Ocean airs on Rye's 2 sides
Rye straddles the southern edge of Victoria, between the blustery ocean and the calmer waters of Phillip Bay. The beaches it has on the 2 sides of the Mornington Peninsula are what magnetize Melburnians from the city streets during the summer months, even if some braver folk come in the winter to don the wetsuit and ride the waves during the winter. Most of the coveted Rye vacation rentals cluster above the bay side of the town, many offering gorgeous panoramas over the white sands and multicolored beach shacks. Others dot the inland, hiding between eucalyptus groves and local cafes.
Roaring waves and relaxation in Rye
The natural beauty of Rye is encapsulated by the protected reserves of the Mornington Peninsula National Park. That sits just to the south-east of the center, where undulating dune hills roll out across the clifftops, and the rugged crags of Cape Schanck offer whale watching and dolphin spotting from the lookouts along the shore. Once you're done gawping at the glorious ocean vistas, Cups Estate beckons on the way back to town. Since 1999, they've been offering wine tasting, golfing, and hot spring packages for those who really want to unwind on the VIC coast.
Victoria beach life in Rye
Rye's really great at offering a taste of bona fide Aussie beach life just a stone's throw from the inner city of Melbourne. In the summer months, folk come to hit the frothing waves that roll in from the wild Bass Strait in the south _ surf rentals and windsurf outfitters dot the streets by the bucket load. Others come to hit the glowing white beaches on the bay side of town. You could even bag a Rye vacation rental with doorstep access to the picture-perfect shores there, to get you straight to the top sunbathing spots in the morning.
Right through the seasons in Rye
The time of year you decide to book those Rye vacation rentals should depend on what it is you really want to do in this corner of coastal Victoria. For the best weather on the shimmering beaches of the Port Phillip shores, you're best off coming in summer _ between November and March down here in the Southern Hemisphere. For whale watching, some of the wildest surf on the Mornington Peninsula, and lower rates in the local rentals, you could consider a trip in the winter. That's between May and September each year.
Rye's place on the ocean
Rye enjoys a place on both the open ocean, where the Bass Strait crashes into the rugged, rocky shores of the Mornington Peninsula, and the glowing blue bay of Port Phillip. That gives it a medley of dramatic coastal vistas where whales splash in the swells on one side, and a patchwork of sandy stretches perfect for swimming and sunbathing on the other. The Mornington Peninsula National Park is the main showcase of the region's beauty, coming complete with bushland that tumbles down to the sea, muscular rock formations at Cape Schanck, and wave-washed beaches for the surfers.