Melbourne: Top 10 Things to Do in Summer

Written by Viator, August 2010

RECOMMENDATION Keywords:
Film & Cinema, Sporting Event, Tip - General Travel, Tip - When to Go, Beach

Melbourne: Top 10 Things to Do in Summer

Melbourne's weather is the butt of national jokes - yes, it can get four seasons in one day - but a Melbourne summer can be as sultry as the best of them. Here are the top 10 things to do in Melbourne when the mercury's heading north.

#1) Outdoor Cinema
If it's a balmy night, Melbourne goes out to the movies. Moonlight Cinema in the Botanical Gardens, Rooftop Cinema amidst the skyscrapers or St Kilda's outdoor cinema by the beach.

#2) Australian Open Tennis
Melbourne loves its sport and loves to show off on the world stage, so the Australian Open is always popular. It takes place at the hottest time of the year (Jan-Feb), making it a test of skill and endurance.

#3) Big Day Out & Laneway Festival
Melbourne is a music-loving city with an unstoppable live music scene. The massive Big Day Out festival features homegrown and international acts, while St Jerome’s Laneway Festival is smaller and groovier (and sells out in a heartbeat).

#4) Queen Victoria Night Market
Every Wednesday night the Night Market gets lively with hawker stalls, live performances, licensed bars, locally made gifts (and a bit of tacky tourist tat).

#5) Australia Day
26 January may be a day of national pride, but it's also a great excuse for a picnic on the banks of the Yarra River with beers from Melbourne’s great microbreweries.

#6) The Botanical Gardens
Go deep into Melbourne’s biggest and best park, the Botanical Gardens: full of ponds, faux temples, and home to a colony of bats.

#7) Midsumma Festival
Melbourne's premier queer culture festival is a three-week event heavy on the arts, parties, and a famous dog show.

#8) Tai Chi at Federation Square
Okay, so it's not exclusive to summer, but the free Tai Chi sessions at Federation Square at 7:30am every Tuesday morning are still a great highlight of Melbourne city life.

#9) Beachside in St Kilda
St Kilda is Melbourne’s beachside hub: beaches, palm trees, cafes, pubs, backpackers and the famous Esplanade Hotel.

#10) CERES Community Environment Park, Brunswick
Think animals, vegetable gardens, an organic market, and harvest festival, plus a playground and café.

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