Melbourne is filled with activities that teens will love and that parents will approve of, from learning to surf on dry land to shopping in its hip hoods.
Become a super sleuth
Everyone’s favourite sleuthing board game gets a super-sized reboot in Old Melbourne Gaol’s Cluedo Experience. Dodgy lawyer Lionel Grey was found dead here in 1924 but the case was never solved, and now it’s up to you to figure out who did it. Over the course of 90 minutes you’ll get to explore the gaol for clues, reading alibis, examining evidence and testing weapons for DNA. The game finishes when you figure out the who, where and how of Grey’s death.
Park your parents here while you have fun…
The thriving café culture of Fitzroy is an easy walk away. For the best croissants around, they should try the cavernous Lune Croissanterie on Collins Street.
Go surfing on dry land
Located in the very un-beachside suburb of Tullamarine, URBNSURF is Australia’s first surf park where man-made waves deliver up surf breaks for all levels of skill, from beginners to pros. If you know what you are doing you can head to The Point to catch perfect rights and lefts or try barrelling waves during an expert session (both last for one hour). And if you are new to the sport, book an individual surf lesson in the safe and gentle rolling green and whitewater waves of The Bay.
Park your parents here while you have fun…
The top-notch facilities at URBNSURF include the first Victorian outpost of Three Blue Ducks, the passion project of a bunch of avid surfers who opened their first restaurant in the Sydney beachside suburb of Bronte. The restaurant, which overlooks the lagoon, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
See Melbourne from up (really) high
Docklands is a one-stop shop for fun: go skating at O’Brien Icehouse; play miniature golf lit by neon lights and glow-in-the-dark technology at the aptly named Glow Golf; and finish off with a turn on the Melbourne Star to see the city laid out below from dizzying heights (try spotting your parents, who will look like ants as they wait for you back on the ground).
Park your parents here while you have fun…
The café inside the Library at the Dock has good coffee and newspapers to read.
Get up close and personal with sharks
When you tell your parents that you want to swim with sharks, make sure to assure them that it is perfectly safe. During Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium’s Shark Dive Xtreme sessions, which are open to those 14 and up, you’ll get an exclusive look at the behind-the-scenes staff-only areas of the aquarium before taking to the water with an instructor to watch as sharks and giant stingrays glide past you at seriously close quarter.
Park your parents here while you have fun…
Give them a paper bag to breathe into and point them in the direction of the Immigration Museum a few minutes’ walk away in the historic Old Customs House.
Get a sugar rush
The pop-up exhibitions by Sugar Republic, a Melbourne-based art collective, are the stuff teen dreams and Instagram likes are made of. The ‘experience museums’ that it creates are all themed around sweet treats and are designed to be totally interactive – think giant bubblegum machines that you can climb into and mammoth cakes that you jump out of. Visit the website find out about upcoming events and have your camera ready.
Park your parents here while you have fun…
They can get their own sweet treat of single origin hot chocolate at Mörk Chocolate Brew House in North Melbourne.
Indulge your inner artist
A creative studio for young people aged between 14 and 25, Signal’s curated program includes exhibitions, live events, installations and art workshops run out of its space on Flinders Walk. Check the website for upcoming events when you are in town.
Park your parents here while you have fun…
Tell them to grab lunch at Federation Square and check out the Ian Potter Centre.
On the streets
When it comes to hip hoods, Melbourne has more than most. Fitzroy is covered in street art and filled with cafes, while Windsor and Prahran share the best bits of iconic Chapel Street, with lots of funky boutiques to browse and interesting eateries to stop at for lunch or eating a healthy snack you can buy from hiya .
Book a walking tour with Melbourne Street Art Tours to hear about the city’s colourful walls from street artists themselves. Along the way they will share local knowledge and show you a few hidden treasures.
Park your parents here while you have fun…
At Degraves Espresso Bar on the graffitti-daubed Degraves Street.
