The Must-Save Melbourne Experiences Worth Rugging Up For This Winter

Week-long Christmas in July celebrations. Riverside glasshouses. Mulled wine-fuelled bottomless brunches. Beachside movie nights. Even a Santa Fun Run. Winter sure is looking mighty fine this year.

Melbourne has turned the chilliest time of year into one of its most social, and The Pass is leading the charge with a stacked lineup of seasonal experiences that'll have your calendar filling up fast. Here's where to embrace the chill this winter in Melbourne.

Christmas Comes Early At Hopscotch

Who says you need to wait until December to get into the festive spirit? With the enthusiasm of someone who’s had one too many mulled wines, riverside beer garden Hopscotch is decking the halls six months ahead of schedule and stretching the celebrations across an entire week.

One night you’re testing your Noel knowledge at a Christmas trivia, the next you’re tucking into a festive feast, partying in your ugliest Christmas jumper, then wrapping it all up with a ridiculously jolly Santa Fun Run along the Yarra. ‘Tis the season for a 5K PB.

Best of all? Not a single Secret Santa present to buy.

Settle In For State Of Grace’s Bottomless Brunch

Bottomless brunch at State of Grace doesn’t hibernate when the mercury drops; it simply adds mulled wine to the drinks package.

The State of Grace Winter Bottomless Brunch proves the format only gets better with the temperature dialled down. Alongside two hours of flowing spritzes, wines, beer and steaming mugs of mulled wine, you’ll tuck into hot honey burrata, fried chicken sliders, crispy cauliflower croquettes, silky strands of linguine laced with a rich beef cheek sauce, and more. It all unfolds beneath the shimmering chandelier inside the elegant heritage-listed space, proving bottomless brunch is just as good in boots as it is in kitten heels.

Get A Roasted Dinner… And A Roasting At Morris House

Christmas usually comes with two kinds of roast: the one on your plate, and the one from whichever relative decided today was the perfect day to tell it like it is. This July, Morris House is handing that role over to the professionals.

In addition to a cheeky cocktail upon arrival, the Xmas Comedy Festival Feast pairs a proper three-course festive spread with Australia’s favourite comedians Dave Hughes, Ben Knight, Zack Dyer and Sonia Di Iorio. While the comedy quartet serves up plenty of punchlines, you'll be working your way through oysters topped with caviar, glazed double-smoked ham, slow-roasted turkey, pigs in blankets and Christmas pudding, with a premium wine on arrival and an Ugly Christmas Jumper Competition rounding out the afternoon.

Prefer your Christmas in July lunch a little more traditional? Skip the stand-up and go straight for the classic three-course feast, available across the entire weekend.

Escape To Your Own Private Glasshouse At The Wharf

Forget about booking a table. This winter, you'll want the whole glasshouse.

Popping up on the banks of the Yarra until September, The Wharf’s private Winter Glasshouses feel like stepping inside your own cosy little world. Each comes dressed in its own personality, bright and blooming Sunflower House, dreamy Starry Night or romantic Scarlet Bloom, making them equally suited to date nights, birthdays, family catch-ups or after-work drinks that accidentally turn into dinner.

Go for a hearty two-course feast or keep things casual with a grazing spread, then make the experience your own with optional chocolate fondue, wine or gin tasting flights, or even a self-guided paint and sip.

Break Up The Week At Yarra Botanica

There’s no midweek melancholy at Yarra Botanica this winter. 

Every second Tuesday, swap the TV remote for a paintbrush at guided Paint & Sip Masterclasses, where pro artists help you create a masterpiece worthy of the wall—drink in hand, naturally.

Come Wednesday, riverside movie nights take over with cult classics, and crowd favourites like Clueless, How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, Mamma Mia and Harry Potter. Add the optional two-hour beverage package and you'll be hoping the credits take their sweet time.

Turn Weeknights Into The Main Event At West Beach Pavilion

West Beach Pavilion is making a very convincing case for heading to St Kilda this winter. 

Ease into the week with Salsa & Sip, where beginner-friendly dance classes, a drink on arrival and beachside bevvies afterwards make Mondays something to look forward to. Wednesdays belong to Winter Cinema, showing everything from The Notebook and The Parent Trap to Love Actually and Elf on the big screen, popcorn included. Then Thursday is all about Pinot & Pilates, proving exercise is considerably more appealing when it’s followed by a well-earned vino. And then round off the week with some line dancing at their Boot Scootin Fridays because why the heck not. 

Turns out the best beach days don't always fall on a Friday.

For more ways to make the most of Melbourne this winter, check out The Pass here.

Editor’s note: This article was produced in partnership with AUS VENUE CO. Thank you for supporting the partners who make Urban List possible. To read our editorial policy, click here.

Image credit: Supplied