Book Apollo Bay hotels

As part of the Great Ocean Road, Apollo Bay is the perfect place for a relaxing beachside holiday. Our Apollo Bay accommodation will allow you to soak up all that this region has to offer.

Besides swimming, sun baking and building sand castles, you'll also be able to go horse-riding along the sandy shores and, between June and October, you might be lucky enough to watch a group of Southern Right Whales pass by. You can increase your chances of spotting some whales by going on a chartered whale-watching tour. Whales aren't the only unique marine creatures around here, though. You can also go on a sea kayaking tour and paddle out to see the local seal colony. For those who love to fish, you can catch a boat right off the marina and head out for some incredible deep sea fishing to catch marlin and snapper (make sure you have your sea legs ready though as the swell can be over two metres!.

If you're not much of an outdoorsy-type, you'll find lots of bohemian-style cafes and shops in Apollo Bay and if you like shopping for antiques, you've come to the right place. There's also the weekly Foreshore Market on Saturdays, where you can pick up artworks, handicrafts and fresh produce.

After a big day out, you'll probably be famished, so you can look forward to tucking into a big plate of fresh seafood, caught by a local fisherman and served in one of the casual restaurants in town.

If you're here in April, in addition to all the fantastic activities listed above, you'll also be able to experience the Apollo Bay Music Festival rocking out the town, with local artists playing live music from just about every genre under the sun, so make sure you bring your dancing shoes.

Apollo Bay is in a fantastic location, at the foot of the Otway Ranges, which puts you in the perfect position to explore the Great Otway National Park. In the forest, you'll see lots of waterfalls, fern gullies and native wildlife and, if you're feeling adventurous, you can go on a treetop walk. Lake Elizabeth, the Kennett River and Cape Otway Light Station - mainland Australia's oldest lighthouse - are also found inside the park. If you get a chance, take a walk to Melba Gully at night to witness the awe-inspiring glow worms along the walking tracks. It’s also the start of the Great Ocean Road, so take the drive to Castle Cove and then park your car nearby and stop by Gibson’s Steps, an area of cliffs which allow you to see the first amazing views of the Twelve Apostles at Sea level. If you want a closer look, head to Lord Ard Gorge and The Grotto.If you feel like travelling further south-west, head past Warrnambool to Port Fairy and stop at Rebecca’s Cafe for lunch or afternoon tea. Then head inland (a further two hours away) to the Grampians and stay for a night to explore the beautiful national park; just watch for Kangaroos in this neck of the woods, they are everywhere! It’s a three hour drive from the Twelve Apostles to the Grampians so check out our Grampians Accommodation for at least a night or two so you can really take in the scenery in this beautiful region.

If you’re after a change of pace, head to the other side of Apollo Bay and visit the pretty town of Lorne about forty minutes from Apollo Bay towards Torquay along the coastal road. Lorne is a lovely bustling little town filled with great shopping boutiques, beautiful beaches, great fishing, a movie theatre and even more dining out options.

If you feel like a longer drive, head south west from Apollo Bay and spend a couple of days or just one day in the Grampians.

Melbourne Airport is about 150km away and you can catch a coach bus from the airport, but you'll probably find that getting around the Apollo Bay area is best done with a hire car, especially if you want to explore other parts of the Great Ocean Road.

So book a room in one of our Apollo Bay hotels listed below and don't forget to book your hire car too. Happy holidaying!

Image from Apollo Bay, Creative Commons