The Best Melbourne Experiences to Book Now for the Australian Open

It’s a case of game, set and catch an ace Melbourne experience for tennis fans in January 2025. AO Travel & Experiences, the official travel provider of the Australian Open, will help you maximise the breaks in your match-viewing schedule so you can get out and experience more of what Melbourne has to offer. 

Leave the planning to the pros and have a Created by the Experts package curated for you. Choose from four packages across every stage of the tournament  – first week, middle weekend, quarter finals, semi finals and finals – and they’ll take care of the rest, including  luxury accommodation, daily breakfast, airport transfers, Grand Slam tickets and topnotch hospitality on-site at Melbourne Park. Holiday mode will start from the moment you touch down at Melbourne Airport. 

Or, choose a Create Your Own flexible custom package to mix and match accommodation, tournament tickets and courtside experiences. Plus, through AO Travel & Experiences, you can access discounted offers on some special activities to enjoy when you’re not watching a match. Want to know more about those adventurous add-ons? Let’s bounce.

Get your outdoor thrills with Wild Adventures Melbourne

If you’re heading to the tennis, you’re probably already a fan of people-powered activities. That’s exactly what Wild Adventures Melbourne offers. This eco-friendly tour company bundles adrenaline-pumping outdoor adventures – such as stand-up paddleboarding, swimming in saltwater rock pools, snorkelling, hiking and bushwalking – with chill-out activities to create an epic day out. Combine bushwalking with a picnic lunch, wine-tasting and soaking in a thermal pool or indulge in pure serenity by way of a lakeside breakfast, paddleboarding and an ocean snorkel, where you’ll explore a hidden cove and spot some of the local marine life, such as dolphins, rays and turtles.

The activities take place against the backdrop of the breathtaking Mornington Peninsula, a bay-meets-beach playground for nature-lovers; Wild Adventures Melbourne is only a one-hour drive south of the CBD.

Nab a bird’s-eye city view with Global Ballooning Australia

Hot air balloons aren’t usually seen floating over major cities – except in Melbourne. Gently drift over Australia’s sporting capital – which has also been repeatedly named one of the world’s most liveable destinations – while checking out its iconic structures and views. Depending on wind direction and weather, you might spy the Melbourne Cricket Ground (known as The ’G to locals), the gilded tip of Eureka Tower (Melbourne’s tallest building), the Yarra River’s serpentine twists and turns, the elegant arch of the West Gate Bridge, Port Phillip Bay’s glittering waters and those pops of hardcourt blue from the Melbourne Park tennis precinct, home of the Australian Open.

Discover shopping and dining gems on a Hidden Secrets laneway tour

Melbourne thrives all year round, but especially in January, when the CBD buzzes with the energy of the Australian Open. The city is home to an astonishing 800 or so public laneways that date back to the 19th century. Some are simply functional, providing rear access to properties, while others have achieved landmark status. You may know of Hosier Lane, with its competitive street art, or Hardware Lane in Melbourne’s gastronomic heartland. 

But there are many hidden treasures ready to be found if you know where to look. Hidden Secrets Tours specialises in guiding small groups of visitors in and around the city’s most fascinating laneways and arcades. Learn about Melbourne’s history as you admire cult-status street art, meet independent creatives and discover local specialities in hole-in-the-wall eateries. Sip coffee at the city’s cosiest cafés, taste chocolate and have your eye directed to architectural quirks. 

SEE ALSO: 5 Ultimate Experiences to Book Ahead of the Australian Open