Ask Millie
Parents visiting
Lower energy requirements, easier transport, good food that does not require knowing the scene. The plan needs to feel effortless for them, not just impressive.
← MomentsAvoid the generic
Moments · Visitor weekend planner
Avoid the generic
tourist list.
Someone is visiting and you are responsible for Melbourne making a good impression. The plan needs to be specific to them — their energy, their interests, whether they can navigate trams — not a roundup of the same ten places everyone mentions.
Melbourne is a city best experienced through its neighbourhoods.
The generic visitor itinerary — CBD walk, market, laneways, Federation Square — is fine. But a plan that reflects the visitor's actual interests is more memorable than a checklist.
Tell Millie who is visiting and what they care about. The plan will be built around them, not around what a tourist would expect.
What gets planned
The parts that make or break it.
- Visitor type
Parents, friends, interstate, international, family — the plan is different for each.
- Weather
Melbourne weather is part of every plan. Outdoor components need an indoor backup that does not feel like a letdown.
- Transport
Whether your visitor has a car, can walk, is comfortable on trams, or needs everything to be simple and walkable.
- Food
Where to eat, what kind of place, whether to book, how far it is from where you are staying and what you are doing.
- Landmarks vs local
The plan balances the things people expect to see and the things that make Melbourne distinct — not just a generic city itinerary.
- Energy level
Whether the visitor wants to cover ground or take it slow. The plan versions to this rather than cramming in every landmark.
The planning journey
A week out. Three days out. The day before.
7 days before
A week out
Make any bookings that need advance planning. Know the rhythm of the two days: which areas, what the food centrepieces are, any activities that need tickets or reservations. Do not leave the plan as a vague good intention.
3 days before
Three days out
Check the weather and adjust anything weather-dependent. Confirm any transport arrangements — airport pickup, where you are meeting. Tighten the timing if it feels loose.
1 day before
The day before
Final clear plan. What time does everything start, where are you meeting, what is the backup if the weather changes. The visit should not require anyone to be planning on the day.
Example emails
What a saved Moment sends
A sample for a made-up Moment, “Mum and Dad visiting”, written by the same code as the real reminders. They go a week, three days and one day before by default, and you can change the days when you save.
Subject Mum and Dad visiting: one week check-in
7 days out · One week check-in
This Moment is one week away. This is the right time to check the main piece: booking, timing, who is coming, transport and whether the plan still fits the person.
Is it their first time here?
Subject Mum and Dad visiting: weather, timing and backup
3 days out · Final check
This Moment is three days away. This is the useful final-check window: weather, transport, booking details and any small thing that would be annoying to fix on the day.
Anything changed before I move this toward the final checklist?
Subject Mum and Dad visiting: day-before checklist
1 day out · Day-before checklist
This Moment is tomorrow. Keep it simple now. Check the details that make the day feel easy instead of rushed.
Want the final checklist with timing, booking, transport and backup?
Example situations
The versions we see most.
Friend first time in Melbourne
Some landmarks, some local, none of the tourist traps that everyone regrets afterwards. The weekend should leave them understanding why people here are evangelical about the city.
Family with kids
Completely different constraints. The plan has to account for energy levels, food flexibility, how much walking is realistic, and an exit option that is not miserable.
One-day visitor
A single day requires more ruthless editing. One neighbourhood, one meal, one strong second stop, and enough breathing room that it does not feel like a forced march.
Weekend visitor
Two days is enough time to do Melbourne well if the plan is sharp. One area per day, anchored around food, with the right mix of walking, culture and something that feels local.
Add the visit as a Moment and PlanSorted will plan the weekend around your visitor.
Tell us who is visiting, how long they have, what they care about and any constraints. Get a shaped plan with food, areas, timing and a weather backup.
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