15 Evening Experiences in Melbourne, Shortlisted

1.Great Ocean Road Full-Day Sunset Eco Tour from Melbourne

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,085 reviews · from $114Our pick

Travel from Melbourne along the Great Ocean Road in a small group of up to 24, with hotel pickup, an air-conditioned coach and a guide sharing coastal history and wildlife knowledge. Stop at Anglesea, the Memorial Arch, Kennett River and Loch Ard Gorge, then watch the sun set at the Twelve Apostles. Lunch and dinner are at your own expense.

“Beautiful excursion and driver and tour guide Wes excellent. A very long day, but absolutely worth it. Highly recommend”

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2.Great Ocean Road Full-Day Sunset Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 565 reviews · 13 hours · from $98

Bunyip Tours takes you from Melbourne to Anglesea, the Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch, Kennett River, Loch Ard Gorge and the Twelve Apostles for sunset. Expect a long day with plenty of scenic stops, a guide-driver, air-conditioned transport and a later return. Guides have included Jono, David and Aleks, though your guide will depend on the date.

“Everything was great! the spots during the trip and the sunset at the end at the twelve apostles were beautiful! Our tour guide Jai was great! I totally recommend this tour. It's a must do in Australia.”

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3.Full-Day Great Ocean Road and 12 Apostles Sunset Tour from Melbourne

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 420 reviews · from $99

Travel from Melbourne by air-conditioned coach with a guide, following the coast through Anglesea, Lorne and Apollo Bay. Look for koalas at Kennett River, hear the story of Loch Ard Gorge and finish at the Twelve Apostles around sunset. The 11 to 14-hour trip includes selected hotel pickup, WiFi and a group of up to 24.

“The trip is well worth the full day! Red was our tour guide and made the entire day 10 times better, the great ocean road is beautiful and the stops along the way are amazing, my only issue would be possibly some stops could be cut shorter but other than that a great experience”

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4.Sunset Kayak Tour with Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 214 reviews · 3 hours · from $84

Set out from Victoria Harbour with Kayak Melbourne guides for a three-hour paddle past the Bolte Bridge, Crown Casino, Southbank and Flinders Street Station. You’ll get a land-based safety lesson, stable two-person kayaks, and dinner served while you’re tied up in a marina. Finish near Federation Square as the city lights come on.

“Ben and Ethan were very friendly and good guides / instructors. No prior knowledge needed, all explained before we set off. The kayaks have rudders so no need to panic about steering if you’re new to kayaking. Plenty of opportunities to take photos, ask questions and learn a bit more about the city, and the food was decent. Water bottles were also provided. It was someone’s birthday so Ben and Ethan were kind enough to get them a birthday cookie with a candle as a surprise, after one of the other participants mentioned it. I travelled solo and this was not an issue - I paired up with someone who…”

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5.Magic Men Cabaret Ladies Night

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 189 reviews · from $46

Spend an evening at Melbourne’s Crown Casino with Magic Men Australia, a male cabaret show built around themed dance routines, pumping music and audience participation. The ticket includes a glass of champagne on arrival and finger food. Expect a roughly two-hour performance within an evening lasting about three hours, with cast photos available afterward.

“Our night out was an unforgettable experience unlike anything else. My best friend and I had an incredible time from start to finish, but the highlight for me was being brought up on stage for the finale, where JAXON performed his final striRead more”

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6.12 Apostles Sunset Tour – Less Crowds

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 188 reviews · 1 day · from $112

Travel from Melbourne in a group of up to 24, pausing at the Memorial Arch, Kennett River and Loch Ard Gorge before sunset at the Twelve Apostles. Go West Tours supplies a local English-speaking guide, a 16-language audio guide, Wi-Fi and selected hotel pickups. Guides on past departures have included Graham, Sophia, Michael, Jon, Damien and Cloe.

“Views were amazing! Damian was a great guide. He was very friendly and informative. There were plenty of breaks and stops to throughout the day.”

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7.Melbourne Sunset Kayaking Experience with Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 188 reviews · from $86

Set out from Docklands with a guide, basic paddling instruction, and a stable Sea Bear kayak. Follow the Yarra past Victoria Harbour and Southbank, pause for fish and chips or another dinner choice on the water, and look for Crown Casino’s fire display. The tour takes about three hours and ends near Federation Square.

“Great trip, run my experts. Dinner on the yarra was awesome. Guides made you feel really welcome and showed you the basics of kayaking. Would highly recommend”

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8.Yarra River: 1.5-Hour Scenic Sunset Public Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 57 reviews · 1h 30m · from $49

Spend 90 minutes on the Yarra River as Melbourne’s skyline catches the evening light. The cruise is advertised for up to 25 passengers, with live English commentary and drinks for purchase. You’ll board at 45 Newquay Promenade, beside Berth and Cargo Restaurants. The exact boat and level of commentary can vary, so check expectations before booking.

“Belle activité sympathique et paisible en fin de journée . Le bateau navigue jusqu au niveau du stade Arena et revient. Attention tout au fois à l la proposition très sympathique du guide qui vous propose une boisson (bière vin soda au choix) dès la montée du bateau , mais qui vous la facture après une fois votre verre en main. A la façon dont c est proposé, ça donne l impression qu il est offert mais il n en est rien. Pas tres correct comme comportement. Autant afficher les prix des le début.”

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9.Phillip Island Sunset Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 38 reviews · from $56

Wildlife Coast Cruises takes you from San Remo Jetty on a 1-hour-45-minute catamaran cruise around Western Port Bay. Look for Australian fur seals, dolphins and birdlife near Reef Island, Churchill Island and Elizabeth Island. A grazing box, live commentary and live music are included; drinks and prawn buckets cost extra.

“The weather was perfect the staff were very friendly we had a great time thank you”

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10.Phillip Island Penguin Direct Sunset Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 36 reviews · 8 hours · from $94

Leave central Melbourne for The Nobbies’ cliff-top boardwalks, then watch little penguins return from the sea at sunset. The eight-hour trip includes a guide, return transport, park fees and general Penguin Parade entry for $94. Guides vary; Reece and Matty have led recent tours.

“Great trip! Really good information at the start of the trip so we knew what to expect/what was happening! Left the centre at 10 which was great as heard some other tours left earlier which was a rush when the penguins weren’t out til after 9. Only suggestion I would have is it’s probably ok to just have 1 stop on the way for food/bathroom break and then maybe could leave a little later. But other than that I thought it was all fantastic and Matty was a great positive and polite person to keep us excited about the penguins ☺️”

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11.Yarra Valley Chandon Cheese & Sunset Kangaroos from Melbourne

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 32 reviews · from $125

Leave Melbourne at 11:30am for a seven-hour small-group outing through the Yarra Valley. Taste cheese, sparkling wine and other cool-climate wines, sample chocolate, then walk through bushland at dusk to look for kangaroos. The air-conditioned minicoach carries no more than 12 people, with a local driver-guide providing commentary. Guides on past trips have included Curt, Craig, Shane and Pete.

“Great guide. Very knowledgeable about the area. Loved the winers with lots of different kinds of wine.”

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12.Melbourne Scenic Sunset Cruise with Bar & City Views

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 25 reviews · 1h 15m · from $46

Take a 75-minute evening cruise on Melbourne’s river with an English-speaking guide, views of the ports and docklands, and a bar on board. The trip costs $46 per person. Food and drinks are available to buy, not included. Check the seasonal departure time carefully: the sunset may not line up with the part of the ride when the boat is facing the best view.

“The view was very nice along the river but it finished half an hour earlier than expected (8.30 instead of 9pm) and also at the time of sunset the boat turned around back missing the viewing of the sunset ….”

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13.Yarra Valley by night! Private wine, whisky and dinner tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · from $606

Start at 4 pm for a private, adults-only evening in the Yarra Valley, with round-trip transfers from your valley accommodation. Taste wine at Barrique Wine Store, choose a tasting in Healesville, then sit down to a two-course dinner at Meletos. Guides Craig and Elliot have led outings, and the route pairs local drinks with vineyard views.

“Had a great evening savouring the sights and tastes of Yarra Valley. It was made all the more memorable by our guide Craig. Engaging and easygoing, Craig was only too happy to share his great knowledge of the Yarra Valley and the peoplRead more”

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14.Small-Group Sunset Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie Tour from Melbourne

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 14 reviews · from $107

Leave central Melbourne at 11:30am for a full-day Great Ocean Road outing, with chocolate samples, coastal stops, koala spotting near Kennett River, Otway rainforest and time at Loch Ard Gorge. The day ends at the Twelve Apostles for sunset, then returns to Melbourne at about 11pm. A professional driver-guide leads a group of up to 23.

“Wow! What a memory of this amazing day on the Ocean Road, truly a gift in our memory bank. It was comfortable and easy and the tour guide was fun and very conscientious. Worth every minute.”

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15.Great Ocean Road Tour with Instagram Sunset views of 12 Apostles

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $107

Leave central Melbourne at 11:30am for a full-day Great Ocean Road trip with an English-speaking driver-guide. Stop at the Memorial Arch, Apollo Bay, Loch Ard Gorge and more, then reach the Twelve Apostles near sunset, after many day visitors have left. Chocolate samples, park entry and hotel pickup and drop-off at centrally located hotels are included.

“Tour was great. Guide was well versed in the things we experienced and made each and every one of us feel like he was personally giving an individual tour.”

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