How to Spend a Weekend in the Mornington Peninsula: Hot Springs, Hiking & Wineries

The Mornington Peninsula is another “must see” on your weekend getaway list while traveling through Victoria! Known for its wineries, beautiful windy coast line, hiking trails and amazing hot springs, there are plenty of things to put on your itinerary for one or two weekends.

Blog Guide

• The Best Peninsula Hot Springs
• Best Hikes on the Mornington Peninsula
• Best Winery on the Mornington Peninsula
• What is the best time to visit the Mornington Peninsula?
• Where can I go on a rainy day in Mornington Peninsula?
• Conclusion: How to Spend a Weekend in the Mornington Peninsula: Hotsprings, Hiking, & Wineries

The Best Peninsula Hot Springs

Peninsula Hot Springs were easily my favorite day spent on this beautiful portion of the peninsula. As a wellness enthusiast with a back injury that happened to be acting up the weekend that I visited, it was just what I needed to reset, heal and enjoy the overcast day.

The Peninsula Hot Springs are packed with naturally heated and cooled pools along a naturescape ampitheatre, within a cave, and on an overlook with panoramic views of the trails and rolling hills in the distance.

The experience provided to all guests who choose to spend an afternoon here is truly a treat. Imagine walking in a white robe on nature trails from hot spring to hot spring, with the option to enter quaint steam and sauna rooms along the way.

To encourage contrast therapy, or “hot / cold therapy,” cold plunge tubs are scattered around the hot springs as well. While the hottest spring was around 41 degrees celcius (105 degrees fahrenheit), the coldest plunge was around 4 degrees celcius (39 degrees fahrenheit).

To add to the experience at the Peninsula Hot Springs, you can enjoy a healthy meal and beverage and eat it along the spring side cabanas.

Best Hike on the Mornington Peninsula

Hikes along the Mornington Peninsula range in difficulty and distance. On a rainy day, I spent some unforgettable moments hiking alongside Cape Schanck, the nearby light house and Bushranger Bay.

There is a 13 km option for completing this hike for those wanting a true cardio burn to accompany all of the beauty, as well as a shorter overlook walk from the lighthouse reserve.

Best Winery on the Mornington Peninsula

Polperro is a charming, family-owned winery nestled in between the tip of the Peninsula and southern Melbourne. It makes for the perfect stop to include on your way home from the hot springs or hiking.

I highly recommend booking a tasting in at the Cellar Door and taking home a bottle of your favorite pick. The staff at Polperro are knowledgable, kind and help create a great experience to finish off your day.

What is the best time to visit the Mornington Peninsula?

Local experts recommend visiting the Mornington Peninsula between the months of February to April. This ensures that you beat the heat and touristy crowds of the summer while still enjoying the area before peak rain season.

Where can I go on a rainy day in Mornington Peninsula?

I can recommend almost all of the day trip ideas I’ve reviewed in this post on rainy day. If it does rain, I would opt to hike the shorter trail from the lighthouse at Cape Schanck, so that you don’t have a huge trek back in the rain after seeing the incredible coast line.

The hot springs have enough cover and indoor options, that they would be mostly very enjoyable on a rainy, overcast day.

Lastly, you can’t go wrong visiting a winery and staying for a while while the rain passes through the peninsula. In other words, a rainy day should not sway you away from visiting the Mornington Peninsula.

Conclusion: How to Spend a Weekend in the Mornington Peninsula: Hot Springs, Hiking & Wineries

The Mornington Peninsula offers so much rare beauty and experiences! If you enjoy a trek outdoors, a spa day, an afternoon tasting the peninsula’s best wine, or a combination of these activities, you will not be disappointed in this weekend journey outside of Melbourne.