Duration:
3h30m
Explore Melbourne’s Sports Precinct on foot with a local guide who will uncover why Melbourne has been voted the Sports Capital of the Decade. This 3.5 hour walking tour includes a tour of the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Operated By:
Melbourne is a city that lives and breathes sport. From thrilling AFL grand finals to legendary cricket matches and epic tennis battles, our sporting culture runs deep. But there’s more to Melbourne’s sports precinct than the games themselves – this is where history is made, rivalries ignite, and unforgettable moments unfold.
Join us on a guided walking tour through Melbourne’s iconic sporting precinct, where we’ll uncover the stories behind world-famous venues, explore hidden details that even locals miss, and celebrate the legends who’ve shaped the city’s sporting legacy.
Enjoy a leisurely walk along the Yarra River, taking in the sights while immersing yourself in Melbourne’s rich sporting history. Along the way, visit some of the city’s most significant sports venues, including:
- Melbourne Park – Home of the Australian Open, featuring Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena, and John Cain Arena. Whilst the tour doesn’t go inside any of the buildings, we walk through the site, and where possible, we will allow a photo opportunity on one of the show courts (subject to availability on the day).
- National Tennis Centre – Discover the elite training facilities where future champions hone their skills.
- Melbourne Rectangular Stadium (AAMI Park) – The home ground for four of Victoria’s top teams across soccer, rugby league, and rugby union.
- Olympic Park – Originally the track and field training centre for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, now a key part of Melbourne’s sports hub.
- The Headquarters of Melbourne Victory, Melbourne Rebels, and Melbourne Storm – Learn about the teams shaping soccer and rugby in Victoria.
- AFL Club Headquarters – Visit the training facilities of powerhouse clubs Richmond Tigers, Collingwood Magpies, and Melbourne Demons.
The tour culminates at the legendary Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), where you’ll join a guided tour with a Melbourne Cricket Club Volunteer Guide. Step inside this world-famous stadium and walk through the members’ areas, players’ rooms, and media centre while hearing fascinating stories of cricketing greats and unforgettable sporting moments.
After the MCG tour, the journey continues along the Yarra River, passing more sporting landmarks before returning to the starting point at Federation Square.
Whether you are a passionate sports fan or simply want to explore a different side of Melbourne, this tour offers a unique insight into the city’s sporting culture.
This tour departs promptly at 9:30am from the Melbourne Day Tour Centre, located behind Federation Square on Russell Street Extension. Please let us know if you require directions to the Tour Meeting / Departure Point.
We recommend that you wear comfortable walking shoes and weather appropriate clothing. This is a walking tour which includes stairs and some steep footbridges and therefore requires a moderate level of fitness.
*PLEASE NOTE: Minimum 4 participants required for tour to proceed.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
* With the exception of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, this tour does not include entry INTO any of the venues mentioned.
* We require a minimum of 4 guests in order for this tour to proceed.
* In the case of inclement weather, we may cancel this tour – guests will have the choice of a refund or alternative date.
* ALL venues are active event sites and therefore subject to closure to non-event visitors. To the best of our ability, we will schedule our tour dates accordingly, however last-minute alterations are sometimes unavoidable.
Share:
read moreread less
Freedom24919074541
22 Mar 2026
We had a fabulous time on the Hidden Bars in Melbourne tour! Our guide Lucy was engaging and enthusiastic and sprinkled interesting fun facts throughout the tour. The evening was perfectly paced and created an environment that not only showed some hidden gems in the city, but also encouraged making some new friends over a cocktail or two!
read moreread less
Kat
16 Feb 2026
Great tour of secret bars and some yummy cocktails. Lucy was a great guide and shared some fun fact about Melbourne
read moreread less
Anne
13 Feb 2026
Ian was our tour guide and he was fantastic - very informative and mindful . I would definitely do another tour with him .
read moreread less
Merri
12 Feb 2026
We thoroughly enjoyed the Show Me Melbourne walking tour with Ian as our guide! He is very knowledgeable and enjoys imparting information about Melbourne’s history and artistic/cultural scene. We certainly would recommend touring with Ian!
read moreread less
Randy
04 Feb 2026
We had a great night discovering some hidden Melbourne bars. Having Ian as our guide - with his knowledge of local architecture and history was a huge bonus.
read moreread less
Richard
01 Feb 2026
Lucy was amazing, she was full of information on the hidden things around Melbourne. Highly recommend. The drinks were great and we had a great group of people to hang out with.
read moreread less
Darren
31 Jan 2026
We booked ‘Hidden Bars’ with Show Me Melbourne via Viator. We met fellow participants at the starting point along with our guides who split us into three small groups. Our guide, Ian, took us on an adventure; visiting three very different hidden Melbourne bars that we would never have found alone. Each had its own characteristics and history which Ian explained as we enjoyed delicious food washed down with a variety of cocktails, wines or beer. The tour lasted 3 hours and we would do it again in a heartbeat! Thank you Ian, you absolutely made our tour and I know all of us in your group would want to thank you for a fabulous evening.
read moreread less
Ali
04 Jan 2026
Fourth time doing a hidden bar tour with this operator. Josh was fabulous, our group so much fun and just what I wanted to introduce my goddaughter to nightlife in Melbourne. Thank you!
read moreread less
Rinelda
04 Jan 2026
Recently did The Hidden Bar Tour - with Ian as our guide .. thoroughly loved it .. meet some lovely people and had beautiful food at the first place .. all bars we went to were fabulous and the staff very accomodating !! Ian was fab and so informative .. had the best night - highly recommend.. if u not sure do it !!!
read moreread less
Susan
21 Dec 2025
Jess was our tour guide for this one. Had a great time for a non drinker and all venues went out of their way to make a great mocktail. We had a few stops in between bars where Jess gave us some informative history about the areas we were in. Snack food/Appetizers was included at The Seamstress bar which was very nice, a couple of sliders each and 4-5 other nibblies. The Seamstress also catered for a couple of friends either allergies. We’ll definitely do another one next visit to Melbourne. Benny was the other tour group guide whom we met first when we arrived and was also very pleasant.
read moreread less
Paul
21 Dec 2025
Had date night with my wife exploring Melbourne’s Hidden Bars and we had a wonderful time. Our host Jess was great with lots of fun facts about bars and laneways, highly recommend
read moreread less
Craig
20 Dec 2025
We had an amazing time last night on the hidden bar tour. Awesome group of people and our tour guide provided a real insight into Melbourne night life now and in the past. We highly recommend 👌
read moreread less
Natalie
13 Dec 2025
Ian was a fabulous tour guide, we went to three famous hidden bars which were all fabulous! 10/10 recommend!
read moreread less
Jessica
05 Dec 2025
Jess our tour guide was exceptional. Very knowledgeable about the city, the specific bars and history she took us to. Had so much fun with my friends on her tour. Would definitely do it again when we are back in Melbourne. Thank you so much Jess.
read moreread less
Lianne
23 Nov 2025
read moreread less
OnAir67532563246
23 Nov 2025
Jess was a fantastic tour guide. Was here for the weekend from Brisbane with two friends and we thoroughly enjoyed our tour. The bars weren’t your average bar and we enjoyed learning about the history of Melbourne etc. The group we were with were awesome too! Thanks Jess. Highly recommend this tour.
read moreread less
Ange
22 Nov 2025
The history and knowledge this woman has is outstanding, she is so engaging and lovely to boot! I would throughly recommend this tour. We had the best time ever and the snack foods were simply brilliant as well.
Wear comfortable shoes as we encountered some stairs in good condition with railings, but it is best to be steady on your feet. Especially after a few cocktails!
The atmosphere of all of the bars Jess took us to and some we saw from outside on the pavement were wonderful, each one told a different story! The bar and wait staff at each establishment were so amazing with their knowledge of beers, and cocktails and the ice. The Ice in the cocktails were simply the best ice ever. It may sound strange but once you experience the ice I am talking about you will understand. Kuramoto Ice!! all the way from Japan.
Jess showed us few bars to go to after the tour and we did exactly that. We highly recommend this tour it was brilliant. Definitely great value! I would take visitors on this tour it was the best.
read moreread less
Marina
21 Nov 2025
Thank you! We had the best night; it was so much fun, with plenty of laughs, with a fun group of people we had just met. Jess was an awesome guide, so lovely and friendly. A great way to celebrate a birthday weekend, discovering hidden funky bars we wouldn't have seen otherwise. We even returned to the bars the next night for more delicious cocktails. Absolutely loved it and would recommend!
read moreread less
Shona
20 Nov 2025
Excellent bar tour food and people total enjoyed the night great to see some spots we would never have found. Thanks Jess.
read moreread less
Kevin
16 Nov 2025
We enjoyed the tour however feel that it isn’t value for money and would not recommend this tour. Paying in excess of $175 for 2 people I would have expected at least 1 or 2 drinks included.
read moreread less
Alan
14 Nov 2025
Jess runs a great, informative tour. We would never had found these hidden bars on our own. Cocktails were delicious and very unique!!! 🍸 We highly recommend this tour. However be mindful, there are steps involved.
read moreread less
Maree
08 Nov 2025
read moreread less
B2522QPdebbied
07 Nov 2025
A really informative tour that delved into Melbourne's past. Ian was well read and made the tour very enjoyable.
read moreread less
John
06 Nov 2025
The Melbourne Secret Bar Tour was awesome, we visited some cool, funky bars that we would never have known existed and tasted some amazing cocktails too!. Ian, our tour guide was the best! Super knowledgeable and friendly and created a really enjoyable experience for us all
read moreread less
Kristy
01 Nov 2025
Great way to spend the evening, met some great people. Went to some hidden gems - good fun - fabulous cocktails! Thanks Jess
read moreread less
kim
01 Nov 2025
Jess was super lovely and full of great history facts as well as managing to answer every question I threw at her! Book it - must visit Jess’s own bar!
read moreread less
Xanthe
24 Oct 2025
Bennie was amazing on our tour! So much fun! Full of knowledge and got the group chatting and having a good time
read moreread less
Molly
10 Oct 2025
The tour was great and I had a lot of fun! The places we visited were very cool, had its own personality and Jess was a brilliant guide! Highly recommend this tour.
read moreread less
Mehdi
22 Sep 2025
My husband and I met our guide, Neil, for a walking tour called ‘Step Back In Time-Exploring Early Melbourne’. The history of Melbourne is full of colorful characters and stories. The city is ever evolving, yet with the aid of a knowledgeable guide and the backdrop of historic buildings the stories of Melbourne come to life.
My thanks to Neil for a great tour!
~ Kristi
My thanks to Neil for a great tour!
~ Kristi
read moreread less
Kristi
11 Sep 2025
Awesome hidden bar tour with Jess! She took us to places you would never find on your own and shared some interesting facts about the history of Melbourne! Highly recommended!
read moreread less
Michael
06 Sep 2025
Fantastic tour! Jess was brilliant, the group was awesome, and the hidden bars were an unforgettable surprise. Could not recommend this tour more highly. Thanks Jess - you made this experience so much fun.
read moreread less
Deb
04 Sep 2025
Wonderful tour of hidden cocktail bars, our hostess, Annie, was so much fun and so informative.. She took us too places we would never have found and so happy to have had the chance to experience, totally recommend, loved Annie ...Tina from Adelaide,
read moreread less
Tina
31 Aug 2025
Absolutely fabulous experience at the hidden bar tour in Melbourne last night. My partner booked it for us and I wasn’t really sure what to expect. Whah a pleasant surprise! We had such a fun night, learnt some cool facts, met some great new people and found some fun locations with great food in the middle. I’d highly recommend for any age group. Fun little activity to do if you’re from Melbourne or visiting.
read moreread less
Georgina
10 Aug 2025
Went on the Hidden Bar Tour with Ethan yesterday and it was most enjoyable, he was very knowledgeable on all things Melbourne and alcoholic beverages. Highly recommend!
read moreread less
Colm
23 Jul 2025
This was a great experience.
Jess had so much knowledge about Melbourne and showed us some amazing places and told great stories.
Highly recommend to anyone considering this experience!
Jess had so much knowledge about Melbourne and showed us some amazing places and told great stories.
Highly recommend to anyone considering this experience!
read moreread less
Thomas
12 Jul 2025
Fantastic Hidden Bars tour and shout out to Lucas for making it amazing. Great bars, drinks and fun facts. I now have more Hidden Bars to find and enjoy.
read moreread less
Cheryl
06 Jul 2025
Highly recommend the Gin Tour, organised by Jess, who paired us dads with Anie our tour guide.
Anie very informative, she knows her bars, drink knowledge is fantastic and enhances the night with her great fun personality.
Also got some Melbourne history and insight at each venue.
Gin tasting was great, good food, easy walking distance between each venue.
We will be back for the cocktail 🍸 tour shortly
Anie very informative, she knows her bars, drink knowledge is fantastic and enhances the night with her great fun personality.
Also got some Melbourne history and insight at each venue.
Gin tasting was great, good food, easy walking distance between each venue.
We will be back for the cocktail 🍸 tour shortly
read moreread less
Steve
29 Jun 2025
read moreread less
Tom
28 Jun 2025
Our fabulous guide/host Ian took us to unique hidden Melb bars. The bars, food & drinks we experienced could not be faulted and he was a wealth of information. Loved the ambience of every bar. Will definitely do this tour again. So much fun! 🌙
read moreread less
Sioux
22 Jun 2025
Fabulous tour of 3 amazing hidden bars and they were just that would never have known they were there. Ian was very knowledgeable and lots of fun. The cocktails at all 3 were so different which was refreshing.
read moreread less
Natalie
22 Jun 2025
Neil was a treat.. though we could not enter the tennis arenas. It was a slow, casual yet informative walking tour. We did not realise the 3 hours pass. Neil engaged us well and it was like meeting an old friend ! My wife who is an argent tennis fan, was fully satisfied.. we have decided to come again maybe next year for the AO !
read moreread less
Rajiv
17 Jun 2025
Sue
08 Jun 2025
We had a fantastic walking tour around Melbourne’s Hidden Bars and historic landmarks all along the way. We had an excellent mix of people from interstate, local (us!) and a USA navy couple from Japan on leave, enjoying Melbourne. We went on our tour on 21st March 2025 and I think from memory, our excellent guide was Jessica! She was very warm, very friendly and extremely knowledgeable about every facet of this tour - historic laneways, private unknown secretive bars, bespoke cocktails and some tawdry and clandestine settings and buildings - and several promiscuous, infamous, historic individuals 😂😂
Well known to Melbourne’s past
Jess was fluent in all of the history, myths, legends and spooky/scary overtones 😂😂
The tasty foods and delicious delicacies on offer were brilliant! We had a fabulous evening and please express our great thanks to Jess for such a great fun experience - we are local Southbank Melbourne residents so this was an element of great frivolity and a funny discussion point, for the group 🥰🥰
Well known to Melbourne’s past
Jess was fluent in all of the history, myths, legends and spooky/scary overtones 😂😂
The tasty foods and delicious delicacies on offer were brilliant! We had a fabulous evening and please express our great thanks to Jess for such a great fun experience - we are local Southbank Melbourne residents so this was an element of great frivolity and a funny discussion point, for the group 🥰🥰
read moreread less
Leonie
01 Jun 2025
Booked a spur of the moment bar tour and couldn't be more pleased! We got taken to 3 fun and interesting bars, all offering their own unique cocktails and twists on some tried and tested favourites. Our group had pizza included with the tour (the chorizo is a must try!) to break up the night and fuel us up.
Ethan was a fabulous guide, really inviting all of us on the tour to chat, make friends and have fun throughout the tour. Would recommend this to anyone looking to get to know some of Melbourne's best spots.
Ethan was a fabulous guide, really inviting all of us on the tour to chat, make friends and have fun throughout the tour. Would recommend this to anyone looking to get to know some of Melbourne's best spots.
read moreread less
Imogen
26 May 2025
read moreread less
Imogen
26 May 2025
While I understand that the company can't control who books each tour, the marketing on the website does give the impression of a younger, more mixed-age crowd, which was part of why I booked in the first place. I have no issue with an age-diverse group, but when there's a complete generational gap, it can make socializing difficult and impact the overall vibe.
At $90, I found the tour to be overpriced for what was offered — particularly since drinks aren't included and it appears to run irregularly due to limited interest. If you're in the 60+ age group, this might actually be a great fit for you. However, if you're a younger traveller hoping for a more dynamic social setting, I’d recommend looking into other options.
read moreread less
SMMJess, Owner at Show Me Melbourne, responded to this review - 2025-05-25
Hi Rob,
Thanks for your review. However you didn't actually attend the tour. You didn't show up and then demanded a refund stating that you would leave us negative reviews unless we gave in.
To clarify: your original booking was made the day before your requested tour date. One tour was already full, and we didn’t have enough bookings to run a second, so we offered to reschedule. On the new date, you cancelled on the day of the tour and asked to reschedule—something we don’t normally allow, but we made an exception. On the third booked date, which was last night, you arrived, saw the group, and chose not to take part without even notifying the tour guide or the company. Despite that, you later asked to join the tour again next Saturday.
Our tours are not marketed as age-specific, nor do we guarantee a particular group dynamic. We’re proud to welcome a diverse mix of guests and don’t discriminate based on age, gender, ethnicity, or any other factor. The group that night included guests in their 40s and 50s, but our groups also regularly consist of guests from a diverse range of ages. There’s no age limit to having a great night out, and our photos reflect that.
The price of the tour reflects the real cost of delivering a well-run, enjoyable experience. It includes food, and covers fair wages for our knowledgeable local guides, who provide insightful commentary and ensure guests are well looked after throughout. It also supports the behind-the-scenes costs of running a small Melbourne business. For a three-hour hosted tour with food in the city, it's excellent value—and we’re proud of what we offer.
We don’t offer refunds when someone simply changes their mind on the night. Your concerns about the tour’s value only came up after your refund request was declined. Additionally, your messages made it clear you intended to leave negative reviews unless a refund was issued. We don’t respond to that kind of pressure.
We stand by our team, our guests, and our policies.
Jess
Owner
Show Me Melbourne
read moreread less
Rob
25 May 2025
We had Ethan as our tour guide with Annie also who is training. Both of them were excellent, fun , provided lots of info and made the tour experience lots of fun. We will be back……thanks Ethan
read moreread less
Debbie
03 May 2025
Had a really great tour by our host Jess. We learnt some really interesting things about the top end area of Melbourne's CBD that we would otherwise never have know and at the same time we were shown bars that we most likely would never know existed. Really worth doing if you have some time in Melbourne.
read moreread less
Richard
06 Mar 2025
Had an amazing time on the hidden bar tour with cocktail making 🍸 for my besties hens party!
Our host, Jess, was fantastic—fun, knowledgeable, and incredibly accommodating. She made everything run smoothly, and we all had a blast. Highly recommend!
Our host, Jess, was fantastic—fun, knowledgeable, and incredibly accommodating. She made everything run smoothly, and we all had a blast. Highly recommend!
read moreread less
Jess
09 Feb 2025
read moreread less
SMMJess, Owner at Show Me Melbourne, responded to this review - 1970-01-01
Thanks for your review! We love the Hidden Bar Tour, so it's great when we hear about how much our guests enjoy it too! I've passed your comments on to Ethan who was very grateful - and we'd love to see you on another tour in the future!
read moreread less
Sigrun
28 Dec 2024
Very comfy transport in a Mercedes van with our own personal tour guide! On arrival at the homestead we could have a look around then had a lovely Devonshire tea prior to the actual tour starting. You join the "Living Legends" tour with loads of carrots and .buggy transport if needed. Otherwise it is an easy walk from paddock to paddock engaging with the likes of Apache Cat, Brew(almost 30!),The Cleaner, Bohemeth amongst many others!
If you have a love for horses it is a hoot. All questions can be answered by either Jess or the Legends tour guide. We thoroughly enjoyed it and came away with some great pics. Our bonus was meeting the delightful Kate(volunteer) and her Rottweiler who offered her assistance in calling Bohemeth to the fence. He and many of the others come for the dog experience and her liquorice!!!!
On completion of the tour Jess returned us to the city and even dropped us off in an area that we requested. We would have no hesitation in recommending Jess and her tour company for this and any of the other tours that sounded great.
read moreread less
SMMJess, Owner at Show Me Melbourne, responded to this review - 1970-01-01
It's true! I never pass up a trip to Living Legends if I can help it. It's hard to know what's the bigger draw-card - the scones or the horses! We were so fortunate that Kate came along just when she did to entice Behemoth over. I'm so glad you enjoyed yourselves as much as I did! I'd love to hear from you again next time you're in Melbourne!
read moreread less
Katmat4444
03 Nov 2024
Ethan was fantastic very friendly and offered great suggestions. The venues were absolutely fabulous. Now need to explore the rest on the list. It doesn’t matter if you’re a local or visiting you’ll have a great time and maybe learn a little of Melbourne history too
read moreread less
Wendy
07 Oct 2024
Our hidden bar tour with Jess will be a memory for us to cherish. We learned so much about Melbourne history and I can’t wait to bring people back and share our new found knowledge (and even do another tour with Jess)! If you love cocktails, quirky history, exploring and secret squirrel bars then this tour is one not to miss. Whether you’re a tourist or a local.
read moreread less
Jasmine
23 Sep 2024
A no brainer must do tour if you are visiting Melbourne or a Melbourne local not knowing cool places to hang out . Our guide Lucas was awesome and lots of fun Venues are super cool and places you would never find on your own . Tasty snacks and amazing cocktails that kept getting better at each hidden bar . Highly recommended and excellent value !!!
read moreread less
Meredith
14 Aug 2024
This was an amazing tour. Our guide, Ethan was the best. We had some reallllly great drink and a lot of great conversation. I’d definitely do this again.
read moreread less
Response from the owner - 2024-08-14
Thanks Kelly! It's great to hear how much you enjoyed your tour. Ethan is a great guide. We'd love to see you again! If you rebook, make sure to ask for Ethan, and let us know which bars we took you to so that we can take you to three completely different ones next time!
read moreread less
Kelly
14 Jul 2024
Awesome evening out. Great host and for someone that comes to Melbourne often - I was introduced to some new venues with amazing cocktails and food. Would definitely recommend
read moreread less
Response from the owner - 2024-08-14
Thanks Kristell! That's a great review. And we love that you have some new places to hang out next time you come to Melbourne! If you want to come on the tour again to discover even more - let us know and we'll make sure we take you to all different bars next time.
read moreread less
Kristell
14 Jun 2024
Thankyou Ethan for providing us with such a magical experience! Your Melbourne historical stories were fascinating, your presence was warm and welcoming and the hidden gems were on point! Loved it!
read moreread less
Response from the owner - 2024-05-14
Thanks for such fantastic feedback Ally! We're thrilled you enjoyed the tour so much. We'd love to use your photos. Could you possibly email them to us at info@showmemelbourne.com.au?
read moreread less
Ally
14 May 2024
This tour was one of the best tours ive ever been on! Ethan was amazing as was his photographer Imogen. The other people on our group were amazing too! Ethan took my group of 4 people along with another 3 people to a few different bars, explained the history behind each place while we had our cocktails. Food was eaten while we enjoyed the company. Ethan was very friendly and informative. I'll definitely be doing this again (as they mix it up each time) next time i come to Melbourne. Well done guys! You absolutely rock ????
read moreread less
Response from the owner - 2024-04-15
Thanks Georgia!
read moreread less
Georgia
15 Apr 2024
We recently did the Hidden Bar tour around Melbourne. It was fabulous. What a surprise to find so many hidden bars hidden around the streets of Melbourne! Each bar had its own story to tell & our tour guide Jess was so knowledgeable on the History of Melbourne- it was fascinating & so much fun discovering what was behind the Bar doors. Not to mention the delicious cocktails & spirits. Highly recommend this tour not just for holiday makers but it would be a fantastic experience to gift a friend.
read moreread less
Dianne
17 Mar 2024














































































































