Melbourne. How are we doing? It has, without a doubt, been a difficult couple of years - but it is (thank goodness) time to say adieu to the rollercoasters that were 2020 and 2021 and hello to a -hopefully- brighter, less pandemic ridden 2022.
Wondering where to eat, drink and (responsibly, safely) socialise with your loved ones? You’ve come to the right place, so read on as we round out our favourite things to do in this splendid city.
1) Picnic in the Park
One of the better things to have emerged from the years 2020 and 2021 is both a rekindled love and deeper appreciation for picnics. While eating on a rug on a grassy expanse is in no way a novel idea, the humble picnic has undoubtedly had somewhat of a revival, something that comes as no surprise when considering the fact that the pandemic years deemed eating inside with others not only irresponsible, but dangerous.
The humble and classic picnic is here to stay, and with summer in full swing, offers the perfect afternoon antidote to an uncomfortably hot day in the sweltering sun.
What type of picnic you embark on is up to you to decide (will you meet up in the park? The beach perhaps? Or how about a zen, fairy light illuminated garden picnic, away from the crowds?), however we recommend transporting any cool drinks you may have in an esky, and always bringing a mat of some sort to place your spread on (ants are plentiful during the summer months, and unfortunately yet understandably enjoy cheese and crackers as much as the next guy).
Our favourite parks are Edinburgh and Carlton Gardens (under one of the leafy trees near the fountain, of course), Alma Park, and the St Kilda Botanical Gardens.
Want to alleviate all the stress of organising a picnic and let others do it for you? Of course you do! Check out AmazingCo’s Mystery Picnics here.
2) Go for a (Covid safe) Night on the Town
As Victorians, we suffered the harshest and longest lockdowns out of any other Australian state or territory, meaning that our typical wintery Friday nights spent cozying up to a hearty pinot noir at an inner city wine bar were, understandably yet upsettingly replaced with night after night (after night) at home.
While our 2020 and 2021 Winter nights out may have been non-existent (with the closest we came to enjoying a ‘meal out’ being a takeaway curry, eaten haphazardly on the couch while the footy played in the background), summer in the city is panning out to be a thoroughly different affair.
While some restrictions remain -and are not to be taken lightly- it is again possible to venture out and about through Melbourne. Spend your evening out revisiting your favourite watering holes (if they’ve emerged victorious from lockdown, they’ll undoubtedly be needing your support), or keep an eye out for new gems that may have sprung up during our months of hibernation.
3) Watch a Film Under the Stars at the Moonlit Cinema
Pack your bottle of vino, nibbles and blankets, and head to the Royal Botanic Gardens for an evening of movie watching under the stars.
Conveniently located in the inner city (just a short tram ride from a plethora of quintessential Melbourne rooftop bars and restaurants you’ll undoubtedly want to visit after your film has concluded), the outdoor venue is equipped with sanitising stations and deploys strict social distancing measures - so you can nestle comfortably into your blanket, popcorn in hand, with peace of mind.
Check out the Moonlit Cinema website here.
4) Host a Dinner Party
The weather is warm and the sun is out (sometimes, it is Melbourne after all and our weather is volatile, to say the absolute least) - it’s well and truly time to take dinner, and the good old fashioned dinner party, outside.
Got a garden? Nice. Invest in some durable solar charged fairy lights -outdoor, always buy outdoor-and hang them up to make your garden feel like an otherworldly fairy oasis (candle sticks in empty wine bottles as table centrepieces work well here too).
Don’t have access to a garden? This is okay - you can easily throw your dinner party at a park too (and no, this isn’t technically a picnic, as you’ll still be feasting on real, dinner party worthy dishes), just ensure you bring enough vessels to carry everything in, and bring a picnic rug (no-one one wants a mouthful of ants with their salad).
For a stress free dinner party, ask guests to each bring a platter, plate or bottle of something and turn the event into a communal potluck (your guests will love feeling like they’ve helped you, and you’ll love not having the entire culinary success of the evening placed onto your shoulders).
5) Get out of Melbourne
On the one hand, telling you to get out of Melbourne may seem like an incongruous suggestion to include in a list of things to do within the city. On the other, you’d be remiss not to because if you’re not taking at least a day trip away from Melbourne during the summer months, you’re not doing a Melbourne summer right.
While we have our fair share of inner city beaches (St Kilda beach, Brighton Beach), the picture perfect, postcard worthy beaches remain hidden until you’re well and truly out of the city and its inner suburbs.
For impossibly blue, crystal clear waters look no further than the rugged, rocky beaches that hug the drive along the Mornington Peninsula coast - but beware, families with young children not yet back at school flock here to the brink of overcrowd. We suggest holding off until early February to visit these; while the weather may be beginning to cool, you’ll have the beach (almost) to yourself.
