Run or walk the Tan around the Botanic Gardens
- Melbourne, Australia
- Posted on
- 1 photo
Photo: Rexness from Melbourne, Australia · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
About this tip
The Tan is a 3.8 km loop around the Royal Botanic Gardens, mostly on fine gravel, and one of the best-known running circuits in the city. You can shorten the lap by leaving at different gates, such as Gate 1 on Birdwood Avenue or Gate 2 on Domain Road. Trams 70 and 75 stop near the gardens, so leave the car behind. Run early in summer to beat the heat and refill your bottle at the fountains.
Where
Run or walk the Tan around the Botanic GardensRoyal Botanic Gardens, Birdwood Avenue, South Yarra
Open in Google Maps(opens in a new tab)More Tips & Traps in Melbourne
20 posts from Local Friends and travelers who know the city.
TipSleepStay or take tea at the Hotel Windsor
Melbourne, AustraliaThe Hotel Windsor on Spring Street, in the Parliament precinct, is Melbourne's only surviving purpose-built grand Victorian hotel and is on the Victorian Heritage Register. Afternoon tea in its grand dining room has long been a Melbourne institution. If a night there is out of budget, book the tea instead and take in…
TipEventsMoomba: Melbourne's free Labour Day riverside festival
Melbourne, AustraliaMoomba takes over the Yarra riverside over the Labour Day long weekend in March. Entertainment is free, with fireworks each night, live music, food trucks, watersports and the Birdman Rally, where homemade flying machines try to cross the river. A Monday parade of floats, puppets and bands closes the weekend. Arrive…
TipEventsOpen House Melbourne: a free weekend inside the city
Melbourne, AustraliaOn the last weekend of July, Open House Melbourne opens more than 180 buildings, tours and talks to the public, from heritage banks and tram depots to arts spaces and private homes. Most places are open access and free, but timed or small-capacity tours need a booking, and a few carry a small booking fee. Pick three…
LK TipMusic & NightlifeLive music at The Espy in St Kilda
Melbourne, AustraliaThe Esplanade Hotel, known as the Espy, has hosted live bands on The Esplanade in St Kilda since the 1970s heyday of its several stages. Its Gershwin Room, a former 1920s dance and jazz hall, reopened in 2025. Downstairs, the Basement runs regular nights such as open mic and blues, so there is often music without a…
TipMusic & NightlifeCatch a gig at the Corner Hotel, Richmond
Melbourne, AustraliaThe Corner Hotel on Swan Street is a Richmond pub with a standing-room band room and a rooftop bar, and it has hosted live music since around the 1940s. Most band-room shows are general admission, so arrive early for a spot near the stage. The rooftop is open Tuesday to Sunday and closed Mondays, and you can book a…
TrapShopGood Friday and Anzac morning: most shops shut
Melbourne, AustraliaVictoria has restricted trading days: Good Friday, Christmas Day and Anzac Day until 1pm. Only exempt shops can open, which includes cafes, restaurants, chemists, petrol stations and some smaller shops. Do your shopping the day before or after, and use those mornings for walks, parks and meals. On Anzac Day, cinemas…
BM TipShopBuy direct from makers at Rose Street Market
Melbourne, AustraliaRose Street Artists' Market in Fitzroy runs on weekends, with local artists, designers and makers selling their own work. Expect jewellery, fashion, prints, photography and home goods rather than souvenirs, and ask the maker about a piece before you buy. There is an eatery and rooftop bar on site, and entry is free…
TipPhotography & ViewsShrine of Remembrance: the balcony view
Melbourne, AustraliaThe Shrine of Remembrance is free to enter with no booking, and its outdoor balcony gives wide views over the city and the memorial reserve. Take the stairs, because the lift does not go up to the balcony. Inside, the Sanctuary holds a Ray of Light demonstration through the day. This is a place of remembrance, so keep…
Know Melbourne well?
Share a tip, or warn travelers about a trap. It only takes a few minutes.