Summer is the best time to visit Melbourne, as the city comes alive with Christmas festivities, the NGV’s Summer Blockbuster exhibition, the Australian Open, the Boxing Day Test and plenty of outdoor events & festivals.

In this guide to visiting Melbourne in summer, I’ve included what to expect from the weather, the best things to do in Melbourne in summer and the best summer events in Melbourne.

From St Kilda Festival to Yayoi Kusama at the NGV to the Lonsdale Street Greek Festival, there is heaps to see & do in Melbourne in summer!

I’ve lived in Melbourne for the better part of a decade, and love sharing my tips and recommendations with visitors.

When is summer in Melbourne?

Summer in Melbourne is in December, January & February. This makes it a great time to visit Melbourne (& other parts of Australia) for travellers from the Northern Hemisphere who are looking to escape winter. What better way to spend winter, than on a summer holiday in Australia?!

15 Best Things to Do in Melbourne in Summer

1. The Australian Open 

Melbourne comes down with serious tennis fever every January, when the Australian Open brings the biggest tennis stars in the world to Melbourne Park. The Australian Open is one of four Grand Slam tennis events in the world (alongside the US Open, the French Open & Wimbledon), and is one of the best-run sporting events in the world. 

The Australian Open is held in Richmond, which is an inner city suburb right by the Melbourne CBD (downtown). Book tickets for a particular match, or book a Ground Pass for access to the outer courts and the festivities on the grounds.

2. NGV’s Summer Blockbuster: Westwood | Kawakubo

The National Gallery of Victoria holds exhibitions year-round, but the summer blockbuster is one of the biggest exhibitions of the year.

The NGV’s Summer Blockbuster usually celebrates a contemporary or modern artist, and is always a world-class exhibition. In 2025/26, the NGV’s Summer blockbuster is Westwood | Kawakubo, a celebration of two iconic, rebel fashion designers who took the fashion world by storm; Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garcons.

This is a ticketed event, you can visit during standard opening hours, or book tickets to NGV Friday Nights, a series of evening events with live music, pop up bars, and late access to the exhibition.

3. Hit St Kilda Beach 

St Kilda Beach truly comes alive in summer. Arrive early in the day to beat the crowds, and escape the heat before late afternoon, when it tends to reach its peak.

St Kilda is a waterfront suburb on Port Philip Bay and is a 10 minute drive from the Melbourne CBD. St Kilda is very popular with backpackers, so it can get a bit “lively” in the evenings.

Hit the beach & then head to the landmark local pub, Hotel Esplanade (The Espy) for lunch or dinner.

4. Check out the Brighton Bathing Boxes 

The Brighton Bathing Boxes are a Melbourne landmark, and are at their most beautiful on a bright, sunny day. Dendy Beach in Brighton is lined with a string of brightly coloured, 19th century Victorian bathing huts, which have become a Melbourne icon. The bathing boxes are private property, so you can’t go inside, but you can get beautiful photos outside them.

5. Drink & dine outdoors

Make the most of the good weather, and make a reservation at Melbourne’s best outdoor restaurants, bars and rooftops.

Yarra Botanica is an essential summer spot, and is a floating bar & eatery directly on the Yarra, which has the best city views. Stokehouse in St Kilda is Melbourne’s best seafood fine dining restaurant, and has an absolute beachfront location, and Di Stasio Carlton has some of the best pizza, in the nicest courtyard in town.

6. Sunset Picnics 

Melbourne enjoys very long summer days, due to daylight savings, so the sun sets between 8-9pm. It’s the perfect time of year to enjoy a long sunset picnic, especially for watching the sunset over the bay.

Some of the best spots are Catani Gardens in St Kilda, Point Ormond in Elwood or along the foreshore in Brighton. Other beautiful picnic spots in Melbourne include Royal Botanic Gardens, St Kilda Botanic Gardens, Fitzroy Gardens and Carlton Gardens.

7. See A Christmas Carol

We might not get a white Christmas in Melbourne, but you can get into Christmas spirit by catching the return of A Christmas Carol. This is a five-time Tony award winning production of the Dickens classic, and it is truly magical. I saw it last time it was in Melbourne, and am going back this season!

8. Visit the Myer Christmas Windows

The Myer Christmas Windows have been a major Christmas drawcard in Melbourne for 70 years. Swing by the Myer Christmas window in the Bourke St Mall to get into the festive season.

9. Queen Victoria Market: Summer Night Market

The Queen Victoria Market opens after dark every summer, with a lively and popular Summer Night Market. From 5pm every Wednesday in summer, dozens of delicious food stalls pop up inside the historic Queen Victoria Market, which is the largest covered market in the southern hemisphere! The Summer Night Market is actually my preferred way to visit the Queen Victoria Market.

10. Day Trip to the Yarra Valley

The Yarra Valley is one of the best wine regions in Australia, and is an easy day trip from Melbourne. Check out my guide to the best wineries in the Yarra Valley or book a day tour to the Yarra Valley wineries, to let someone else worry about driving.

11. Day Trip to the Mornington Peninsula

Summer is the perfect time of year to make a day trip or side trip to the wineries & beaches of the Mornington Peninsula. The Mornington Peninsula is in peak season in summer, and gets extremely busy with day trippers, holidaymakers and Melburnians enjoying their second homes by the water.

Make as many of your hotel, restaurant and wine tasting bookings in advance as you can.

12. Bellarine Peninsula Wineries

The Bellarine Peninsula is just over an hour’s drive from Melbourne, and flies under the radar compared to Melbourne’s better known wine regions. The best wineries to visit are Scotchman’s Hill, Bellarine Estate, and Jack Rabbit Vineyard, which has amazing ocean views.

13. Midsumma

Midsumma is Australia’s biggest & best LGTBQIA+ arts & cultural festival, bringing dozens of gigs, shows & performances to Melbourne across 3 weeks every summer. Events are held across the city, after kicking off with Midsumma Festival in Alexandra Gardens on the 18th January.

Dates: 18 January – 8 February 2026

14. Chinese Lunar New Year Celebrations

Melbourne celebrates Chinese Lunar New Year every year, with a number of lively celebrations around the city. The major Chinese Lunar New Year Festival is held in the Melbourne CBD (downtown) every year in Chinatown, which includes the Millennium Dragon Parade. It’s Melbourne city’s largest event! In 2026, is is the year of the horse.

15. Antipodes Lonsdale Street Greek Festival

Lonsdale Street is famous for being the centre of Melbourne’s thriving Greek community, in a city which is famous for being home to the most people with Greek heritage, outside of Greece. The Antipodes Lonsdale Street Greek Festival is a two-day street party celebrating Greek culture & cuisine, with music, dancing, food & entertainment.

Dates: 28 February-1 March 2026

16. St Kilda Festival

St Kilda Festival is a free, two-day music festival held on the St Kilda Foreshore. More than 350,000 people attend Big Festival Sunday, which is the largest day of the event. It’s the largest community festival in Australia!

Dates: 14 & 15 February 2026

Weather in Melbourne in summer

Melbourne has famously changeable weather, but you should be able to expect the warmest and sunniest weather of the year in Melbourne in summer. Sometimes, Melbourne will have a cool (or wet) summer, but in my experience there are reliably plenty of warm and hot days in Melbourne in summer. Of course, it’s Melbourne, so be prepared for all kinds of weather! 

Average daily temperatures in Melbourne in summer are between 14-26 °C (58-79 °F), but expect hot days in the 30s (86-102 °F) or even up to 40°C (104 °F). Melbourne has a very dry heat, so this feels very different to a hot day in humid climates, like in Brisbane, Cairns or Sydney. 

Crowds & Costs in Melbourne in Summer

Summer is peak season in Melbourne, with higher prices and crowds due to long school holidays, the Australian Open in January, and of course, the best weather of the year. Plan in advance & make reservations for hotels, tours, events and restaurants as early as possible.

What to pack for Melbourne in summer

In Melbourne, you have to be prepared for all kinds of weather, even in summer! Pack warm weather clothes, such as shorts, sandals and tee shirts, and don’t forget Australian summer essentials: a hat, sunscreen & sunglasses.

Australia has some of the strictest sunscreen standards in the world, so you could wait until you get here to buy the best SPF 50+ sunscreen (from any pharmacy or supermarket).

Of course, it’s Melbourne, so you should always pack a light jacket or jumper, jeans, sneakers, and an umbrella. 

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