Call it what you will – Victoria’s second-largest city, the ‘City by the Bay’ or plain old ‘G-Town’ – Geelong beckons travellers with an enduring blend of contemporary charm and timeless allure. For couples seeking a romantic getaway or solo travellers looking for a sophisticated experience, Geelong offers a multitude of attractions and a booming food and wine scene. With just a few hundred words, we can only give you a taste, so read on, get hooked, then come and find out for yourself!
Start with the Arts in Geelong
Geelong is Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design, so where else would you go for art, culture, and contemporary design? Geelong’s cultural heart is the Little Malop Street precinct, where you will find the Geelong Arts Centre, Geelong Gallery and Geelong Library and Heritage Centre. Contemporary arts and crafts can be found nearby at Geelong Art Space, while Popcultcha stocks vinyl, books, and rad collectables. For fabulous photography, look no further than the National Wool Museum, currently hosting the ‘Wildlife Photographer of the Year’ exhibition (on loan from the Natural History Museum London).
Further afield, the incredible Boom Gallery, in Newtown, has repurposed a former woollen mill to house its monthly exhibitions of original art.
Geelong’s waterfront attractions
Geelong is a city rightfully proud of its beautiful bayside location. If you haven’t walked Eastern Beach’s curving Art Deco Boardwalk, you haven’t truly ‘done’ Geelong! A second over-water stroll can be had on the 440m-long Wangim Walk, named after the Wadawurrung language for Boomerang. As well as a lovely place for a stroll, it provides prime fishing real estate for keen anglers. And if you’re still up for more ocean air, why not follow the Geelong Bollard Trail? More than 100 old pier timbers have been transformed into radiant works of art, leading you along the waterfront past the grassy expanse of the Steampacket Gardens (perfect for a picnic stop) and on to the gorgeous Geelong Botanic Gardens.
Drinking & Dining in Geelong
With all that sea air, you are sure to have built up an appetite. The good news is that Geelong’s food and drink scene has shot into the stratosphere in recent years, with cafes, bars and restaurants doing incredible things with coffee, cocktails, and cuisine. And do not get us started on the breweries and distilleries taking Australia, and the world, by storm! The bad news is that there are too many amazing places to even start to list them here. What we can do is point you in the right direction: for food, fun and frivolity, often with a little creativity thrown in, begin your culinary adventures in Little Malop Street and its surrounding alleyways, Pakington Street (or ‘Pako’ to those in the know), or the heritage-listed Federal Mills building.
Book your Geelong getaway today
For reasons of brevity, we have only been able to skim the surface of Geelong’s multitude of fantastic attractions. To dive a little deeper, you really need to come and stay and explore. With a wide range of short-stay accommodation options available, tailored to your preferences and requirements, a memorable getaway in this captivating city is just a click away.