Beyond Europe · Australia
The verdict upfront Melbourne with young children surprised us completely — and ended up being our favorite city of the entire Australia trip. Every major museum has a dedicated children’s room. The public transport is excellent and free on weekends. The food scene is exceptional. And the city has a livability and a scale that makes it easy to navigate with a toddler without feeling like you are constantly managing logistics. We went expecting to prefer Sydney. We came back talking about Melbourne.
Where to stay: St Kilda
We rented an apartment on Commercial Road in St Kilda rather than a hotel, which turned out to be the right call. St Kilda is a beachside neighbourhood south of the city center — residential, characterful, with good cafes and restaurants within walking distance and the beach five minutes away. It gives you a base that feels like a neighbourhood rather than a tourist zone, which with a toddler makes a meaningful difference to how the days feel.
Self-catering in Melbourne makes particular sense because the food scene rewards exploration — markets, cafe breakfasts, neighbourhood restaurants — and having a kitchen means you are not dependent on hotel dining for every meal.
The museum revelation
Australia has solved something that Europe has not: almost every significant museum has a dedicated, well-resourced children’s room. This is not a token gesture — it is a genuine investment in making museums accessible and enjoyable for young children and their parents simultaneously.
Melbourne Museum is the standout example. The children’s spaces are interactive, imaginatively designed, and genuinely engaging for toddlers. We went expecting to spend an hour and stayed for most of the morning.
We also visited the National Gallery of Victoria during a children’s exhibition that was running at the time. Check what is on when you visit — the programming is consistently thoughtful.
If you hit a rainy day in Melbourne, the museums solve the problem completely. Go to Melbourne Museum and do not rush it.
The Australian Open
We visited in January when the Australian Open was running. This was not the primary reason for the trip but it became one of the highlights. The atmosphere around Melbourne Park during the tournament is exceptional — accessible, festive, and surprisingly manageable with a young child if you choose your sessions carefully. The outer courts (free with a grounds pass) are less intense than the main stadiums and give you a sense of the event without the full commitment of a ticketed match.
There was also a Formula One exhibition running during our visit that my husband particularly enjoyed. Melbourne’s January event calendar tends to be rich — check what is on before you go.
South Bank and the river
Melbourne’s South Bank along the Yarra River
Melbourne’s South Bank precinct along the Yarra River is one of those urban spaces that works for everyone. We went on the ferris wheel — great views across the city, quick and easy with a toddler. The surrounding area has good restaurants, public space for running around, and a general energy that is easy to be in with a child.
The Brighton Beach bathing boxes — the colorful wooden boxes that line the beach — are a nice photo opportunity. The real draw is the coastal hike — it was a bit long for our daughter at her age but she managed, and the views make it worth it.
The hike
The coastal hike from Brighton Beach — worth the effort
The walk from Brighton Beach along the coastal path is one of those things that sounds ambitious with a toddler and turns out to be perfectly manageable. The scenery is genuinely beautiful — the bay, the bathing boxes, the wide open sky. Our daughter walked most of it herself. Take snacks, go at her pace, and do not set a fixed turnaround point.
Playgrounds
Melbourne’s playgrounds are exceptional. Two worth specifically mentioning:
The playground near the Grand Prix circuit in Albert Park — large, well-designed, surrounded by the parkland that hosts the Formula One race each March. A full morning activity in itself.
Fawkner Park playground — another excellent option that worked well for our daughter’s age.
The Melbourne Zoo
A different experience from Lone Pine in Brisbane — larger, more conventional, but still an excellent zoo with genuinely good animal welfare standards. If your child is obsessed with animals, budget a half day. The zoo is large enough that you will not feel rushed, and the variety of exhibits keeps young children engaged for longer than most attractions.
Getting around
Melbourne’s tram network is one of the best urban transport systems we have used with a toddler. Ground level, easy stroller access, comprehensive coverage of the inner city. On weekends, public transport in Melbourne is free — a detail that is as good as it sounds.
If you are attending the Australian Open, transport to Melbourne Park is also free with your ticket. Use it.
The car seat requirement applies here as it does across Australia — Uber and taxis require a car seat by law. Book in advance if you need one, or travel with your own.
Where to eat
Melbourne’s food scene is genuinely exceptional and it is not a cliché to say so. The cafe culture alone justifies the visit. St Kilda has excellent options within walking distance of the neighbourhood.
One important note: Australia has a significant number of restaurants that operate as licensed venues and legally cannot admit children. We got turned away from Maison Batard, a small French restaurant we had wanted to try, because of this rule. They took us in anyway — it was early lunch and quiet — and were genuinely kind and generous about it. We appreciated them for it. But check before you go anywhere specific that they accept children. It saves an awkward moment on the door.
The bigger argument
Melbourne does not have Sydney’s harbour or its beaches. What it has instead is a city that functions at a human scale, invests seriously in culture and public space, and happens to be exceptional for families with young children in ways that are not immediately obvious from the outside.
We came expecting a supporting act. Melbourne turned out to be one of the most livable cities we have visited with our daughter — and the one we would return to soonest.
The Maison Voyage summary
| Base | St Kilda — Commercial Road area, residential, walkable |
| Must-do | Melbourne Museum — children’s rooms exceptional |
| January highlight | Australian Open — outer courts accessible with young children |
| Best playground | Near Grand Prix circuit, Albert Park; also Fawkner Park |
| Wildlife | Melbourne Zoo — excellent, budget a half day |
| The hike | Brighton Beach coastal path — manageable with a toddler, beautiful views |
| Transport | Trams — excellent, free on weekends; free to Melbourne Park with Open ticket |
| Restaurant warning | Many venues are licensed bars — check they accept children before booking |
| Car seat | Required by law for Uber and taxis — book in advance |
| Verdict | Our favorite city in Australia. We expected to prefer Sydney. We were wrong. We didn’t want to leave. |