Enjoy a weekend away in Melbourne with the AFL Grand Final

Enjoy a weekend away in Melbourne with the AFL Grand Final

Springtime in Melbourne is a special time, but there's one top sporting event in particular that makes for a truly incredible experience. That'd be the AFL Grand Final, which is the ultimate celebration of Australia's biggest sport. Held on Saturday, September 28 in front of more than 100,000 passionate fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the heart of the city, it's much more than just a game, as the entire metropolis of Melbourne becomes gripped by so-called 'footy fever'. If there's one time to visit Melbourne throughout the year, make it the last weekend of September, as you'll be welcomed by a range of breathtaking festivities that take place in preparation for the big game. At Fraser Place Melbourne, your luxury serviced apartment will be the perfect home as you head out and explore the great cuisine, nightlife and kids' entertainment that revolves around everything AFL for the entire weekend. 

More than just a football match

The AFL Grand Final is undoubtedly the weekend’s headline event, but that’s not all there is to enjoy. Each year, one of the most popular events on the footy calendar is the Grand Final Parade, which sees AFL fanatics of all ages line the streets as the players involved in the Grand Final wind their way through Melbourne towards Yarra Park. Supported by a host of marching bands and live entertainers, the parade begins at the Old Treasury Building on Friday, September 27 before heading down Wellington Parade and eventually arriving at the MCG. 

Meanwhile, the AFL Footy Festival is a four-day extravaganza held in front of the MCG in the lush surrounds of Yarra Park. Running from Wednesday, September 25 until Saturday, September 28, this much-loved event offers visitors a selection of delicious dining options, live music and activities that your footy-mad kids will absolutely adore. Many of Melbourne's favourite food trucks will be in attendance, while there will be giant inflatable obstacle courses, chill-out lawns, and entertaining concerts held throughout the jam-packed festival program. For visitors to Melbourne on the last weekend of September, the AFL Footy Festival is where you need to be to experience the vibrant build-up to the Grand Final.  

However, once the pre-game festivities are all said and done, it's time to settle in and see how the enthralling action on the field unfolds. With the match’s finalists still undecided, regardless of who ends up securing their spot in the AFL Grand Final, this year's competition has been one of the most competitive in recent memory, with several clubs emerging as contenders for the premiership flag. And with Aussie music legend Paul Kelly recently announced as the headline halftime entertainment, it sets the stage for the 2019 AFL Grand Final to be one of the best ends to the season ever. 

Fraser Place Melbourne puts you amid the action

Located just off Exhibition Street in the middle of the city, Fraser Place Melbourne is ideally positioned for those looking to get amongst all the AFL action in September. Surrounded by convenient public transport options and within walking distance of landmarks such as Parliament House, Federation Square, Melbourne Museum and Chinatown Melbourne, the hotel places you directly amid Melbourne's bubbling atmosphere. Meanwhile, you'll also be on the doorstep of the city's internationally renowned dining scene with a plethora of acclaimed restaurants and cocktail bars hidden down the streets and alleyways surrounding Fraser Place Melbourne. 

How to get to the MCG from Fraser Place Melbourne

From Fraser Place Melbourne's address at 19 Exploration Lane, you won’t have to go far to reach the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It's only a seven-minute drive or taxi ride to the home of football via Exhibition Street and along Batman Avenue. However, if the springtime weather is as beautiful as expected, it's only a 30-minute walk to the MCG past many of the city's most iconic landmarks, including Federation Square and the Yarra River.  

The MCG is one of the world's most recognisable sporting venues and the AFL Grand Final is perhaps its biggest day. Experience all the must-see festivities throughout spring as Fraser Place Melbourne makes for the perfect stay throughout September.