A Perfect Weekend in Queenscliff

Last updated July 2026

Queenscliff is made for a weekend: a Victorian-era seaside town at the tip of the Bellarine Peninsula, 90 minutes from Melbourne, small enough to walk end to end and big enough to fill two days with good food, history and water views. This itinerary suits couples and friends on a first or fifth visit - swap pieces around to taste.

Before you come: what to book

• Accommodation - Queenscliff is compact and its best places fill fast, especially in summer and around the Queenscliff Music Festival in late November.
• The Blues Train - if your weekend falls between October and May, book early; Saturday departures sell out.
• Saturday dinner - book a table, especially in peak season. Browse the restaurant listings.

Saturday: the town, the fort, the harbour

Morning. Arrive via the Bellarine Highway (about 90 minutes from Melbourne, 30 from Geelong - see getting here) and start on Hesse Street, the main street: bookshops, galleries, boutiques and cafes in original 19th-century shopfronts. Coffee and lunch options are covered in the cafe listings.

Afternoon. Walk up to Fort Queenscliff for the guided tour - Australia's largest and best-preserved 19th-century fortress, with tours at 1pm and 3pm on weekends taking in the underground magazines and gun emplacements. Afterwards, wander down to Queenscliff Harbour for the marina boardwalk and a look across the heads at Point Nepean.

Evening. Dinner in town - 360Q sits right on the harbour, or make a night of it at the grand old Vue Grand. Between October and May, the unmissable option is the Blues Train: dinner, dancing and four live blues acts aboard a heritage steam train along Swan Bay (gates 6:45pm).

Sunday: steam, markets and the sea

Morning. Breakfast at one of the cafes, then choose your Sunday: ride the Swan Bay Express steam train along the water with the Bellarine Railway, or time your visit for a market - the Point Lonsdale Market runs the second Sunday of each month and the Queenscliffe Community Market the last Sunday from September to May.

Afternoon. Drive or cycle the ten minutes to Point Lonsdale for the lighthouse, the pier and the back-beach clifftop walk - the classic Bellarine coastal view. Alternatively, cross the bay: the Queenscliff-Sorrento ferry sails every hour on the hour from 7am to 6pm, 365 days a year, and the 45-minute crossing is a destination in itself. Go as a foot passenger for an easy round trip before heading home.

Where to stay

For a romantic weekend, look at the town's heritage hotels or a bed & breakfast near the main street. Groups and families do better in a holiday house or apartment; budget travellers and van owners are served by caravan parks and camping close to the beach, and there are resorts and cabins & cottages in between. Whatever the style, stay central - the whole point of Queenscliff is walking everywhere.

Frequently asked questions

Where do you park in Queenscliff?
Queenscliff is easy to park in outside peak summer weekends. There is street parking on and around Hesse Street, larger car parks at Queenscliff Harbour and the ferry terminal, and most accommodation includes parking. On busy summer days arrive before mid-morning for a spot near the main street.

When is the best time to visit Queenscliff?
Queenscliff works year-round. Summer brings beach weather and the busiest crowds; spring and autumn are quieter with mild walking weather; late November is the Queenscliff Music Festival, the biggest weekend of the year, when accommodation books out months ahead. Winter weekends are quiet and cosy, and the Blues Train season runs from October to May.

Can you do Queenscliff without a car?
Yes. The town centre, harbour, beaches, fort and railway station are all within an easy walk of each other, and the Sorrento ferry takes foot passengers. Getting to Queenscliff without a car is the harder part - buses connect from Geelong - but once you are here you will not need to drive.

What can you do in Queenscliff when it rains?
Take the guided tour of Fort Queenscliff, browse the galleries, bookshops and boutiques along Hesse Street, settle into a cafe or the historic hotels, or ride the ferry across to Sorrento and back as a foot passenger - the crossing is all-weather and takes about 45 minutes each way.

Short on time? See the one-day itinerary from Melbourne. Travelling with children? Start with Queenscliff with kids. Otherwise, see what's on for current events, or head back to Plan Your Visit for more guides.