Apollo Bay is a major tourist town and a very common stop for at least 1 night for many travelers.

The town benefits from a strategic location roughly in the middle of the Great Ocean Road and we also stayed here for 1 night in each direction.

Apollo Bay also has a beautiful sandy beach and plentiful facilities.

Book a hotel in Apollo Bay

Beaches and swimming

There is a beautiful sandy beach stretching along the entire coastline of Apollo Bay, over 3km long, with great accessibility.

It's separated from the main city street by a wide green belt so that the noise of traffic doesn't get in the way, but at the same time you'll be in the centre of Apollo Bay in literally half a minute on foot.

The beach is equipped with free toilets, which always have cold water showers.

The park between the beach and the main road is a popular place for walking or jogging.

Thanks to its orientation exactly to the east, the beach offers a wonderful view of the breathtaking sunrises.

Restaurants and shops

Apollo Bay is one of the largest towns on the Great Ocean Road, and although it has only a few thousand permanent residents, there are plenty of local restaurants, fast-food joints and great cafes on the main street.

There are also many shops selling souvenirs, sports equipment and clothing.

There are also two large grocery supermarkets in Apollo Bay:

• FoodWorks (open daily 8:00-20:00).
• IGA (open daily 8:00-21:00)

Enjoy the view from Marriners Lookout

In our opinion, one of the most beautiful viewpoints on the entire Great Ocean Road is located directly above the town and is called Marriner's Lookout.

It offers a breathtaking view of the entire town of Apollo Bay, the beaches and the ocean.

Marriner's Lookout is reached by a tarmac road, the last 400 metres or so you have to walk along a comfortable path.

Hotels in Apollo Bay

The town is a great choice for accommodation during a road-trip along the Great Ocean Road.

Here we provide tips on the top rated motels with free parking:

• The Apollo ****
• Sandpiper Motel Apollo Bay ****
• Seaview Motel & Apartments ****

How to get there

Apollo Bay is located right on Great Ocean Road.

• Melbourne
  • 197 km / 2.5 hours by shortest inland route
  • 205 km / 3.5 hours by Great Ocean Road
  • Compare car rental prices - Melbourne Airport
  • Compare car rental prices - Avalon Airport
• Adelaide
  • 748 km / 8.5 hours
  • Compare car rental prices - Adelaide Airport
• Mount Gambier
  • 339 km / 4.5 hours
  • Compare car rental prices - Mount Gambier Airport

The city is also accessible by regular V/Line bus services.

• 3 to 4 times a day to Lorne, Aireys Inlet, Anglesea, Torquay, Geelong (and onwards change to train to Melbourne)
• 3 times a week to 12 Apostles, Port Campbell, Warrnambool

For the current timetable, visit vline.com.au/Timetables.

What to see around

Discover all the places to see in Great Ocean Road.