It is hard to find a place with natural beauty and wonders to enjoy on a single budget, particularly in the 21st century. But what if the entire district in a country is of curiosities filled with all kinds of life you wish to live โ city or country life? Yes, gone are the days when you have to spend thousands of dollars traveling to multiple destinations to enjoy myriad natural and human-built wonders.
It is not just a place, but a land of tourism having a rich history with hundreds of tourist attractions โ national parks, picnic areas, mountain ranges, beautiful cities, variety of foods and since it is on the ocean side, it is a perfect romantic getaway point, in case if you are a couple traveling. So, whether you want to connect with nature or live in charming towns or cities, it has everything you need, incredible views and diverse landscapes, irrespective of age.
Wondering what the place is? It is Victoria (Australia). Here is a list of must-visit places to visit in Victoria and everything you need to know about the state.
Victoria (Australia):
As the second smallest and most populous state, Victoria is a southeastern state of Australia with a population of 6+ million. It shares its boundary with the other popular states, New South Wales and South Australia. Victoria holds living for four of Australiaโs top 20 largest cities, Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat, and Bendigo.
Melbourne, the most distinguished city in the world, is the capital of Victoria, the largest city in the state, and the second largest city in the country. Also, it has been ranked as the most liveable city.
Not just is Vitoria prominent for cities, but it is widely known for the views it has to offer. And the memories visitors create before leaving the country. A study showed that in 2019, 3 million international tourists traveled to the capital city and spent 8.2 billion dollars on expenditures and 63.3 million nights under the sparkling sky with stars (Imagine how many tourists might have traveled to other parts of the state).
Victoria is a greenery state as it boasts many green spaces, national parks, a scenic waterfront, and tens and hundreds of beaches to explore. Also dotted with delightful museums and historical buildings, and tourist attractions.
The tourist population has been increasing over a couple of years as the stateโs elegance reflects on the visited tourist faces. So, if you speculate about visiting the state or planning to visit Melbourne, here are the 15 most intriguing places to visit in Victoria.
15 Amazing Places to Visit in Victoria:
1. Phillip Island
Phillip Island is a lot more than just an island. It has everything from beaches to outdoor adventures. You can get tanned under the burning sun on white sand beaches, swim in the warm seawater, play water and kids sports on the shore, tent your camps in vast flora and fauna, visit the animal koala conservation center with your kids, watch penguin parade, and above all, locals here will even celebrate festivals in the festival seasons.
If you are a beach or a nature lover, Phillip Island is one of those places you should visit. Not only does this island serve you fun, but also a perfect island getaway destination for domestic tourists and international travelers alike. The best part is that the island is only 90 minutes away from the capital, Melbourne.
2. Alpine National Park
The Alpine national park is one of the prominent National parks in Australia, located in the central highlands of the Alpine region from where the national park got its name. This national park is known for summer entertainment, and the popular summer activities here are bushwalking, cross-country skiing, four-wheel driving, fishing, and mountain biking.
Although it is a summer celebration, the weather on top of the mountains is always survivable. In winter, most of these hills will be under thick sheets of snow, where you can ski from two popular downhill ski resorts, Falls Creek and Mount Hotham. The alpine national park is an ideal tourist location for nature lovers, photographers, and adventurous people.
3. Great Otway National Park
Great Otway National Park is a detour for drivers traveling on the Great Ocean Road. It is a great place to taste nature. Tall trees, a room for cyclists, waterfalls, a picturesque lake, curvy cliffs, deep oceans, and satisfying shores will only leave you with peace.
Cycling on one of those tall voluptuous cliffs, water hitting the rocky shores, cool breezy air touching your face, the beautiful sunset is the best feeling you could ever encounter.
Besides, large bridges passing through the tall trees will let you take a peaceful walk facing the calm ocean. If you are someone unable to get peace, this is an ideal destination for you. And it can be a satisfying visit for nature lovers and photographers.
4. Murray Sunset National Park
Murray Sunset National Park is quite different from others. It has something that will make you look astonished, and this place is famous for its salt-watered pink lakes that exhibit the perfect color during summers. Beyond this, the national park is prominent for hiking trails and bushwalkers.
However, going on a hike can be entertaining, but not in a place like Murray national park because of the scarcity of groundwater, due to which you must carry drinking water when hiking here. It is a perfect destination for photographers and nature and adventure lovers.
5. Golden Dragon Museum
Your trip can never be fulfilled unless it teaches you something on your way back home. And precisely that is what the Golden dragon museum does. This museum is prominent for teaching visitors Chinese culture and traditions of Chinese Australians.
They have a vast collection of commodities from ancient Chinese people living in Australia, a temple, and portraits displaying the hardships faced by nonnatives due to white Australian policies to ensure visitors understand and digest the culture.
Dragon Museum is unlike most other museums in the world. Instead, it focuses on much more than what an actual museum does. The best part is that they even teach the Chinese language at night.
Not only do you learn about the history of displayed commodities, but you also look into the hardships locals faced in a foreign land, the tangible tradition and culture of a community, and there are chances that you might even become bilingual. It is a terrific place for linguists and historians.
6. Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens
Located on an extinct Volcano hill, wombat hill botanical gardens are a place to enjoy the beautiful evening sky and the panoramic views of the surroundings. Since you park your car till you return to your vehicle, you relish every individual step you take in the beauty of nature with lush greenery trees and grass beds all around you.
Whether you want to go for a picnic, go for a walk with your pet dog, or breathe in the pure air, this is one of the must-visit places and a perfect weekend getaway point when you visit Victoria.
If you have kids but are wondering if this is the place you should go to? Yes, the animal statues on every turn you take will ensure your kids are not bored.
7. Ballarat Wildlife Park
Ballarat wildlife park is another destination you should go to bring out your hidden love for animals. The Wildlife park is spread over 37 acres and accommodates 400 species of animals, both wild and domestic creatures.
As the park is massive, some animals wander freely โ kangaroos and emus. You can hand feed, and it is a terrific chance to click some frigid pictures without any picture disturbances.
While most animals in the park are native animals to Australia, tens of other species include creatures from all over the world. From a small pet creature to a most dangerous wild animal, you can find everything here. It is an ideal destination for people with little kids, animal photographers, and pet lovers.
8. Grampians National Park
If there is a perfect hiking destination in Victoria, it is the Grampians national park. The Grampians is a nature reserve near the Halls gap, and it is widely known for sandstone mountains, wildflowers, and a couple of wild things.
Not just that, the ability of this mountain to express the history of Brambukโs Aboriginal history while letting visitors wonder at the green spaces made Grampian ranges one of the best and must-visit national parks in Australia.
January and the next two months are the best months to visit the park. It is a perfect tourist attraction for nature and adventurous people. And do not forget to take a walking trail from many walking trails that lead to the towering waterfall, which promises to show you a better view of the Victorian ranges.
9. Wilsons Promontory National Park
Wilsons Promontory National Park is the southern tip of Australia, famous for hiking, camping, and natural vegetation. And prominent for tall cliffs and the squeaky beach formed from the Trails from the Tidal river. This is one of those best places to visit in Victoria if you are a nature person urging to camp in isolation as there will not be many people on top of the mountains. The evening sky when the sun sets is something you should look up to here.
This peninsular part of Victoria is approximately a 3-hour drive from the world-famous city, Melbourne. It can be a perfect tourist point for nature and landscape photographers, people looking for isolation, and people into nature.
10. Maroondah Reservoir Park
Like most other national parks, Maroondah reservoir park also serves the nature people. At the same time, everyone can enjoy the bizarre stand of trees, aboriginal animals, and birds walking on the trails. Although this is a reservoir, there are a couple of popular things you can do and visit the top attractions.
Tour the peaceful sanctuary, Healesville, travel to the award-winning wineries in wine Yarra valley, go to TarraWarra Museum of Art, YAVA Gallery & Arts Hub, and many restaurants with a wide variety of foods collection. One place to offer all kinds of fun is Maroondah Reservoir Park. From walking to peaceful nature to entertainment to food to every other thing you prefer, this reservoir got everything you need.
These are some popular destinations, while there are hundreds of others within a stoneโs throw distance that you can visit near or neighborhood Melbourne. Other popular things to do in nature in Victoria are:
Visit Murray River, enjoy the mesmerizing views of the port Phillip bay, hike the Australian alps, pay a visit to bells beach and Eastern beach, go to the sovereign hill in Ballarat, take a tour of old gold mines, and surf almost every beach you come across.
However, there are a couple of other spots for locals and tourists who love the town and city culture.
Top 5 Cities and Town Places to Visit in Victoria
11. Great Ocean Road
Although Great Ocean Road is not a town or city, it is still the perfect destination for a day trip and a romantic escape. Stretched for 240 kilometers is an Australian historic site, and it connects many famous destinations. As it is 150 miles long, you can find something attractive as long as you drive from start to end.
You feel like spending the rest of your days in one of these popular Great Ocean Road attractions every mile you move further. And the evening sky is beyond words. Since the road is nearer to the ocean, you can experience some of the finest and most colorful sunsets.
12. Melbourne
The stateโs capital, Melbourne, is one of Victoriaโs best places to visit. From food to music to art to fashion to entertainment to multicultural festivals, such activities are something you can consider doing in the city. Like most other cities, this city will keep you busy without even giving you a chance to get bored.
While most festivals are free and supply free breakfast, the others are paid. Some prominent Melbourne attractions are โ the Royal Botanic Gardens, National Gallery of Victoria, Federation Square, South bank & SouthWharf, National Sports Museum, and Eureka Tower.
Since it is a world-famous city, you can directly fly to Melbourne airport, from where you must travel for just a short drive to the city center and enjoy all the attractions.
13. Warrnambool
Warrnambool is another one of the best places to visit in Victoria. This city is outstanding for the attractions it holds the entire year for tourism. Warrnambool allows you to easily swap from city to nature and nature to city lives as there are many natural attractions like beaches and mountains.
And the city is widely known for the renovated church detailed with stained glass windows and high awnings. Some of the tourist attractions in Warrnambool city are โ Flagstaff Hill, whale watching, the cityโs Botanic Garden, Thunder Point Lookout, and Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve. This is one of those places that Great Ocean Road connects on its way.
14. Bendigo
Bendigo is a historical place with great Victorian architecture and the gold rush history. Besides, the city serves every genre of a person by exhibiting rich culture, entertainment, incredible views of the city, and many more. From food to sightseeing to rich culture to festivals to every other entertaining thing, Bendigo holds accountable.
Bendigo art gallery, Central Deborah Gold Mine, Dragon Museum, Bendigo Tramways, Bendigo Visitor Centre, and Bendigo Pottery are famous tourist places in Bendigo.
15. Lakes Entrance
Lakes Entrance is a coastal town nestled at a distance of 319 km from the capital Melbourne. It is one of the most scenic places and is widely known for its vast inland waterways, Gippsland Lakes, and is considered one of the best country towns.
Also, Lakes Entrance is a place to surf beaches, have fun fishing, take a stroll, and have coffee at the best waterfront cafes with inspiring scenery. Gippsland Lakes, Lakes Entrance beach, Wyanga Park Winery, Eastern Beach, and Lakes Entrance Apex Park are some tourist attractions in Lakes Entrance.
Getting to Victoria:
There is only one way to get to Victoria, by air. Although one can travel by sea, it is not an option considering the time it takes to land in Australian lands. In most faraway countries, there are no direct cruises available to Victoria.
By Air:
Flights are available from any part of the world to Melbourne. However, September to November and March to May are the best times to visit Victoria to enjoy the state in pleasant weather.
Final Words:
Victoria is one of the most beautiful places and states in Australia. It contributes much to the tourism sector, with hundreds and thousands of tourist attractions across the state. However, most tourist spots can satisfy nature people, while other people into other genres of entertainment can enjoy the state at their own pace. The places mentioned above are only a few, but you as a tourist can prefer any locale as per the type of enjoyment you aspire.
Last Updated on by Steffy Michael
