Great Ocean Road

The best way to take in this spectacular stretch of road is by car or coach. Most Great Ocean Road tours leave from Melbourne and include a tour guide and round-trip transportation with a small group of fellow travelers. Tours typically stop at the Twelve Apostles, a cluster of limestone stacks on the Southern Ocean coast.

Activities along the way may include wine tastings in Apollo Bay or wild koala–spotting in Kennett River. Hiking along the shipwreck coast to take in stunning views of the Loch Ard Gorge or pulling over to watch the sunset are also great options. It's worth considering a stop at Phillip Island for the famous penguin parade.

• Tours along the Great Ocean Road tend to run upwards of 12 hours due to all of the driving.

• Renting a car and driving the Great Ocean Road is a great way to get to know the area independently.

• Many attractions along the Great Ocean Road are accessible to wheelchair users, including the Twelve Apostles and the Loch Ard Gorge.

The Great Ocean Road is located 150 miles (240 kilometers) southwest of Melbourne and 100 miles (165 kilometers) from Geelong. It takes about 3 hours to arrive from Melbourne by road. Buses from these cities stop in major Great Ocean Road towns such as Torquay, Anglesea, Lorne, and Apollo Bay, but a car is essential to take a road trip on the full 151-mile (243-kilometer) route.

In December and January, the road's small coastal towns are especially popular among Australians from New South Wales and South Australia cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. Crowds can often dampen the tranquil atmosphere of the route. Consider an off-season visit to avoid both traffic and the scorching summer sun.

The waves off the Great Ocean Road are a paradise for surfers, who flock here from Melbourne, while seaside towns such as Geelong, Lorne, and Torquay offer whale watching and maritime history. Don't miss Port Campbell National Park and the Twelve Apostles Marine National Park. Wildlife fans should make a stop at Great Otway National Park, home to kangaroos, wallabies, and fairy penguins.

While you can see a few of the highlights on a day trip from Melbourne to the Great Ocean Road, you should take two or three days for a more in-depth visit. You'll have time to do its coastal walks and visit some of the region’s waterfalls, too.

December–March is the best time to visit the Great Ocean Road, but also by far the busiest, especially if you want to make the most of its beaches. Try going in October or November for a quieter trip when the waterfalls are likely to be at their most impressive.

Yes, the Great Ocean Road is worth visiting to see the rock formations and cliffs along its dramatic coastline. You can also see the rainforest in Great Otway National Park and stop at different small towns along the way.

On a tour of the Great Ocean Road, you'll typically see the Twelve Apostles from its viewpoint, visit the rock formations at Loch Ard Gorge, the Razorback, and London Bridge, and go looking for wildlife at Kennett River Koala Walk.

Yes, you can do a day trip to the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne. However, it will be a long day with a lot of time spent driving. In that short amount of time, you'll generally only have time for sightseeing at the most popular attractions along the coast.

The best time to hike the Great Ocean Walk, the trail that follows the Great Ocean Road along the coast, is either in spring (October–November) or fall (March–April). These seasons let you avoid the heat of summer and the storms and rain of winter.