Rye – traditional seaside fun with a classy twist

A holiday town on the Mornington Peninsula, Rye is a traditional bolt hole for people from Melbourne, the nearest largest city. Rye is an upmarket beach and spa town, with a well-developed holiday industry – there’s a good range of places to eat and drink, and some fantastic accommodation in Rye, too. Whether you’re looking for a small holiday apartment for a couple or an extensive holiday house in Rye, you’ll find something that perfectly fits your needs.

How to spend your days in Rye

Like all towns in the Mornington Peninsula, you can go to the beach – or one of two beaches, to be precise! The bay beach is popular with swimmers, sunbathers and fishermen, and has a during peak times. The ocean beach has stronger currents and is excellent for surfing.

The Hot Springs also entice visitors from all over the world – the naturally-occurring hot springs gush from the ground at a temperature of around 50C and are said to have a number of health visits. Visit the Peninsula Springs and Spa Centre for some relaxation and pampering.

There’s also two fantastic links golf courses in Rye. If you’re at all into golf, then you should take in a round or two during your visit. If you’re a little out of practise, then start on the 9 hole course before working up to the 18 hole experience.

In the Mornington Peninsula as a whole, there’s a lot to see and do.

Wineries are very popular – even if you don’t manage a wine tasting trip, you should get a bottle of the local vino to enjoy either on a picnic or at your holiday house in Rye. You can also visit the McLellands Gallery and Sculpture Park, and go walkabout looking for koalas at the Coolart Wetlands and Homestead.

If you’re planning to spend a lot of time out and about – and who could blame you – then a serviced apartment may be the best way to stay. If you want to have a fairly relaxed time sunbathing at your holiday accommodation and only do the odd trip out, then book some self-contained accommodation with plenty of space for you and your travelling companions.

Rye Climate and Practicalities

The hottest months are January and February, where the average temperature is 26C – although it can get much hotter. You may want to book a holiday villa in Rye with its own pool, or air conditioning at the least. Summer tends to be the busiest season, as you’d expect – so book your Rye holiday home well in advance if you’re coming during December or January, particularly if your visit coincidences with the main Australian school holidays.

In winter, which is in June, July and August, the average temperature is 15C – which is still pleasantly warm to most people from the UK.

How to get to Rye

If you’re coming from the UK, then the closest international airport to Rye is Melbourne. Melbourne is a large, busy airport and has many routes to Europe, including some direct flights to the UK. Once you’ve landed, you can either get a bus to Rye or do as most visitors do and hire a car. It takes around 2 hours to get from the airport to your Rye holiday rental.