Things to do in Mildura include dining at the acclaimed Stefano’s, where simple local ingredients are transformed into Italian culinary magic beneath the historic Grand Hotel. — Bite into Mildura’s Italian heritage.

Discover a thriving culture scene

The city is alive with culture. Whether it’s painted on the town’s walls, told in ancient yarns, or waiting for you in a gallery.

The Mildura Arts Centre was Australia’s first regional art gallery. Behind the walls of Rio Vista Historic House, you’ll find a lineup of ever-changing exhibitions. The gallery’s wall space pays tribute to the art and songlines of local First Nations People, the region’s awe-inspiring landscapes and more. Outside, on the gallery’s lawn, find 12 contemporary sculptures in the Sculpture Park.

Mildura’s streetscapes are a punch of colour. Swirling strokes of paint blend the winding artery of the Murray River, red dirt and local characters into a story you can see with your own eyes, thanks to the Mildura City Heart’s Mural Art Project . Pick up a copy of the Murals of Mildura guide from the Visitor Information Centre.

Follow the border of NSW and Victoria on a map and you’ll see it hugs the curves of a tiny island on the Murray. That’s Lock Island, where, as the sun and moon trade places, the island comes alive as darkness falls. The island is dotted with 12,500 firefly lights that lead you on a meandering path through the outback sunset. The installation is known as Trail of Lights and was created by the same visionary who dreamt up Field of Light at Uluṟu, Bruce Munro.

Things to do in Mildura include exploring its rich cultural scene. From vibrant street art and ancient stories to exhibitions at the Mildura Arts Centre, Australia’s first regional gallery. — Find culture around every corner.

Wonder at ancient landscapes

The landscapes of Mildura feel almost transcendental. The skyline bursts to life with reds, pinks, and deep, sparkly night skies.

The nature will leave you in awe. See hues of pink water changing with the weather at Pink Lakes inside Victoria’s largest national park, Murray Sunset National Oark. Cast a line into Ouyen Lake. Watch the sunset against 70-metre tall red cliffs that reflect the setting sun. Or get the heart racing and sandboard down the Perry Sandhills dunes, formed 40,000 years ago at the end of an ice age.

Just don’t leave without following the twists and turns of the Murray. Stroll or ride along the Shared River Front Path, or jump onboard a boat for a scenic ride.

Your itinerary will be incomplete without a visit to UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mungo National Park . Head out with an Indigenous ranger to witness ancient campsites and footprints, before standing in awe of ancient civilisation near the discovery site of Mungo Man—Australia’s oldest human skeleton at 42,000 years old.

Mungo National Park at night is a vast, silent landscape where ancient dunes glow under moonlight and stars blanket the sky in breathtaking clarity. — Walk in the footsteps of ancient civilisation.

Meet your home away from home

On equal par with planning your meals and adventures, is finding the perfect place to relax at the end of each day.

Sleep inside a Palm Springs postcard at Kar-Rama . A sleek boutique hotel complete with a butterfly shaped, sun-soaked pool. Here you’re staying right in the heart of Mildura but you’ll feel worlds away. Or if you really wish to connect with nature, a night glamping under the stars at Outback Almonds will have you spellbound.

When in Mildura it’s only right to stay on one of the Murray River’s iconic houseboats . Wake up each day to the calm waters of the Murray lapping outside your window. Enjoy days full of river swims, fishing and exploring. All boats are solar-powered and can be self-skippered or moored along the river.

A solar-powered houseboat on the Murray River in Mildura. — Stay and play on the Murray in a solar houseboat.

Start planning the perfect getaway at mildura.com .

16 unique and surprising things to do in Geelong