Planning to visit Geelong, Australia? If yes, in this post you can find a Geelong itinerary for 3 days including the best things to do in Geelong.
Just an hour’s drive south of Melbourne, Geelong is a beautiful waterfront city.
Although it’s a popular destination for domestic travellers this delightful town is not well-known outside of Australia. And it’s the perfect destination for visitors who want to get off the typical tourist trail for a while.
Here you’ll find tiny laneways filled with graffiti art, industrial spaces, cool cafes and bars, galleries, museums, and the most spectacular Waterfront south of Sydney!
While Geelong is a small regional city it actually encompasses a large area, including the Bellarine Peninsula, and to get the most from your trip I recommend hiring a car. That way you have the freedom to explore and discover everything the region has to offer.
There’s a wide range of places to stay in Geelong and it’s easy to find the perfect accommodation that best suits your needs. You won’t go hungry either as there are heaps of fantastic places to eat from fine dining to chic cafes and local pubs.
As a local I know just how amazing Geelong and its surrounding area is and below you’ll find my 3-day itinerary. Just remember this is only a guide, so have a play around with it and do what’s best for you. After all, we don’t all like the same things!
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3 Days in Geelong Itinerary, including the best things to do in Geelong
Geelong Itinerary Day 1
Breakfast At Sailors’ Rest
Start your first day right with a hearty breakfast at Sailors’ Rest.
Located on the Waterfront this bright and modern restaurant is the ideal spot for a relaxing breaky before a day of sightseeing.
Diners can enjoy fantastic bay views, amazing coffee, and scrumptious dishes. Try the Jack Sparrow, it will keep you going all day!
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Morning Activity – Explore The Geelong Waterfront
The Geelong Waterfront is the most popular attraction in the city, and it’s the perfect place to start your explorations.
It was originally a major trading port and most of the foreshore was dedicated to the wool trade. These days it’s a vibrant cosmopolitan area with bars, cafes, a beach and water park, festivals, and markets.
Spend the morning exploring the area, highlights include Eastern Beach, Cunningham Pier, the Geelong Yacht Club, Rippleside Park, and the historic carousel.
A standout feature of the Waterfront is the iconic Baywalk Bollards. These colourful characters have been made out of timber pylons from an old city pier.
Each one tells a story about the people who played a part in the city’s history. And no trip to Geelong is complete until you’ve had your photo taken with one!
Lunch At The Boat House
Perched over the water on a secured barge the Boat House serves up top-notch fish and chips. Sit at tables on the gangplank, upstairs on the deck, or grab a rug and enjoy a picnic on the grassy slopes with views across the bay.
Afternoon Activity – Visit The National Wool Museum
The National Wool Museum is a great place to learn about our culture and national identity, with first-hand accounts of the hardships and challenges our farmers have faced.
The museum is housed in a beautiful old bluestone wool store located between the Waterfront and central Geelong. Inside, visitors will find contemporary exhibitions and cultural displays, and it offers hands-on exploration and entertainment for people of all ages.
Check Out The Laneways And Street Art
The lanes and alleys of central Geelong are festooned with a number of street art, 3D, and augmented reality murals.
Many of the murals feature famous Geelong identities like the Divinyls Chrissy Amphlett and other important historical people.
What better way to get your bearings around the town than to stretch your legs while searching for all this fabulous art?
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Dinner At Wah Wah Gee
Located 250 metres out over the bay on Cunningham Pier, Wah Wah Gee has an Asian inspired menu that’s perfect for sharing with friends.
It’s amazing floor to ceiling windows offer uninterrupted water views and arguably the best vantage point to enjoy sunset.
Take a tip from the locals and be sure to order the Bao Buns.
After dinner kick on upstairs at Wah Bah.
Geelong Itinerary Day 2
Breakfast At Cafe Go
A Geelong favourite, Cafe Go has a unique and quirky vibe with unusual artworks, comfy corner spaces, a cosy fireplace, and a big leafy courtyard.
The delicious food is made using local, free-range, and organic produce. Diners can enjoy such delights as homemade muesli with fresh fruit and yogurt or for something more hearty the breaky burger is a popular choice.
After breakfast jump in the car and head to the Bellarine Peninsula.
Morning Activity – Visit Jirrahlinga Wildlife Sanctuary
Located at Barwon Heads on the Bellarine Peninsula, Jirrahlinga Koala & Wildlife Sanctuary is a safe haven for sick and rescued Australian wildlife. It’s run entirely on donations and boasts a long track record in rehabilitating koalas and other animal orphans back into their natural habitat.
Along with its animal rescue service, Jirrahlinga also has three specialist hospitals including separate specialist facilities for birds and koalas. The sanctuary also helps kangaroos, wallabies, emus, wombats, echidnas, and reptiles.
The staff are knowledgeable and kind, and a visit here is a must for anyone who’d like to learn about Australia’s unique wildlife. Best of all the animal encounter sessions allow visitors to get up close and pat these beautiful creatures.
Lunch At Annie’s Provedore
Bringing the taste and style of Italy to Barwon Heads, Annie’s serves up superb coffee and wonderful tasty treats – pizza!
It’s a one of a kind cafe, deli, and food retailer all rolled into one impressive store. And the shop’s shelves positively grown under the weight of local oils, jams, and chutneys, freshly baked bread, the world’s best cheeses, and cured meats.
Be sure to fill your bags before you leave!
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Afternoon Activity – Wine Tasting
Producing top-class cool climate maritime wines, the Peninsula is one of Victoria’s best-kept wine secrets. So why not spend the afternoon amongst the vines tasting some of the best wine the state has to offer.
There are around 20 cellar doors to choose from, all of them are surrounded by either panoramic water views or magnetic Victorian hinterland.
As you head out of Barwon Heads, for something truly unique, make Oakdene Vineyards your first stop. It has a one of a kind cellar door that looks like a house that’s been blown over by the wind!
The staff here are locals who are keen to share their knowledge and help you decide which wines are best for you. While you’re here allow time to wander the gardens that are filled with delightful artworks and sculptures.
Then make your way to Queenscliff and Basils Farm, an artisan winery situated on Swan Bay. Set in a weatherboard cottage it has a rustic farmhouse charm with a veggie patch and fire pit. There are also market gardens, an orchard, and farm animals including llamas and baby doll sheep.
Along with wine tastings, the cellar door has local olive oil and house made preserves and relishes to try.
Dinner – The Q Train
The Q Train serves a six-course degustation feast as it chugs along the heritage railway line between Queenscliff and Drysdale.
Everything is prepared on board, and there’s plenty of time to relax and enjoy the view of passing vineyards, olive groves, and lush rolling hills.
After dinner, you can drive back to Geelong, but there are some fab places to stay in Queenscliff and I recommend spending the night in a cute B&B.
Geelong Itinerary Day 3
Breakfast At 9 Grams
Good food in Geelong isn’t limited to the city and Waterfront, and you’ll find great places to eat in the suburbs as well.
One of the best spots for breakfast is 9 Grams in Pakington Street Newtown. This popular cafe serves amazing coffee and generously sized meals, firm favourites are the corn fritters and bircher muesli.
If you stayed in Queenscliff (great decision!) the Shelter Shed is a good spot to fill up before your last day of sightseeing.
Morning Activity – Learn About Aboriginal Culture
Visitors to Australia often mistakenly believe the only place to learn about Aboriginal culture is in the Outback. Nothing could be further from the truth!
The Geelong region is home to the Wathaurong tribe, part of the Kulin Nation, and you can learn about the land and its First People here, at the Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre.
Developed to promote Reconciliation, Narana offers self-guided tours, cultural educators, visitor programs, and an indigenous art gallery.
Outside you’ll find a native garden with wonderful examples of Aboriginal rock art. The bushland garden is also home to swamp wallabies, emus, and eastern grey kangaroos. Many of whom will come up to you looking for a pat!
There’s also a gift shop and charming cafe serving unique dishes inspired by indigenous ingredients. Try the wattleseed scones with lemon myrtle cream. Yum!
Lunch At Murphy’s Pub
Described as ‘Dublin meets Fitzroy’, Murphy’s Pub has been serving Geelong locals since 1855.
It has three levels including a rooftop bar with glorious views across the rooftops to Corio Bay. Be sure to check it out for your last glimpse of the bay before leaving town.
The diverse menu offers both Irish classics and pub favourites, as well as vegan and vegetarian options – the eggplant parmigiana is to-die-for!
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Afternoon Activity – Shop At The Vintage Market
The Geelong Vintage Market is located in an old glass factory in North Geelong, and it’s a great last stop on your way out of town.
It’s a huge space that’s been arranged into over 60 independent stalls. Each stall has its own unique character and mix of goods for sale. And shoppers can rummage through every retro, vintage, and collectible item imaginable.
Everything is in excellent condition and it’s possible to spend many hours browsing through the diverse range of wares.
I hope this 3-day Geelong itinerary has helped you plan your trip. I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time!
This is a post by guest contributor Audrey from the blog See Geelong.
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