About These Routes
Geelong has two pub crawl routes that actually work — where the venues are close enough to walk between, good enough to spend time in, and different enough that the crawl has shape rather than just repetition. The CBD & Waterfront Loop takes you from a heritage pub on the main street down Moorabool to the waterfront, finishing on Eastern Beach Road with Corio Bay views. The Pakington Street Crawl follows one of Australia's best pub strips from Geelong West up into Newtown, with four distinct venues that cover the full range from award-winning gastro pub to 700-square-metre beer garden.
Both routes are designed for a group of 2–8 people, work best from early afternoon through to evening, and require no transport between stops — just a good pair of shoes. We've kept each route to four stops. Four is the right number: you can do each venue properly rather than rushing, and you'll finish in good shape. If you want to continue, the bonus Bellarine Peninsula drive is below for car-based groups willing to push into coastal territory.
At a Glance — Two Routes
| Route | Stops | Walking | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| CBD & Waterfront Loop | 4 pubs | ~20 min total | Rooftop bars + bay views |
| Pakington Street Crawl | 4 pubs | ~20 min total | Australia's best pub strip |
Route 1 — Geelong CBD & Waterfront Loop
This route starts in the heart of Geelong CBD and walks down Moorabool Street to the waterfront, finishing on Eastern Beach Road. Four pubs: two heritage establishments in the city centre, then two waterfront bars facing Corio Bay. Total walking time is roughly 20 minutes spread across three short legs — this is a manageable route that allows 45–60 minutes at each venue. Best started around noon to finish at sunset at Edge Geelong. Best days: Friday or Saturday when National Hotel's rooftop and Sailors' Rest's DJ sessions are running.
Elephant & Castle Hotel
Geelong's pub crawl starts at a hotel that has been on this corner since 1891. The Elephant & Castle is the anchor of the McKillop Street block — a multi-room pub with a full bistro, beer garden, and the kind of establishment that gets the crawl off to a solid foundation rather than a novelty start. Order something substantial here: the kitchen runs lunch from 11:30am and the parmi (Wednesday and Thursday specials) and trivia nights (Thursday, Jackpot Trivia from 7pm) are the venue's bread and butter. This is where you eat if you're starting a full-day session.
National Hotel — Rooftop Stop
The National Hotel at 191 Moorabool Street is a three-level building established in 1856 — 35 years before the Elephant & Castle. Each level has a different character: the ground floor public bar for a traditional front-bar experience, the mid-level dining room with an open fireplace, and the top-floor rooftop terrace with a retractable roof and Geelong CBD skyline views. Go to the rooftop. It's the best mid-crawl location on this route — you can see the waterfront from up there, which previews where you're heading next. Craft beer and cocktails are the order. On Friday and Saturday nights DJs play from 9pm, but this crawl works best during the afternoon before the rooftop gets crowded.
Sailors' Rest — Waterfront Rooftop
Moorabool Street runs straight from the National Hotel to the waterfront — walk south and you'll hit Sailors' Rest at the bottom. This is the tonal shift in the crawl: from city pub to waterfront bar. Sailors' Rest is a multi-level venue with a beer garden, an al fresco terrace, a second-floor lounge bar, and a rooftop with Corio Bay views. On Saturdays and Sundays from 3pm, DJs run in the second-floor lounge — time this right and the crawl's third stop becomes the session's anchor. Globally inspired menu with locally sourced seafood. If you're still eating, the bayside dining room is your best option on the waterfront. If you're drinking, the second-floor lounge or rooftop are the right calls.
Edge Geelong — Sunset Finish
Walk east from Sailors' Rest along Eastern Beach Road and you'll reach Edge Geelong — the final stop and the crawl's best location. The panoramic views across Corio Bay from Edge Geelong's outdoor deck are the best on the Eastern Beach stretch. Hand-crafted cocktails, an extensive wine list, DJs every weekend, and an all-day food menu that runs from breakfast through to dinner. If you started this crawl at noon, you should arrive at Edge Geelong in late afternoon — which means the sunset over the bay is your final scene. It's the right way to finish: elevated, with a view, and a cocktail that's earned after four solid venues through the city and waterfront.
Route 2 — Pakington Street Pub Crawl
Pakington Street in Geelong West is one of the best pub strips in regional Victoria — a single road that runs from the Telegraph Hotel in the south through Geelong West and into Newtown, with four pubs that cover the full range of what a great local pub street should offer. This crawl walks north: starting at the award-winning gastro pub, passing through Geelong's oldest pub, reaching the suburb's biggest beer garden, and finishing at a boutique beer destination that marks the Newtown boundary. Total walking time is about 20 minutes across the four venues. Best on a Friday afternoon or weekend.
The Telegraph Hotel
Start at the quality end. The Telegraph Hotel at 2 Pakington Street is an award-winning gastro pub with a rooftop terrace and a Modern Australian menu that takes the food seriously. The art-deco building exterior is one of Geelong's most photographed pub facades. If you're eating at any point on the Pakington crawl, this is the venue for it — the kitchen runs from Wednesday through Sunday and the rooftop is the strongest single outdoor space on this route. Craft beer, a considered wine list, and a menu that justifies arriving hungry.
Petrel Hotel — Geelong's Oldest Pub
Five minutes up Pakington Street brings you to the Petrel Hotel — established 1849, which makes it Geelong's oldest continuously operating pub. That's not a marketing line; 1849 puts it three decades before Federation. The Petrel is a traditional local: bistro meals, a beer garden with a fireplace, TAB, sports screens, and the kind of front bar that reminds you what pubs were built for before hospitality became a concept. It's the tonal contrast on this crawl — after the Telegraph's gastro polish, the Petrel's no-nonsense character is exactly what the route needs at Stop 2. Order a schooner. Sit outside. Appreciate 177 years of continuous operation.
Queen of the West — The Beer Garden Stop
Three minutes further north is the Queen of the West — the mid-crawl anchor and the venue most likely to hold the group for longer than planned. The 700-square-metre all-weather beer garden is the largest on Pakington Street, with a wood-fired pizza oven, 12 taps, and live music programming on weekends. The garden is separated from the front sports bar, so you get the outdoor space without the noise of the TAB. Originally established in 1856 as the Queen of the South Hotel, renamed and renovated in August 2023 with the restored heritage name. The wood-fired pizza is the right call for Stop 3 — by this point the group needs food and the oven delivers.
The Cremorne Hotel — Boutique Beer Finish
The longest leg of the Pakington crawl takes you 10 minutes north into Newtown, where the street becomes quieter and the pub gets more neighbourhood. The Cremorne Hotel at 336 Pakington Street is a three-area venue: a bistro dining room for meals, a beer garden with TAB and Fox Sports in the back, and a modern function lounge. The beer selection is boutique — more carefully chosen than a standard hotel TAB pub. If the Queen of the West was the social anchor of the crawl, the Cremorne is the wind-down stop: a neighbourhood pub at the northern end of the strip where the energy settles and the evening can extend as long as the group wants. Open 7 days from 11:30am.
Bonus: Bellarine Peninsula Pub Drive
If your group has a driver (or is comfortable with a cab), the Bellarine Peninsula adds a third route — not a walking crawl, but a scenic drive through coastal towns with great pubs at each stop. Two or three venues across a 30-minute drive from Geelong.
Coastal beer garden, $24 parmi Wednesday, $28 steak Thursday. Four spaces: bistro, bridge bar, sports bar, function room. Live music on weekends. Open from 10am Sunday, 11am other days. Full listing →
Wine bar and bistro at 60 Hitchcock Ave — outdoor courtyard, happy hour, locally sourced seasonal menu. The contrast to the Barwon Heads Hotel: boutique and relaxed where the hotel is broad and social. Happy hour from 4–6pm. Full listing →
30+ year Ocean Grove institution at Cnr Grubb Rd & Shell Rd — Tex-Mex cantina and bar, open daily from 5pm, live music Fri & Sat from 6:30pm. If you're there on a Friday or Saturday evening, The Mex is a good final stop. Full listing →
Tips for the Crawl
Both routes have strong food options at the early stops. On the CBD route, Elephant & Castle's bistro is the pick. On Pakington, the Telegraph Hotel's menu or the Queen of the West's wood-fired pizza. A proper meal early means the afternoon holds up better.
Four stops means four venues worth experiencing, not rushing through. Spend 45–60 minutes at each. The best crawls aren't the fastest ones.
Saturday is the best day for both routes — venues are at full programming (National Hotel rooftop, Sailors' Rest DJs, Queen of the West live music). Friday afternoon also works well. Sunday works for the waterfront route but note the Telegraph Hotel is closed Sunday on the Pakington route.
2–8 people works best without bookings. Larger groups should call the Queen of the West or Sailors' Rest in advance — both have function spaces that can accommodate groups if you give notice. Smaller groups can walk in anywhere on both routes.
Know a pub that should be on one of these routes? Tell us.
Route information verified April 2026 via venue websites and on-the-ground research. Opening hours can change seasonally — always confirm with the venue before making plans.