10 Free (Or Cheap) Things To Do In Melbourne
If your pockets are feeling a bit empty and your bank balance is low, then you are probably hoping to find a cheap activity (or maybe free) so you can still go out and have some fun! Finding cheap activities in Melbourne isn’t actually as hard as it seems and there are many things to keep you occupied that are under $20 – a lot of them even being free!
Here are 10 of our favourite budget friendly things to do in Melbourne.
1. Street Art
One famous cheap activity in Melbourne is to check out all of the graffiti and street art. This activity is definitely budget friendly as it doesn’t cost you a dime! There are many free guides that you can access online that shows you exactly where to go to see the best of all the street art.
Some of the top spots for graffiti include Hosier Lane, AC/DC Lane, Duckboard Place, and Rankins Lane.
2. Open House Melbourne
Another cheap activity is attending events hosted by Open House Melbourne. Open House Melbourne is an organisation that aims to encourage the public to be more engaged in building their city. It hosts many at events throughout the year, most of which are free. However, their most interesting event takes place on the last weekend of July – Open House Melbourne Weekend.
Over this weekend around 200 important buildings will be opened to the public so that they can experience the great architecture in Melbourne. The best part is there is no need to book or pay any money!
3. Melbourne Museum
Immerse yourself amongst history from 600 million years ago, to the forest, to dinosaurs and animals, to Indigenous Australians and the rise of modern-day Australia with this cheap activity.
Admission to the Melbourne Museum is $15 for adults and free for children and concession holders! This activity is not only budget friendly and fun, but also educational and extremely interesting.
4. Wicked Wednesday’s at the Astor
Another cheap activity can be found in an old-fashion style theatre in St Kilda, the Astor. This cinema offers tickets to double features on Wicked Wednesday’s for $14. The Astor offers range of current films and older films and is a popular venue for film fanatics.
5. Lentil As Anything
Lentil as anything provides a place to go for dinner as another of our favourite cheap activities. This restaurant has no set prices and operates on a “pay as you feel” idea. All they ask is a contribution of some kind – whether it is a donation or volunteering your time. This one really IS budget friendly!
6. Penguins at St Kilda Breakwater
Possibly the cutest cheap activity in Melbourne is penguin viewing. Every night, all year-round little penguins gather on the beach at the end of St Kilda Pier. You can see them for most of the night, although the best time is 30 minutes after the sun has set. Oh – and it is totally free!
7. Mountain Goat Beer
A fun, boozy cheap activity to do in Melbourne is to go to a free tour of Mountain Goat Brewery on a Wednesday night. This brewery has been successful for many years and is found among funky factories, warehouses and apartments. Since the tour is free, you will have money to spare for a beer afterwards!
8. National Gallery of Victoria
The next cheap activity in Melbourne is another freebie! The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) has free entry for the daily exhibitions. Their collection includes contemporary art, photography, international art, Indigenous art, textiles and decorative art, and drawings.
9. Queen Victoria Market Samples
The best cheap activity is the kind that includes food. The Queen Victoria Market might seem like it could be an expensive activity; however, if you wander around the shops you will find many of the food places offering free samples. Keep your eye out for them and you could have enough to have a full meal for the price of nothing!
10. Coffee Tasting at Proud Mary’s
The final cheap activity in Melbourne is one for all the coffee lovers. Every Saturday morning, Proud Mary’s hosts a “community cupping”. This event is free for anyone to attend and includes tasting some amazing coffee!
