Easter in Melbourne is four days of long weekend done properly. Good Friday falls on 3 April 2026, Easter Monday wraps it up on 6 April — and with Victorian school holidays starting on the same day and running through to 19 April, this is the city’s biggest autumn travel window of the year.
Whether you’re packing the car for a Yarra Valley road trip, tracking down the best Easter egg hunt in the city, or just trying to find somewhere that’s actually open for a Good Friday lunch — this is the guide that has it all confirmed and sorted.
Book accommodation, hot springs and restaurant tables now. Easter long weekend Melbourne books out weeks in advance.
The Melbourne Easter Long Weekend in 2026: What You Need to Know
Easter 2026 falls across four public holiday days in Victoria: Good Friday 3 April, Easter Saturday 4 April, Easter Sunday 5 April and Easter Monday 6 April. Both Good Friday and Easter Monday are Victorian public holidays, meaning most businesses close or operate on reduced hours on those two days.
Victorian school holidays start on Good Friday 3 April and run through to Sunday 19 April 2026 — which means the Easter long weekend sits right at the opening of a two-week break. This is peak family travel season in Melbourne, and the city’s best destinations know it.
Quick summary: book early, assume 10–15% public holiday surcharges on Good Friday and Easter Monday, and always check venue websites before heading out.
The Best Road Trips from Melbourne This Easter
Melbourne is one of Australia’s best cities for a long weekend road trip. Within 90 minutes in any direction, you have wine regions, hot springs, heritage festivals, ancient forests and chocolate factories. Here is the best of all of it.
Mornington Peninsula: Hot Springs, Wineries and Coastal Walks — 1 Hour South
The Mornington Peninsula is Melbourne’s most reliable Easter escape, and the combination of thermal bathing and winery lunches is hard to beat in April’s cooler air.
Peninsula Hot Springs (140 Springs Lane, Fingal) is open every single day of the year including Good Friday and Easter Monday — Bath House 5am to 10pm daily. A 10% public holiday surcharge applies on Good Friday and Easter Monday. This is one of Melbourne’s most popular Easter destinations; same-day bookings are not guaranteed. Go to the website and lock it in now.
For lunch, Montalto Vineyard and Olive Grove at Red Hill South remains the Peninsula benchmark — estate pinot noir, a produce-led seasonal menu and a sculpture garden that makes the whole experience feel like a genuine occasion. For something architecturally dramatic, Jackalope Hotel at Merricks North is a moody, design-forward cellar door with food that justifies the drive on its own. Both require bookings for Easter Saturday and Sunday.
For families, Ashcombe Maze and Lavender Gardens in Shoreham is open daily across the long weekend — ten acres of hedge, rose and lavender mazes that keep kids genuinely occupied for hours while adults wander something beautiful.
The Mornington Peninsula Chocolaterie (Balnarring Road, Merricks North) runs its Easter Wonderland until 5 April 2026 — whimsical Easter displays, giant chocolate eggs and handcrafted bunnies exclusive to the season. Open daily, and it sits naturally on the Peninsula road trip route.
The Searoad Ferry (Sorrento to Queenscliff, 40 minutes, cars welcome) operates across the full Easter long weekend — making the classic two-peninsula loop one of Melbourne’s best Easter day trip hacks.
📍 ~70km from CBD | ~1 hour | Lock in Peninsula Hot Springs before anything else.
Yarra Valley: Wildlife, Wine and Easter Chocolate — Under 1 Hour East
The Yarra Valley is Melbourne’s closest wine region and the Easter destination that makes the most financial sense for families — because Healesville Sanctuary (Badger Creek Road, Healesville) is open 9am to 5pm every day of the year including Good Friday, and children under 16 get free entry on public holidays and during Victorian school holidays when accompanied by a paying adult.
That free entry deal is one of Victoria’s best value days out — platypus, koalas, kangaroos, wombats, Tasmanian devils and a twice-daily birds of prey show, all in real bushland 60 kilometres from the city. Parents pay, kids go free across the entire Easter long weekend.
For the food and wine agenda: Domaine Chandon in Coldstream runs tastings and cellar door tours across the long weekend — Australia’s most-visited sparkling wine producer, and a genuinely world-class tasting experience. Oakridge Wines on Maroondah Highway delivers serious single-vineyard wines and a seasonal restaurant menu that leans fully into what autumn is doing with produce right now.
And because this is Easter: Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery (35 Old Healesville Road, Yering) is open 9am to 5pm daily. The Easter egg hunt is one of the region’s most popular family activities — children under 12 can join while parents enjoy artisan chocolates and coffee overlooking the vineyard.
📍 ~60km from CBD | Under 1 hour | Kids go free at Healesville on public holidays. This is the move for families.
Macedon Ranges: Autumn Colour, Hidden Wineries and Apple Orchards — 1 Hour North-West
The Macedon Ranges is the Easter road trip that most Melbourne families have not done yet — and it is the best one for autumn specifically.
Mount Macedon is one of Victoria’s most spectacular spots in April, when its famous cool-climate gardens — Duneira Estate and Camellia Cottage among them — reach peak autumn colour. The memorial cross at the summit sits above a forest that turns deep red and orange in late March and early April. It is a 30-minute walk through some of the most genuinely beautiful landscape within an hour of the city.
For food and drink: Granite Hills Winery in Lancefield is one of Victoria’s most historic cool-climate producers, open across the long weekend for tastings in a cellar door that feels genuinely unhurried. Cope-Williams Winery at Romsey has a full croquet lawn, a working brewery and sparkling wine that has been winning awards since the 1970s.
For families: Hanging Rock Reserve is open daily and is free to enter — the iconic volcanic formation is one of Victoria’s most dramatic landscapes. Take the 45-minute walking trail to the summit for views across the ranges. It is worth the climb.
Trentham Falls is 15 minutes from Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges loop — Victoria’s tallest single-drop waterfall, completely free, and one of the most underrated short walks in the state.
📍 ~65km from CBD | ~1 hour | Best destination in the guide for autumn colour. Most people don’t know it.
Daylesford and Hepburn Springs: The Spa Town Reset — 90 Minutes North-West
Daylesford is where Melbourne goes when it needs to properly exhale. The spa town has 80% of Australia’s natural mineral springs in its immediate surrounds, one of the state’s strongest regional food scenes, and the particular energy of a place that has decided collectively that rest is the entire point of being there.
Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa runs its full thermal circuit across Easter — indoor and outdoor mineral pools, steam rooms and spa treatments available. Pre-booking is essential; this is not a venue you show up to without a reservation on Easter weekend.
For lunch: Lake House is open across the long weekend and the Easter menu showcases autumn produce at its best. One of Australia’s most consistently awarded regional restaurants — book well ahead, it fills fast.
The Mineral Springs Reserve Walk links Daylesford to Hepburn Springs through a reserve of numbered spring outlets where you can taste mineral water directly from the ground. It is free, it takes about an hour, and some of the spring flavours taste like the earth’s internal chemistry homework. All of them are worth trying.
Amazing Mill Markets (1 Kidney Street, Daylesford) is open across Easter — a converted mill housing a massive antique and vintage market that could quietly consume three hours of your life with zero apology.
📍 ~115km from CBD | ~90 minutes | Stay overnight if the schedule allows — waking up in Daylesford is the better version of this trip.
Bendigo: Victoria’s Biggest Easter Festival — 90 Minutes North
If you want the most concentrated Easter energy in regional Victoria, Bendigo has it.
The Bendigo Easter Festival runs across the full long weekend, 3 to 6 April 2026, at Rosalind Park — carnival rides, live entertainment, markets and the spectacular Gala Parade anchored by the Awakening of the Dragon ceremony celebrating Bendigo’s deep Chinese heritage from the gold rush era. It is one of Victoria’s oldest and largest community Easter celebrations.
Bendigo Art Gallery runs through Easter weekend with its current major exhibition — check the gallery website for the 2026 program. Bendigo’s food scene has matured considerably and the CBD now has several excellent lunch options that don’t need weeks of advance planning.
📍 ~150km from CBD | ~90 minutes | Book accommodation early — Easter Festival weekend fills months in advance.
Easter in Melbourne: Day-by-Day City Guide
Not every Easter needs a road trip. Here is the best of Melbourne itself, day by day across the long weekend.
Good Friday, 3 April — What’s Confirmed Open
Good Friday is the quietest day of the long weekend. Most independent shops close. Here is what is confirmed open and worth your time.
MCEC Kids Day Out (Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 10am to 5pm) is Melbourne’s most-loved Good Friday tradition — a free family event with live entertainment, interactive zones and spontaneous fun in support of the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal. No registration required.
Chin Chin Melbourne is confirmed open Good Friday to Easter Monday, 11am to 10pm or later. Johnny’s Green Room is confirmed open Good Friday to Easter Monday, 12pm to 11pm.
Many of Melbourne’s top hotels are serving special Easter high teas across the long weekend, including Dorsett Hotel, Park Lounge Melbourne and Stamford Plaza’s Chocolate High Tea buffet. Book in advance.
For coffee before 10am: most inner-suburb cafés in Fitzroy, Collingwood and Brunswick run normal weekend hours on Good Friday. Coles and Woolworths are closed in Victoria on Good Friday. IGA and service stations are your backup.
Easter Sunday, 5 April — The Long Lunch Day
Preston Market Easter Egg Hunt kicks off at 9am sharp with the Roving Easter Bunny appearing until 2pm. Free, chaotic in the best possible way, and genuinely memorable for kids.
Queen Victoria Market is open across Easter Saturday and Monday with festive stalls, fresh produce, artisan gifts and Easter-themed food. There is also a kids Easter Playspace on site.
South Melbourne Market is open Saturday and Sunday across Easter — fresh seafood, hot cross buns, artisan produce and peak Melbourne long weekend energy on a Saturday morning.
Easter Hop and Spot at Kew Junction (4 April, 11am to 2pm) is a free Easter Saturday window adventure through the Kew Junction precinct — storybook characters, Easter surprises and golden treasure hunts hidden across the neighbourhood. Great for younger kids, genuinely low-key.
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival runs across the full long weekend with the very best of Australian standup comedians performing four days a week during the holidays. Check what is still available and book a Saturday night show — it pairs extremely well with a long lunch.
Easter Sunday, 5 April — The Long Lunch Day
The Lygon Street Market runs on Easter Sunday — a community market on one of Melbourne’s most storied dining streets, perfect for a Sunday morning wander before settling in for a long afternoon lunch.
Mörk Chocolate Fitzroy is open daily until Easter with their take on the hot cross bun and their Easter egg dessert experience — chocolate treated with the same seriousness a wine bar brings to grapes. If you have not been, Easter Sunday is the occasion.
Federation Square comes alive across the Easter long weekend with live music, family-friendly workshops and an Easter egg hunt in the heart of the city — a strong free option for families before or after lunch.
For Easter Sunday dining: Chin Chin Melbourne is confirmed open Good Friday to Easter Monday 11am to 10pm, and Johnny’s Green Room is confirmed open 12pm to 11pm. Both require bookings — Easter Sunday lunch is one of the busiest dining days of the year in Melbourne.
Easter Monday, 6 April — The Slow Day
Easter Monday is for doing less. Many of Melbourne’s major attractions remain open — Melbourne Zoo, Melbourne Aquarium, Melbourne Museum and Scienceworks all operate on Easter Monday.
Twinkle Hollow at The District Docklands runs daily throughout April — kids aged 4 to 12 use the Enchanted Glass to hunt virtual Easter eggs and exchange them for real chocolate. A strong Easter Monday option if the weekend got away from you.
Luna Park St Kilda is open across the long weekend with Easter Bunny meet-and-greets, egg hunts and rides against the backdrop of St Kilda beach in golden autumn light — one of Melbourne’s most underrated combinations.
The Bellarine Railway Easter Weekend runs heritage train trips on 4 to 6 April 2026 with the Easter Bunny on board, offering photo opportunities and a small treat for children. It departs from Queenscliff and pairs perfectly with the Searoad Ferry day trip from Sorrento.
Food and Drink: The Melbourne Easter Edit
No Easter guide is complete without the food agenda. Here is where to eat, drink and indulge well across the long weekend.
Hot Cross Buns: Book Before You Leave the House
Melbourne’s artisan bakers have turned the hot cross bun into a genuine art form for 2026. We’ve covered them in full — matcha kataifi at Raya/Dua, ube halaya at Pecks Road, the Penny for Pound × Axil Coffee mocha collab, and Q le Baker’s Prahran Market bun bar with miso honey butter on the side.
Read the full guide: Melbourne’s Most Creative Hot Cross Buns for Easter 2026
The universal rule: artisan bakeries sell out before midday every weekend. Easter weekend, even faster. Arrive before 10am or pre-order online where available.
Easter High Tea in Melbourne 2026
Dorsett Hotel, Park Lounge Melbourne and Stamford Plaza are all running Easter high tea service across the long weekend. Collins Kitchen at Grand Hyatt is running its Easter-themed High Tea Wonderland. These sessions sell out — book ahead.
Easter Long Lunch Picks
Across Melbourne on Easter weekend, expect special set menus, long lunches and shared feasts, live music and DJs, themed Easter parties and seasonal cocktails with limited-time menus. Easter Sunday is one of the busiest dining days of the year — secure bookings early if you are planning a group lunch or set menu.
For road trippers: Montalto and Jackalope on the Mornington Peninsula, Oakridge and Domaine Chandon in the Yarra Valley, and Lake House in Daylesford are all worth the drive specifically for the Easter Sunday long lunch. Book now.
Disclaimer: Always verify hours directly with venues before heading out — public holiday trading can change.
Your Easter Melbourne 2026 Starts Here
Four days. Autumn in full swing. Hot cross buns worth queuing for, road trips worth the drive, and egg hunts that kids will talk about for weeks. Melbourne Easter 2026 has something genuinely worth showing up for — whatever version of the long weekend you’re after.
Start with the [hot cross bun guide], pick your road trip, book your table and get there early. The people who plan ahead are the ones who get the thermal pools, the winery tables and the buns.
FAQs
When is Easter 2026 in Melbourne?
Good Friday 3 April, Easter Saturday 4 April, Easter Sunday 5 April, Easter Monday 6 April. Both Good Friday and Easter Monday are Victorian public holidays. Victorian school holidays run from 3 April to 19 April 2026.
What's open on Good Friday in Melbourne 2026?
onfirmed open: Peninsula Hot Springs (10% surcharge), Healesville Sanctuary (kids free), Chin Chin (11am–10pm), Johnny’s Green Room (12pm–11pm), EziStreat (12pm–8pm), Luna Park, Melbourne Zoo, MCEC Kids Day Out (10am–5pm, free), Mörk Chocolate and most inner-suburb cafés on normal weekend hours. Coles and Woolworths are closed. IGA and service stations are your backup.
What are the best Easter road trips from Melbourne 2026?
ornington Peninsula (hot springs, wineries, Ashcombe Maze — 1 hour), Yarra Valley (Healesville Sanctuary free kids entry, Domaine Chandon, Yarra Valley Chocolaterie — under 1 hour), Macedon Ranges (Mount Macedon autumn colour, Hanging Rock, cool-climate wineries — 1 hour), Daylesford (Hepburn Bathhouse, Lake House — 90 minutes) and Bendigo (Easter Festival, Gala Parade — 90 minutes).
What is the Easter school holiday period in Melbourne 2026?
Victorian school holidays start on Good Friday 3 April and run through to Sunday 19 April 2026. The Easter long weekend sits at the very start of the holiday window — meaning family-friendly venues and road trip destinations are at peak demand from day one. Book early.
Disclaimer: Opinions are our own. All images are from the respective venue’s official websites.
