Do I need to Rent a Car to Visit the Great Ocean Road?

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Should you rent a car to visit the Great Ocean Road? Read on!

The Great Ocean Road is one of Australia’s most iconic destinations. With stunning panoramic vistas, alluring beaches and other worldly geological formations, there’s no question that the Great Ocean Road is worth visiting. But with so many places to stop at, do you need to rent a car to see the Great Ocean Road? We’ll break it down for you.

RELATED BLOG POST: The Perfect Great Ocean Road One Day Itinerary

Great Ocean Road: Renting a Car versus Going on a Great Ocean Road Tour

Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road

A lot of tourists choose to self-drive the Great Ocean Road by driving a car, and this is perfectly understandable. There are a lot of stops along the way, and renting a car will give you maximum convenience and flexibility. I personally have lived in Australia all my life and reside in Melbourne, with access to my own vehicle, so I usually self-drive as I love the freedom of visiting whenever I want to.

Loch Ard Gorge, Great Ocean Road

However, I have also done a Great Ocean Road Tour before and found that in many ways, this is an equally enjoyable way of visiting. Not only is a Great Ocean Road self-drive tiring and time-consuming, but petrol prices are on the rise. Your costs can quickly add up once you take into account fuel, food and car insurance prices. A self-drive day trip can take more than 12 hours as even driving from Melbourne to the first destination of the day (Gibson Steps) takes almost 3 hours, without rest.

Gibson Steps – usually your first stop on a standard Great Ocean Road itinerary

In Australia, drivers drive on the left hand side. For visitors not used to driving on the left side of the road, I wouldn’t recommend renting a car without practicing first. If you don’t have the time to practice, then I would encourage you to go on a tour instead. The Great Ocean Road tours on offer include virtually every stop along the Great Ocean Road anyway, and ensures that you get from point to point safely. Plus, knowledgeable tour guides will know where the best photography spots are, and offer local knowledge about the sites.

The Arch, Great Ocean Road

All in all, rent a car if you’re a confident driver who’s driven in Australia for a long time, and won’t get tired on the wheel after about 8-9 hours of constant driving. Choose a Great Ocean Road Tour if you want to take the hassle and planning out of the equation, and want to relax on your tour without having to worry about the roads.

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Handpicked Great Ocean Road Tours

The Razorback, Great Ocean Road

We’ve handpicked a small selection of near-perfectly reviewed tours for you, to ensure that you get the best tour experience possible if you choose this method of visiting the Great Ocean Road. Here are our choices:

• The Great Ocean Road Premium Full-Day Tour is your ‘standard’ Great Ocean Road itinerary, stopping at all the highlights including the Twelve Apostles, Apollo Bay, London Bridge, Loch Ard Gorge and Teddy’s Lookout. In all honesty, there’s more stops on this itinerary that I’ve visited through all my self-drives to the area. It’s a very comprehensive itinerary. The special thing about this itinerary is that it’s done in reverse chronological order, meaning you won’t get nearly as many crowds at the sites – which is a huge bonus! Pick-up and drop off included.

• This Great Ocean Road Private 1 Day Tour is now the best-reviewed one-day tour of the Great Ocean Road, with a perfect 5-star rating so far. If you have the budget, this is the ultimate Great Ocean Road experience, as it visits all the usual stops, plus amazing, rarely visited ones including the Great Ocean Road Memorial Archway, Mount Defiance Lookout, Mait’s Rest and Lovers Hill. You do NOT want to miss out on this trip!

• If you’re visiting from a cruise, then choose this Cruise Ship Shore Excursion to the Great Ocean Road which lets you visit the majority of the Great Ocean Road highlights, and even a stop to the panoramic Eureka Skydeck.

Another view of the Twelve Apostles.

Bright day at the Loch Ard Gorge.

London Bridge, Great Ocean Road.

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Final Verdict – Do I need to Rent a Car to Visit The Great Ocean Road?

You don’t need a car to see the Great Ocean Road!

The answer is absolutely not. While some travellers choose to rent a car, you can visit the Great Ocean Road by going on a tour and enjoy it just the same (or even more). I have done both methods multiple times, and loved every single one of my visits.

Ralph visiting the Great Ocean Road.

If you’re not confident on the roads or just don’t want to rent a car for any other reason, there are plenty of reputable tour companies that offer comprehensive Great Ocean Road Tours.

The Grotto, Great Ocean Road

Asher at the Grotto.

Beautiful day at the Bay of Martyrs.

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Do you have plans to visit the Great Ocean Road on a tour or by renting a car? Let me know in the comments below!

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