Top 10 Christmas Date Ideas In Melbourne
Have a great time together with our curated list of the best Christmas date ideas in Melbourne.
It's that time of the year again!
The Christmas lights are up, the festive tunes are playing, and you're starting to think about what to do for your Christmas date.
If you're stuck for romantic Christmas ideas, never fear - we've put together a list of the top 10 Christmas date ideas in Melbourne without breaking the bank.
From carol singing and festive markets to city tours, VR adventures and even volunteering, there's something for everyone. In this article, you will also find great gift ideas for Christmas date nights or any occasion or for anyone that will actually be of use in the future.
So read on, and start planning the perfect Christmas date in Melbourne!
Gaze in wonder at the shimmering displays at Adventure Park
One of the Christmas bucket list things to do - The Christmas Festival of Lights at Adventure Park is the perfect date for couples looking for some holiday cheer.
More than 3 million lights over a 1.5 km trail will bring all things Yuletide alive with enchanting installations and three-dimensional displays.
Enjoy Jingle & Bells' interactive acrobatic show. Have you ever seen anything like it before?
And finally, get a chance to meet Santa himself!
Dates: 18th & 19th November 2022; 25th November to 24th December 2022; 26th December 2022 to 1st January 2023.
Website: Visit the website
Location: Check address/Plan route on Google Maps
Email: havefun@adventurepark.com.au
Phone: (03) 5250 7200
Team up for a VR adventure at Entermission VR Escape Room
Looking for something more unique and exciting to do with your significant other this Christmas day in Melbourne?
Why not give a virtual reality escape room a try?
Work together as a team to solve puzzles, crack codes, and find your way out of a virtual world.
VR adventures you can choose from at Entermission
Choose from a variety of mission themes.
- Get into the spirit of the Christmas season by helping Santa find his way home and save the day on Christmas.
- Find your way out of a mysterious world in which you’re the only human around in Jungle Quest.
- Fight killer robots and use the powers of telekinesis to move objects as you battle to save Earth in Space Heroes.
- Enter the brain of a psychopath to uncover the fate of a kidnapped child in Mad Mind.
- Join the White Rabbit, the Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, and the Caterpillar and save Wonderland from the Queen of Hearts in Alice.
- Join a special forces team to neutralize a terrorist threat in a highrise building in Mission Sigma.
- Battle a mysterious cult to save a detective in Sanctum.
- Travel back in time in an attempt at staving off a disaster in Chernobyl.
Which of these are you looking to take part in on your Christmas date?
You can also buy an Entermission gift card for a fellow couple friend to gift them an adventurous Christmas date idea.
Restaurants nearby for a post-game Christmas dinner
- White Tomato, a Korean BBQ restaurant.
- Encore Restaurant & Bar, known for its Australian fare.
- Seamstress Restaurant and Bar, known for its pan-Asian cuisine and wall art.
- Nando’s on Bourke Street, known for its chicken dishes.
- Nana Thai, known for hot pot dishes and Thai BBQ.
This will be a Christmas date neither of you will forget!
Website: Visit the home page
Location: Check address/Plan route on Google Maps
Email: melbourne@enterthemission.com
Phone: (03) 8060 0683
Celebrate the Yuletide spirit at Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight
Vision Australia will be organizing their 85th Carols by Candlelight this year.
Almost every year since 1938, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl has welcomed families to celebrate the Yuletide spirit through song while raising funds for Vision Australia's children's services.
And this year, they're going to make it the most spectacular event yer!
Cosy up with your significant other as you listen to festive tunes, sip on hot cocoa, and maybe even join in on the singing.
It's a great excuse to deck yourselves in matching Santa hats and gloves.
Oh, and don't get caught up in fear of falling off-key...there'll be plenty of others doing that too!
Dates: Rehearsal on December 23rd and the final event on December 24th (Christmas Eve).
Website: Visit the website
Location (for the Sidney Myer Music Bowl): Check address/Plan route on Google Maps
Enquiry form: Visit Vision Australia’s contact page
Phone: 1800 42 20 77 (Vision Australia)
Getting your Christmas shopping done at Queen Victoria Market
Melbourne is a great place to be during the holidays, especially for couples looking for a unique Christmas date idea.
What better way to spend time with your significant other than brave the crowds and embark on a shopping spree for holiday gifts?
The Christmas market at Queen Victoria Market is a great place to find the perfect Christmas gifts for couples and anyone you plan to send a holiday present to.
Browse a range of items, from locally-made toys and jewellery to retro fashion, from books to Australian-made accessories and much more! If you are celebrating any special milestones, you can get your anniversary gifts from the market as well.
Shopping to make Christmas dinner at home? Make sure you check out the deli section - you can find everything from cold meat to cheese dips, olives and crackers!
And in case all the shopping leaves you famished, and you want to have a bite, head for the food trucks serving their famous jam doughnuts!
Website: Visit the website
Location: Check address/Plan route on Google Maps
Enquiry form: Visit their contact page
Phone: (03) 9320 5822
Visit Port’s Artisan Christmas Market
If you’re looking for couple gift ideas this Christmas for your parents or yourself, the Port’s Artisan Christmas Market in Melbourne has you covered. Not only is it the perfect place to find unique and one-of-a-kind presents, but there’s also an incredible selection of local artwork, food, drinks and more.
Irrespective of what they love, the market has everything from handmade soap to gourmet wines. Plus, the festive atmosphere just adds to the Christmas spirit! So make sure to get yourself down to Port and check out all the goodies!
This also makes a great Christmas date activity! You will understand each other's choice and maybe buy each other a special something or get yourselves a cute couple gift!
Day: Saturday, 3rd December 2022.
Website: Visit the website
Location (Bay Street): Check address/Plan route on Google Maps
Email (for the Port Melbourne Business Association): Marketing@3207port.com.au
Explore Melbourne as you’ve never done before
For crazy romantic couples. Melbourne is absolutely buzzing during the Christmas holiday season, with festive lights and decorations adorning every street corner.
Why not take advantage of the merriment and enjoy a city tour as a unique Christmas date?
Impress your significant other by navigating Melbourne's winding lanes and hidden alleyways and discovering unique shops, cafes, and street art.
You'd prefer to go on a guided tour?
Check out these Melbourne tours
- Hear tales and trivia of hotspots like Federation Square, Hosier Lane, and Old Melbourne Gaol as you go on a stroll through the city in the Complete Melbourne Walking Tour.
- Bike through Melbourne with a local guide who'll take you through our history and significant events on the Classic City Bike Tour.
- Uncover a treasure trove of culinary delights strewn all across the city on the Melbourne Foodie Discovery Walking Tour.
- Explore our street art scene on a Melbourne Street Art Tour.
Explore charming lanes, back alleys, and arcades and uncover hidden gems in the Melbourne Lanes And Arcades Walking Tour.
Go on a ghost tour
Looking to relive the thrill of the spooky season with your significant other? Or are you the adventurous couple?
Halloween may be long gone, but going on a ghost tour is a fun Christmas idea as well!
Melbourne may be known for its bustling laneways and cafes, but it also has a spooky side.
Embrace the season by taking your significant other on tour through historic buildings, dark alleys and graveyards, learning about our city's macabre past.
It'll be a Christmas time to remember.
Just make sure to hold onto your boo extra tight...you never know who (or what) you might encounter.
Melbourne ghost tours you can choose from
- Explore the gorier aspects of Williamstown - Victoria’s original capital - by lantern in the Ghosts of Williamstown Tour.
- Tour the grand country home that is Eynesbury Homestead. From the haunted lake to the abandoned meat room, there are all sorts of surprises waiting for you!
- You'll relish every minute of your ghostly journey with Lantern Ghost Tours.
- Clutch your beau's hand tightly while exploring the depth's of the Old Melbourne Gaol on the Ghost? What Ghost? tour.
- 2 for 1. Discover hidden bars and uncover secrets of the past with Drinking History Tours.
Take on the role of vampires and explore various aspects of Melbourne’s history in the Haunted Melbourne Exploration Game.
Volunteer
What does the age-old Christmas carol Good King Wenceslas say?
Ye, who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing.
Indeed, one of the best Christmas Eve ideas is to volunteer.
Instead of giving each other material gifts, bring joy to those less fortunate and make a lasting impact in Melbourne's community.
Not only will it bring you closer as a couple, but it'll also give you the warm and fuzzy feeling that comes from giving back.
OK, this might not be a traditional date idea, but shaking up your routine can be a good thing.
So, as part of your holiday season date in Melbourne, set aside some time for volunteering and charity work.
Trust us - it'll be worth it.
Attend Chanukah – Pillars of Light
Pillars of Light is a celebration that brings together all different communities in Melbourne.
Each evening's events will feature guest speakers, performers, cultural groups, sportspeople and more in a spirit of diversity, connection, and collaboration.
A number of local and more established multicultural, faith and Indigenous artists and choirs will perform during the festival.
Dates: 18th to 23rd December.
Website: Visit the webpage on the Fed Square website
Location (Fed Square): Check address/Plan route on Google Maps
Email: info@fedsquare.com
Phone: (03) 9655 1900
Attend a cooking class
A cooking class is a perfect way to embrace the Christmas spirit and learn some new skills in the kitchen.
Next year, your romantic Christmas gift idea as a couple could be a delicious homemade meal for your loved ones.
Melbourne has a variety of classes to choose from, so whether you want to focus on international cuisine or try your hand at wine and cheese pairings, there's something for everyone.
So grab your aprons and get ready for an unforgettable Christmas date night in Melbourne's culinary world.
Some cooking classes to choose from
- Couple an Italian staple with a modern trend: Learn how to make gluten-free, vegan pizzas from chef Pizzaiolo Edoardo > Go to class.
- European Christmas dinners are sumptuous, pairing lamb and pork main courses with delicious desserts. Find out how you too can prepare such a dinner at the cooking classes by Essential Ingredients > Go to website.
- Feel the two of you need to brush up on essential kitchen skills? CAE’s cooking class can help > Go to the website.
Want to spice up New Year’s Eve dinner with East Asian cuisine? Otao Kitchen’s classes can show you how! Visit website.
Planning your Melbourne Christmas date - a final word
Whether you’re looking for a traditional Christmas date or something more unique, we hope this list has given you some unique ideas.
If you haven’t decided what to do yet, don’t worry! If all goes downhill, a Christmas movie marathon will save your Christmas date.
Melbourne is home to endless possibilities when it comes to things to do on a date, and that too on a special occasion, so drop us a comment below and let us know what you have in mind.
We can’t wait to hear from you!