Melbourne: The Perfect Retirement Travel Destination
Newly retired, and eager to start enjoying the finer things in life, especially travel? Consider Melbourne—an ideal destination for retirement travel in Australia.
Also known as Australia’s cultural capital, Melbourne is one of the best vacation destinations for those in their 60s and beyond! With time (and your pension funds) on your side, you can sip coffee and people watch along the iconic Yarra River, enjoy a leisurely stroll at the romantic Royal Botanic Gardens, or spend hours meandering through intriguing museums and laneways.
This is also the city to splash out on fine dining or splurge on unforgettable experiences—think helicopter rides and hot-air balloons. After all, you’ve earned it.
As an older traveller, you might have concerns about accessibility, such as whether you need to be physically fit to participate in certain activities, or whether accommodations can be made to suit someone with limited mobility. Rest assured that the City of Melbourne is committed to inclusion—major tourist attractions and public transport (other than trams) are accessible, and city intersections have audio pedestrian crossing signals and tactile paving for the vision-impaired.
The Pan Pacific Hotels Group has put together a list of Melbourne recommendations just for you. We look forward to hosting you during your retirement trip to Melbourne!
Sign up for Pan Pacific DISCOVERY
Join Pan Pacific DISCOVERY and unlock a wealth of benefits, with or without a stay. Enjoy exclusive member rates, specially curated Local Offers and Experiences, and access to our rewards currency, DISCOVERY Dollars (D$).
Accessible Melbourne: Resources for Senior Travellers
The City of Melbourne has many resources for travellers with accessibility needs. Here are some that you may find useful:
Accessible sports activities in Victoria
Accessible experiences in Australia
Travellers Aid (provides travel-related support to older travellers, and those with disabilities)
Another great free resource is the Lonely Planet’s Accessible Melbourne guide. Simply fill in your details and you will be able to download a pdf to keep.
Where Can Retirees Stay in Melbourne?
Looking for suitable accommodation in Melbourne? As an older person, it’s best to choose hotels that are close to attractions that you would like to visit, with comfortable rooms and facilities for your convenience.
To enjoy waterfront living along the Yarra River, book a room at Pan Pacific Melbourne. Take in the splendid view from your room, or hop on an idyllic river cruise to let the waters soothe your soul. Don’t forget to sample the coffee at the Yarra River’s many cafes—Melbourne is considered Australia’s coffee capital!
At Pan Pacific Melbourne, we have wheelchair-accessible rooms available upon request. Please contact our team to make a booking.
Prefer a Melbourne suburban location?
Just a 30-minute drive from Melbourne's CBD, PARKROYAL Monash Melbourne is situated along the gateway to the Dandenongs, Yarra Valley, and the Mornington Peninsula. Guests can visit wineries and scenic destinations in the region, or indulge in shopping at the nearby M-City and Chadstone Shopping Centre.
If you have mobility needs, do consider our Accessible Superior Room, which offers wheelchair accessibility, an oversized wheel-in shower, a grab rail, a wheelchair accessible basin, a shower seat, and bathing controls.
Catering for the hearing- and vision-impaired, the room also includes visual and audible emergency alarms and closed-caption TV.
Like the idea of being close to the airport? PARKROYAL Melbourne Airport offers obvious advantages like quick and hassle-free transfers, but that’s not all!
While staying at our Tullamarine airport hotel, you can explore the local neighbourhood, or take a 15-minute drive to the popular Sunbury Wine Region, where vineyards have been winning awards since the 1850s. And with a 20-minute drive, you’ll be in Melbourne’s famed city centre, with its cosy cafes, fabulous food, and lush parklands.
AT PARKROYAL Melbourne Airport, wheelchair-accessible rooms are available upon request. Please contact our team for bookings.
We understand that every traveller is unique, so send us your enquiries, and we’ll be happy to help you find the perfect Melbourne accommodation!
Top Experiences for Your Melbourne Retirement Holiday
The best cities are made for walking, and Melbourne is no exception. You can use the City of Melbourne’s self-guided walks to see world-renowned street art, discover ‘secret’ gardens, and trace Melbourne’s Aboriginal heritage and culture.
Here’s more inspiration to help you plan the perfect Melbourne retirement trip!
Take an Aboriginal Heritage Walk at the Royal Botanic Gardens
When in Melbourne, you will hear about tours led by First Nations or First Peoples guides. These are the descendants of indigenous Australians, the first custodians of the land before British colonisation began in the late 1700s.
One such tour takes place at the verdant Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, formerly a significant camping and meeting site for the Kulin People. Retread their footsteps by signing up for the Aboriginal Heritage Walk led by a First Peoples guide, where you’ll learn to identify significant native plants, and gain insight into indigenous customs. For information on other guided tours at the park, check the official events page.
Book Aboriginal Heritage Walk at Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne
Book tours at Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne
Be on Top of the World at the Melbourne Skydeck
Visiting an observation deck is a quintessential tourist experience, and one that you shouldn’t miss while in Melbourne.
At the Melbourne Skydeck, you’ll get a stunning view of the city from a height of nearly 300m. You can also customise your experience to enjoy cocktails during your visit, or test your wits by stepping into The Edge, a transparent glass cube that projects out from the Melbourne Skydeck.
Book tickets at Melbourne Skydeck
Broaden Your Horizons with Melbourne’s Best Museum Tours
Visits to Melbourne’s top attractions can be much more informative and meaningful with an expert to show you around.
For instance, if you plan to visit the city’s State Library Victoria, check their events page. You can join a history tour to see iconic spaces in the library—such as the Ned Kelly display, dedicated to Australia’s most notorious bushranger. Likewise, you can sign up for tours at the Melbourne Museum (a museum showcasing Victoria’s history) and the National Gallery Victoria (the most-visited arts museum in Australia).
Do also make time for the highly rated Shrine of Remembrance, dedicated to Victorians who enlisted in the First World War. During this war, tens of thousands of Victorians died abroad and were buried far from home—the Shrine provided a place where families could remember their loved ones, and represents the courage and solidarity of all Victorians.
Book a tour at State Library Victoria
Book a tour at Melbourne Museum
Book a tour at National Gallery Victoria
Book a tour at Shrine of Remembrance
Glam Up for a Theatre Night Out in Melbourne
Internationally, few cities can boast a theatre slate as diverse and glamorous as Melbourne’s—only London’s West End and New York’s Broadway come to mind! From high-energy musicals and contemporary dance performances to intimate dramas, theatre fans in Melbourne will be dazzled by the choices. To see what’s on during your visit, check the City of Melbourne’s theatre page.
Book a theatre performance in Melbourne
Have an Epic Art Adventure at THE LUME
Why tiptoe through a museum to admire art from a distance, when you can freely engage all of your senses to immerse yourself in an artist’s world? At digital art gallery THE LUME Melbourne, you’re encouraged to do just that.
What can you expect from a digital art gallery? You’ll get to see masterpieces writ large and in digital form, but it doesn’t end there. With a fully immersive experience, you might also hear ambient sounds and music from the past, or enjoy a thematic meal at a pop-up cafe. If you’ve always found it challenging to fully appreciate art, this might be the gallery for you.
For guests at Pan Pacific Melbourne, THE LUME is directly opposite the hotel entrance.
Book tickets at THE LUME
Enjoy Slow Living on a Melbourne Boat Tour
There’s nothing like a languid cruise to help you relax and slow down, and when in Melbourne, you’ll be spoilt for choice. You can charter a fishing boat, take a ride to spot wildlife, or watch the sunset on a luxury yacht, with a glass of bubbly at your side.
Book cruises and boat tours in Melbourne
Fly High and Live Large in Melbourne
This is the time to start checking off those bucket-list desires! Need ideas? How about a ride in a hot-air balloon, taking off in a helicopter, or experiencing the exhilarating thrill of skydiving for the first time in your life? And if you’re wondering about age limits for skydiving, there are none—90 year olds have made skydiving jumps! You should of course consult your doctor before your trip, and ensure that you have basic fitness, such as the flexibility to extend your legs for a landing.
Book a hot-air balloon ride, helicopter flight, or skydiving experience in Melbourne
Sharpen Up Your Golf Game in Melbourne
Need to practise your swing? Head to the Spring Valley Golf Club or the Commonwealth Golf Club. Part of the Melbourne Sandbelt—a region to the southeast of Melbourne known for its sandy soil—these courses feature tree-lined fairways and gently sloping greens, and are suitable for both amateur and professional golfers.
Pay Tribute to Melbourne’s Retired Racehorses
What happens to champion racehorses when they retire? At Living Legends, they are given a home to live out their twilight years in comfort and dignity. Visitors to Living Legends can book a tour to pat and feed these retired superstars, read about their racehorse careers, and have pictures taken to remember the visit by.
For guests at PARKROYAL Melbourne Airport, Living Legends is an 8-minute drive away.
Book a tour at Living Legends
Go on a Melbourne Day Trip Adventure
Ready to spice up your holiday with a day trip from Melbourne? The most popular day trip options from Melbourne include:
Phillip Island: see penguins up close in this lively seaside town
Great Ocean Road: one of the world’s most scenic coastal drives
Yarra Valley: the no.1 Melbourne day trip for indulging in food and wine
Mornington Peninsula: experience the coastal life, Australian-style
A tour would minimise any planning hassles and ensure that you can maximise your time in each location. For convenience, be sure to book a tour that includes a hotel pick-up and drop-off.
Book a Mornington Peninsula tour
Ride on Australia’s Favourite Steam Train, the Puffing Billy
There’s something magical and evocative about a steam train ride, from the sight of locomotives being prepared for departure, the smell of steam billowing from the train’s chimney, and the sound of the train whistle—signalling that your ride is about to begin. In Melbourne, you can take a day trip to ride on the Puffing Billy, a historic steam train built in 1900 to serve the local communities that lived in the hills. It’s a nostalgia-filled adventure that you shouldn’t miss.
You can make your own way to board the Puffing Billy by car or public transport. Alternatively, book a tour that will also allow you to see the surrounding sights at a relaxed pace.
Book a Puffing Billy and Healesville Sanctuary bus tour
View Our Offers
Rooms and Suites
Short Stay Hourly Accommodation Offer
Make the most of your spare time during transit at Melbourne Airport.
More DetailsPARKROYAL Melbourne Airport
Rooms and Suites
Exclusively Yours
Up to 30%* off best flexible rates. Sale ends 31 August 2025.
More DetailsSelected Properties
Rooms and Suites
Extended Stay and Save
Stay for a minimum of 7 nights in our Studio King Room and enjoy exclusive rates!
More DetailsPARKROYAL Monash Melbourne
Rooms and Suites
Short Stay Hourly Accommodation Offer
Make the most of your spare time during transit at Melbourne Airport.
More DetailsPARKROYAL Melbourne Airport
Rooms and Suites
Exclusively Yours
Up to 30%* off best flexible rates. Sale ends 31 August 2025.
More DetailsSelected Properties
Rooms and Suites
Extended Stay and Save
Stay for a minimum of 7 nights in our Studio King Room and enjoy exclusive rates!
More DetailsPARKROYAL Monash Melbourne
Discover More Destination Insights
-
Hotels and Resorts
-
Serviced Suites
-
Wellness and Lifestyle
Sign Up for Our Newsletter
Be the first to know about our exclusive deals.
Download Our Mobile App
Get the Latest from Our Socials
