Melbourne is Australia’s hub of art and culture—a city that is often crowded with tourists. If you don’t want to look like a tourist during your visit to Melbourne, there are a few tips you can follow. Read about them below!

Avoid Buying Into Australian Stereotypes

No matter what Australian city you’re visiting, you’ll always stand out as a tourist if you buy into national stereotypes. Australians are known for their laidback attitude and sense of humor, so you might not cause offense by assuming that all locals are surfers who tackle crocodiles in their spare time. But you will make yourself look like a foreigner. The truth is Australia is a very multicultural country that is home to people from all walks of life. Countless ethnicities make up the population of Australia and most of them do not fit into the classic picture of what international tourists expect Australians to be. Common “touristy” things to avoid saying in Melbourne (and the rest of Australia) include greeting everyone with “G’day, mate”, asking people if they like shrimp on the barbie, and bringing up anything about dingoes and babies. RELATED: 10 Free Things To Do In Australia

Embrace The Brunch And Coffee Scene

In general, Melbourners love to brunch and they’re very particular about the coffee they drink. Melbourne is renowned around Australia for its brunch and coffee scene. The city is home to an endless array of coffee shops and eateries serving up Instagram-worthy meals that taste as good as they like. You just can’t fit in with the locals if you don’t embrace coffee and brunch as a pastime.

Most people like to go to brunch with family and friends on weekends, but if you have time during the week, there’s no reason why you can’t go any day. A common brunch favorite in Australia is “smashed avo on toast”, consisting of toasted spread with avocado and accompanied by a number of other ingredients ranging from eggs to feta cheese.

Americans might find the coffee in Melbourne a little strong at first. You’ll mostly find espresso-based drip-style coffee throughout the coffee shops of Melbourne and each coffee is made to order. Don’t be afraid to ask for a cappuccino or macchiato if you need a dash of milk in yours!

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Don’t Spend All Your Time In The CBD

When most tourists visit Melbourne, they spend the majority of their time in the city center. And it’s easy to see why, with so many landmarks and attractions conveniently located right in the heart of the city. But after you’ve seen the major points of interest in and near the CBD, don’t hesitate to explore other areas. As you venture into less popular areas, you’ll run into more locals and fewer tourists. For shopping beyond the CBD, try Chadstone, a fashion mecca located in the suburb of Malvern East. Those looking to experience some of Victoria’s beaches should head to St. Kilda and Brighton Beach, where you’ll find the signature beach huts overlooking the ocean. St. Kilda is also home to Luna Park, the most famous amusement park in Melbourne. Luna Park first opened in 1912 and is as much a haven for history buffs as it is for kids and kids-at-heart. RELATED: 10 Best Places To Surf In Australia

Attend An AFL Game And Get Into The Spirit

Australian Rules Football is Australia’s most beloved sport and Melbourne, in particular, has a very strong footy culture. Out of the 18 football clubs in the AFL, nine are Melbourne teams. This means there are games to attend every Thursday to Sunday in football season, which runs from March to September, during the Australian winter.

If you want to fit in with the locals, you should add at least one AFL game to your Melbourne itinerary. Aussie Rules is quite different from the NFL in that there are 22 players on each team, with only 18 being allowed on the ground at any one time. AFL players typically don’t wear any protective gear, despite the game still being extremely rough.

Along with watching the game and cheering for your team, patrons at AFL games typically indulge in quintessentially Australian snacks such as hot chips (thick-cut fries) and meat pies (pies filled with ground beef and gravy). It’s also common to enjoy one or two beers at your average footy game.

Prepare For Any Weather At All

One surefire way to stand out as a tourist in Melbourne is to be caught unawares in the unpredictable Melbourne weather. As The Invisible Tourist points out, you really can experience four seasons in one day in this city, no matter the time of year. As a rule of thumb, always have an umbrella and a light-weight sweater with you. You can never be sure when the rain and wind are going to hit! NEXT: 10 Things To Do Over A Weekend In Melbourne, Australia