Melbourne is an exciting cosmopolitan city with world class museums, zoos and galleries, international sporting events, edgy bars, eclectic restaurants, colorful markets, funky cafés and boutiques. Melburnians love to party - particularly when there is a world famous event on such as the Australian Open Tennis Championships or the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (just to name a few) plus a whole host of festivals.

Get some endorphins coursing through your veins. Skydiving, abseiling, rock climbing, canoeing, scuba diving, 4wding and beachfront horse rides are all yours for the taking. How many places in the world can you float over grapevines in a balloon at dawn, hang glide off a cliff over the ocean before lunch, take a canoe safari through an open range zoo at sundown and still make it back into town for a night of mango margaritas?

Winding along the coast west of Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road offers stunning ocean views, pristine beaches, sunken shipwrecks and laid back coastal towns. This is the perfect place to leave everyday life behind.

• Discover hidden boutiques, up-and-coming designers and learn about the culture of Melbourne on a Hidden Secrets walking tour.
• By night Melbourne’s laneways are home to some of Melbourne’s best bars.
• The 56-mile Great Ocean Road is one of the most spectacular coastal drives in the world.
• Visit the 12 Apostles and try surfing at one of the great surf beaches along the way.
• Meet tiny penguins at Phillip Island Nature Park - Just a 90-minutes drive from Melbourne.
• Take a wine tour of the Yarra Valley. Under an hour from Melbourne with 55 of the world's leading wineries and dozens of great restaurants