As autumn rolls around, the mornings might be getting cooler but the blue skies are here to stay. This season brings the perfect mix of striking colour palettes in nature, daytime exploring and getting cosy – as and whenever required.

From moody wine bars and scenic bike rides, discover the many things to see and do in Geelong and The Bellarine over the cooler months.

Explore the Geelong Botanic Gardens

If autumn leaves is what you seek, you’ll find some among the lush surrounds of the Geelong Botanic Gardens and surrounding Eastern Park. Inside the Gardens, plants from around the world have been conserved and cared for over the past 150 years.

Wandering the precinct is a great way to spend a few hours, soaking up the clean air, admiring the plants and spotting bollards, statues and water fountains. There’s also a café onsite and plenty of grass to have a picnic.

Head to a cosy winery

Nothing says cool days like tucking into a soft couch or booth seat with a warming glass of red in hand. Luckily Geelong and The Bellarine has plenty of spots to get your cosy fix and is known for its cool-climate Pinot Noir and Shiraz.

Venture to the rolling hills of the Moorabool Valley and you’ll find the scenic surrounds of vineyards and paddocks parted by gullies and creek beds that weave through the towns.

Clyde Park Bistro & Vineyard is a great place to start, with indoor and outdoor seating and a long list of share-style meals to while away the cooler days – the wood-fired pizzas are hard to say no to. Pair it with one of the many wines, many highly-rated by James Halliday, for the perfect autumn afternoon.

Nicol’s Paddock is a smaller winery tucked away in the outskirts of Geelong’s south. A family-run winery, they do cosy as well as their menu and small-batch wines. Keep an eye out for the mulled wine.

Eat your way through the Bellarine Taste Trail

The lush, fertile lands and seas of The Bellarine unsurprisingly are home to some delicious things to eat and drink. Here you’ll find everything from Australian blue mussels and smoked fish products through to berries and hand-crafted butters. Not to mention the dozens of wineries, distilleries and breweries to enjoy.

The Bellarine Taste Trail is the best way to explore the makers and growers in these parts. Make a weekend of it on a self-drive epicurean adventure or call in the professionals to do all the driving for you.

Grab a baked treat

Cold mornings and warm baked goods. Name a better pair! This region is lucky to have some top-notch bakeries serving up delicious treats year-round.

Head to Ket Baker on The Bellarine for 100% sourdough pastries, croissants and bread, plus lots of other produce goodies. Look around while you’re there, grab a coffee and keep an eye out for the resident peacocks.

Back in Geelong, The Paddock Bakery has opened a second store to its popular Burleigh Heads location. At the Federal Mills you’ll be able to grab the iconic crème brulee donut along with many other baked treats, breads and a full breakfast if you’re wanting a sit-down feed. With glass walls to the bakery you can even watch how the tasty treats are made.

Have a hit of golf

The word is getting out that Geelong and The Bellarine is an incredible golfing destination. With many courses among the top 100 in Australia and boasting incredible views, it’s no wonder the secret hasn’t got out sooner.

Along with courses, you can have a casual hit (that's also undercover) at The Range @ Curlewis or get the kids involved with a game of mini golf at either Curlewis Golf Club or Bellarine Adventure Golf.

Read up on the top golf spots here.

See a show

The Geelong Arts Centre has a packed calendar of theatre, comedy, music shows and performances all in a stunning new building that tells its own story of First Nations culture and the arts. There's bound to be a show to suit your tastes on your next visit.

Get on your bike

Coast or river, bush or waterfront, there’s a number of ways to explore the region on two wheels. You might like to try the 35km Bellarine Rail Trail which takes you from South Geelong to Queenscliff, passing farmland and coastline following the heritage train track. Or maybe the scenic Portarlington foreshore trail is calling your name? Find all the best spots to get on your bike here.

See some art

The Geelong Gallery is one of Australia’s oldest and leading galleries, with a rotating array of contemporary and Australian art to admire. Keep an eye out for the Archibald Prize which will be on display from 30 August to 9 November. Another unmissable exhibition is the Wildlife Photographer of the Year at the National Wool Museum which is on loan from the Natural History Museum London. You can see it in Geelong until 18 May.

Geelong holds a designation as Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design and unsurprising there are many galleries, street art and creative activations throughout town. Explore more arts and culture here.

Go on a hike or walk

It’s hard to miss the You Yangs (Wurdi Youang) on the horizon and it’s possible to hike to its peak or around its hills. Further afield the Brisbane Ranges National Park is another go-to spot for bush hiking and there are plenty of leisurely (and scenic) coastal trails too.

Explore more hikes and walks.

Get your coffee fix

Coffee is a big deal in these parts. Neighbouring the coffee capital of Australia, that’s Melbourne, Geelong also takes pride in making a good cuppa.

Here you’ll find plenty of spots for a big feed or smashed avo inside everything from industrially styled to brunch at Nanna’s vibes. Pakington Street is a go-to for café with King of the Castle a top choice.