There’s so many wonderful things to explore around our beautiful state, with plenty of beaches, national parks and delightful towns to choose from. And if you’re short on time, there’s plenty of day trip possibilities, allowing you to go there-and-back-again without needing to worry about accommodation. And with cost of living pressures rising, the car insurance company ROLLiN’ have crunched the numbers to help you find the most affordable day trips from Melbourne. They looked at factors like fuel, food and attractions across 19 Victorian destinations to determine the cheapest getaways. And the wonderful town of Warburton, just 90 minutes from Melbourne, was named as the most affordable town for a day trip.
Warburton named as most affordable day trip from Melbourne
The team at ROLLiN’ first selected their finalists looking at destinations featured on Victoria’s tourism board. Each location had to be between 30 minutes and 3 hours and 45 minutes away from Melbourne, and were carefully selected to showcase multiple tourism regions. From there, they worked out the costs of a trip for two adults, using fuel prices collected in September 2026. They used the average Google Maps price range at nearby cafes and restaurants to determine the cost of food, as well as looked at other fees like tolls and popular attractions.
Warburton came out on top at the cheapest day out near Melbourne, and the third most affordable day trip in Australia, with a total cost of just $72.23. The main costs were for fuel ($21.64) and food ($50.59 on average for two people). Surrounded by natural wonders, such as Mount Donna Buang, the Redwood Forest and the Rainforest Gallery, there’s plenty to see and do for free. Stretch your legs and cross little bridges over the Yarra River, or venture out in search of the lovely La La Falls.
Bring your bike along the O’Shannassy Aqueduct Trail, or navigate the many trails of Warburton Bike Park. After an adventurous day out, settle in to one of the riverside pubs or restaurants for a well-earned feed.
Meanwhile, a day trip to Geelong offered the highest value, with plenty of time to explore and 23 natural attractions to choose from, as well as 27 free activities and seven beaches. Bendigo followed closely behind with 26 free activities and 20 walking trails, while Torquay offered a whopping 41 natural attractions.
10 of the most affordable day trips from Melbourne
- Warburton – $72.23 for the day out
- Torquay – $93.40
- Queenscliff – $96.19
- Mornington – $97.11
- Bendigo – $99.01
- Inverloch – $103.51
- Sorrento – $104.59
- Geelong – $104.83
- Daylesford – $114.30
- Lorne – $116.04
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