With a palm-fringed promenade, sandy beach and eclectic architecture, St Kilda’s seaside appeal lands somewhere between Brighton in England and Venice Beach, California.
St Kilda Pier is a local spot for fishing, or a romantic stroll (or roller-skate!). The kiosk at the end of St Kilda Pier offers a knockout panorama of Melbourne's skyline, especially good close to sunset.
Just south of the pier across from the beach is the Moorish-style St Kilda Sea Baths housing a heated indoor saltwater pool, great for wintery days. Behind it, the Esplanade is home to St Kilda Esplanade Market every Sunday, as well as the much-loved live-music venue the Hotel Esplanade (otherwise known as ‘The Espy’).
St Kilda breakwater penguins
During summer, Port Phillip EcoCentre runs a range of tours including urban wildlife walks and coastal discovery walks, and offers information on the little-penguin colony that lives in the breakwater behind the pier's kiosk.
St Kilda foreshore restaurants
Melbourne’s St Kilda foreshore is also a great destination for eating out. As well as the kiosk at St Kilda pier, Stokehouse is a St Kilda institution with luxe dining and floor-to-ceiling windows for those sea views. Republica at St Kilda Sea Baths offers more casual dining with plenty of outdoor terrace tables for maximum people watching. Further along the foreshore, head to Donovans at St Kilda marina where children are also well-catered for.
