Enjoy urban excitement, nature adventures or quiet retreats with road trips from Melbourne

Enjoy urban excitement, nature adventures or quiet retreats with road trips from Melbourne

While Victoria’s capital of Melbourne is packed full of exciting things to do, sometimes people just need time away from the city to explore new adventures. That’s why road trips from Melbourne have become increasingly popular and may hold the key to an unforgettable adventure the whole family can enjoy. As long as you have a car, you can reach quite a few stunning destinations whether you’re looking to see a new city or head out into the countryside for some relaxation away from urban hustle and bustle. Plan the ultimate road trip from Melbourne to a variety of exciting new places for a journey that’s just as fun as the destination.

Best destinations for road trips from Melbourne

One of the most important aspects of your road trip from Melbourne is finding the right destination. The best destination for your family depends on quite a few factors working together. You’ll need to find something that offers attractions you and your little ones would be interested in, but that’s just the beginning. You’ll also need to consider how far away the destination is. Particularly young kids may not be content to sit in the car for too long, so staying in Victoria or the edge of a nearby state would generally be your best bet in those cases.

Embark on a Melbourne to Adelaide road trip

The South Australian capital of Adelaide is packed full of exciting adventures your family can enjoy, and it’s fairly easy to reach from Melbourne. You only have to cross into South Australia briefly to make your way to this coastal city in a trip that covers about 726 kilometres in a drive of just over 8 hours. You can travel most of the way on National Highway A8, so it’s an easy trip to navigate, which in turn makes it easy to enjoy time with your family in the car. Additionally, you’ll find yourself passing through some incredible areas on the way, like Grampians National Park and Little Desert National Park.

Little girl pulling her surfboard at the beach

Discover a Melbourne to Byron Bay road trip

In the northeastern corner of New South Wales, you’ll find the lovely town of Byron Bay, which lets you escape the busyness of urbanity and enjoy the convenience of the beach. You’ll find quite a few beaches there, with some good for swimming and others good for surfing, so it’s a prime destination no matter how old your kids are. You just need to be prepared for a somewhat longer drive. It’s not as long as a Melbourne to Perth road trip, but getting to Byron Bay is still a multiple day endeavour with a nearly 17-hour drive time.

Regional road trips from Melbourne

You’ll find quite a few different options for road trips from Melbourne, and they include much more than travelling to a singular destination. Your road trip can be an adventure with multiple parts, and the country’s highway system makes it easy to explore several exciting places on your trip. When you’re planning your road trip, you may not necessarily want simply the fastest route to your ultimate destination. Instead, consider all the destinations you can visit on the way. For example, travelling to Byron Bay from Melbourne offers the opportunity to stop in Sydney as well.

Koala sleeping in a tree

Consider an East Coast road trip

The bulk of the prominent destinations in Australia are located along the East Coast, and being in Melbourne makes it easy to access. For example, you could take a Melbourne to Cairns road trip that takes you straight north. That’s a long trip on its own, taking 31 hours of drive time, but if your family is interested in a longer excursion, you can make your way to Cairns on the A1, which will take you through a plethora of exciting destinations on the way, such as Sydney, Brisbane and Gold Coast.