Cowes

Cowes combines golden beaches with history, art and a variety of leisure activities. The Cowes Main Beaches lie on Western Port Bay; the town also offers opportunities for cycling, cultural discoveries and all-weather entertainment. You can tailor your stay to suit whether you want to spend most of your time by the water, explore Phillip Island by bike or discover the range of things to do in Cowes.

Beaches and activities on the water

The Cowes Main Beaches are sheltered sandy beaches with little wind and gentle waves. They are the only north-facing beaches in Victoria. Swimming, sailing and stand-up paddleboarding are among the possible activities, along with jet skiing, beach walks, fishing and beach games. If you are planning a stay with time at the beach, you will find several ways to spend the day by the water here.

A visit to the beach also comes with practical facilities: the Cowes Main Beaches have toilets, including a designated accessible toilet, changing rooms and outdoor showers with cold water. These details help you plan your time at the beach without committing to a single activity for the whole day.

Jetty, ferry and fishing

The Cowes Jetty was built in 1870. Fishing is a major attraction there, and numerous fish species can be found around the jetty. If you are interested in the historic structure and fishing, you can include both in your exploration of Cowes.

From the Cowes Jetty, visitors can take a ferry across Western Port to Stony Point or to French Island and Seal Rocks. This lets you combine a stay in Cowes with a ferry trip across the water. The ferry destinations are different from the beach activities right in Cowes and offer another option for planning your trip.

Entertainment in all kinds of weather

Grumpy’s Crazy Golf is in the centre of Cowes and offers families entertainment in any weather. Another indoor attraction is the Phillip Island Tenpin Bowling and Entertainment Centre. It offers bowling, Lazer Zone, arcade games, pool tables, table tennis and modern golf simulators under one roof. If you want to plan all-weather activities alongside beach days during your stay, you have two different options: crazy golf and a varied indoor centre.

Discover culture and history

The self-guided Cowes West Heritage Walk leads to Phillip Island’s first and second hospitals. The route focuses on history and can be explored independently, alongside the town’s leisure activities. Local art and craftwork is displayed and sold at the Phillip Island Art & Craft Community Gallery.

Berninneit brings together a performing arts venue and cinema, as well as a gallery, library and historic museum in Cowes. The programme at the performing arts venue and cinema includes new films, music, dance, comedy and theatre. Clay & Co offers a different way to experience art: when the door is open, visitors can see artists at work.

Getting around by bike

A shared walking and cycling path allows you to ride from Cowes to San Remo through the centre of Phillip Island, with stops at several attractions along the way. For a casual ride along the beach, Cowes Esplanade is a starting point. You can choose either a route across the island or a bike ride along the beach.

When looking for a holiday rental in Cowes, you can base your decision on what matters most to you: beach activities, culture and history, all-weather entertainment or cycling. Cowes offers a variety of experiences, so you don’t have to limit your stay to just one kind of leisure activity.

More destinations: Allansford, Apsley, Kyneton, Mccrae, Netherby, Waratah Bay, Daylesford, Balwyn North.

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.