I've had a pretty good search but it's a bit like looking for a tree in a forest so...... First Born is being an awesome daughter and is taking me to Mellie for a long weekend. We've got plans out of the city for the Sunday and Monday but I'm looking for 'must do' things on the Friday and Saturday. She'll want to do some shopping but only for a couple of hours so what do Mellie folk suggest?

Also we've not booked the hotel yet, leaving it until a bit closer and keeping fingers crossed we get a good deal on the cheap sites but a question - how big is the CBD? Should we look to stay the Docklands end or is Lygon Street way close enough to everything or am I in the wrong place?

Please and thank you! Oh and is Chinatown any good?

No advise to give you apart from have a great time.It sounds like a well deserved treat.What a lovely daughter you have.

Keep an eye on this site Mp Price wise i think this joint may well take some beating if it's in your parameters for going but NOT speaking from experience of being there
http://www.travelzoo.com/au/hotels/a...m_medium=email



Tripadvisor is a good site also to use for Joe public's opinion on things

Docklands is pretty remote area imho

Av a nice trip

The Melbourne museum is always good, especially for kids. Its near the exhibition building in Carlton gardens.

The Aquarium is good but a little pricey. Shopping for a couple of hours....probably best to stick to the CBD. The CBD isn't too big and the tram network is really good and fairly easy to work out.

Staying in Lygon st is closer than Docklands but both are good. Lygon St is a 10 min walk to Bourke St Mall, (shopping strip). Docklands has a tram service that take 10 mins to Bourke St but its closer to Crown complex. Crown has the casino, cinema, some waterfront shops and restaurants.

Have fun and I hope the weather holds out, today has been sunny but cold.

Melbourne is one of those cities that is better to live in than visit.

When are you coming? This may have some bearing on what to do as there is usually something going on. Personally I wouldn't stay in the docklands as a bit remote. As others have suggested look at tripadvisor. I would do this when you find a hotel you like. You could also try wotif and see if they are offering a mystery hotel. You sometimes get a really good deals doing this.

Thank you, she is

Thanks for that, I've been using Tripadvisor, puts the fear of god into me when I look at the poor reports The hotel advertised on TZ has some doozies but the price looks good, I don't want to bankrupt the daughter, she's paying the rates bill as well

Thanks for that. She's not a museum type and we've done a fair few aquarium type things up here but who knows???? Are there city boat/bus type trips that take you around showing the sites like London/Paris etc or are they not worth it? We'll probably just amble but always good to know.

Hi MP,

I'd personally suggest Chapel Street for shopping, CBD isn't that much different from what you'll have in QLD, just bigger/better versions. Chapel is much cooler IMO. Grab a coffee while you're there, it's fab for people watching. I would also grab a drink/something to eat at Acland Street, St Kilda and have a wander along the pier. If you go right to the end of the pier along the breakfront you will be able to see the fairy penguins who live in amongst the rocks. Hard to spot but theres generally a couple of there who couldn't be arsed to go out swimming during the day. Chinatown is quite small. Lygon Street great if you fancy some good Italian, have a cake at Brunetti's. See a show, go to the footy at the MCG if it's on. Have dinner in the Lanes, Hardware Lane is always a good bet, you should be able to get an outside table. I personally wouldn't stay in Docklands, its a ghost town. Easiest to stay in the CBD.

x

Ditto this... Chapel Street is cool for shops and if you like Thai, try Patee Thai in Chapel street, Prahran, which had the best sit down upstairs area when I last went there... and the food was great. St Kilda is just plain cool and a must visit imo.

If you want a big shopping centre experience Chadstone is probably a good one.

Also, the Melbourne Zoo is a nice day out... especially the butterfly enclosure.

Have a great time. I love visiting Melbourne.

Free city circle trams for when the feet are aching

http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melb...ls.php?id=3900

You're all stars thank you. Not sure we'll fit all of that in but we'll give it a go!

The Vic market on a Saturday used to be very good .......not sure about now , maybe someone who lives in Vic may help with now........ also have heard the meal on the tram is great

I'm planning to have a 4-day visit to MEL as well.

My question is, is MEL's CBD bigger than SYD's? Because here in SYD I don't mind walking from end to end.

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Heres a bit of a list....

Brunswick St, Fitzroy.
Botanical Gardens.
Atrium on 35.. 26 Collins St, Cocktail bar with views over Melbourne,
Go and See Chloe at Young and Jacksons, opposite Flinders St Station
Do Hardware Lane, and as many of the other little laneways that you can find in the CBD.
The Edge.. @ the Eureka Sky Deck
Do the Ferry from Southbank to Williamstown... and find your way back to the CBD by train.... Not that the train ride is exciting or spectacular in anyway.. at least you will see a bit of Melbourne and it's system. Williamstown is well worth the trouble.
Go to the Crown Casino complex and do Southbank... just to look at the shops and one of the biggest entertainment venues in Aus. I'm by no means a fan of Casinos.. but it is worth a cursory visit.

Nirankar at 174 Queen st, is a safe bet for a half decent curry.

Tip do Lygon st Carlton, Smith St, Collingwood, and Brunswick st' Fitzroy on the same day if possible as they are all relatively close to one another, and give you a good contrast of what Melbourne has to offer it's local citizens.
Plus use the trams as much as possible rather than train.



Enjoy your visit MP....

I think the Melbourne CBD is a lot bigger.... Unlees your talking from Oxford st to the Opera house... then it's about the same distance.

One other point... Melbourne's CBD is not that spectacular.. what gives Melbourne a very big boost is it's vibrant inner suburbs... It's more than worth visiting at least two different inner burbs... whether that be St Kilda, or around Chapel st... right through to Carlton and Fitzroy. As long as you get to a couple of those, then you can say you've seen a few of the interesting parts of Melbourne.