With options to go for the day or take a weekend trip away, Mornington Peninsula is the perfect city escape. With spas, hikes, wineries and beaches it has something for everyone.
Top spots in Mornington Peninsula:
- Top Wineries
- Breweries
- Where to eat?
- Bushrangers Bay
- Cape Schanck
- Fingal Beach
- Arthur’s Seat
- Peninsula Hot Springs
Top Wineries:
Kerri Greens: If you’re looking for a more casual setting to enjoy a glass of wine with family and friends in front of a great view – this one’s for you!
You can bring your own picnic along or order one in advance. There are also local food trucks there once a month so be sure to support these if you can!
Morning Sun Vineyard is one of our favourite wineries in Australia. The cellar door here has a fantastic selection of wines and food, while also boasting one of the best views in the Mornington Peninsula.
Nazaaray Estate is Mornington’s southernmost winery and is well worth the extra drive! This small vineyard is surrounded by bushland but produces some incredible Chardonnay. All profits from the cellar door also go towards supporting the Tiger Water Life Project which aims to supply sufficient water for Bengal Tigers in India. Bonus points for the 2 adorable dogs they have onsite!
Pier 10 has a fantastic restaurant so make sure you plan to visit this one around lunch time!
Redhill Estate is one of the biggest names and for good reason. Excellent wine in a beautiful setting.
Breweries
Not a big fan of wine? No problem as the peninsula has lots of great breweries on offer too!
Jetty Road Brewery is a lively spot for watching live music, where the line up is released on their website. They have a great selection of beers, happy hour and daily weeknight food deals!
Fingal Brewery used to be a racehorse track, making it a really unique location. Where the racetrack used to be is now home to over 8000 apple and pear trees!
Where to eat?
I’ll admit it, we just made this section of the blog to make sure you didn’t miss Red Gum BBQ! It really does have the best BBQ food we had in Victoria so make sure to check it out. We recommend trying the pulled pork and brisket – you won’t be disappointed!
Otherwise, a lot of the wineries have really great food. As mentioned above, Pier 10 is also a great option for where to go for lunch!
Bushrangers Bay
The Mornington Peninsula offers a variety of walking tracks, and Bushrangers Bay is one of its most scenic spots. Whether you’re short on time or looking for a longer adventure, there are options to suit every pace. Here’s what you can expect from two stunning walks in the area:
Shorter walk option: Bushrangers Bay Carpark to Bushrangers Bay
Park up at Bushrangers Bay Carpark to start the 90 minute return walk to the bay. The first 30 minutes is a nice flat walk through shaded bush, before descending down steps to reach the bay itself.
Total walking time: 90 minutes return
Longer Walk option: Bushrangers Bay Carpark to Cape Schanck
For those of you who feel like a longer walk, you can continue the above walk to Cape Schank. After you’ve finished at the beach, climb up the stairs and continue a further hour along the coastline. You’ll then reach the lighthouse and short boardwalk around the clifftops. This is a great spot for sunset if you can time it!
Total walking time: 4 hours
Cape Schanck
As above, you can complete the 4 hour return walk from Bushrangers Bay carpark. We’d recommend completing this option if you can!
If you’re looking for a shorter option, you can drive to Cape Schanck Lighthouse Carpark. The walk is then 30 minutes along a boardwalk around Cape Schanck and to Pulpit Rock. The descent to Pulpit Rock has many stairs but offers fantastic views throughout.
Fingal Beach:
This hidden beach is a true gem, just a short walk from Cape Schanck Lighthouse. It may be small, but its stunning turquoise water lets you enjoy the sea you admired during earlier walks!
Arthur’s Seat
On a good day Arthur’s seat allows you to see Melbourne but it’s always a good view of the bay nonetheless. Access is gained by either taking the gondola or walking up the hill, there’s plenty of spots to pull-into when you’re driving around here too.
Peninsula Hot Springs
These hot springs have everything you could be looking for including mineral pools, hot pools and cold plunges. The views and atmosphere are beautifula nd relaxing. A highlight is the Amphitheater Pools so try to time your visit with a performance to enjoy your soak with the live music atmosphere!
House Hoppers 