The Mornington Peninsula is one of the best places to visit in Victoria, especially on a day trip or weekend trip from Melbourne. Fringed with beaches and filled with hot springs, luxurious hotels and world-class wineries, the Mornington Peninsula is the perfect spot for a dreamy getaway.

There is so much to see & do on the Mornington Peninsula, from visiting jaw-dropping cellar doors like Point Leo Estate and Port Philip Estate, to stunning coastal walks along Cape Schanck and Point Nepean National Park, relaxing at Alba Thermal Hot Springs & Spa, to hitting the beach at Safety Beach in Dromana.

This Mornington Peninsula Travel Guide includes everything you need to know to plan a trip to the Mornington Peninsula, including where to stay, the best things to do and the best restaurants and bars on the Mornington Peninsula.

I live in Melbourne and have visited the Mornington Peninsula more times than I can count, and am still always finding new things to see & do on the peninsula on every trip.

Best Towns & Villages on the Mornington Peninsula

Sorrento

Sorrento is a lively seaside resort town, and the most popular town to stay on the Mornington Peninsula for visitors. There’s a range of accommodation in Sorrento, along with a busy high street of restaurants, cafes and shops.

Portsea

Portsea is one of the most affluent villages on the Mornington Peninsula, tucked away at the end of the peninsula. Portsea’s village is tiny, so there isn’t much to do here, but there is a very pretty and small beach, and the Portsea Hotel is one of the loveliest spots to have lunch or watch the sunset on the Mornington Peninsula.

Mornington

Mornington is one of the largest towns on the Mornington Peninsula, and is a little bit closer to Melbourne, located roughly halfway down the peninsula. There are dozens of restaurants, bars and shops in Mornington, including a brand of DOC Pizza, one of the best casual Italian restaurants in Melbourne.

Where to stay on the Mornington Peninsula

Intercontinental Sorrento

The Intercontinental Sorrento is one of the most exciting recent openings on the Mornington Peninsula, in the heart of Sorrento. The rooms are gorgeous, I love the glamorous pool set up, there’s a very popular spa & bathhouse and you can dine at the Atrium Restaurant, the onsite pub or Audrey’s.

Audrey’s is a fine dining restaurant, and is my favourite spot in the hotel – we celebrated our first wedding anniversary lunch here and it was perfect. We’ve stayed twice, and have really enjoyed our stay both times – although I will say that the breakfast service can be a little slow.

Portsea Hotel

Located at the tip of the peninsula in Portsea, the Portsea Hotel is a recently-renovated boutique hotel. The rooms are above the pub, and are small but stylish. We really enjoyed our stay here, it was perfect for a couple of nights getaway. 

Jackalope

Jackalope is one of the most luxurious destination hotels in Victoria, and attracts visitors from across Australia and around the world. The rooms are small and moody, but it’s the overall property that makes the experience – from the enormous hot hub and pool overlooking the vineyards, to the terrace where guests mingle over sunset drinks or toasted marshmallows in winter, to one of the best hotel breakfasts in Australia. With an onsite cocktail bar, Rare Hare bistro, fine dining restaurant Doot Doot Doot, spa and cellar door, there’s very little reason to leave!

The Best Things to Do on the Mornington Peninsula

Mornington Peninsula Wineries

The Mornington Peninsula is one of the best wine regions in Australia, and is renowned for its cool climate pinot noir and chardonnay. Some of the best wineries to visit on the Mornington Peninsula are:

Point Leo Estate – A super high end, ultra modern winery with stunning water views and an incredible sculpture park 

Port Philip Estate – A beautiful cellar door with ocean views, and one of my favourite pinot noirs.

Eldridge Estate – One of the most charming cellar doors on the Mornington Peninsula, this cabin-style cellar door overlooks the vineyards, and offers delicious charcuterie and share plates alongside a tasting.

Check out my detailed guide to the 15 best wineries on the Mornington Peninsula for more ideas!

Alba Thermal Springs & Spa

The Mornington Peninsula is famous for its geothermal hot springs but the most exciting opening in recent years has been the sleek, ultra luxurious Alba Thermal Springs & Spa. I’ve visited Alba twice, once on a girls weekend and another time with my husband, and loved it both times – you can seriously spend all day here, between the 20+ thermal pools, wet and dry saunas, the restaurant (where everyone is wrapped up in their fluffy white robes!) and the spa.

Safety Beach

Safety Beach is the best beach on the Mornington Peninsula, and one of my favourite beaches in Victoria. With a pier, sparkling turquoise water, white sand and a string of brightly coloured, Victorian beach bathing boxes, this is one of the most picturesque spots on the peninsula. Be warned though, the water is pretty cold, year-round!

Cape Schanck

The best short walk on the Mornington Peninsula is to Cape Schanck, which is a short but steep trail alongside some of the most stunning coastal scenery in Victoria. I’ve done this walk so many times! 

London Bridge Lookout

Near Portsea, the London Bridge Lookout offers beautiful views of crumbling, natural stone arches just offshore, peeking out of the ocean. A short, sandy trail from the carpark makes this a pretty, and rewarding, very short walk.

Point Leo Estate Sculpture Park

Don’t miss the expansive sculpture park on the grounds at Point Leo Estate, on the ocean side of the Mornington Peninsula. There is a 1.9km short walk, or a 3km long walk, through the sculpture park, which has larger-than-life artworks dotted across the rolling lawns, against the backdrop of the bright blue sea. I’d recommend combining the two!

Arthurs Seat

Arthurs Seat is the highest point on the Mornington Peninsula, and offers stunning views over Port Philip Bay. You can walk or drive up to the lookout at Arthur’s Seat, or you can enjoy a more scenic journey on the Arthurs Seat Eagle, a gondola that glides up the hillside with views all along the way.

Best Restaurants on the Mornington Peninsula

The Mornington Peninsula has no shortage of excellent restaurants and cafes, ranging from cute local cafes to elegant winery restaurants.

My advice is to book a table for everything you can, because even small, casual restaurants get fully booked out on the weekends and peak periods – on our last trip, we ended up ordering room service because we couldn’t find a table in Sorrento or Portsea!

If you’re visiting a restaurant for dinner, make your plans for transport in advance. We had no trouble getting an Uber to dinner at Port Philip Estate Restaurant, but there were no Ubers after dinner – and no phone reception from the restaurant. Many Uber drivers don’t want to drive the windy, dark backroads of the wine regions at night, so transport can be tricky. 

Merricks General Store  

Merricks General Store is a cosy slice of country life on the peninsula. The bistro is only open for breakfast and lunch, and serves seasonal, country cuisine. The vegetables alone are worth travelling for! You can also buy wine, products and homewares at Merricks, and do a wine tasting at the front bar which is a lovely thing to do before sitting down to lunch.

Port Phillip Estate 

Port Phillip Estate’s onsite dining room is one of the great winery restaurants of Australia. The elegant, European-inspired menu is brought to life with hyper local ingredients, and of course, the knowledgeable team are more than happy to help you match the perfect wines to your meal. From the restaurant, floor-to-ceiling windows create perfect vineyard and coastal views, over the estate and to Western Port Bay and the Bass Strait. As mentioned above, transport home from the winery restaurants can be difficult to find after dark, so arrange your transport in advance (or stay on-site!).

Portsea Hotel 

The pub at the Portsea Hotel looks like it belongs in the Hamptons, and is one of my favourite spots for lunch or dinner on the Peninsula. It’s relaxed, but very beautiful, and naturally, exceptionally popular. The terrace and the restaurant overlook the ocean, it’s the quintessential summer spot.

Rare Hare 

Rare Hare is the casual restaurant offering at luxury lodge Jackalope, but it’s my favourite of the two restaurants! It’s the perfect winery restaurant, with casual seating, inventive and produce-driven dishes and a warm, lively atmosphere.

The Best Cafes on the Mornington Peninsula

Commonfolk Coffee

Tucked away in a warehouse in the industrial backstreets of Mornington, Commonfolk Coffee is a hidden local favourite. There’s plenty of indoor & outdoor seating, the coffee is excellent and the menu is sourced from the owner’s two small farms, from foraging, or failing all else, locally sourced. 

Le Capucin

Le Capucin is a little slice of France in Portsea. Loic, the owner, was born in southwest France, and loves to bring some of the flavours he grew up with to Le Capucin, where you can dine in or stock up for a picnic. Le Capucin is tiny, but has outdoor seating on the large lawn beside the cafe, close to the water. A lovely spot!

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