Ambassador / Expert / others on use of free day in Melbourne
Our tour starts on April 14th.
We arrive in Melbourne on April 12th at 8:30 a.m.
Since we have 180 degree relaxing seats, hopefully we will sleep 4 or 5 hrs on the plane.
I'm sure since we flew from the east coast we will still need to take a quick nap in Melbourne.
1. If we want to do something after 4:00 p.m. (on day of arrival) what do you suggest?
2. We have a whole day before the tour. Do you suggest a penguin viewing? On Gray Line the tours appear to be 8 hrs or more. I truly don't want to repeat any activity that Tauck will give us.
I was told the penguins come ashore in the evening.
If we do the penguins can you provide another good suggestion during the early part of the day?
Maybe there is another good tour company other than Gray Line.
3. What do you know about Degraves area?
Come to think of it what time does it get dark in Melbourne in April? I don't want to start oout at 4:00 p.m. and discover it is pitch black outside at 5:00 p.m. lol
Since I don't know anything about safety in the area we might need to be careful.
We arrive in Melbourne on April 12th at 8:30 a.m.
Since we have 180 degree relaxing seats, hopefully we will sleep 4 or 5 hrs on the plane.
I'm sure since we flew from the east coast we will still need to take a quick nap in Melbourne.
1. If we want to do something after 4:00 p.m. (on day of arrival) what do you suggest?
2. We have a whole day before the tour. Do you suggest a penguin viewing? On Gray Line the tours appear to be 8 hrs or more. I truly don't want to repeat any activity that Tauck will give us.
I was told the penguins come ashore in the evening.
If we do the penguins can you provide another good suggestion during the early part of the day?
Maybe there is another good tour company other than Gray Line.
3. What do you know about Degraves area?
Come to think of it what time does it get dark in Melbourne in April? I don't want to start oout at 4:00 p.m. and discover it is pitch black outside at 5:00 p.m. lol
Since I don't know anything about safety in the area we might need to be careful.
0
Comments
1. By 14th April, we will have reverted to Eastern Standard Time (GMT+10). Sunset for 14/4/14 is 5:55 pm, 15/4/14 is 5:54 pm. After 4pm, you only have 1 hour left of regular business hours, so you don't have time to visit the National Gallery of Victoria which is otherwise only a short stroll from your hotel. For the hour or so left of daylight, I'd suggest a stroll around the near vicinity of your hotel. It's located on the South Bank of the Yarra River where there are a variety of speciality shops, restaurants & boulevards. At that time of the afternoon, you will get some really lovely views back over the city and the nearby parklands.
2. The Penguin Parade is certainly unique. You won't see anything like it anywhere else in Australia. These are the world's smallest breed of penguins. They penguins return from the sea to their burrows right at dusk, so before you know it, it's pitch dark. Yes, it's a long half day. You have a longish drive to get to Phillip Island and back again. You will be driving through very interesting countryside and seaside villages. Tauck do not take you outside central Melbourne, so pretty much anything you choose to do on your free day shouldn't double up with your Tauck tour. When I checked your itinerary just now, it appears they concentrate on the city, as you would expect, for your only day in Melbourne.
Other suggestions: Yarra Valley wineries … wherever you are in the world, wineries are always situated in picturesque countryside. Even if your'e not interested in some world class wines, you will have a great tour.
Great Ocean Road: One of the truly great ocean drives in the world. Slightly reminiscent of CA's Highway 1, but so much bigger. You will understand when you research some views on the net. Again, this is a long day trip because you have a bit of distance to cover before you get to the south west coast.
Closer to town: The National Galley of Victoria, both International & Australian collections. The Immigration Museum. Almost directly opposite your hotel on the other side of the river. The Queen Victoria Market. The food stalls are open on a Tuesday, 15/4/14. The Royal Botanic Gardens are a short stroll from your hotel. Delightful. Or you could simply stroll around the city at your leisure and take in some unique high Victorian, gold rush era or modernist architecture.
GreyLine: I only mentioned this company in an earlier post because that's what the Concierge of the Grand Hyatt, Melbourne, recommended. He said they had the best feedback about this company. You will find other tour companies on the net.
3. Degraves Area. You've been watching the Oprah clip, haven't you?
http://www.degravesstreetonline.com will tell you all you need to know about the area. I would describe the micro-area as bohemian & trendy in a very European style. And very Melbourne. A coffee in Degraves will give you an idea why Melbournians are so picky about their coffee, and why we booted a certain Seattle based, so-called coffee brand out of town. We just wouldn't drink it, certainly not after the first mouthful! Only one or two shops remain in tourist traps & and areas where international students gather.
Like any place in the world, even in your every-day world, you need to be aware of your surroundings. Common sense always at the ready! My sense is that you are unlikely to decide to go clubbing or boozing (I use that word deliberately) at 3 am in seedy areas of the city. And to stand around swaying in an unbecoming manner. Right? They are certainly not the types of areas Tauck chooses for their accommodation, either. If you take normal, prudent precautions, I seriously doubt you will have anything to worry about if you are out for an early evening stroll.
Cheers,
Jan
I did the Great Ocean Road tour day after I arrived. It is a long day, but well worth it. I hear the penguin tour was very good, too.
Day I arrived I managed to say up till a proper bedtime and got into sleeping normal for the time zone. I took the street car on round trip, so I could figure things out.
I looked at the penguin thing and think I changed my mind because of the 14 hr day.
With Tauck you are on buses a lot, no need to tire myself before the tour starts.
I think we will stay close to the hotel unless we find a tour that is only 4 or 5 hours.
Seems like an adventure over to The Crown to take a look at the glitzy side of gaming might be on the list. Too cheap to gamble but I guess I can tour the hotel and complex. Is this a doable distance with a cab?
We will probably do some of the museums, gardens, and Degraves. I did a search on Melbourne and Degraves was on the list.
Crackers54 thanks for museum info.
Well you did ask!
The other alternative for seeing fairy penguins is very close by, but without all the razzmatazz of the penguins parading up a beach like a flock of tiny Italian waiters. There is a penguin colony at the St Kilda breakwater. A small, suburban colony! Go here: http://stkildapenguins.com.au/skp/ to find out all about it. Your Concierge will be able to help get you there via a short taxi ride.
I just googled Yarra Valley tours half day and there are quite a few. I would hate you to leave Melbourne with no idea of how a city of 4.5 million people fits into its wider environment.
Crown Casino is an easy stroll of The Langham. No need for a taxi. I doubt you will see much glamour. The high rollers are hidden away upstairs, lest they come to their senses and escape! Of course, walking through a casino is ideal people watching territory! There are a variety of restaurants & international boutiques in the complex, too. The shops are the same labels you will find in Paris or Milan, so nothing special or unique there. Some restaurants are very highly rated with prices to match. I would argue that most are terribly over rated. There is better food to be had elsewhere.
Melbourne is famous for its arcades and laneways. It always has been. Start your wander along Degraves Street, then keep going. Don't miss the Block Arcade, off Collins Street, just opposite where the continuation of Degraves meets Collins. It is an architectural gem built in 1891. Among other things, it's a delightful place to take tea, or choose chocolate. Now these shops, and the ones found nearby in the Royal Arcade are worth looking at. Not a franchised label in sight, but a cornucopia of fashion, style & interest nonetheless. Oh, and chocolate. You can actually do chocolate tours of Melbourne.
Cheers,
Jan
What tour company did you use for the Great Ocean Road tour?
What else do you do besides riding on a bus and looking at the beautiful scenery?
Our trip is not until Feb. 9, 2015, but I am looking forward to hearing how you folks who are going sooner, spend your free time in Melbourne.
Don't forget to post your comments when you return!
We will be arriving in Melbourne on Feb. 7th, two days before the tour starts. I figure we will spend the day we arrive, just relaxing and maybe wandering around the area near the hotel.
Any restaurant recommendations?
The second (and free day), we want to see a bit of Melbourne that does not duplicate what Tauck does....that is why I would like to know more about the Ocean Road Tour.
Anyone else booked on the Feb. 9th tour?
Sue
Indeed, the entire universe of travel could be described as …"riding on a bus and looking at the beautiful scenery." Tauck has built quite a nice little business out of doing just that.
I won't attempt to convince you one way or 'tother. Rather, you might care to visit this site:
If you need other suggestions, there are lots … in this thread alone.
If you prefer to wander about on your own two pegs, the arts precinct is close to your hotel. A stroll down Collins Street alone will provide a streetscape of unique architecture, including high victorian, neo-gothic, art deco and mannerist revival. You will see glass & cement, too. If those pegs get weary, as well they might, hop on a free, city circle tram and do a loop. Whatever you choose to do, you will have very little time and unless you are superhuman … or you kid yourself and everyone else … you will feel the effects of your journey. I hate to think of you coming all this way to Australia for such a short time only to spend most of that time riding on a bus and not looking at the beautiful scenery because you are either asleep or just plain exhausted.
Cheers,
Jan
I went to the website you suggested and it gave a lot of highlights of what people can expect to see while exploring the "Great Ocean Road". You can spend days exploring this area. It does sound beautiful.
What I am looking for is a description of the one day tour that folks seem to have taken. Would you know which tour companies offer that tour?
When I asked what else folks do on this tour besides seeing the beautiful scenery, I was wondering how much we would be getting off the bus, at what places, and what we would be doing when off the bus.
Normally I would not be so concerned about the details of a tour, but like you said, we will probably still be feeling the effects of the long flight. After sitting on a plane for so many hours, I am hoping that this tour combines observing the beautiful scenery along the way, with stops where we do get off the bus at times.
I would also like to know how early it starts in the morning and approximately what time the tour ends. Folks say it is a long day...wondering how long.
Sue
http://www.gowest.com.au/index.php
Go West Tours---I took the helicopter trip at the 12 Apostles. I did not think it was worth the money. It eats up all your time and did not get any good pictures. Taking them thru the window had reflections in them and I was over so fast. I expected them to go out and stop so you could view them from the ocean. But other than that thought the trip was worth it.
It was a 12-13 hour day. and pick up was I think at 7:45 you can find out from the website what time they pick you up at the hotel. Was not a problem I slept well and was up very early. I even took a nice walk thru the gardens behind the hotel after breakfast.
The Casino was like a 5-10 walk down the river. I walked thru, was no different then any other casino.
Hi Sue,
It is indeed a long day, and believe me when I tell you, they are taking you on the "express" route. If you go back to the map on the web site, you'll see that you travel "across country" rather than follow the entire coastal Great Ocean Road the entire way. (If you did this, you would have a delightful 2 / 3 day road trip.) That's a really good idea. Why don't you arrive early!!! Right, okay, so you get to the coast the quickest way, once there, you will be getting out and going ….ahhhhhhh ….. oooohhhhh …. quite a lot. You have to get out of the bus and walk around to see all the good stuff. The nearest I can give you by way of a possibly familiar comparison is Highway 1 in CA. (Tauck have a great trip!) If you are familiar with the southern coast of Cornwall, (also limestone but of a different variety, as I understand it) you might remember the offshore limestone stacks. This is the vague sort of thing you will see along the Great Ocean Road. Of course, our coast is unique! Perhaps you can regard this trip as a compromise … sleep for the boring inland bits and save all your ooooohs and ahhhhs for the actual coast!
As to which tour company…
Horses for courses … of course. A few years ago I contacted the Concierge at The Langham and asked which company he recommended for this tour. Honestly, I can't remember his answer. However, can I make a suggestion? Why not email the Concierge directly yourself? I know they have been looking after Tauck guests for quite some time now and I'm sure he's filtered through lots of comments and criticisms to be able to suggest "a better way forward" so that you won't feel you have wasted a single penny!
So much to see … so little time! A walk around the city and the nearby galleries and museums might be a nice compromise?
Cheers,
Jan
We wrote the concierge and asked for a recommendation for a tour company going to PHillips Island to see the fairy penguins. They recommended Gray line tours and booked a tour for us 24 hours after we arrive and one day before the Tauck tour. We won't be time acclimated, but we can sleep during part of the bus trip and be awake for the penguins (we hope)..That tour has pickup around 1-2 PM and return after 8.
Our tour starts April 14, 2014 and we are getting really excited. Anyone else on this tour? Sherry
This is the Langham Hotel official site.
You will find contact listed on the page and a form you can complete if you want information.
http://melbourne.langhamhotels.com.au/melbourne/