Around the Bay Touring Route

Sorrento to Melbourne

100 km/79 miles, about 2.5 hours (includes 1 hour ferry ride and 1.5 drive)

Climb aboard the ferry across the bay to the Mornington Peninsula and kick off the second part of your journey.

Linger in Sorrento where beautiful nineteenth-century limestone buildings house excellent eateries, boutiques, galleries and specialist shops. Surf at Sorrento's ocean beaches, join a tour or boat cruise to swim with dolphins and seals, or cast a line on a fishing cruise out in the bay.

Pause for a few hours at nearby Portsea and enjoy a drink on the lawns of the famous Portsea Pub, which boasts panoramic views of the bay. Take a walk out to Point Nepean and explore the remains of Victoria's coastal defence at Fort Nepean.

Turn north back along the coast to Rosebud and from there cross over to the other side of the peninsula, arriving at Cape Schanck. Follow the boardwalks and take in stunning views of the wild surf of Bass Strait. If you've got some extra time, go on a guided tour of the historic Cape Schanck Lighthouse.

Continue along the Westernport Bay side of the peninsula to the nineteenth-century fishing hamlet of Flinders. Have a surf or take the kids to the beach, have lunch in style, and then hit the village stores for great boutique shopping. Make time for a round of golf at the scenic Flinders Golf course overlooking Bass Strait.

If wine and sculpture are more your style, continue on to Pt Leo Estate and stop here for lunch. Dine in their award winning restaurant or bistro and take a stroll in the sculpture park on site.

Travel inland towards Arthurs Seat with its exceptional views extending from the bay to the city. Drive through Red Hill, Merricks and Main Ridge stopping for lunch and cellar doors tastings. Stock up on seasonal organic fruit and vegetables at farm gates across the region, or pop by the famous Red Hill market on the first Saturday of the month (September to May).

After exploring Red Hill return to the beach road and amble back to Melbourne taking in the coastal scenery along the way. Cruise through Mornington and have a coffee overlooking the yachts bobbing in the harbour and the colourful beach boxes lining the sand.

Stop on the city's outskirts at Frankston and visit the renowned McClelland Gallery+Sculpture Park. See works by painters Russell Drysdale and Fred Williams, or stroll through the sculpture park for art in a beautiful bushland setting.

Looking for a different approach? Travel via Hastings, an historic fishing town and a good place to sign up for a fishing charter or join a cruise of Westernport Bay.