Things to do on Boxing Day in Melbourne 2025
From brunch dates to paddleboard lessons at the beach, here's what you can get up to on Boxing Day in the Victorian capital.
Trending Boxing Day deals in Melbourne
Where Christmas Day is typically reserved for family and friends, Boxing Day is a public holiday where you can play it your way.
We've found the activities that are up and running on 26 December so you can make this the best Boxing Day yet.
Top things to do on Boxing day in Melbourne
Go out for brunch, lunch or dinner
Why spend the day at home cooking for yourself when someone else can do it for you? Especially when you're nursing a Christmas hangover. Stacks of cafes, restaurants and bars are open on Boxing Day, making it a super breezy day for you.
Spend the day at Melbourne's top attractions
The day is young and the kids are off from school and looking for some entertainment. Be a tourist in your home city today and head to one of its best family-friendly attractions. SEA LIFE Melbourne, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, Werribee Open Range Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary are all open on Boxing Day.
Melbourne Five Attractions Pass
RedBalloon
Werribee Open Range Zoo Off Road Safari and Admission
Adrenaline
SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium Tickets
Experience Oz
Hit the beach
There's nothing better on a sweltering Boxing Day than to cool your jets at the beach. For something a little more special than lazing on a towel, try adding an experience into the mix. Mornington Peninsula has more than a few including swimming with dolphins and learning how to surf.
Stand Up Paddle Board Rental
RedBalloon
Swim With Dolphins and Seals
Adrenaline
Surfing Lessons
Experience Oz
Cruise on the water
Enjoy that December sunshine by getting on the water. It's not just relaxing cruises you can tuck into on Boxing Day (although there is that). Experience the adrenaline rush of a jet boat ride or get active with a kayak tour.
2-hour Melbourne Highlights Sightseeing Cruise
RedBalloon
Gold Coast Dinner Cruise
Adrenaline
Relieve some stress
It's been a heck of a year and you deserve to let some steam out. Play it your way and hit the spa, book a massage or let your anger out inside a smash room.
Salt Therapy Session
RedBalloon
Couples Day Spa Package with Massage, Mini Facial and More
RedBalloon
Learn something new
If you’ve got the day off but are not keen to sit around, get that brain working by trying out a new skill. Whether it’s mastering the classic martini, learning how to make something from a completely new cuisine or finding something that can help you stay active, your new talent is just a lesson away.
Cocktail Making Class with Matched Meze
RedBalloon
Archery Session in Melbourne
RedBalloon
Coffee Tasting and Roasting Experience
RedBalloon
Escape to the Yarra Valley
Boxing Day is the perfect excuse to get out of the city and enjoy this must-see tourist region as a local. It could just be for a relaxing lunch, an indulgent afternoon winery tour or maybe something a little more daring. Whatever you're craving, the Yarra Valley has got you covered.
Book a Yarra Valley escape here or a day trip from Melbourne here.
Yarra Valley Master Classes & 3 Course Champagne Lunch For 2
RedBalloon
Yarra Valley Winery Experience
Viator
Yarra River Half-Day Rafting Experience
Viator
Go on a high-flying adventure
Take in Melbourne from a new angle with a daring sky adventure. Romantics can take a helicopter scenic flight over the city while adrenaline junkies can try out one of many skydiving experiences across the state.
Shared Helicopter Flight Over Sydney and Beaches- 20 Minutes
RedBalloon
Helicopter Scenic Flight
Adrenaline
Visit a museum
Stacks of museums keep their doors open on Boxing Day. There's the Melbourne Museum for history buffs, the National Gallery of Victoria for artistic types and Scienceworks for budding scientists.
Sovereign Hill Goldfields and Museum
RedBalloon
Enchanted Adventure Garden and Maze Entry
Adrenaline
ArtVo Melbourne Admission Tickets
Experience Oz
Catch an unforgettable sporting event
Boxing Day stops for no sporting activity and the big one to watch is the Boxing Day Test. Held at Melbourne Cricket Ground, it's an iconic experience and one not to be missed. You can also watch the famous Sydney to Hobart yacht race on the tele this morning if that's more your style.
2024 Australian PGA Championship
Ticketek
2024 Perth SuperSprint
Ticketek
Brisbane Roar 2023/2024 A-League Men
Ticketek
TV binge at home
Spend your holidays the right way – sitting on your couch and taking it easy. Tuck into some Netflix, Binge or Disney, whichever takes your fancy. Cricket fans will know that 26 December is also the day of the famous Australia vs India Boxing Day Test Cricket. Invite some mates, grab some snacks and get excited.
Shop the online sales
Boxing Day is practically synonymous with sales. You can go sales-hunting in-store at these shopping hot spots on the day.
However, if you're tired of the elbow pushing, there are loads of sales happening online. Not only do they let you sleep in and save your energy, but you can shop in your pyjamas and have your goodies delivered to your door.
Check out our picks of the best shopping and travel deals here.
Where can I book Boxing Day activities in Melbourne?
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What's open on Boxing Day in Melbourne?
Attractions
| Attraction | Boxing Day trading hours | Where to get tickets |
|---|---|---|
| SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium | 9:30am–5pm | Adrenaline |
| Werribee Zoo | 9am–5pm | Adrenaline |
| Healesville Sanctuary | 9am–5pm | Experience Oz |
| Otway Fly Treetop Adventure | 10am–5pm | RedBalloon |
| Melbourne Zoo | 9am–5pm | Viator |
| Melbourne Skydeck | 12pm–10pm | Viator |
| LEGOLAND Discovery Centre | 10am–6pm | Experience Oz |
| ArtVo Melbourne | 10am–6pm | Experience Oz |
| Blue Lotus Water Garden | 11am–4pm | |
| Melbourne Museum | 10am–5pm | Direct |
Restaurants and cafes
| Venue | Boxing Day trading hours | Where to book |
|---|---|---|
| Dong Phuong Vietnamese Cuisine | 11:00am-9:30pm | Groupon |
| Taste of Cantonese Chinese Restaurant | 11pm-10pm | Groupon |
| Bangkok Grill by Smile Thai | 5pm-8:30pm | Groupon |
| Romanos Coffee Knox City | 8:30am-2:30pm | Groupon |
| Salona | 12pm-11pm | RedBalloon |
| Qipo Skewer Bar | 5:30pm–11pm | Direct |
| Stokehouse | 12pm–3pm | Direct |
| 400 Gradi | 12pm–11pm | Direct |
| Pastore | 6pm–9pm | Direct |
| The Hardware Club | 5pm-10pm | Direct |
| Chin Chin | 11am–11pm | Direct |
| Kisume | 5pm–10pm | Direct |
| Baby Pizza | 12pm–10:00pm | Direct |
| Hawker Hall | 12pm–10pm | Direct |
| Arbory | 7:30am–late | Direct |
| The B.East | 12pm–11pm | Direct |
| Sirduke | 8am-5pm | Direct |
| Gensuke | 12pm–9:00pm | Direct |
| Hakata Gensuke Carlton | 11:30am–9:30pm | Direct |
| Daughter in Law | 5pm-9pm | Direct |
| Horn Please | 6pm–9pm | Direct |
| Winter Malvern | 7am–4pm | Direct |
| Prior | 7am–3:30pm | Direct |
| Falco Bakery | 8am–3pm | Direct |
| Tim Ho Wan | 10am–8:00pm | Direct |
| Bentwood | 7:30am–4pm | Direct |
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See the latest Boxing Day activities deals for Melbourne
Classbento
Melbourne workshops from $33
Available on select dates on workshops such as virtual arts and crafts classes, silver jewellery making, kids' mosaic classes and more.
RedBalloon
5% off quad biking experiences with code
Available on select travel dates across Australia including Kangaroo Island, Melbourne, NSW and more. Minimum spend of $250 required.
RedBalloon
Exclusive
10% off activities with code FD300
Available on select dates on destinations including Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth and Hobart. Minimum spend of $300 required. Activities include hot air balloon flights, skydives and high teas. T&Cs apply.
Get deal
Exclusive
RedBalloon
Exclusive
Get 5% off activities with code
Available when you spend a minimum of $250 on activities such as hot air balloon flights, rally driving, skydives, high teas and more. Destinations include Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth and Hobart. T&Cs apply.
Exclusive
KKday
Up to 34% off things to do in Australia
Available on select travel dates across Brisbane, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast and more. Activities include day tours, zoo and animal interactions, tandem skydives, hot air balloon flights and jet boat rides.
RedBalloon
Buy 2 or more and get 10% off with code
Available on activities including skydives, whale watching cruises, day tours and getaways. Must purchase 2 or more vouchers. Destinations include Gold Coast, Cairns, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. T&Cs apply.
Classbento
Melbourne cooking classes from $69
Available on select dates on classes for Italian cuisine, Japanese cuisine, baking, cocktail mixing and more.
Expedia.com.au
Member Price: 10% off or more on over 100,000 hotels
Available for travel on select dates across Australia at Expedia. Destinations include Sydney, Sunshine Coast, Melbourne, Gold Coast, and more. T&Cs apply.
Adrenaline
Australia sightseeing cruises from $140
Available on select travel dates until 2024, including Easter and school holidays. Activities include whale- and dolphin-watching and lunch and sunset cruises in Sydney, Cairns, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth and Melbourne. T&Cs apply.
Viator
Melbourne Zoo General Entry Ticket from $53
Get close views of animals like koalas, kangaroos, wombats, and penguins at Viator. Available for booking on select dates. T&Cs apply.
Adrenaline
Werribee Open Range Zoo in Melbourne from $113
Available for booking on select dates at Adrenaline. Experience a 75-minute 4WD safari, get up close to the animals, and enjoy commentary. T&Cs apply.
RedBalloon
Up to 10% off Melbourne activities + an extra 10% off with code
Available on select dates until 2024 on activities including driving experiences, kayak tours, attraction passes and more. Minimum spend of $300 is required. T&Cs apply.
RedBalloon
Sleepover at Melbourne Zoo for 2 from $584
Available for booking on select dates at RedBalloon. It includes overnight camping at Melbourne Zoo in tents (suitable for two adults) and dinner, supper, and breakfast. T&Cs apply.
Tripadvisor
Things to do in Melbourne from $33
Available for travel on select dates and locations at TripAdvisor. Experience activities like land adventures, wine tours, water sports, and more T&Cs apply.
Experience Oz
20% off Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium Entry Tickets
Available for booking on select dates at Experience Oz. It includes a free digital photo pass valued at $39.60, an Ocean Invaders interactive jellyfish exhibit, and Daily shows and presentations. T&Cs apply.
Classbento
Cocktail-making classes from $49
Available on select dates in 2024 in locations across Australia such as Canberra, Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and more. T&Cs apply.
Lastminute.com.au
Up to 15% off Australia activities
Sign up with your email address and unlock Sneaky Saver deals. Activities include day tours, attraction passes and hop-on hop-off bus tours. Destinations include Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Melbourne. T&Cs apply.
RedBalloon
Up to 5% off Melbourne high tea experiences with code
Available on select dates when you spend a minimum of $250.
Groupon
Up to 72% off things to do in Melbourne
Available on select dates and activities including bike tours, river cruises, diving, skydiving, classes and more.
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