suggestions for Melbourne

[chrismch]

Been immersed in reading travel books & internet and need add'l help for my 1 wk visit next month. A few questions...

 

1. Is there anyway you can get discount theater tickets like in NYC where they are 50% off day of the show?

 

2. The Yarra River cruises -(not the dinner cruise) I've read mixed reviews about not good commentary or a cruise that was shortened because of high tide. What are your thoughts on these cruises for this time of year?

 

3. For a beach visit (not looking for tanning - just a nice walk)? Give me some feedback on St Kilda & Luna Park. I do enjoy the old fashioned amusement parks reminiscent of my youth (Asbury Park, Atlantic City) such as Portrush, Ireland and Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen. What is it like?

 

4. Is Sept a good time to see the Royal Botanic gardens? Is there a lot in bloom or is it still too early?

[moyaroo]

It is a bit cool still in September especially at night. Daytime should be quite pleasant, but if you go to see the little penguins at Philip Island do take warm clothes as the leading source of income at the penguin place is selling blankets, hats, gloves etc to tourists who thought yeah it will be cool and found out the wind blows straight from Antarctica with the only warming from the coldest ocean on earth. (that and you will be just stiing and waiting- dress warmly.):cool:

[Loann]

Been immersed in reading travel books & internet and need add'l help for my 1 wk visit next month. A few questions...

 

1. Is there anyway you can get discount theater tickets like in NYC where they are 50% off day of the show?

 

2. The Yarra River cruises -(not the dinner cruise) I've read mixed reviews about not good commentary or a cruise that was shortened because of high tide. What are your thoughts on these cruises for this time of year?

 

3. For a beach visit (not looking for tanning - just a nice walk)? Give me some feedback on St Kilda & Luna Park. I do enjoy the old fashioned amusement parks reminiscent of my youth (Asbury Park, Atlantic City) such as Portrush, Ireland and Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen. What is it like?

 

4. Is Sept a good time to see the Royal Botanic gardens? Is there a lot in bloom or is it still too early?

 

 

I can answer your first question. I have (don't laugh) the book "Australia for Dummies". It says half price tickets are availbale the day of the show through Half-Tix www.halftixmelbourne.com . It sounds very much like TKTS in NYC which I've used before.

[Aussie Gal]

chrismch,

 

There is a box in our Bourke Street Mall outside Myer and David Jones that sell tickets at a reduced price.

 

We have been on a Yarra River cruise that took us to Williamstown and then on to St. Kilda Beach and it was very pleasant. I cannot remember the commentary but then I probably wouldn't have been listening as Melbourne is my home town and I probably know more about the history and what is happening than the commentator.

 

A lovely walk if you feel fit, is from where the ships dock at Port Melbourne, all the way around the Bay as far as Mordialloc. It is also a bike track so you share it with the bikes. The walk takes you to Middle Park, Albert Park, St. Kilda, Elwood, Brighton, Hampton, Sandringham, Beaumaris, Mentone, Mordialloc.

 

The entire walk is quite a few miles or kms but a nice way of doing it would be to walk as far as Elwood and stop at Sails on the Bay and have lunch either in the Bistro or the Dining Room. Sails is right on the Bay and the view is amazing.

 

Luna Park really is very staid. It is not huge. It has the roller coaster ride, a couple of other rides as well as a merry go round. It is not tacky like Tivoli and is lot nicer than Coney Island but in my opinion it is really for children between 5 and 10 years.

 

September is a lovely time of year to visit our Botanical Gardens. All the azaelas and spring blooms will be out and often we have lovely warm days followed by a couple of cold ones so come prepared with warm clothing.

 

If you are here in September, you should try and get tickets to one of our Aussie Rules football finals. It is a wonderful game to watch and it is very fast. Well worth trying to get tickets.

 

Jennie

[moyaroo]

and did you mention the rabid fans? We were in Melbourne 2 years ago when some team from Geelong was in the finals. Need I say more?

[Aussie Gal]

Geelong is one of our AFL teams and won the premiership a couple of years ago in 2007. Melbournites love it when a local team is in the finals especially if the local team is playing one of the teams from interstate.

 

Jennie

[chrismch]

So where is a nice beach area near Melbourne? I mentioned St Kilda as that is the only one I've heard about. Is there something at Docklands? I'm shooting in the dark as I'm not a native. Always love to be able to walk on sandy beaches and just put my toes in the water. Any suggestions for seaside dining at reasonable costs?

[Aussie Gal]

Every place that I mentioned in Post 4 above has a beach on our Bay. You mentioned a walk and I suggested one that follows the beaches for miles. If you want to go to a surf beach, then need to have a car and drive down either to the Mornington Peninsula and visit Point Leo or go to Torquay and along the Ocean Road which will take about an hour or more from the city.

 

Melbourne does not have a surf beach close to the city like Sydney or Perth. Our closest beaches are on our bay and are very clean. The water will be very cold in September as we are still in winter here at the moment.

 

Jennie

[Aussie Gal]

chrismch,

 

Docklands is on our river and therefore isn't a beach area. A nice place to eat near the beach is the restaurant that I mentioned in my first post - Sails on the Bay. There is also Donovan's which is more upmarket and the Stokehouse. Both of these are in St. Kilda.

 

Jennie

[kenish]

We are not big spectator sports fans. We went to an AFL game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG or "The G"). The game is fast-moving and the athleticism is pretty incredible. More important, being in the atmosphere at the stadium with rabid fans, having a 4&20 pie with sauce (meat pie with tomato sauce), and washing it down with a Victoria Bitter (VB) was a good introduction to the country and people.

 

Melbournites will be happy this year when local Collingwood goes to the finals. :) They have a base of loyal, long-suffering fans (sort of like the Chicago Cubs). Ever since we were converted to Pies (Magpies) fans, they have won all but one game and have gone from #14 to #4.

[chrismch]

Hi Jennie,

Sails looks a little more upscale though lovely. Looking for a more casual style. Unfortunately their cafe is closed through Oct. Any other seafood restaurant choices around St Kilda? Or if I am searching your restaurants or citysearch what is that area called? They don't have an option for St Kilda.

 

You mentioned Our closest beaches are on our bay where is that?

[ohioNCLcruiser]

I just went to my first AFL game last week! Go Bulldogs!! lol

[Aussie Gal]

Chrismch,

 

Our Bay is Port Phillip Bay and our city is built on that area of water. From Port Melbourne right down to Portsea and on the other side of the Bay from Williamstown right down to Queenscliff there are suburbs and towns which surround the Bay. You need to look at a map and see how big a stretch of water it is with a very small opening onto Bass Strait at the bottom where many ships over the years have sunk.

 

During the week "Sails" has a luncheon special of two courses and coffee for $28. Most of our restaurants do have these specials for lunch. A great restaurant in St. Kilda is Cafe di Stasio which also has a luncheon special each day of $30 which includes two courses and a glass of wine. Their evening meal is the same except it costs $45 a head. This is one of the best Italian restaurants in Melbourne.

 

Here is a website for a vast majority of eateries in St. Kilda. http://yourrestaurants.com.au/guide/index.cfm?action=search&exec=1&state=VIC&suburb=St%20Kilda&cuisine=17

 

Jennie

[kenish]

OhioNCL- Glad you finally made it to Australia, our first trip was in June/July. Hope the sights and people are as amazing to you as they were to us. Looking forward to heaing about your experiences.

[chrismch]

Got out my tour book again and found where St Kilda is and the Bay. My DH did a little research and it looks like we can easily get a bus/tram to that area.

 

Thank you also for the link to St Kilda on Your Restaurants. Looked up seafood restaurants and only found a few. Seems as if Italian is more popular. Trying to get accustomed to the idea of a $20-$30 lunch. A high priced lunch here would be $15 for a large seafood salad or a sandwich & dessert. And I am not referring to our takeaway places. which sell a combo - sandwich, drink & chips for $6.

 

Many of our restaurants are including starters or desserts for free to get people in the restaurants because of the slowing economy. Judging by the prices there, that doesn't seem to be a problem. So I will just close my eyes (or just squink) at the right side of the menu and remind myself that I am on vacation and it's ok to spulge.

[Aussie Gal]

Chrismch,

 

We have found that eating out in the States is a lot cheaper than here though remember that your dollar is still higher than ours. At the moment you will be getting around 1.19 US to our Aussie Dollar.

 

Down here we haven't really felt the slowing of the economy and we have been told by the powers that be that we have missed the recession.

 

The restaurants I have spoken about are the sit down type with table service and proper 3 course meals. Remember, that you don't have to tip here and if you feel the need to, no more than 10% in a restaurant, that is the max! Restaurants are the only places that my DH and self tip and then only if we have received good service.

 

You are not frowned on if you don't leave anything. Just say thank you and everyone is happy.

 

Jennie

[kenish]

Chrismch,

We have found that eating out in the States is a lot cheaper than here though remember that your dollar is still higher than ours. At the moment you will be getting around 1.19 US to our Aussie Dollar.

 

Down here we haven't really felt the slowing of the economy and we have been told by the powers that be that we have missed the recession.

 

The restaurants I have spoken about are the sit down type with table service and proper 3 course meals. Remember, that you don't have to tip here and if you feel the need to, no more than 10% in a restaurant, that is the max! Restaurants are the only places that my DH and self tip and then only if we have received good service.

 

You are not frowned on if you don't leave anything. Just say thank you and everyone is happy.

 

Jennie

 

I feel very lucky we went to Oz in June/July. We prepaid a lot of hotels, airfare, tours, etc. in March when there was 65 cents Australian to the US dollar. By the time we traveled it had strenthened to 80 cents. Currently it's around 84 cents.

 

Food isn't much more expensive after considering tax and tip add 25% or more to the price on a US menu. We did as the locals did and only tipped once for exceptional, over-the-top service. We felt strange at first and a bit guilty not leaving tips. Very nice not worrying about tipping.

 

Jennie, as far as missing the recession- belive us Americans, you didn't miss out on anything!

[The_Big_M]

I found it pretty pricey going out to restaurants in the US, and ultimately probably even with prices here.

 

The upfront price looks better due to the higher USD value and that it's only part of the bill, but then you add on taxes and tips and do the conversion and it works out pretty much the same. Here, the extras aren't as great as there (sometimes it's none, or on Sunday's/public holiday and some other reasons there may be some), and tips are optional (and if you do tip, 20% would be very generous, unlike the expectation there).

[chrismch]

I'm confused? Are meals in restaurants or takeaway taxed? I thought there was a VAT on everything?

[The_Big_M]

I'm confused? Are meals in restaurants or takeaway taxed? I thought there was a VAT on everything?

 

They're taxed, but unlike the U.S. all prices here have to include the tax in them. Thus, if you see a take-away menu item for $10, in most cases that's the price you'll be asked for.

[Aussie Gal]

Chrismch,

 

The prices I was quoting for a lunch, say $25p.p. is the price you pay. Our GST is included in that price. We also don't have separate taxes added on for each State like in the U.S. and Canada where the price you see is not the price you pay!

 

Everything that has a price on it, is the price that you will pay at the Cash Register. It is just so easy and simple.

 

Jennie

[kenish]

FYI, the register receipt and/or CC slip will note how much of the total is VAT even though it's already in the price on the shelf or menu. Also, just like the US a receipt at a supermarket will show which items were taxable and which were not.

[LRNZ]

I just thought I'd pop in and mention a fantastic bike tour we just enjoyed when we were in Melbourne last month. It's an easy ride around the city - you don't need to be super fit and you get to see all sorts of things; the gardens, parks, museum, the famous Lygon St, the Queen Victoria Markets and so on. It's a great way to orient your self around the city and it is such a pretty city - the town planners have gone to great pains to make the city visually appealing with art, trees and beautiful sights at every turn. The contact is; Murray Johnson, Real Melbourne Bike Tours, ph: 0417 339 203. email them through their site; www.rentabike.net.au The $99AUD per person cost includes juice, coffee, tastes of gorgeous cakes at a famous cafe and lunch - will be the best money you ever spend. Our tour went from 10am-2pm, and they will look after you if you aren't used to biking. Give it a go!

[LRNZ]

You mentioned beaches at the docklands - there isn't a beach there. We went to St Kilda and were not overly impressed with what we saw beach-wise there either. It was mid-winter to be fair, but it seems to me Melbourne is the place to go to enjoy the city rather than the outdoor-lifestyle unless you want to go on a winery tour or such like. We were there for 5 days and the bike tour, revisiting the shopping areas we discovered on the bike tour, enjoying some fantastic meals and going to a show, art galleries, museum etc would be my idea of really doing Melbourne justice.

[Aussie Gal]

LRNZ,

 

Of course in summer, those beaches from Port Melbourne to Elwood are packed with bathers and people. Our Bay does look so different in summer, as the water is blue not grey and it is very inviting as the water is clean and clear.

 

Winter in Melbourne is a time to visit our Art Galleries, have a coffee or lunch and wander around the shops and Arcades.

 

Whereas summer is a time to be outside in our lovely Public gardens which surround our city, go to the beach and enjoy the warmth.

 

Jennie