Top 5 Yarra Valley Car Tours: A Local’s Honest Review

So, you know, planning a trip to the Yarra Valley, right? And you are probably thinking a car tour could be just the ticket to explore everything at your own pace? You’d certainly be in for a treat because this area, actually just a little outside of Melbourne, in some respects boasts rolling hills, incredible wineries, plus rather stunning landscapes just begging to be explored.

I reckon planning your own self-guided driving experience can offer a more relaxed and a totally authentic look compared to typical bus tours. It’s almost as though you are deciding to make the schedule instead of someone deciding for you, which is quite interesting! I’ll take you, too, through what, to me, are some of the very best Yarra Valley car tours, packing this list with recommendations to make it a truly memorable experience.

1. A Wine Lover’s Dream: The Maroondah Highway Trail

Now, listen, starting out along the Maroondah Highway truly does feel like stepping directly into a postcard. It’s often winding its way right through the heart of the Yarra Valley. Of course, if you like wineries, that pretty much means endless cellar doors and pretty excellent views.

Read our full review: Maroondah Highway Wineries Full Review and Details

Consider making your initial stop at De Bortoli Wines. Its practically famous, often for its family-friendly vibe as well as a quite delectable cheese room. Next? Head a bit to the east. Here lies Yering Station. Think history meets elegance as that venue boasts what are supposed to be some of the very first vineyards within Victoria.

Why this route? Well, it’s almost incredibly easy to get to, first, plus it offers a balanced mixture of smaller, boutique wineries and some of the bigger, rather more recognized names. Oh, and make sure you don’t miss the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery – because it’s clearly a delicious detour along the way, really.

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2. Black Spur Drive: Nature’s Grandeur and Cozy Towns

Right, if scenic drives are your thing, that Black Spur is basically unmissable. This route, that winds between Healesville and Narbethong, could be considered a masterclass in scenery. The canopy of tall mountain ash trees is truly rather magical. It creates that kind of atmosphere that just seems to hang in the air, you know?

Read our full review: Black Spur Drive Scenery Full Review and Details

The drive? Just beautiful, yes, but the destinations along the way also hold their charm, certainly. Plan a stop at the little town of Marysville. Take in the Steavenson Falls, an honestly magnificent waterfall, particularly after recent rain.

The best part? So, the mixture of invigorating driving conditions, plus quite stunning scenery. And those small towns kind of provide that great touch of cozy that can sometimes balance out a lot of driving, literally! Make it an overnighter to see more of what it’s offering.

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3. The Artisan Food Trail: A Gastronomic Delight

OK, you know what, foodies will definitely think this tour’s their absolute catnip. The Artisan Food Trail basically celebrates some regional produce, including cheeses, chocolates, as well as locally sourced fruits. Yum, really! You just need to prepare yourself, okay?

Read our full review: Artisan Food Trail Review Full Review and Details

Kick things off, okay, at the Yarra Valley Dairy. Its almost where you might get a real taste (literally!) of some handcrafted cheeses. Or, swing past Rayner’s Orchard. Then experience the Tractor fruit tasting tour, I suppose. It sounds as fun as it seems, really!

Route highlights? That is that this really caters specifically to culinary fans. Its actually offering lots of opportunities, truly, to interact quite directly with producers and taste really local flavors.

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4. History and Heritage: The Upper Yarra Valley

This one definitely heads towards, quite clearly, the quieter side in the Yarra Valley. Actually, focusing more on historical towns and also its landscapes shaped from its earlier timber-milling days. You may just like its charm as it does hold a good measure of history to be fair, though.

Read our full review: Upper Yarra Valley History Full Review and Details

Start with a look at Warburton. Here you can actually wander around and visit attractions like the Upper Yarra Museum. Next? Head towards McCrae. Also this features rather old buildings just reflecting days gone by – and an easy-going charm!

This route shines because… it offers a relaxed pace with a lot fewer tourists. You may agree that a historical journey provides a pretty solid grounding to this scenic beauty, very!

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5. Ballooning and Beyond: The Scenic Heights

So, how about something with literally more “air”? This car tour isn’t simply just all about the roads down below. It combines driving along with taking in what are supposed to be, the majestic sights, perhaps seen best from up on high with a hot air balloon ride.

Read our full review: Yarra Valley Ballooning Review Full Review and Details

Look at starting very, very early – as the sun comes up over the valley – by booking yourself in that quite beautiful ballooning experience. With literally all morning spent floating through the sky you will follow it with driving after the balloon has brought you gently back onto the ground. How about ending at some nice wineries closer to Dixons Creek? So too, visit some nice art galleries. Does this not sound good? Really.

Standout features include: You should like how you might pair the ground trip and its amazing scenic vistas plus a remarkable experience seeing the landscape above it all. To me, its clearly an unbeatable combination.

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