Things To Do In And Around Melbourne #6 :: Mornington Peninsula by:Dominique Vangheel
Melbourne is the capital of Victoria, Australia
. Melbourne offers great shopping and dining and Victoria has got a beautiful countryside and coast line combining beautiful national and state parks with quiet little towns and some larger regional centres. The Mornington Peninsula is a great area offering beaches and stunning bay views, golf courses, vineyards and shopping. Whatever you want, the peninsula has got it all.The Mornington Peninsula is a prime spot for holiday makers. But it is close enough to Melbourne for weekend getaways or daytrips as well.
How To Get To The Mornington Peninsula
The Mornington Peninsula can be roughly characterised as anything south of Frankston.
Frankston is only about an hour's drive away from the Melbourne CBD. Especially now that CityLink and EastLink are established, the drive to the peninsula takes no time at all. Be aware though that the roads around Frankston get very busy in weekends and during the daily commuting hours.
You can avoid some of that frustration by taking a little more scenic drive. This leads via Beach Road which offers bay views as you drive through the Bayside towns of Brighton, Black Rock, Hampton upto Mordialloc, where you then take the Nepean Highway further down towards Frankston. You can also take the Nepean Highway straight out of the city towards Frankston.
When you are driving back from the Mornington Peninsula the drive down the Nepean Highway on a sunny late afternoon is definitely worth it. Especially the drive into Frankston down Oliver's Hill can be great. From the top of Oliver's Hill you can get beautiful bay views and, on clear days, a good view of the Melbourne CBD.
Portsea and Sorrento
When you are into luxury and have got money to spend Portsea and Sorrento are the places to go. Millon-dollar holiday houses offering bay views is what it is all about in this part of town!
With the bay often not more than a stroll away, you can have a beautiful time in and around the water.
Flinders
Flinders is on the other side of the Mornington Peninsula. It is a nice quiet little town with a lovely beach, some dining opportunities and quite some antiques shops. When you are into antiques, then also make sure to visit nearby Tyabb.
Red Hill
Not far away from Flinders is Red Hill. There are some great wineries with excellent bay views, some art galleries, a beer brewery, cheese and berry farms etc. All what is great about local produce can be found there. You should definitely take the opportunity to try some of the wines at any of the vineyards or some of the local food. Many vineyards also have excellent lunch and/or dining facilities. There are about 200 Mornington Peninsula vineyards. Although it is probably not good for your health and wallet to visit all of them, definitely go visit a few to get a true feel for what the peninsula has to offer!
Mornington
Mornington is a lovely town with a decent shopping strip and of course, beaches galore. You can enjoy a great play in the park with the kids or dine at a number of fine restaurants.
When mentioning a number of towns on the peninsula there is the invariable injustice to the towns not mentioned. Take Arthur's Seat up in the hills or any of the small coastal towns like Ballnarring Beach, Dromana and Rosebud.
Living very close to the Mornington Peninsula one of my favourite things to do on a Sunday afternoon is to take a drive with the family on one of the backroads. You pass a few wineries, have a quiet lunch somewhere or take a picknick, stop at a beach for a play, etc. Before you know it your afternoon is over and you are fully recharged. The peninsula is just the best place to unwind from it all.
No matter what you are looking for in terms of a vacation, there is a good chance that the Mornington Peninsula has it.
About the author
Dominique Vangheel lives in Melbourne and loves it. His site I Love Melbourne is dedicated to Melbourne and Victoria and features the best things to do in and around Melbourne and Melbourne accommodation tips.
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