Live like a local this Grand Final Day

The culmination of the Australian rules football season, the AFL Grand Final pits the two best teams against each other to decide the premier of 2018.

Melburnians are Australian rules football mad, so visitors to the city from across Australia and the world are best placed to join the masses in embracing one of the nation’s most iconic sporting events.

Friday 28 September

9:00am: Kick-start the day with coffee

Not many cities take their coffee as seriously as Melbourne does.

Here, the bean and beverage are almost as sacred as the AFL Grand Final itself, which is good news for fans of caffeine.

Professional baristas will happily talk beans and machines, or perhaps the player most likely to kick the first goal, while carefully tending to a takeaway or dine-in brew.

And those looking for a genuine coffee indulgence should consider a Melbourne Coffee Tour, journeying through Melbourne’s café history and culture as they indulge in the finest single origins.

11:00am: AFL Grand Final Parade

The city comes to life just before lunch, as hundreds of thousands of people descend on the Melbourne’s streets for the annual AFL Grand Final Parade.

Festivities commence outside the Old Treasury Building on Spring St, before travelling on Spring Street and Wellington St and in to Yarra Park.

The competing teams are presented to the masses at the AFL Grand Final Live Site, with visitors able to indulge in meet-and-greets with players, live music and Melbourne's best food trucks and bars in the shadows of the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

2:00pm: Melbourne Cricket Ground Tour and the National Sports Museum

The Melbourne Cricket Ground is the undisputed home of Australian sport, so before the first bounce visitors should take time to step through its history via a tour of the stadium and a stop at the National Sport Museum.

Highlights of this must-see tour include the famous Melbourne Cricket Club Long Room, the Melbourne Cricket Club Library, player change rooms, cricketers' viewing room, portraits of Sir Donald Bradman and Sachin Tendulkar and a walk on the same hallowed turf as Australian football greats.

Australia’s largest sporting collection is housed in the National Sports Museum. This contemporary space boasts interactive zones, 3D holograms, displays and memorabilia from some of Australia’s biggest sporting heroes. Ranging across the Olympics, Australian football, cricket, horse racing, and much more, the National Sports Museum is a must for fans of any sporting code or endeavour.

5:00pm: Unwind with a drink by the Yarra River

Visitors can meander back to the city from the Melbourne Cricket Ground via Birrarung Marr and Federation Square, stopping in for a locally brewed ale or glass of prosecco as you prepare for that one day in September - the AFL Grand Final.

From Arbory Bar and Ponyfish Island to Riverland, Fatto Cantina and the numerous bars and restaurants of Southbank, there’s plenty of great options to unwind from a big day along the banks of the Yarra River.

Saturday 29 September

10:00am: Brunch away across town

From a big breakfast to an early lunch, variety is the slice of life when it comes to brunch in Melbourne.

Reliable options include Auction Rooms northside, The Kettle Black southside, as well as Higher Ground in the heart of the city.

If adventure is the name of the game, visitors can hit up yum cha in Chinatown or jump across the globe to Cibi for a traditional Japanese weekend breakfast.

This is Melbourne, so coffee needs mentioning.

The best cafe bets are those that prioritise the bean, with Industry Beans, Seven Seeds, St Ali or Proud Mary.

12:00pm: The carnival comes to life at the AFL Grand Final Live Site

Before the bounce in the late afternoon, thousands of football fans descend on Yarra Park to embrace the carnival like atmosphere of the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Fans of competing teams come together for football clinics for kids, and kids at heart, at the AFL Grand Final Live Site, with live music, plenty of great dining options and a genuine excitement filling the air.