Best Dog Friendly Day Trips Melbourne – As a long-time resident of Sydney, I’m usually tasked with commenting on how much better Sydney is than Melbourne, part of the long-standing rivalry between the two Australian cities. However, when it comes to dog-friendliness, Melbourne, Victoria leads the way and is the most dog-friendly city in Australia.
Melbourne is a great place to visit with your dog, whether for a short trip or as part of a longer trip around Australia. Read on for everything you need to know about visiting Melbourne with your dog.
Best Dog Friendly Day Trips Melbourne
If you’re spending a whole week in Melbourne (lucky you!), I love this 7-day Melbourne itinerary. Just make sure what tours do and do not allow dogs.
8 Interesting Things To Do At Phillip Island
While many Melbourne attractions are off limits if you’re visiting with a pup, there are plenty of dog-friendly activities in Melbourne. Here are my top five tips.
Having missed these famous colorful toilet boxes on previous trips to Melbourne, on a recent visit with my dog I wanted to visit them. Luckily, they’re dog friendly, so it’s a great place to take Instagram photos with your pooch!
Dogs are allowed here off-leash all day between April and October, then before 10am or after 7:30pm between November and March (dogs prohibited between 10am and 7:30pm November to March, for details click the this).
Either way, it’s best to arrive early to avoid the crowds and get some great photos with your pup. It’s easiest to get there from town by car, just remember to pay for parking.
Pet Friendly Accommodation Between Melbourne And Sydney |
If you’re looking for a great nearby beach that’s accessible off-leash all day, not far north is Brighton Dog Beach, on Sandown Street.
Most botanic gardens in Australia, and indeed the rest of the world, do not allow dogs on the grounds. However, the Royal Victoria Botanic Gardens in Melbourne are more welcoming.
Dogs are still not allowed on a leash inside the gardens, but they can join you for a walk on a leash. Plus, if you decide to take a one-off trip to the lake, well-behaved dogs can join you for free.
No trip to Melbourne is complete without checking out some famous and ever-changing street art. Many inner-city suburbs offer excellent examples, but the most famous destination is Hosier Lane in the city, near Federation Square.
11 Fun Dog-friendly Things To Do In Country Victoria
Be sure to stop by Hosier Lane, where you’ll see new art plastered on the walls. But since it can get crowded, which some dogs may not like, I recommend going a few blocks east to the less crowded ACDC Lane and Duckboard Place.
Melbourne is home to one of Australia’s most unexpected world heritage sites: the Royal Exhibition Center in Carlton Gardens on the northern edge of the city. The building is one of the few remaining examples of show buildings built in the world in the late 19th century.
Although dogs aren’t allowed inside (and we weren’t when we visited, due to university exams), it’s still a great place to visit and see the gorgeous exterior (keep your pup on a leash). The lawns at Carlton Gardens are also perfect for a picnic.
It’s a short tram or car ride from central Melbourne to the bayside at St Kilda. A popular beach destination close to town, it offers many entertainment options.
8 Best Dog-friendly Restaurants, Pubs And Cafes In Melbourne
Your dog will not be allowed inside Luna Park (and he will not appreciate the screaming), but instead take a walk on the pier (dogs are allowed on a leash) or visit one of the beaches nearby.
St Kilda Beach, to the east of the pier, only allows dogs during the winter months, but instead head to the west side near the Pier Road where dogs are allowed all day, throughout the year. For details on the surrounding beaches, see below.
If you visit on a Sunday, visit the market by the Esplanade. Alternatively, stop at one of the cafes on Acland Street for a coffee and cake.
For more ideas on what to do in Melbourne with your pup, check out my list of 25 dog-friendly days in Melbourne!
12 Best Dog Beaches Melbourne 2024
Although Melbourne doesn’t have any surfing beaches like my hometown of Sydney (instead head to Torquay at the start of the Great Ocean Road for the closest surfing beaches to Melbourne), there are still a few beaches that fit coast of Port. Phillip Bay, ideal for visiting with a dog thanks to its calm waters.
Rules regarding dog access to beaches are subject to individual advice. There are usually clear signs, but sometimes you need to check online advice websites.
Dogs are often allowed off-leash on beaches during the winter, but in the summer they are restricted to the beginning and end of the day, if at all. However, many beaches allow dogs to be off leash all year round.
For example, if you are going to St Kilda, dogs are only allowed on the main stretch of Bech St Kilda in the winter, but not on the sand between November and March.
Best Fenced Dog Parks In Melbourne For 2024
In summer, head south-east (the stretch between Brooks Jetty and the north end of the St Kilda Marina car park) or north-west (the stretch between St Kilda Pier and the drainage channel as the north-west end) , further west. in West St Kilda.
Many parks in Melbourne allow dogs, as long as they are on a leash. As I mentioned earlier, dogs are welcome at the Royal Botanic Gardens and Carlton Gardens. Flagstaff Gardens is an off-leash alternative downtown.
If you want to let your dog off the leash, your options are more limited, although new dog parks have been offered (and in some cases opened) recently. For the full list and maps, see the City Hall website.
Near Southbank is a fenced dog park a few blocks south of Crown Melbourne, Kings Way Fenced Dog Park, with a gravel surface.
12 Of The Most Dog-friendly Destinations In Australia
In the northern part of the city, head to Clayton Reserve on the western edge of North Melbourne. This fenced grass park is a favorite of the city’s dog owners and is even lighted.
Two other options close to the city are sections of Gosch’s Paddock, just north across the Yarra from the Royal Botanic Gardens, and Yarra Park, to the east of the famous MCG stadium.
For a great option further out of town (car required), head to Aranga Reserve, just off the M3 at Donvale. As well as a large fenced lawn, there is also an agility course for dogs.
Like most places in Australia, most stores in Melbourne will not be happy if you try to bring your dog inside. However, the rules have been relaxed for Chapel Street in South Yarra and Prahran, which recently became Melbourne’s first dog-friendly shopping centre.
22 Best Weekend Breaks From Melbourne: Short Break Holidays In Victoria
As you walk down the street, look out for Paw-on-the-Door stickers that mark pet-friendly businesses. Many fashion stores are pet-friendly (we stopped at Peter Alexander to see his latest pajama designs); even some local banks allow pets inside.
The stickers also easily indicate which local restaurants and cafes allow dogs in their outdoor dining areas. (There’s plenty to choose from!) See the full list of participating businesses here and find out more about other dog-friendly shopping centers in Australia.
One area where Melbourne really shines as dog-friendly is its approach to public transport and pets. Unlike most Australian cities where pets are banned on public transport, pets are allowed on public transport in Melbourne with limited reservations.
Thanks to these generous rules, it means that Melbourne CBD will be able to use public transport with your pet from the metropolitan area (for dogs of all sizes) or across the state (for those with small animals) . In addition, it is easy to move around the city with small animals.
75 Best Tourist Attractions In Melbourne
The most welcoming option is the metropolitan trains. Cats and dogs of all sizes are allowed on metropolitan trains. Cats and small dogs must travel in a container, and larger dogs are allowed on a leash and with a leash.
On V line regional trains, only small animals are allowed in a container. The container is limited to a maximum size of 56cm long x 30cm wide x 38cm high, with a maximum weight of 15kg. Must be stored in a designated storage area and off-peak travel is recommended; for more information see here.
Small animals are allowed in containers on trams and buses in Victoria, including Melbourne. This includes the city’s free and convenient tram zone.
For more information on transporting pets on all forms of public transport in Victoria, see the full guide.
32 Best Dog-friendly Days Out Around Melbourne
I live on the highway and I want to fly
