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Getaways from Melbourne · Summer 2026–27

Summer getaways from Melbourne

Fifteen ways out of the city between December and February, from an hour's drive to the Bellarine to a flight of just over an hour to Hobart. Each is sorted by how you get there, with the event worth timing it for, where to stay and one thing to know before you go.

  • 15trips
  • 12by car
  • 1by train
  • 2by air
  • Facts checked 24 October 2026

15 summer trips from Melbourne, sorted by how you get there: 12 by car, 1 by train and 2 by air. The quickest to reach is Geelong and the Bellarine, 1 hr away; the longest trip is Port Fairy, 5 hr 40 min. Each one lists the travel time, the dates worth timing it for and where to stay.

At a glance

GetawayFrom MelbourneBest forTime it for
Geelong and the Bellarine 1 hr Food & wine, Festival, Romantic Festival of Sails 2027, 23–26 Jan 2027
Yarra Valley 1 hr Food & wine, Romantic, Family Lavender Harvest Weekend, 5–6 Dec 2026
Mornington Peninsula 1 hr 30 min Spa, Romantic, Food & wine Gareth Sansom, 5 Dec 2026 – 21 Feb 2027
Phillip Island 1 hr 30 min Family, Outdoors, Festival Ocean Sounds Festival 2027, 9 Jan 2027
Torquay and Lorne 1 hr 30 min Outdoors, Family, Festival Bioglan Bells Beach Longboard Classic, 2–6 Dec 2026
Ballarat 1 hr 30 min Family, Culture, Food & wine December to February for long evenings at Sovereign Hill and the gardens by Lake Wendouree
Bendigo 2 hr Culture, Food & wine, City break December to February
The Grampians 3 hr Outdoors, Food & wine, Culture December to February, which Tourism Australia lists as high season
Wilsons Promontory 3 hr Outdoors, Family December to February, which Tourism Australia lists as Gippsland's high season along with the school holidays
Bright and the High Country 3 hr Outdoors, Food & wine, Festival Ride High Country: Tour of Bright Fondo, 4–6 Dec 2026
12 Apostles and Warrnambool 4 hr Outdoors, Spa, Family December to February for long evenings on the Shipwreck Coast
Port Fairy 5 hr 40 min Festival, Food & wine, Romantic Port Fairy Jazz Festival, 12–14 Feb 2027
Daylesford and Hepburn Springs 2 hr Spa, Romantic, Food & wine December to February, which Tourism Australia lists as high season
Hobart 1 hr 5 min Food & wine, Culture, City break December to February, which Tourism Australia lists as high season
Adelaide 1 hr 30 min Food & wine, Culture, City break February, when Adelaide Fringe begins and the vineyards start their harvest, per Tourism Australia

By car 12 trips

1 hr
Photograph · Matt Dunne Photo
Geelong and the Bellarine, Victoria

Geelong and the Bellarine

About an hour by car, per Tourism AustraliaPort Phillip Ferries sails from the city centre in about 1 hr 30 min, per Tourism Australia, and V/Line runs regional trains to Geelong.

An hour from the city, Geelong's waterfront and the Bellarine's 40 cellar doors make an easy summer weekend. The Australia Day long weekend brings the Festival of Sails to Geelong.

Time it for Festival of Sails 2027 23–26 Jan 2027

Yacht racing, live music and fireworks on the Australia Day long weekend at the Royal Geelong Yacht Club and Geelong waterfront.

Do
  • The Q Train A travelling restaurant serving a degustation dinner, departing from the historic Drysdale station.
  • Jack Rabbit Vineyard Wine with views over Port Phillip Bay.
  • Geelong waterfront Public art, gardens, the Baywalk Bollards and Eastern Beach's art deco pool and restored pavilion.
Stay
  • Lon Retreat & Spa Suites on 250 acres of farm by the sea at Point Lonsdale, with farm-sourced breakfast, heated mineral pools and outdoor contrast therapy.
  • Coastal Glamp Glamping tents at Bellarine Estate winery on Portarlington Road, with a light breakfast included.

Map by Stay22. If you book through it we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. It never decides what we write.

Summer tip The Sorrento to Queenscliff car ferry lets you pair the Bellarine with the Mornington Peninsula in one loop, per Tourism Australia.

1 hr
Photograph · Adrian Brown / Tourism Australia
Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges, Victoria

Yarra Valley

About an hour by car, per Tourism AustraliaVisit Victoria gives 45 to 90 minutes depending on where in the valley you are going.

Tourism Australia names the end of spring and early summer as the best time for the valley, an hour from the city. More than 80 vineyards, Healesville Sanctuary and the TarraWarra Museum of Art cover a weekend for couples or families.

Time it for Lavender Harvest Weekend 5–6 Dec 2026

The start of the lavender season at Warratina Lavender Farm, 105 Quayle Road, Wandin North; children 16 and under enter free.

Do
  • Healesville Sanctuary Kangaroos, koalas, platypus and other native animals.
  • TarraWarra Museum of Art A collection of Australian art, including works by Brett Whiteley.
  • Domaine Chandon A sparkling wine producer in the valley.
Stay
  • Balgownie Estate A vineyard resort at Yarra Glen with 70 guest rooms, the 1309 restaurant, a cellar door and an Endota spa.
  • Re'em Yarra Valley Hotel A boutique hotel on the Helen and Joey Estate at Gruyere; rates include breakfast and a complimentary minibar.

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Summer tip Cherry picking at CherryHill Orchards in Wandin East runs from 27 November 2026 to 8 January 2027, per Visit Victoria.

1 hr 30 min
Photograph · Visit Victoria
Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

Mornington Peninsula

Up to 90 minutes by car, per Visit VictoriaThe Sorrento to Queenscliff car ferry links the peninsula with the Bellarine, per Tourism Australia.

The peninsula is up to 90 minutes from the city, and Tourism Australia lists summer as its high season. Peninsula Hot Springs, pinot noir and chardonnay cellar doors and a summer show at the regional gallery fill a long weekend.

Time it for Gareth Sansom 5 Dec 2026 – 21 Feb 2027

A survey of the Sorrento-based painter, whose career spans more than six decades, at the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery on Dunns Road, Mornington.

Do
  • Peninsula Hot Springs Geothermal bathing at Fingal: the Bath House has 50 bathing experiences for all ages, and the adults-only Spa Dreaming Centre adds 20 more.
  • Moonraker Charters Guided tours to swim with the bay's resident dolphins and sea lions, run between October and May.
  • Pt Leo Estate A sculpture park with level, gently sloping paths, and Laura, an award-winning restaurant overlooking the vineyards.
Stay
  • Jackalope Hotel Forty-four designer rooms and two Lair suites with terrace or vineyard views, plus a vine-facing infinity pool, heated spa and infrared sauna, and dinner at Doot Doot Doot.
  • Peninsula Hot Springs Glamping Glamping tents and eco lodges beside the springs at Fingal; every glamping package includes geothermal bathing across the site.

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Summer tip The regional gallery closes on Mondays and on 25, 26, 30 and 31 December and 1 January, so plan a holiday-week visit around those dates.

1 hr 30 min
Photograph · Phillip Island Nature Park
Bass Coast, Victoria

Phillip Island

90 minutes to 2 hours by car, per Phillip Island Nature Parks; allow another 20 minutes from the bridge to the Penguin ParadeV/Line runs a bus from Southern Cross Station to Cowes, but it does not go to the Penguin Parade and there is no return bus after it, per Phillip Island Nature Parks.

Phillip Island has the world's largest little penguin colony, and the birds come ashore at sunset every evening. Add koalas, a seal cruise and a sunset music festival on Churchill Island, and it is the easiest family weekend from the city.

Time it for Ocean Sounds Festival 2027 9 Jan 2027

An all-day, family-friendly sunset music festival on Churchill Island, with local wine, cheese and food trucks.

Do
  • Penguin Parade Little penguins return to their burrows at sunset on Summerland Beach; viewing ranges from the tiered grandstands to underground windows and guided beach tours.
  • Koala Conservation Reserve Koalas in the treetops, seen from an elevated boardwalk.
  • Wildlife Coast Cruises Boat tours past coves, rock formations and marine life.
Stay
  • Five Acres Three standalone cabins amid farmland at Ventnor with views over Western Port, each with a handcrafted concrete outdoor bath and a log fire.
  • Clifftop A bed and breakfast with ocean views from most rooms.

Map by Stay22. If you book through it we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. It never decides what we write.

Summer tip Book Penguin Parade tickets ahead, as the park requires. From mid-December to late January it advises allowing extra travel time, and summer seating is limited, so arrive at the time printed on your ticket.

1 hr 30 min
Photograph · Rob Blackburn / Visit Victoria
Great Ocean Road, Victoria

Torquay and Lorne

About 90 minutes by car to Torquay, where the Great Ocean Road begins, per Tourism Australia

The eastern end of the Great Ocean Road is the closest surf coast to the city, with Bells Beach and surf schools at Torquay and Lorne's one-kilometre beach further along the road. December opens with a free-to-watch longboard contest at Bells.

Time it for Bioglan Bells Beach Longboard Classic 2–6 Dec 2026

A World Surf League Longboard Tour event at Bells Beach, free to watch.

Do
  • Bells Beach One of Australia's best-known surf beaches, near Torquay; it hosts the Rip Curl Pro each Easter.
  • Go Ride A Wave Surf lessons for beginners in Torquay.
  • Erskine Falls A 30-metre waterfall in the rainforest near Lorne.
Stay

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Summer tip Lorne's Livewire Park adds a zip-line to a beach day, and Brae, about 30 minutes inland, needs booking well ahead, per Tourism Australia.

1 hr 30 min
Photograph · Visit Victoria
Goldfields, Victoria

Ballarat

About 90 minutes by car west of Melbourne, per Tourism AustraliaV/Line runs regional trains to Ballarat, per Tourism Australia.

Ballarat is the gold rush made walkable: Sovereign Hill recreates 1851 town life, and the city's galleries, gardens and wildlife park fill the rest of a family weekend 90 minutes from Melbourne.

Do
  • Sovereign Hill An open-air museum of gold-era town life, with a mine tour, gold panning and the evening sound-and-light show Blood on the Southern Cross.
  • Ballarat Botanical Gardens Gardens beside Lake Wendouree.
  • Ballarat Wildlife Park Native wildlife, including koalas, on the edge of the city.
Stay
  • The Provincial Hotel A Ballarat hotel with Lola, its restaurant, for dinner.
  • Tuki Retreat Accommodation at Tuki Trout Farm, where you can catch a rainbow trout and have it cooked on site.

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Summer tip Underbar's tasting menu seats only 16 diners, per Tourism Australia, so book a table before you book the room.

2 hr
Photograph · Bendigo Tourism
Goldfields, Victoria

Bendigo

About 2 hours by car north of Melbourne, per Tourism AustraliaV/Line runs regional trains to Bendigo, per Tourism Australia.

Bendigo pairs gold rush heritage buildings with the Bendigo Art Gallery and a shiraz region of about 60 cellar doors. It is a city weekend two hours from Melbourne.

Do
  • Bendigo Art Gallery The city's art gallery, set among its gold rush era buildings.
  • Bendigo wine region About 60 cellar doors known for shiraz; Bendigo Winery Tours runs guided trips.
  • Bendigo Wholefoods Farm-to-table dining in the city.
Stay
  • The Schaller Studio A hotel inspired by artist Mark Schaller's working studio.
  • Hotel Ernest Bendigo King-bed suites in Bendigo's first bank building on View Street; the original vault is now a private dining room.

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Summer tip Djaara Lights is on at Oscars Walk and the Bath Lane precinct until 5 May 2027, per Visit Victoria, so it is on whenever you go this summer.

3 hr
Photograph · Robert Blackburn, Visit Victoria
Grampians, Victoria

The Grampians

About 3 hours by car west of Melbourne, per Tourism Australia

Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park has more than 160 km of walking tracks around Halls Gap, waterfalls, Aboriginal rock art and lakes for canoeing. Dunkeld's Royal Mail Hotel turns the southern end into a food trip.

Do
  • The Pinnacle A lookout over Halls Gap and the Grampians; the easiest route is a two-hour return walk from Sundial carpark via Devils Gap.
  • MacKenzie Falls One of Victoria's largest waterfalls, flowing year-round, reached by a steep trail.
  • Brambuk The National Park and Cultural Centre Aboriginal culture, rock art and local flora and fauna in Halls Gap, with guided rock art shelter tours available.
Stay
  • Royal Mail Hotel Rooms and cabins in Dunkeld under Mt Sturgeon and Mt Abrupt, with the Wickens degustation restaurant and the casual Parker Street Project.
  • Wanderlust Glamping Tiny cabins and bell tents with mountain views; the operator introduced glamping to the Grampians in 2015.

Map by Stay22. If you book through it we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. It never decides what we write.

Summer tip For The Pinnacle with children, take the easier route from Sundial Carpark via Devil's Gap; the harder route starts at Wonderland Carpark via the Grand Canyon, per Visit Victoria.

3 hr
Photograph · Visit Victoria
Gippsland, Victoria

Wilsons Promontory

About 3 hours by car to Tidal River, per Tourism Australia

Tidal River is the base for short walks to Squeaky Beach, Mount Oberon and Lilly Pilly Gully, with Skull Rock and its fur seals offshore. Summer is high season, so book a bed before anything else.

Do
  • Tidal River to Squeaky Beach An easy 4 km, 1.5-hour walk along the river on the wheelchair-accessible Loo-Errn Track, then over to the squeaking quartz sand.
  • Mount Oberon summit A 7 km, two-hour return climb from Telegraph Saddle car park to views across the Prom.
  • Lilly Pilly Gully Nature Walk An easy 5 km loop through eucalypt forest, coastal heath and rainforest.
Stay
  • Tidal River Camping, caravan sites, cabins and lodges inside the national park.
  • Bubble Retreats Glamping bubbles at Agnes, perched above the coast with views towards Wilsons Promontory.

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Summer tip Squeaky Beach is unpatrolled, per Visit Victoria, and Tourism Australia advises packing warm clothes for Mount Oberon, as the summit can be cool and windy even in summer.

3 hr
Photograph · Visit Victoria
High Country, Victoria

Bright and the High Country

About 3 hours by car to Victoria's High Country, per Tourism AustraliaMount Hotham Airport takes domestic flights, per Tourism Australia.

In summer the High Country swaps skis for bikes: the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail, Mount Buffalo's lookouts and Lake Catani and the Ovens River all start from Bright. Tourism Australia calls summer and spring the seasons for mountain biking, horse riding and winery tours.

Time it for Ride High Country: Tour of Bright Fondo 4–6 Dec 2026

A two-stage cycling fondo and Friday criterium around Bright; spectators watch free.

Do
  • Murray to Mountains Rail Trail A cycling trail through the Ovens River valley from Bright.
  • Mount Buffalo Lookouts, The Horn and summer camping by Lake Catani, with canoeing and free ranger-led activities.
  • Bright Brewery A brewery in the middle of town on the banks of the Ovens River.
Stay
  • The Buckland Studios Studios and a one-bedroom pod at Buckland with Mount Buffalo views and a breakfast hamper delivered to your studio.
  • The Provenance Rooms in converted stables in Beechworth, with lunch at the restaurant.

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Summer tip Bright Brewery hosts Summer Twilight Markets on the riverbank on Thursday 17 December 2026, per Visit Victoria.

4 hr
Photograph · Visit Victoria
Great Ocean Road, Victoria

12 Apostles and Warrnambool

About 4 hours by car to the 12 Apostles, per Visit Victoria; Warrnambool is about an hour further west, per Tourism Australia

The limestone stacks of the 12 Apostles are the end point of the Great Ocean Walk and the reason most people drive this far. Summer's long evenings leave time for Loch Ard Gorge and a soak at Warrnambool's hot springs.

Do
  • 12 Apostles Limestone pillars shaped by 10 to 20 million years of erosion, with Loch Ard Gorge, the Arch and London Bridge nearby.
  • Great Ocean Walk A multi-day walk from Apollo Bay to the 12 Apostles through national parks and along quiet beaches; the final section ends at the stacks.
  • Flagstaff Hill A recreated 19th-century seaport village in Warrnambool.
Stay

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Summer tip Visit Victoria suggests arriving at the 12 Apostles at sunrise to avoid the crowds.

5 hr 40 min
Photograph · Visit Victoria
Great Ocean Road, Victoria

Port Fairy

About 4 hours by car to the 12 Apostles, per Visit Victoria, then about 1 hr 40 min west via Warrnambool, per Tourism Australia

Port Fairy sits at the western end of the Great Ocean Road, far enough to justify a long weekend and close to the volcanic crater at Tower Hill. In February the jazz festival fills the Reardon Theatre.

Time it for Port Fairy Jazz Festival 12–14 Feb 2027

More than 100 bands over three days, based at the Reardon Theatre in Port Fairy.

Do
  • Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve Emus, koalas, kangaroos and echidnas inside Victoria's largest dormant volcano, declared Victoria's first national park in 1892.
  • Basalt Wines A winery in the Henty region, with villas among the vines.
  • Conlan's Wine Store A dinner pick in Port Fairy; Coffin Sally is the other.
Stay
  • Drift House A deluxe small hotel in Port Fairy.
  • Basalt Wines Retreat Villas among the vines at Killarney, each with an internal fireplace and stocked with beer, wine and spirits.

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Summer tip Worn Gundidj Aboriginal Cooperative runs guided walks at Tower Hill, about ten minutes from Warrnambool, per Tourism Australia and Visit Victoria.

By train 1 trip

2 hr
Photograph · Andrew Vukosav / Visit Victoria
Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges, Victoria

Daylesford and Hepburn Springs

About 2 hours from Southern Cross by Bendigo line train to Woodend, then bus, per V/LineDaylesford is a 90-minute drive north-west of Melbourne, per Tourism Australia.

Hepburn Springs has drawn bathers to its mineral water since 1895, and a train and bus get you there without a car. Spa days, the Lake House kitchen and Wombat Hill's gardens fill the time between soaks.

Do
  • Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa The original Hepburn Springs spa, welcoming bathers since 1895.
  • Convent Gallery Art across three levels of a 19th-century mansion, with a cafe, sculpture park and gardens.
  • Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens A walk to the top of Wombat Hill for views over the town, with Wombat Hill House, the Lake House team's garden cafe and store.
Stay
  • Lake House A Luxury Lodges of Australia member with Alla Wolf-Tasker's restaurant and the Salus Spa, a treetop stilt house above Lake Daylesford.
  • Kyneton Springs Motel A boutique motel on Piper Street in Kyneton with twin, king, accessible and interconnecting rooms.

Map by Stay22. If you book through it we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. It never decides what we write.

Summer tip Bring an empty bottle: Visit Victoria suggests filling it with mineral water at Lake Daylesford. On Sundays the Spa Country Railway runs to the Daylesford Sunday Market.

A short flight 2 trips

1 hr 5 min
Photograph · Tourism Australia
Tasmania

Hobart

Just over an hour by air, per Tourism Australia; Hobart Airport is about 15 minutes' drive from the cityThe Spirit of Tasmania car ferry crosses from Geelong to Devonport in about 10 hours, and Hobart is about three hours' drive south from there, per Tourism Australia.

Multiple daily flights of just over an hour make Hobart an easy long weekend, and Tourism Australia lists summer as high season. MONA, kunanyi/Mt Wellington and Bruny Island's seal colonies fill the days.

Do
  • MONA The Museum of Old and New Art in Claremont, reached by a 25-minute private ferry from Brooke Street Pier.
  • kunanyi/Mt Wellington The mountain above the city, reached on the Explorer Bus.
  • Bruny Island Cruise to seal colonies, walk clifftop trails and taste local produce on a day trip from Hobart.
Stay
  • MACq 01 A storytelling hotel that draws on Tasmania's history.
  • The Henry Jones Art Hotel Australia's first dedicated art hotel, built into the framework of a former jam factory.

Map by Stay22. If you book through it we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. It never decides what we write.

Summer tip MONA has select opening hours and Tourism Australia says bookings are a must; the ferry wharf at the museum is not wheelchair accessible.

1 hr 30 min
Photograph · South Australian Tourism Commission
South Australia

Adelaide

About 1 hr 30 min, as Tourism Australia lists the Melbourne to Adelaide flight in its southern Australia itinerary; Adelaide Airport is 7 km from the cityKangaroo Island is a 30-minute flight from Adelaide with Rex or QantasLink, or a 1.5-hour drive to Cape Jervis and a 45-minute ferry, per Tourism Australia. Tourism Australia puts the drive from Melbourne at about eight hours.

Tourism Australia calls Adelaide the Festival City, and February brings the Fringe and the start of the grape harvest in the surrounding vineyards. A 90-minute flight also puts Kangaroo Island within a long weekend.

Do
  • Adelaide Central Market The city's central produce market.
  • Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute The national Aboriginal cultural institute in the city; Tourism Australia also lists an Adelaide Kaurna walking trail of 17 sites.
  • Kangaroo Island Remarkable Rocks, Admiral's Arch and the sea lion colony at Seal Bay, a short flight from Adelaide.
Stay
  • Oval Hotel Australia's first stadium hotel, set in the parklands of Adelaide Oval.
  • Mayfair Hotel A hotel in a heritage-listed Art Deco building.

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Summer tip Kangaroo Island has no public transport or taxis, so Tourism Australia advises booking a hire car well ahead if you add it to the trip.

The season

The summer calendar

The dates that make a summer trip, as the organisers and Victoria's tourism boards have listed them. Trips without a dated summer event are listed with their best window instead.

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

  • 12–14 Feb 2027Port Fairy Jazz FestivalPort Fairy

Victorian government school students finish Term 4 on Friday 18 December 2026, and the summer holidays run from Monday 21 December 2026 to Wednesday 27 January 2027. Students start Term 1 on Thursday 28 January 2027, so the Australia Day public holiday on Tuesday 26 January falls in the last week of the break, so book coastal and Phillip Island stays early. School holidays in Victoria →

Questions

Quick answers

What are the best weekend getaways from Melbourne in summer?

For the coast without a long drive, the Bellarine is about an hour away, the Mornington Peninsula up to 90 minutes and Torquay about 90 minutes. Phillip Island is 90 minutes to two hours for the Penguin Parade, and the Yarra Valley about an hour for wineries.

Where can you go from Melbourne by train?

V/Line gets you to Daylesford in about two hours by Bendigo line train to Woodend and a connecting bus. V/Line also runs regional trains to Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo, and a V/Line bus goes to Cowes on Phillip Island.

What are the best short flights from Melbourne for a long weekend?

Hobart is just over an hour by air, per Tourism Australia, and Adelaide about 90 minutes. From Adelaide, Kangaroo Island is a further 30-minute flight.

When are the Victorian summer school holidays in 2026–27?

Term 4 ends for government school students on Friday 18 December 2026. The summer holidays run from 21 December 2026 to 27 January 2027, and students return on Thursday 28 January 2027.

What summer events are worth timing a trip from Melbourne around?

The Bells Beach Longboard Classic runs 2 to 6 December 2026 and the Tour of Bright 4 to 6 December. Ocean Sounds plays Churchill Island on 9 January 2027, Geelong's Festival of Sails runs 23 to 26 January and the Port Fairy Jazz Festival 12 to 14 February.

What are the best summer getaways from Melbourne by car?

The closest are Geelong and the Bellarine (1 hr), Yarra Valley (1 hr), Mornington Peninsula (1 hr 30 min), Phillip Island (1 hr 30 min). Times are the tourism boards' own figures from the city centre in normal traffic; allow more on holiday weekends.

Sources (75)

Checked 24 October 2026. Dates change: confirm with the event or hotel before you book. Spot something out of date? Tell us via our corrections policy.

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