During my recent shopping to one of my favourite outlet shopping spots, the Uni Hill Factory Outlet, I had a field day in Jeanswest and Surf Dive and Ski. It was time to refresh my beach wardrobe and I found everything which I needed. Shorts, cover-up, bikini and hat! The sales were amazing with an extra 40% of sale prices! When it comes to beachwear, I’m never in need of the latest trends, I go with whatever I feel fantastic in.
Surf Dive and Ski at UniHill stock so many different brands of beach wear including Roxy, 2Chillies, Billabong and Ripcurl. There are swimsuits, shoes, hats, shorts and dresses to suit all guys and girls! I’m definitely heading back there for more before summer ends.
When it comes to Beaches, Australia has some of the most amazing. The most beautiful Australian beaches require some travel. For those of us who want to pack a picnic and make a day trip out to a beach, here’s a list of our favourite beaches close to Melbourne’s CBD.
Our 7 Favourite Melbourne Beaches:
Chelsea Beach
It’s a hidden gem of a beach which is not too far from Melbourne’s CBD (35 mins drive).
This is a quiet, child friendly swimming beach as it has a sand ridge which forms a barrier between the shallow part of the sea with the deeper part. The sand is beautiful and clean, perfect for hours of sandcastle building and hole digging. There’s not a lot of shade there so take a beach tent or umbrella. Unfortunately the closest change rooms and toilets are down at the neighbouring Edithvale beach.
Edithvale Beach
Only a couple of minutes drive from Chelsea Beach. It’s a bit busier here than at the neighbouring Chelsea Beach as there is a surf club there with toilets, change room and a kids playground. Like Chelsea Beach, the sand is nice and clean and people like swimming here.
Brighton Beach
This beach is famous for the colourful beach boxes. Not much shade here so take something to cover yourselves with. It’s a little beach where you can see the city skyline from.
Black Rock Beach
A stunning beach which spans quite a distance. The entrance is a bit hidden and there is expensive parking is available down at the pier. Right down at the pier, there’s a restaurant and a great fish and chips shop where you can dine and watch the sun go down. Take a walk along the beach and you’ll find yourself at a beautiful red rock face. Climb over and around the rock face to arrive at a little cove of a beach or go on further to the neighbouring Sandringham Beach.
Elwood Beach
We like it because it’s a little bit away from the busy city beaches. It’s child friendly for swimming but it still does get really packed on a scorching Melbourne day. There are toilets, a cafe and a bbq area near the surf club. Definitely go up to Point Ormond to have the most fantastic city view.
Port Melbourne Beach
One of the closest beaches to Melbourne’s CBD. We love this beach because it’s so central, with lots of cafe and restaurant options for when we’re done with frolicking on the beach. Here, you can view the Spirit of Tasmania and other large ships which are docked in Port Melbourne. The pier is a popular spot for visitors to the beach and for fishing. During summer, there are nets set up for beach volleyball.
St Kilda Beach
If you like a spot of people watching, this is the beach to be at. There’s lots beautiful bodies all over this beach and popular bars where those can view them from! The city skyline is visible from here and it’s a beautiful place to watch the sunset. Make sure you go to the end of the pier … you might even spot some penguins in winter. Saint Kilda Beach can get very busy in summer as it is one of the closest city beaches Melbourne has to offer.
Have a look at some more beach inspiration here.