Walking through downtown, it’s easy to forget that Melbourne is also a seaport. For a nice change of pace, lasting anywhere from two hours to a full morning or afternoon, consider a tram tour to the the seacoast between Albert Park and St. Kilda.

The legendary sea captain Joshua Slocum spent Christmas 1897 at St. Kilda, resting during his solo sailing voyage around the world. The Royal Yacht Club, there to greet him then, is still there today. There are two principal tram-line terminals on or near the beach: on Victoria Street in Albert Park and at the foot of Fitzroy St. in St. Kilda. There’s a long beachfront promenade between the two and, at the St. Kilda end, a very attractive park. The walk is a little under a mile and a half long. Along the way, you’ll pass the quarters of the Middle Park Life Saving Club and the Surf Lifesaving Association of Australia. Beyond the park at St. Kilda, you’ll encounter the somewhat garish facade of Luna Park, a popular amusement park.

The tram lines from downtown to the waterfront and back will give you a look at Melbourne neighborhoods most tourists won’t see. Having lost or mislaid my handy transit map, I can’t give you exact route numbers. My own journey started at the intersection of St. Kilda Road and South Bank Blvd., just across the river from Flinders St. Station, and, with a change of trams somewhere that I can’t remember, took me to the waterfront at Albert Park. Returning, I left from a tram terminal near Luna Park in St. Kilda and wound up on Spencer St. downtown.

The whole trip, including the leisurely walk along the waterfront, took perhaps 2-1/2 hours. You’d probably have to be a serious trolley lover to enjoy this jaunt as much as I did, but even if you’re just a casual sightseer you might find it worthwhile. It IS a pleasant diversion from the ordinary.