🇦🇺 Geelong: The Perfect Car-Free Weekend Getaway from Melbourne! 🌊

As an international student in Melbourne looking for weekend plans, I highly recommend visiting Geelong – Victoria's charming second city! Just take the Geelong Line train from Southern Cross Station 🚆, arrive at Geelong Railway Station, and it’s only an 800m walk to the beautiful waterfront! We left the CBD around noon and headed straight to a bookmarked restaurant: 🍽️ Sailors’ Rest (literally just across the road from the beach!) We tried some of their most recommended dishes – two pastas and one chicken tenders. Here’s the review: 1️⃣ Rigatoni Rag - $30 Tomato-based beef pasta with a refreshing tang 🍅😋 — the beef was tender, well-seasoned, and there was plenty of it! Topped with cheese. A must-try for tomato pasta lovers! 2️⃣ Katsu Chicken Tenders - $18 The sauce was absolutely amazing!!! 🍗✨ The coating was thin and crispy. The chicken itself can be a bit dry, but that sauce… I’m still dreaming of it! 3️⃣ Fettuccine Marinara - $35 Packed with fresh seafood 🦐, generous portion. The noodles are wide (almost like Chinese gua mian), with a tangy and slightly spicy flavor. Personally loved this one – more complex taste! 💭 Summary: Prices are a bit higher than Melbourne CBD, but the portions are totally worth it. Both pastas were rich, flavorful, and delicious! After the meal, we just crossed the street and wandered along the waterfront all afternoon. The scenery was stunning 😍 – we even got caught in the rain and were blessed with a rainbow! Feeling super lucky 🌈 Before sunset, we hopped on the “French Fry Box” Ferris wheel 🎡 – only $11! Great experience with beautiful views over Geelong. Highly recommended! Overall: Geelong is a place I’d love to visit again. Very car-free-friendly, such a comfortable and lovely town. Definitely liked it! 💙 #Melbourne #StudyInMelbourne #MelbourneFood #Geelong #WeekendVibes #GeelongEats #ExploreVictoria #CarFreeTravel #AustralianLife