Don’t let a little Ballarat rain dampen your spirits!
When it’s wet outside, head indoors and let the locals treat you to something a little more warming.
Put your feet up, relax and take Ballarat at a slower pace – it’s truly the best way to make the most of a rainy day.
Find your next read at a cosy bookstore
Sitting pretty in a heritage building that was once filled with miners is Collins Booksellers Ballarat on Lydiard, a must-visit on any book-lover's bucket list.
Step inside this Lydiard Street store and you’ll instantly be transported back in time, with old-style bookshelves lining the walls, timber floors and open fireplaces, a heritage counter and old-fashioned signage.
It gives off serious Harry Potter vibes, which explains why their Harry Potter-themed school holiday activation is always a hit.
Everybody Knows Books and The Known World Bookshop on the picturesque Main Road are two more of our faves.
Search for pre-loved treasures
You’re spoilt for choice if rummaging through secondhand goods is your thing, with some of our top picks including:
- Ballarat Vintage and Collectables Market
- Rocket and Belle
- Alexa’s Treasures
- Kank Wolverang Records
Visit a day spa
Put some “me time” at the top of your to-do list and leave life’s stresses at the door.
Wind down after a morning of shopping with one of Ballarat's Sanctuary Day Spa’s award-winning spa journeys.
Sip on whisky, reds and mulled wine
Made for pre- and post-dinner drinks, bistro-esque discotheque Renard is all about bar snacks at all hours. Don't miss the Meredith Dairy goat’s cheese doughnuts with truffled honey – delish!
With its cool combination of live jazz, bottle shop and rooftop bar, Ellington’s Wine Bar is Ballarat’s go-to spot to discover wines from a carefully-curated selection of local and international varieties.
This European-inspired neighbourhood bar also features a menu of small share plates inspired by the region’s best producers.
Right next door, take your pick from more than 150 different craft beers at Midtown Cellars & Bar.
Sit down for a hearty pub meal
There’s something nostalgic about walking into a pub, shrugging off your rain-covered jacket and sitting down for a good hearty meal that you just can’t get anywhere else.
Well, you’re in luck here because Ballarat knows good pubs.
The old fashioned pub has been at the heart of the city since the gold rush, when more than 500 pubs operated across the goldfields.
Today, many of those same pubs still operate after having been tastefully restored.
In fact, the city’s variety in pubs was one of the reasons it was named Australia’s Top Pub Town in 2018.
From eclectic brewpub Aunty Jacks to seasonal eats at The City Oval Hotel, you’re in for a one-of-a-kind pub experience.
Sign up for a hands-on workshop
Cook gnocchi like Nonna used to make, paint like Picasso or help preserve Australia's rare arts with an interactive workshop experience.
Some of our favourites include:
- the Australian Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades
- Grainery Lane's gin tasting and blending masterclass
- Pinot & Picasso's fun paint and sip sessions
- Carboni's pasta-making masterclasses
- the Spirits Explorer Session at Itinerant Spirits
Eat until you can't eat any more
Take your tastebuds on a global food discovery at one of Ballarat’s internationally-inspired restaurants and cafes by eating your way around the city.
Indulge in the delicacies of an Asian street market (Mr Jones), French patisserie (Le Peche Gourmand) or South American tienda (Pancho) without the need for a long international flight or the threat of excess baggage charges.
Visit a brewery, distillery or winery
If craft beer is your thing, then you’re in luck.
Get the crew together for some brew grub and craft beer at popular watering hole Hop Temple, take in the sights of a working brewery and beer school at Aunty Jacks, or chat with a brewer at one of the city’s many microbreweries.
For gin, Kilderkin Distillery, Red Duck Distillery, Grainery Lane and Itinerant Spirits is where you want to be.
And as for the best local wineries, you’re going to need to book a night or two because there’s too much to try in one day.
Shop 'til you drop
Take home a little bit of Ballarat with you, from locally-made candles at The Essential Candle Co and handmade Ruby Pilven ceramics from the Ross Creek Gallery, to silky smooth Lucky & James chocolate and local hot cocoa Grounded Pleasures from Campanas, what better excuse to restock the pantry (and your wardrobe).
For more shopping inspo, head to Hattie and the Wolf, The Crafty Squirrel, Ballarat Vintage and Collectables Market and Perridak Arts.
Wander the Art Gallery of Ballarat
Please note: The gallery will be closed from 3 March 2025 until early 2026 due to extensive interior upgrades.
From the moment you step inside the Art Gallery of Ballarat, you’re welcomed by a cosmic display of colour that instantly has you forgetting those grey skies outside.
Take your time, wander the gallery and admire works that have been purposely placed to take you on a journey of old meets new.
See fine art from Australian painter Eugene von Guerard that depicts a tent-sprawled Ballarat from the summer of 1853-54, to modern works by local Wadawurrung artists Aunty Marlene Gilson and Deanne Gilson.
