The Mornington Peninsula is one of our favourite places in Australia. Located south-east of Melbourne, this strip of peninsula boasts a multitude of beautiful beaches, top class wineries, wonderful hospitality options and great activities. This makes it the perfect place for a day trip, or weekend away from Melbourne. We regularly spend time there, and with years of experience both living in and travelling to this region, we have put together a few suggested itineraries for the Mornington Peninsula.
Our top Mornington Peninsula picks for your visit!
The following two Mornington Peninsula Itineraries are just suggestions of some amazing things to do, and are designed to get you thinking! We have included two types of itineraries, a day trip, and a weekend away. Feel free to take the elements you like and create your own perfect visit the the area!
A day trip to the Mornington Peninsula
Step 1: Start Early – If you are heading down from Melbourne, we recommend you kickstart your day trip early to beat the traffic. The Mornington Peninsula is a popular day trip location, particularly on nice weather days, and the freeways can get busy. An early start allows you to avoid the chaos and delays, and get a coffee at one of the top picks below!
Step 2: Get a Coffee (and brunch) – It wouldn’t be a 2 Cups of Travel Itinerary without a coffee stop and recommendation. While the Mornington Peninsula generally has excellent coffee, the options below are our top picks for a coffee when you visit the area!
- Commonfolk – Mornington: Situated in the industrial estate in Mornington, this artisan coffee roaster delivers incredible caffeine hits! Plus, the warehouse aesthetic is great! It’s a perfect addition to your day trip for a coffee or brunch.
- Laneway Espresso – Dromana: Located right on the main street opposite the foreshore in Dromana. Laneway Espresso delivers excellent coffee every time and is the perfect place to stop.
- Somers General Store – Somers: An institution in the sleepy town of Somers, this cafe provides excellent coffee and is a great stop if you are in the area! This is a regular for us over summer.
Step 3: Adventure or Explore – Depending on your interests, there are so many things to do on the Mornington Peninsula. If it’s mid-morning, we think this is the perfect time to do some adventuring. We will list a few of our top picks below, but there are many more we haven’t listed on here (see below and in the weekend itinerary).
- Walk along the foreshore between Dromana and McCrae
- Browse the shops at Sorrento
- Check out the Cape Schank Lighthouse
- Explore Bushrangers Bay, one of our favourite places on the Peninsula (see more here)
- Visit and walk around Point Nepean National Park
- Have a wander through Seawinds Garden Arthurs Seat
- Walk along the old Red Hill Rail Trail
Step 4: Lunch – We would highly recommend a lunch at one of the top wineries on the Peninsula, particularly in the Red Hill region. One of our favourites is T’Gallant but there’s so many! However, if you have already ventured down the coast, there’s some great options like Portsea Hotel.
- See a list of some top wineries on the Mornington Peninsula here!
Step 5: Beach or Walk – If the weather is permitting, now is the perfect time to hit the beautiful beaches of the region. Whilst there are so many good options, we love Mt Martha Beach! A few other great options include McCrae, Dromana, Mills Beach Mornington and Sorrento Back Beach. See some other great ‘hidden beaches here!
If a beach visit isn’t your cup of tea, consider a walk along some of the beautiful track and paths around the Peninsula. A few great options are listed above in Step 3 but include the foreshore walks, Point Nepean, Seawinds and more.
Step 6: Late Afternoon Aperitif – You’ve had a busy day exploring and now it’s time to relax. An afternoon vino or cocktail is the perfect way to unwind. There’s so many good options on the Mornington Peninsula, but these are a few of our favourites:
- Rubi Mama – Balnaring: One of our favourite picks! This is an informal wine and food bar with a sophisticated fit out. Book in advance as it can get busy, especially on weekends. With staff that know their wines, and a middle eastern inspired menu, it’s a top spot.
- Mr Curtis – Mount Martha: This is the perfect summer spot, sitting on the balcony with beach views. Grab a beverage and enjoy the last rays of sun.
Step 7: Dinner on the Beach – If you’re still going strong it’s time for one of our favourite summer activities.. dinner down the beach! Find a local fish shop, get some take-away, and park yourself somewhere to watch the sunset with dinner. Good alternatives would be a winery dinner (if you didn’t get there for lunch), a classier restaurant like The Epicurean, or heading home early to beat the traffic.
Want more? See the “weekend away” options for even more fun!
A weekend away to the Mornington Peninsula
Why not make it a weekend away! This itinerary will build on our proposed “day trip”, giving you a heap more activities and suggestions for the perfect weekend away down the peninsula! We will provide a guide of some of our top picks for adventuring, beach destinations, restaurants & wineries, good cafes, accommodation and lots more! Rather than a “weekend itinerary”, we have listed a whole bunch of great things to do on the Mornington Peninsula to choose from so you can structure your weekend in a way that best suits you!
Adventure:
- Bushrangers Bay: one of our top picks! This bay is beautiful, and it’s a lovely walk. Head at low tide to see the stunning rockpools. (see more here). You may even be treated to sightings of kangaroos on the walking trail.
- The Pillars: This “Europe-style” rocky outcrop in Mt Martha is very popular over summer. However, it’s not technically open to the public. While we don’t recommend breaking the rules, if you decide to follow the crowds in summer, it can be a great spot for cliff jumping etc. If you do visit, take your rubbish with you, and be safe on the cliffs.
- Blairgowrie Back Beach: The beach and walking trails are very scenic, and at Bridgewater Bay there are rockpools you can swim and cliff jump. However, there are numerous reports of injuries, so similar to the Pillars, if you decide to jump here, please take extreme caution.
- Sorrento Back Beach walking trail: The walking trail and boardwalks along the cliffs near Sorrento Back Beach offer sweeping views and are a great activity. You can also swim in the rock pools and at the back beach.
- Further ‘hidden beaches can be found in this guide!
Great Activity Ideas:
- Visit the Peninsula Hot Springs – The thermal hot springs are great attraction on the Peninsula, but they get busy, so book in advance!
- Go surfing at some great beaches including Gunamatta, Flinders, Pt Leo and more.
- Play golf at some of the top courses in Victoria! With courses ranging from private to public and all levels of difficulty and standard.. Take a look at a list here!
- Cast a line and go fishing. There’s a multitude of excellent places and piers to go fishing from.
- Go strawberry picking at Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm – A great activity for the kids, or for a cute date idea.
- Visit the Red Hill Lavender Farm
- Check out the Briars in Mt Martha with some beautiful walks through the national park.
- Check out Cape Schank Lighthouse, the Boardwalk and Pulpit Rock.
Beaches we love:
- Mt Martha Beach: Our top pick – see more here!
- Safety Beach to Blairgowrie: The stretch of coastline between Safety Beach to Blairgowrie offers beautiful white sand, clear water and family friendly beaches. This include Dromana and McCrae.
- Mills Beach Mornington: Another popular pick in summer, with white sand and calm waters!
- Sorrento Back Beach: one of the ‘calmer’ surf beaches, this is a great pick also!
Wineries:
There are so many amazing wineries on the Mornington Peninsula (see full list here). Some of our favourites are listed below:
- T’Gallant
- Tucks Ridge
- Green Olive
- Red Hill Estate
Cafes:
- Commonfolk – Mornington
- Laneway Espresso – Dromana
- Somers General Store – Somers
Bars/Restaruants/Breweries:
- Upstairs at Mr Curtis
- Outdoors at The Royal Hotel – Mornington
- Elevated Italian cuisine at the Epicurean – Red Hill
- Our favourite gourmet pies at Johnny Ripe
- St Andrews Brewery – St Andrews
- Jetty Road Brewery – Dromana
Where to stay on the Mornington Peninsula?
There are so many great options for accommodation, ranging from luxury winery stays through to cute tiny houses and cabins. Take a look at a few of our top picks below:
Winery Stay:
- Port Phillip Estate: One of our favourite getaway stays to date! Luxury and incredible views! Link Here: check out Port Phillip Estate accommodation here!
- Jackalope: We haven’t stayed here yet, but we are really keen to after some of the feedback from friends. Treat yourself! Link Here: check out Jackalope here!
- Crittenden Estate: Stay in a stunning lakeside villa in the Crittenden winery. Link Here: treat yourself to a wonderful stay here!
Something a bit different:
- Glamping at Iluka Retreat: It’s a unique stay that is a lot of fun. Link Here: book your Mornington Peninsula Glamping stay now!
- Tiny House: This is a cute stay that is perfect for a couple. Link Here: book your Tiny House getaway in Boneo now!
See more options here or check out the map below:
Booking.comWant a tour on the Mornington Peninsula?
Perhaps you’d prefer a pre-organized tour or activity? There’s heaps of great options, and a few good ones are listed below to consider:
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