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Great Ocean Road Tour: Insider Tips & Honest Advice from a Local Guide
- Wander * Explore * Discover
- 11 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Great Ocean Road Tour: Insider Tips & Honest Advice from a Local Guide
Meet Your Local Guide
Hi, I'm Cloe, and I'm a tour guide with Go West Tours! We run local tours from Melbourne to the top scenic spots in Victoria. The Great Ocean Road is Victoria’s most iconic road trip. From the winding ocean roads of the surf coast to the vibrant temperate rainforest of the green coast and the towering sea cliffs of the shipwreck coast, you will experience all the stunning scenery this road has to offer. If you want to get out of the city and immerse yourself in sea breezes and ocean views, then this is the tour for you!
Full Day Tour vs Sunset Tour: What I Recommend (and Why)
I recommend the Great Ocean Road full-day tour if you want the full experience! You can also take a Great Ocean Road Sunset tour. This tour starts later in the day if you don't want to get up early, but the flip side is you get back into the city much later in the evening (especially in summertime). My biggest gripe with this tour is that, with Victoria's erratic weather, a sunset is certainly not guaranteed! It also skips some of my favourite stops (such as the rainforest walk). The Great Ocean Road full-day tour hits all the spots so you can enjoy the best of what the road has to offer.
What You’ll See on the Great Ocean Road Tour
On this tour you will see:
Seaside Town of Torquay
Kennett River - Koala Spotting
Seaside Town of Apollo Bay
Great Ocean Road memorial arch
Beach stops along the surf coast
My Favourite Part of the Tour
My favourite thing about this tour is the drive itself. Throughout the day, you'll have plenty of stops to stretch your legs, use the bathroom and take photos. The highlight, though, is watching the expansive ocean, sea cliffs and dense rainforest out of the bus window as you drive to each destination.
Insider Tips to Make the Most of Your Day
On the highway, too and from the Great Ocean Road, feel free to nap on the bus, but once you're driving on the road itself, make sure to keep your eyes open so you don't miss a thing.
There is a surprising lack of good souvenirs when you get to the 12 Apostles visitors centre. Stock up on souvenirs early at Kennett River and Apollo Bay.
Be ready for all types of weather. You may experience rain, hail and shine all in a single day trip! Pack a rain jacket, extra warm clothes, sunglasses and a sun hat. The weather in Melbourne can be vastly different from 250 km down the coast.
You can take an optional helicopter flight over the 12 Apostles and shipwreck coast to really elevate your experience! It's one of the cheapest helicopter flights in Australia. Talk to your tour guide, and they can help you get up in the air. If that's out of your budget, though, never fear, the 12 Apostles boardwalk is free!
Who is this Tour Good for?
This is a fantastic tour for anyone who is old enough to appreciate a beautiful view. That being said, this is not a great tour for young children. It is a long day with lots of driving, which I have found often results in tired and cranky kids (our Phillip Island tour, found here, is more kid-friendly). The Great Ocean Road also has many amazing twists and turns that can be nauseating for people prone to motion sickness. You can purchase motion sickness tablets at Kennett River and Apollo Bay if you need them.
Self-Drive or Guided Tour? Here’s the Honest Answer
A common debate is whether it is better to self-drive or take a guided tour down the Great Ocean Road. Both are great options, but the decision really comes down to how much time you have up your sleeve and how much you want to relax. If you self-drive, you can take your time exploring all the towns and beaches over multiple days. You can find more information on self-driving on the road - 👉 click here. The major benefits of taking a tour are time management, safety and the freedom to relax and take in the view!
The Great Ocean Road is so beautiful that it is easy to get distracted and spend too long at each location. Your tour guide will run a tight ship to make sure you get all the way down to the 12 Apostles while the sun still shines. Then, after the huge day, you can nap safely in the back while your tour guide gets you back to Melbourne. The round trip from Melbourne is over 500km; keep that in mind if you're considering driving yourself.
The road also has many twists and turns that your tour guide can expertly navigate while you focus on taking photos and enjoying the view. It is a popular tourist road, with people from all over the world driving on it. Your tour guide will also have all the insider knowledge of dangerous crash zones, speed limits and no parking zones that could avoid you getting a nasty traffic fine, or worse, which could really spoil your holiday.
Ready to Experience The Great Ocean Road the Easy Way?
So if you want to put your feet up, relax, and enjoy a gorgeous, well-organised day trip down the Great Ocean Road, I recommend joining us on tour here!
The Great Ocean Road day tour is a full day of soaking up some of Victoria’s most spectacular coastal scenery. From dramatic sea cliffs to ancient rainforest, jump aboard, sit back, and relax while your experienced tour guide takes you on a smooth, hassle-free journey along one of Australia’s most iconic roads.
Written by Cloe Prosdocimo
Victorian Tour Guide & Travel Writer for Wander Explore Discover
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