The best things to do in St Kilda

The beach, palm trees, an amusement park: there’s a summer feel all year round in St Kilda! Six kilometres south of Melbourne's CBD, this seaside suburb is undoubtedly one of the most pleasant in the city. It is also one of the liveliest, with a large number of festivals and events of all kinds. And it’s even home to a colony of penguins! From Luna Park to the Botanic Gardens, here are the best things to do in St Kilda.

A summer feel all year round in this seaside suburb of Melbourne

Summary

Acland Street and Luna Park
Seaside spirit...
...and pretty gardens
Street art in St Kilda
Eat, drink and party in St Kilda
Getting there

Acland Street and Luna Park

Let’s begin with a little quiz: do you know where the name St Kilda comes from? It refers to the schooner Lady of St Kilda which was moored in Melbourne in the 1840s, and wrecked in Tahiti in 1844 (a sculpture of it sits on the railway bridge over Carlisle Street in Balaclava). The owner of the vessel Sir Thomas Dyke Acland named it after the island of St Kilda in Scotland. His name was also later given to Acland Street, a semi-pedestrian street and the main artery of St Kilda. With its rows of palm trees, it has a very pleasant summer atmosphere. It is lined with dozens of cafes, restaurants and shops of all kinds (including cake shops with super appetising windows!) and is constantly bustling with activity. Its terraces are always full as soon as the sun is out! There are also often buskers playing for passers-by.

Next to Acland Street is the symbol of St Kilda, one of the icons of Melbourne: Luna Park. The slightly disturbing face of Mr Moon whose mouth serves as entrance gate is one of the most photographed landmarks in the city. Inaugurated in 1912, this theme park is the oldest in Australia (Sydney’s Luna Park was only open in 1935). Its wooden roller coaster the Great Scenic Railway is even the world’s oldest still in operation! There are various entrance fees but the cheapest tickets start at $20, which includes one complementary ride. Definitely one of the best things to do in St Kilda if you have kids, or if you remain a child at heart!

The building next to Luna Park is also an emblem of St Kilda: the Palais Theatre. Its large Art Deco facade is absolutely splendid! It was built in 1927, and serves now mainly as a concert hall. Artists such as Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, or more recently Kylie Minogue or Ed Sheeran have performed there.

Seaside spirit…

As I mentioned in the introduction to this article, there’s a summer feel all year round in St Kilda. Crowded on sunny days, the St Kilda Beach is the most easily accessible beach in Melbourne and it attracts a lot of people. Even if you don't want to take a dip, walking, biking or roller-skating along the shore is very pleasant. And why not have a drink with your feet in the sand, enjoy the free barbecues at the south end of the beach, or come in the evening to admire the sunset?

A very popular crafts market takes place every Sunday along The Esplanade, on the corniche overlooking the waterfront. You will find numerous stalls with decorative objects, gift ideas or various clothing, as well as several food trucks.

A must-do activity in the area: stroll along St Kilda Pier! This long pier has been completely redeveloped and opened after extensive construction in December 2024. Since then, it's been a daily crowd!

About 800m after the marina, you will arrive at Point Ormond, in the suburb of Elwood. This modest hill only rises to around twenty meters above sea level, but that is enough to offer a splendid panorama of Melbourne and the bay of Port Phillip. Gorgeous view at sunset!

Did you know? A colony of penguins live in St Kilda! At nightfall, head to the very end of the St Kilda Pier. The sight of these cute animals coming back to nest for the night and clumsily climbing the rocks to find a shelter is both endearing and moving. Bad news though: even if a brand-new pier has been inaugurated in December 2024, the viewing platform (which at least offers a much better protection to the penguins than the old one) at the end will remain closed after 6pm until further notice.

Further on to the south of main beach is the St Kilda Marina. Dozens of yachts and boats of all sizes are moored there. This is also where the office of Skydive Melbourne is located. Will you dare taking the plunge?

…and pretty gardens

With their wide paths framed by palm trees and this pretty old-fashioned pavilion in the middle, the Catani Gardens perfectly represent the summer feel and relaxed atmosphere of St Kilda. They are located at the bottom of Fitzroy Street, very close to the St Kilda Pier.

The Botanic Gardens are without hesitation the most beautiful park in St Kilda. Surprisingly, they are located a little out of the way, in a residential part of the suburb. But they are definitely worth the detour! I find them truly gorgeous. More than 800 trees, a greenhouse with tropical plants, a pond with an original statue in its centre, a few chess boards for passionate players... An open-air sunset cinema is also set up there during the summer!

More central, and yet even more secret, Veg Out is a very pretty community garden, in the heart of St Kilda! Located just off Acland Street at the intersection of Shakespeare Grove and Chaucer Street, this garden is run entirely by volunteers. Entrance is free and allows you to discover this original and timeless place, whose calm contrasts with the screaming of children on the Luna Park roller coasters on the other side of the street! It is of course forbidden to pick up the fruits and vegetables that the volunteers have patiently cultivated, but a farmers market takes place every first Saturday of the month on the sports field adjacent to the Veg Out Garden.

Street art in St Kilda

As in almost every other suburb of Melbourne, you can admire some beautiful murals in St Kilda. A few of them are located around Fitzroy Street. The silhouette of Luna Park is reflected in the pupil of this eye painted by My Dog Sighs on Balluk William Ct next to the St Kilda Station tram stop. On Grey Street, a giant cubist-inspired portrait by the artist Elle overlooks the footpath. A few steps away, the flowers of George Rose add colours to Little Grey Street. Further down, at the intersection with Jackson Street, you can admire the works of several artists, including Tetal and Mayonaize.

See also: the best street art in St Kilda

Closer to the beach, the large portrait of DJ Carl Cox smiling from ear to ear by the artist Lynch gazes at you from the middle of Acland Street. On Belford Street, I really like Hayden Dewar’s pastel-hued mural, on which you’ll recognise the facade of the iconic Palais Theatre. On Irwell Street, artists Bailer and Conrad Bizjak collaborated for this quirky artwork: a tiger with a laser cannon for a face, caught in a tsunami!

Finally, while walking in St Kilda you will undoubtedly see on several occasions the murals of the Peruvian artist Bronik, who now lives in the neighbourhood. Her poetic artworks most often represent women with delicate faces and melancholic or mysterious expressions. My favourite is the one that pays homage to Melbourne, on a brick wall on Jackson Street.

Eat, drink and party in St Kilda

During the day, Acland Street is St Kilda's busiest street. With its numerous cafes, restaurants and cake shops (all with super appetising windows), you will be spoiled for choice for a sweet break! I don't have any specific place to recommend, so let your instincts (and your appetite!) guide you.

A stone's throw from Acland Street, on the corner of Blessington Street and Barkly Street, several neighbouring establishments share the same large terrace. If you want to mingle with the locals, this is the place to go! I particularly like Iddy Biddy Bar: very cosy interior, live music and stand-up comedy several evenings a week.

One of my favourite cafes in St Kilda is located at the same intersection, on the other side of Acland Street: Sorsi e Morsi. Excellent coffee, and very good paninis. In the evening, Sorsi e Morsi transforms into a restaurant, but I've never had the chance to eat there, so let me know what you think if you've tried their dishes!

Finally, the king of St Kilda nightlife is without a doubt the Hotel Esplanade, or more commonly ‘The Espy’. This huge establishment was founded almost 150 years ago, in 1878! From its past as a luxury hotel in which the writer Mark Twain stayed to major works forcing it to close between 2015 and 2018, The Espy has established itself as one of the most popular pubs in Melbourne. On five levels serving as bar, restaurant, concert hall and nightclub, it is THE place to be for nights out in St Kilda. A must visit!

This article wouldn't be complete without mentioning the St Kilda Festival. The neighbourhood hosts a lot of various events throughout the year, but this one is by far the most important. For a whole weekend in mid-February, St Kilda transforms into a huge open-air party venue. With several stages, dozens of food trucks, live music everywhere and hundreds of thousands of festival-goers, get ready to experience an extraordinary moment! And the best in all of this? It’s entirely free!

On the other side of St Kilda, Fitzroy Street and its many pubs, bars and restaurants come alive in the evening. If you’re craving for middle-Eastern food, I highly recommend Buba Local Shuk. Their shakshuka is absolutely delicious! Cheese lover? Head to Milk the Cow! Raclette, fondue or fried camembert, the hardest part will be deciding what to order. Right next to the St Kilda Station tram stop, Fifth Province is a large, old-fashioned Irish pub. The perfect place to enjoy a pint of Guinness while watching footy on TV!

Getting there

Carlisle Street in Balaclava, with the sculpture of the Lady of St Kilda on the railway bridge

St Kilda is very well served by public transport, with three tram lines from the CBD. The terminus of tram 96 is on Acland Street, and that of tram 12 at the corner of Fitzroy Street and Park Street. Line 16 also circles the neighbourhood before continuing to Balaclava and the east of Melbourne. It's also in Balaclava that you will find the closest train station, on the Sandringham line, just a few minutes' walk from St Kilda.

Now you know all the best things to do in St Kilda! So pack your sunscreen, put on your bathing suit, and get ready to enjoy the summer feel of the seaside suburb of Melbourne!