13 Nightlife Experiences in Melbourne, Shortlisted

1.Melbourne’s Living Laneway Scene: Local Bars and Their Stories

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 542 reviews · from $63Our pick

Join a local guide for a three-and-a-half-hour walk through Melbourne’s laneway bar scene. You’ll visit four venues chosen for the day and group, from basement pubs and speakeasy-style cocktail bars to rooftops and wine bars. Guides such as Ian, Hugo, Simon, and Laura have led tours, sharing local history and tips for places to try afterward.

“This tour was fun and we enjoyed discovering hidden bars with new friends. Marc was an enthusiastic host with lots of information on exciting bars to explore in the future. We enjoyed a variety of cocktails. Definitely purchase the premium package and have your drinks delivered to your seat. A very special tour.”

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2.Local Laneway Bars and Their Stories

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 305 reviews · 3 hours · from $63

Meet your guide at Gordon Reserve for a three-hour walk through Melbourne’s bar culture. You’ll visit four venues chosen from a changing group of heritage bars and laneway pioneers, hear how the city’s nightlife evolved, and get your first drink at the opening bar. Guides have included Hugo, Ian, Julia, Alex, Beau, and Simon.

“Had a great time, loved all the bars! Ian was a wonderful host.”

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3.Hidden Bars & Laneway Legends Tour Of Melbourne

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 177 reviews · from $46

Walk from Fed Square through Melbourne laneways and Chinatown, hearing stories about barmaids, men’s clubs and the city’s drinking past. Your guide takes you to three laneway bars, with the exact venues varying by tour. Drinks cost extra, and the group is limited to 12. Guides named by past participants include Tess, Tom, Bridget and Lenny.

“Awesome way to spend an afternoon in Melbourne. Bars and Laneways were great and so was our guide Bridgette, who was very knowledgeable and fun.”

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4.Creepy Tales, Bars & Laneways Of Melbourne Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 169 reviews · from $46

Walk from Queen Victoria Market to Fed Square with a guide such as Tess, Bridgette, Lenny, or Daniel, hearing tales of cemeteries, executions, wartime crime, and ghosts. The three-hour route visits ten central Melbourne locations and pauses at three bars, where drinks are at your own expense. Groups are capped at ten, and the tour is for ages 18 and up.

“Very interesting creepy tales with the added bonus of visiting hidden bars and sipping on cocktails. Bridget knows soooo much history of Melbourne. The car park beside the Queen Victoria Markets story of the graveyard was an amazing story that gave me goosebumps!”

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5.Melbourne Pub Crawl

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 87 reviews · from $18

Start at Wax Music Lounge at 6:30 pm, then follow a guide through a changing mix of Melbourne CBD bars and clubs. Expect queue-jump entry, free shots, a drink at the final venue and a guide with a camera. The crawl lasts about five hours, with Patrick named as one of its leaders.

“Patrick, the guy running it is a wicked dude! Great way to meet people and see melbourne, drink into the night and enjoy”

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6.Hidden Bars of Melbourne

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 38 reviews · from $121

Meet your guide at 179 Swanston Street at 7 pm, then walk through central Melbourne in search of bars that are easy to miss from the street. The Thursday, Friday, or Saturday tour visits about 10 to 15 venues, with two cocktails included. Guides such as Sam, San, and Rosie have led the route, which can change to suit the group.

“It was an fantastic tour and San was the perfect host. Such a great group of bars that were all different that we would never have known about without the tour…”

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7.Melbourne Pub Crawl (Batmania Tours)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · from $17Best value

Start at WAX Music Lounge at 6:30 pm, then follow a local guide to three more Melbourne venues, ending at three-level StoryVille. Your ticket includes entry and a welcome shot at each stop, plus group games and chances to win prizes. Plan for three to four hours, and come ready to be sociable.

“DAMN what a crawl. would highly recommend for anyone looking to do something fun in Melbourne, was only here for a weekend and this was definitely the highlight! if i am ever in Melbourne again im am for sure coming back”

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8.Whisky Bars & Gin Joints: Melbourne Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 15 reviews · from $121

Join a group of up to 10 for a 2.5-hour walk from Parliament to Lonsdale Street. Sample three gins with cheese, three Australian whiskies with chocolate, and a whisky-and-beer boilermaker. Hear stories of sly grog shops, shipwrecks and bootlegging, with guide Mer among the tour’s named guides.

“What a great afternoon tour! Very informative and entertaining to hear about the history of whiskey and gin in Australia. The secret bars had lots of character and served really good gin and whiskeys. Mer was delightful and gave a very memorable tour!”

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9.Melbourne Beer Tour – Hidden Bars & Local Brews

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 12 reviews · 3 hours · from $239

Meet your English-speaking guide at the Sir William Clarke Memorial, then take the tram to Collingwood for tastings at three local beer venues, paired snacks and stories about Melbourne brewing. Small groups are capped at 12, with a private option. Expect about 1.5 km of walking, and bring a Myki card for the tram.

“Tristan was really cool. A true local. I would say this tour was disability friendly, I supported a man with Down syndrome on the tour and he really enjoyed it. It was just me, my client and Tristan. It felt like three mates who were all beer enthusiasts, going out to drink and chat mainly about beer, but Tristan had that local knowledge which added a lot to the experience.”

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10.Hidden Bars & Creepy Tales Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 10 reviews · 3 hours · from $46

Hear tales of Melbourne’s first graveyard, a World War II serial killer and a man linked to Jack the Ripper as you walk from Queen Victoria Market toward Flinders Lane. Your English-speaking host chooses and reserves three laneway bars. Drinks and food cost extra. Guides have included Tess, Bridget and Alda.

“Thank you Brigette for such a fun afternoon! Your knowledge of Melbourne history and quirky little facts blew us all away. Lots of laughs had- truly the highlight of our Melbourne trip! Would 1000% recommend, a “must-do” whilst visiting!”

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11.Hidden Bars & Laneway Legends Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 9 reviews · 3 hours · from $46

Walk Melbourne’s eastern CBD with an English-speaking guide, tracing stories of the gold rush, street art, secret clubs and a miscarriage of justice. The three-hour route includes three bar stops of about 35 minutes each, with drinks at your own cost. Guides named on past tours include Jay, Bridget and Ben, though your guide may differ.

“The history of Melbourne and the pubs culture and rules very interesting. The hidden bars you wouldn’t even know they are there. Really recommend this tour. Out guide was really friendly and lots of knowledge”

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12.Hidden Bars Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 4 reviews · 4 hours · from $119

On Friday or Saturday night, MELTours takes a group of up to 10 through central Melbourne’s tucked-away bar scene. You’ll see as many as 15 venues and enjoy two included cocktails at two different bars. Guide Kathy has also shared a restaurant tip for a future evening, though guide assignments can vary.

“Our tour guide was great & looked after all of our large group very well.”

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13.Melbourne Music Venue Pub Crawl with History + 2 Free Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 1 day · from $28

Join guide Ishta for a small-group pub crawl through Melbourne’s music scene, from Lulie Tavern’s country, blues and jazz nights to iconic The Tote and Old Bar. The $28 price includes a pot of beer and a shot, plus stories about the venues and their place in local music culture.

“the guide was a nice, laid-back guy, he took us to interesting places, the experience was entertaining and good value for money, 100% recommendable”

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