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One of the most charming aspects of taking a well-earned holiday is the free time that you have to simply explore a new area. Whether you're getting to know the locals, sampling the regional cuisine or taking a leisurely stroll through unfamiliar scenery, visiting different towns and villages is a great way to dive into a destination.<\/p>\n
Taking a day trip or two to a few different places is perhaps even better in a coastal region like the Mornington Peninsula, which contains more than 10 per cent of Victoria's shoreline. This means that there is a wealth of coastal towns to visit, all with gorgeous white sand beaches, great food and amazing scenery. <\/p>\n
It's hard to pick as there are over 30 villages to choose from, but here are three of our favourite places to explore while staying on the Mornington Peninsula<\/a>. <\/p>\n 1. Flinders<\/strong><\/p>\n Founded in 1854, Flinders is amongst the oldest and most historic towns in the region, and boasts an array of heritage buildings as well as monuments dedicated to the early explorers George Bass and Matthew Flinders. Perhaps you're after a stunning view, in which case head down to the beach where a 250-metre-long pier extending out into the Western Port provides sea views and a great place for a spot of fishing, <\/p>\n There's plenty to do in the town itself, but the real treasure of the area is nearby Cape Schanck. Believed to posses some of the cleanest air in the world by virtue of the wind coming north from the Antarctic, Cape Schanck can be explored by a variety of different walking tracks that wind their way along the coast and through the bush.<\/p>\n