You don’t have to own a holiday home in the Mornington Peninsula town of Merricks to enjoy a lavish escape. Merricks is defined by world-class wining and dining and sweeping sea views towards Phillip Island. Want to keep things contained? Pt. Leo Estate is a one-stop shop housing Relais & Chateaux restaurant Laura, Pt. Leo Restaurant, and the cellar door, which transforms into Vespre Bar on Saturday nights. The town’s much-loved Merricks Store, wine bars and bakeries round out the region’s culinary credentials.

Food tourists road-tripping around Victoria should start and finish their lap of the state in the inner seaside enclave of St Kilda, just six kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD. Although St Kilda is no longer its own municipality, it retains its coastal village vibe. Enjoy seafood at elegant waterfront diners like Donovans and Stokehouse. And casual eats and cocktails at laid-back locales like Beachcomber Café and Captain Baxter.

The Great Ocean Road was recently ranked Australia’s top family road trip according to a study conducted by iSelect. Understand why when you take your foot off the pedal in Lorne while bouncing along the iconic road trip route. The charming beach town offers a lot of family fun: spot koalas in the eucalyptus forests and whizz through the Live Wire Park before taking your time over lunch at Totti’s with wood-fired bread and fettucine with tomato sugo and stracciatella. Ipsos is a local favourite for a refined take on traditional Greek food.

Sardine Dining has had a pretty good run since it opened in 2017. The restaurant and wine bar founded by Michelin-trained chef Mark Briggs has been ranked at #16 and #15 in the delicious. 100 awards. And those are just two of many reasons it’s considered public property in Paynesville. Keep up with the summer beach house crowd and arrive dripping in designer gear like the locals who take enormous pride in having such a sophisticated eatery in Paynesville. Visit the Paynesville Farmers’ Market on the 4th Saturday of each month.

The flowers and hedges around Flinders seem mathematically spaced, an aesthetic designed to please the strolling families and smiling couples. The ordered little village sitting pretty on the Mornington Peninsula is also a standout destination for a culinary escape. Loop around the peninsula starting with a curated dining experience at Moke Dining, a pit stop at Mornington Peninsula Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery for souvenirs; and Plonk and Stink for wine and cheese.

Enjoy a gentle trot around Port Fairy Golf Links so you can regale your moments of glory at The Stump, the oldest continuously licensed pub in Victoria. Established in 1844, the pub is a top spot to eat, play and stay in Port Fairy. As well as golfers, you will find societies of amateur botanists and birders banging on about the natural world and what drew them to Port Fairy. It matters not that your cause is the classic chicken parma; you just have to spin it into an entertaining story. Merrijig Kitchen also has a storied history as Victoria’s oldest inn.

Victoria has a lot of great beach towns for dining and drinking. And Marlo is one of them. Dunetown is a farmhouse brewery located between the towering dunes that define this pocket of regional Victoria. This Sailors Grave Brewing outpost pairs wild experimental beers with tacos from Tumba Taco. Slap in the heart of Far East Gippsland between the true-blue borough of Marlo and Cape Conran Coastal Park, Sailors Grave Brewing doffs its cap to dune country.

Grab your 5”8, pile the kids into the car and hit the road for Victoria’s Surf Coast. Support Albo’s social media ban for Under-16s by funnelling the family out on the Surf Coast Walk. Or signing up for surf lessons with Go Ride A Wave. Forget doomscrolling. Pop into the unpretentious Poppie’s Nursery & Café for smashed avo with herbs, lemon, grilled haloumi and hummus or a Poppie’s BLT. Incentivise the kids to stay off screens for longer with the promise of fish and chips at Fish By Moonlite.

You’d call it kismet if your car conked out in Portarlington. The coastal village is one of the most compelling stops for foodies visiting the Bellarine Peninsula. Drop your hatchback to the local mechanic and wade out into the bay with Portarlington Mussel Tours. It’s a pretty badass way to taste the merroir. Back on dry land, you can depend on Pier Street Café for a solid breakfast overlooking the harbour. And Arlo Wine Bar for pasta and wine. Time your visit for the annual Portarlington Mussel Festival in January.

The colour-coded beach huts at Mount Martha Beach are a much-loved local landmark. The beach is featured in Lonely Planet’s Best Beaches Australia and deserves a shout-out for its location overlooking the calm waters of Phillip Bay. The Mornington Peninsula is known for being a destination for fine wine and great produce, both of which anchor Mr Curtis wine bar to its surrounds. Pick up some food souvenirs at Ritchies supermarket. And sample Mt Martha mussels at Martha’s Table, one of the best spots to eat on the Mornington Peninsula.