You are visiting Melbourne and Australia’s state of Victoria, and seeing the Great Ocean Road is high on your agenda, but you don’t have a car. Well, you could rent a car but the best alternative is to go on an organised tour. An organised tour will take you to all the best spots along the Great Ocean Road. So read on, and discover the best Great Ocean Road tours if you don’t have a car.
Table of Contents
Pros of Going on a Tour of the Great Ocean Road
- Vehicle is supplied and you ride in comfort
- No wear and tear on your own vehicle
- No driver’s fatigue from all the bends
- You visit to all the best spots along the Great Ocean Road (GOR). The most iconic spots of the Great Ocean Road that you see in the tourist brochures!
- Accommodation is included if you choose to do a 2 or 3 day trip of the Great Ocean Road
Best Things to See on Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road has many places to stop and see. If you are doing the Great Ocean Road in one day, you should ensure your trip includes stopping at all the best things you want to see along the Great Ocean Road. Here are the major things you will want to see on the Great Ocean Road.
- Visit the famed Bells Beach – just before the Great Ocean Road and maybe dip your toes in the ocean
- See The Entrance Sign to the Great Ocean Road. Learn its history and get a photo of the statues
- Drive through beach side towns along the Great Ocean Road – Apollo Bay, Aireys Inlet, Anglesea and Lorne and stop for lunch on the Great Ocean Road in one of the towns. Maybe a visit to the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery. Very similar to the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery and just as yummy.
- Visit waterfalls such as Erskine Falls some 10km behind Lorne cascading 30 metres into the valley of the Erskine River.
- Into the Otway National Park to visit the Cape Otway Lighthouse and if time, walk the Otway Fly Treetops and maybe see some koalas in the trees
- Learn why Shipwreck Coast is called Shipwreck Coast and visit Loch Ard Gorge
- See the jewel in the crown of the Great Ocean Road – The 12 Apostles.
Stop at the entrance to the GOR
Erskine Falls
The 12 Apostles from the air
Loch Ard, Shipwreck Coast
Late afternoon at the 12 Apostles
How Long Does it Take to See the Great Ocean Road
Many people visit the Great Ocean Road on a day trip from Melbourne. You can see the Great Ocean Road in one day, however, this will be a very long day (and I mean looonng day! Most one day tours along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria last for around 12-14 hours. You will start early around 8am and be home not until 8pm-10pm. With lots of getting on and off the bus. If you only have 1 day – well, you only have 1 day to explore the Great Ocean Road. And you will see a lot on a Great Ocean Road 1 day tour. If you have the time, you can take a 2 day tour of the Great Ocean road which will give you more time exploring the area. A 3 day tour of the Great Ocean Road would offer even more things to see and do along the Great Ocean Road.
Is a One Day Tour of the Great Ocean Road Kid Friendly?
Tours along the Great Ocean Road are very kid friendly as there is so much to see and learn for them, and adults too. There are plenty of stops with room to run around, like at the waterfalls and beach side towns. Plus, there are lots of natural attractions and things to discover. So yes, the Great Ocean Road is very kid friendly.
Get Your Guide – Best Great Ocean Road Tours
I love Get Your Guide because it finds you the best deals from local suppliers. Plus they offer loads of options for small group sizes too. There are Great Ocean Road tours leaving Melbourne daily. Tours usually start from the centre of Melbourne at various pick up points. Then there is a drive of about 1.5 hours to get to the start of the Great Ocean Road. The trip finishes after viewing the 12 Apostles. This means you will see the 12 Apostles in the afternoon, early evening light. But if you want to see the 12 Apostles in late morning light, you can do this tour in reverse. Check out the following tours for your visit to the Great Ocean Road.
Best Great Ocean Road 1 Day Tours
Great Ocean Road and Wildlife Tour
See all the best bits of the Great Ocean Road, plus some wildlife in the Otway Ranges on this 1 day tour.
Duration: 13.5 hours.
Great Ocean Road Full-Day Sunset Tour
See the best bits of the Great Ocean Road and enjoy a spectacular sunset – hopefully the weather will provide this!
Duration: 13 hours
Reverse Great Ocean Road Trip with Lunch
Start your day at the 12 Apostles and work your way back along the Great Ocean Road.
Duration: 13 hours
2 Day Great Ocean Road Tours
2 Day Great Ocean Road Tour
See more of the Great Ocean Road during this two full days along this amazing coastline. Explore some of Victoria’s wonderful beaches, villages, waterfalls, and lookouts.
Duration: 2 Days
3 Day Great Ocean Tour leaving from Melbourne
3 Day Tour of Great Ocean Road
Really explore and discover the Great Ocean Road on this 3 day tour.
Duration: 3 Days
If you prefer to drive yourself
If you have access to a vehicle and want to drive the Great Ocean Road yourself, read these articles I have written.
3 day driving Great Ocean Road itinerary
8 Vehicle Checks to do Before any Road Trip
Best Aussie Snacks to eat on a road trip
Enjoy Visiting the Great Ocean Road
This is a hard one. I am not really a fan of driving, so I love the idea of someone doing the research about where to take us, and then driving us BUT I normally hate tours if they are busy (they often seem a bit rushed compared to doing everything yourself…)
The tours you have suggested all sound fab though – so I guess I’d be up for giving them a go. 🙂
Sounds like a tour of the Great Ocean Road, Victoria, would suit you best. I hope you get to do one one day!
I just went on a day trip tour to the Great Ocean Road and I loved it so much! I can’t believe how gorgeous it was! I definitely agree that taking a road tour is a convenient way of exploring this area!
Road tripping the Great Ocean Road is your best option to see it. Though I did enjoy the helicopter ride over the 12 Apostles!
Australia is one of the top destinations on my travel bucket list. I would really like to see the Great Ocean Road! Saving your post with all useful links for the future travels. Thanks for sharing!
Good, I hope you get to travel the Great Ocean Road soon.
During lockdown I posted an ‘armchair travel guide to the Great Ocean Road’ and travel bloggers told me their favourite place – and someone mentioned a cafe that served the best lamingtons (? – a cake) in Australia. I really want to travel the Great Ocean Road – and I will have to track down this cafe too!
There are a number of cafes in the major towns along the Great Ocean Road, so you will be able to try lamingtons – yes, it is a cake – sponge, cover in chocolate and coconut. Some have a layer of jam inside while others have cream. Some even have jam and cream – yum.
As someone who’s never been to Australia, this is a helpful list of options 🙂
Thank you. I hope you get to drive the Great Ocean Road one day!
It is great to see options for those who don’t have a car. Are they any public transport options for any of the locations? Which tours would you recommend for those who generally prefer independent travel?
Public transport is sparse. You can get a train from Melbourne to Geelong and then local buses from Geelong along the Great Ocean Road to major towns like Lorne. There are also a range of tour operators servicing the Great Ocean Road. Many with smaller buses to get around the bends and these can be organised in Melbourne.
Australia is such a big country that we don’t even know where to start when planning our trip. The Great Ocean Road needs to make the list it looks like!
I think when planning you need to work out how much time you have to spend in Australia because it is so big. Then decide what you want to see. And after that how you will get there. And going on a road trip is one of the best ways to see Australia. If you can’t drive yourself, a tour is the next best option.
This is such a great information and very detailed
Thank you. It is detailed because I have driven the Great Ocean Road quite a few times and also been on a tour so can write from experience.
I have my driving license but I haven’t actually used it in maybe 6 years– I hate driving! So having the option to go on tours where someone does all the work for me is great. Thanks for sharing this selection of tours! Makes it easier to decide which to pick for a visit to the Great Ocean Road.
Even though I like to drive, I do like being driven and on a tour, you are told about what you are seeing which makes it even more special.
Saving this for future travel planning! Your photos are stunning, thanks for sharing!
Thanks. I’ve travelled the Great Ocean Road a few times and stop a lot to get photos. I see something I haven’t seen before each time. It is such an iconic drive. I hope you get to drive it.
We drove the GOR last year and absolutely loved it! We skipped the helicopter ride, but maybe we should have done it in hindsight. Great suggestions for doing this tour without a rental (although I’d 100% recommend to drive yourself if you feel comfortable enough).
It is best if you can drive the GOR because you can stop when you like, but if you don’t have a car, going on a tour is the next best option.