Enny Sulivan
Best Dog Friendly Day Trips From Melbourne – Looking for a fun day out with your dog in Melbourne? Whether you prefer to hit the beach or the mountains, stay close to the city or hit the road, I’ve got plenty of ideas for tailor-made dog-friendly day trips around Melbourne, all within a 2-hour drive of the city centre. Which of these fun ideas will you check out with your pup?
Melbourne is deservedly famous around the world for its street art. And spending a few hours exploring on foot is actually a wonderful activity for your pup. Unlike art galleries, there are no rules against pets!
Best Dog Friendly Day Trips From Melbourne
Melbourne’s most famous street art destination is Hosier Lane in the city centre, not far from Federation Square. I highly recommend nearby ACDC Lane and Duckboard Place, which are generally less crowded. Combine walking your dog with a dog-friendly café, whether it’s down one of the city’s back streets or on the banks of the Yarra.
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If you don’t want to go all the way to the city centre, there are also plenty of good examples in the city’s other suburbs, perfect for brunch at a cafe or a drink at a local pet-friendly pub.
If you prefer nature walks to sandy trails, one of the best places to get out outside of Melbourne is You Yangs Regional Park. Located less than an hour from central Melbourne, this regional park welcomes dogs as long as they are on a leash.
The You Yangs derive their name from a local Aboriginal word meaning ‘big mountain in the middle of the plain’. The most popular hiking trail in the park leads to the summit of Flinders Peak. From the top of this granite there is an excellent view of Melbourne and the Bellarine Peninsula. It takes about an hour to walk 3.5 kilometers back, and there are many steps along the way.
There are also a variety of short and long walks, including flatter options. An easier option is the 800m loop around Big Rock. Don’t miss the short walk to this granite peak, just 100 meters from the parking lot. There are also many picnic areas in the park.
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A favorite weekend day trip from Melbourne that your pooch will simply love is Miss Drew’s Bakery and Cafe on the Mornington Peninsula. Located behind Tyabb Packing House and surrounded by antique shops, Dog Cafe is open on Saturdays and Sundays. (It is better to check the opening time in advance.)
The menu has a variety of treats for your dog, from pudgicino to muffins and cookies. Maybe order one of their dog food specialties and enjoy it at many tables. There is also a shop selling treats and toys, and birthday cakes for dogs can be ordered.
Although there are no human options on the menu, walk across the road to the Rattling Red Cafe and get yourself a coffee.
St Kilda has long been a popular day trip destination in Melbourne and is also a fantastic place to visit with your pooch. While your dog is not allowed in Luna Park, take a walk on the dock (where dogs are allowed on a leash) and enjoy the nearby beaches.
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The nearest dog beach in St Kilda is on the west side of the harbor near the pier road drainage channel. Dogs are allowed here all day, all year round. On the east side of the harbor, dogs are only allowed on the sand in winter. Dogs are also allowed all year round on the sands of St Kilda West, except for the sensitive area of the dunes between Brooks Jetty and the northern end of the St Kilda Marina car park.
If you’re visiting St Kilda on a Sunday, be sure to visit the market stalls along the Esplanade. Also, be sure to ditch Gray Street and visit Chez Misty. This French creperie has a full menu of crepes and puppies just for dogs, as well as savory galettes and sweet crepes for humans. There are sofas in the back for the dogs and there is also an indoor lounge for relaxation.
Chez Misty isn’t just a dog-friendly creperie, it also offers paddle boarding and brunch events for adventurous pups. First, you’ll enjoy a 1-hour Stand Up Paddleboard session with your pup, then have breakfast together at Chez Misty.
In the summer of 2022-2023, Pedal and Brunch will be open several days a month, a combination of Saturdays and weekdays. Stay tuned for the 2023-2024 calendar. Groups are kept as small as four people and a dog, plus life jackets and a SUP lesson from Karen of SUP for PUP. Naturally, lots of photos were taken!
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Want more opportunities to learn to ride with your pup? Check out the wide range of puppy lessons offered by SUPS in both Bayside and the Mornington Peninsula. They even offer dog swimming lessons for less confident pups!
A great place for dogs in central Melbourne is the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria – Melbourne Gardens. Leashed dogs can be followed for walks in the gardens, whether around the ornamental pond, in the fern grove or up to the ‘volcano’.
Another important event to visit the botanical garden is the walk in the lake. Private guided tours are usually 30 minutes long and run from September to May. The punt has capacity for six passengers and well-behaved dogs can come with you for free. There’s even an Instagram account dedicated to dogs on tour!
It is better to book in advance, at least during the holidays. Punts depart in front of the Landing Terrace Cafe.
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Dogs are allowed off-leash all day, year-round, both on the beach and in the adjacent fenced park at PA Burns Preserve. However, dogs must be kept off-leash in the parking area and on the beach access paths, as well as kept outside the fully protected areas.
It is best to visit at low tide, when it is possible to walk the dog a long way to the sea. Then take advantage of the dog grooming area next to the parking lot, with multiple sprinklers at different heights for dogs of all sizes.
Yarra Bend Park is just 4km north-east of Melbourne’s CBD, but is the largest area of natural bush left in Melbourne’s inner suburbs. The park is located on both banks of the Yarra River, which runs 12 kilometers of winding paths through the park.
The park offers a wide range of walks, from the 850m Bushland Trail to the 9.5km Dight’s Falls Trail and the Westfield Extension. For a list, download the website visitor guide. There are also several picnic spots.
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Dogs are allowed in most areas of Yarra Bend Park, although there are certain areas where they are excluded. There are also a number of exit points – check the signage and be sure to wear a leash at all times. The best place to swim in the river with dogs is below Deep Rock.
Interested in taking your pup on the river? Head to the Fairfield Boathouse, where you can rent boats, canoes and kayaks, and bring your pup. Outdoor tables in teahouses are also dog-friendly.
Daylesford is a popular weekend destination from Melbourne, but it’s also close enough for a day trip, taking around 80 minutes’ drive from central Melbourne. Famous for its mineral waters and fine dining, the best activity for dogs in Daylesford is a walk around Lake Daylesford.
It takes about an hour to complete the full circuit around the lake, which is mostly flat and only 3 kilometers long. There are plenty of roadside parking options on the Foreshore, Fulcher Street and Wombat Flats, or it’s an easy walk from the town centre. Please note that dogs must be on a lead.
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Stop along the way and taste the local spring water. Take a short detour to Central Springs Nature Preserve, where there’s a historic hand pump you can use to fill a bottle, or stop at the Wombat Mineral Spring.
A beautiful setting in the Dandenong Ranges is the Olinda Tea House. Nestled in the mountains, this architecturally impressive tea house serves delicious food, and not just for the people.
There’s also a special afternoon tea for four-legged guests, featuring a variety of treats including peanut butter cookies and blueberry chews, as well as pupacchinos. While people will enjoy sweet and savory options, including bottomless cookies.
After cleaning up all the debris, enjoy a stroll through the historic flower gardens and woods surrounding the tea house. In summer days, when the weather is good, there is a possibility
