Things to do in Sorrento, Victoria

The best things to do in Sorrento, Victoria, include strolling along the Millionaire’s Walk, swimming with dolphins and surfing at Sorrento Ocean Beach.

Sorrento, Victoria, is one of the most attractive and well-to-do towns on the Mornington Peninsula. A lot of rich Melburnians have holiday homes there.

If you want to get burningly envious of said rich Melburnians, then head to the Millionaire’s Walk. This clifftop walk offers fabulous views over Port Phillip Bay, but it’s the plush homes and villas behind it that make you know you’re in Sorrento.

Things to do in Sorrento, Victoria: Beaches

It doesn’t take too much effort to work out why the millionaires flock to Sorrento in the first place. The town is on a very narrow strip of land at the southern end of Port Phillip Bay. This gives Sorrento both ocean beaches and bayside beaches within easy reach. If you want the water relatively calm and good for swimming, plump for Sorrento Beach. If you’d prefer dramatic coastal scenery and surf breaks, plump for Sorrento Back Beach (aka Sorrento Ocean Beach) or Diamond Bay on the other side of the peninsula.

Sorrento Back Beach in Sorrento, Victoria. Photo courtesy of Visit Victoria.

13 fabulous Mornington Peninsula experiences to book

There are dozens of Mornington Peninsula tours available from Melbourne. The experiences listed below are aimed at those staying on the Peninsula, or with their own transport.

Half day dolphin and seal swim from Sorrento.
Peninsula Hot Springs fire, ice and bathe experience.
Moonlit Sanctuary wildlife park entry ticket.
Guided e-bike tour in Arthurs Seat State Park and beyond.
Wildlife kayaking tour from Portsea.
Waterbike tour from Mornington.
Point Nepean National Park bike hire.
French cooking class in Fingal.
Dolphin and seal watching cruise from Sorrento.
Mornington Peninsula wineries hop-on, hop-off bus.
Montalto Vineyard discovery wine-tasting with lunch.
Enchanted Garden entry ticket.
Snorkelling with sea dragons in Portsea.

Things to do in Sorrento, Victoria: Swimming with dolphins

Most of the action, however, happens by the pier. This is where the Queenscliff ferry arrives from the Bellarine Peninsula. More importantly, it’s where the dolphin-swimming cruises depart from.

Sorrento, Victoria, is one of the dolphin-swimming capitals of Australia. Three operators offer trips to get in the water with the dolphins, all of which do it slightly differently. Choose from Watermaarq, Polperro Dolphin Swims and Moonraker Dolphin Swims. Watermaarq runs Mornington Peninsula swimming with seals trips, too.

Also based at Sorrento Pier is Rip Charters, which offers sport fishing charters in the bay.

Just behind the pier is the Hotel Sorrento, the unquestioned life and soul of the town. It’s Sorrento’s local pub, but it also offers accommodation and dining.

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