Yarra River Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience the Yarra River. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Ultimate Melbourne Walking Tour: History, Laneways, and Culture

• Melbourne City Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Flight with GoPro Photos

• Melbourne Sunset Kayaking Experience with Dinner

• Melbourne City Sights Kayak Tour

• Spirit of Melbourne Dinner Cruise on the Yarra River

It’s free to visit the Yarra River, but there are lots of affordable tours available that showcase the river alongside other Melbourne landmarks. Sightseeing cruises start at US$25, whereas kayaking tours are upwards of US$60. For a more personalized experience, private walking tours are available from US$64.

Yes, the Yarra River is definitely worth visiting, especially if you're interested in experiencing Melbourne's waterfront atmosphere and city skyline. The river runs through the heart of the city and is lined with walking paths, restaurants, parks, and other cultural attractions. Walking tours and sightseeing cruises along the Yarra River are a great way to see Melbourne from a new perspective while also learning more about the city's history and landmarks.

Per one customer who booked the Ultimate Melbourne Walking Tour: History, Laneways, and Culture, "The tour guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining. He kept us moving and got us through everything, but let us take our time and explore at our own pace. The information was extremely interesting and informative."

Popular attractions along the Yarra River in Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD) include Flinders Street Station, the Arts Centre Melbourne, the Royal Botanic Gardens, the King's Domain parkland, and the Southbank Promenade. Outside of the CBD, other riverside attractions include the Abbotsford Convent and Scienceworks museum.

Yes, you can go boating and kayaking on the Yarra River in Melbourne. You can book a boat cruise or hire a boat to drive yourself around the Yarra River and the Docklands area. Kayaking on the Yarra is also very popular, either as part of a kayaking tour or independently with a hired kayak.

No, you cannot swim in the Yarra River in Melbourne’s CBD or in the Yarra River Park. It is illegal to swim in the Yarra River anywhere downriver of Gipps Street in Abbotsford. But you probably wouldn’t want to anyway, as the water quality in these areas is quite poor.

Yes, there are many river cruises you can take along the Yarra River. Boat tours on the Yarra range from sightseeing cruises that let you see Melbourne from a new perspective to dinner cruises where you can enjoy dinner and drinks while admiring the illuminated city center. Most river cruises depart from the CBD area.

Yes, you can go fishing in the Yarra River if you have a fishing license for Victoria. If you catch fish from the Yarra River, you should consult advice from the local council before eating it, as industrial pollutants are known to be at high levels in certain fish.

The best places to photograph the Yarra River and Melbourne skyline are Morell Pedestrian Bridge in South Yarra and the riverfronts at Alexandra Gardens and Birrarung Marr Lower Terrace, opposite each other. In the CBD, two good spots are the Queens Bridge and the Princes Bridge.

There are tons of things to do when you're done visiting the Yarra River. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in Melbourne:

• Melbourne Cricket Ground

• St. Paul's Cathedral

• Federation Square

• Melbourne Skydeck

• Hosier Lane

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Melbourne.