The Hobart suburb of North Hobart is a popular spot for dining out, particularly along Elizabeth Street. Here you'll find everything from Italian restaurants to cafés to delis slinging Tasmanian produce and artisanal items. It’s a nice area for strolling and shopping, too.
Extending from 30 minutes outside Hobart to southernmost Australia, the scenic Huon Valley is known as Tasmania’s apple orchard. The Huon Highway follows the Huon River through the area, passing vineyards, cider makers, and a series of small villages along the way. Huonville makes a popular base for exploring Tasmania’s far south.
Offering a taste of Switzerland on the opposite side of the world, Northern Tasmania’s Grindelwald Swiss Village is an actual residential village as well as a tourist destination with eateries, attractions for kids, and shopping at the Tamar Valley Resort. Built in the 1980s by a Dutch businessman, Grindelwald is modeled on a Swiss town of the same name.
Macquarie Wharf is one of the primary cruise ship terminals in the Port of Hobart and is considered the gateway to the Southern Ocean. The wharf has three dedicated berths with cruise ship passengers arriving at Terminal No. 2, which, with a waterfront location in downtown Hobart, is within easy walking distance of many city sights.
Aussie’s most memorable creatures and critters can be found at Hobart Zoo and Aquarium, along with exotic animals and rare and endangered species from around the globe. The small family-friendly park is popular among animal lovers and provides the opportunity to see Tasmanian devils, kangaroos, koalas, and emus, without leaving Hobart.
Established to breed seahorses for the Asian market to reduce overfishing in the wild, Seahorse World in Beauty Point, Tasmania, is now dedicated to a wide range of conservation and educational efforts. All 50-plus species of seahorses are classified as endangered, and Seahorse World attempts to support seahorses around the world while providing fun, informative guided tours for visitors.
Popular for water sports, Tasmania’s Derwent River flows 113 miles (182 kilometers) from Lake St. Clair toward Storm Bay, and shapes the landscape and port of Hobart, situated on an estuary 12 miles (19 kilometers) from the river’s mouth. Along its course, the river cuts through Cradle Mountain–Lake St. Clair National Park.
In the heart of Hobart's waterfront area, Lark DIstillery's Cellar Door is a fantastic place to immerse yourself in the island's distilling scene. Here, you can sample a flight of specially curated whiskies from Lark's extensive collection or pick up a bottle or two to take home with you.
At Platypus House, get a close-up look at Tasmanian platypuses and echidnas, two uniquely Australian “monotreme” mammals. Learn about their biology at the center, and watch the animals play in a natural environment set on the Tamar River.
At the mouth of the Derwent River, the tranquil coastal neighborhood of Sandy Bay is one of Hobart’s most sought-after residential neighborhoods. Sandy beaches, boat-filled piers and a lively arts community offer a change of pace for travelers escaping the bustle of downtown. It’s also a good choice for rented accommodation outside of the central business district.
The historic Tamar Hotel, built in 1826, today houses the beer fans' haven known as Boag’s Centre for Beer Lovers (Boag’s Brewery). The experience takes visitors through the history of the brewing company, founded by James Boag and his son in 1883, while offering a behind-the-scenes look at the brewing process.
With 21st-century art, Australian craft, dinosaur bones, a planetarium, convict memorabilia—Launceston’s Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery is a cornucopia of Tasmanian art, history, and design. The museum first opened in 1981 and today it’s one of Australia’s largest regional museums.
The craggy mountain of Ben Lomond looms over the national park that shares its name. A haven for skiiers in the wintertime, as well as hikers and rock climbers in other seasons, Ben Lomond National Park’s treeless plateau stretches for around 8.5 miles (14 kilometeres) and soars more than 4,265 feet (1,300 meters). Keep your eyes out for year-round Tasmanian wildlife in the park.
Set inside a white brick heritage building that was once the local jail, George Town Watch House is a small museum focused on the colonial history of George Town. While some rooms feature temporary exhibitions and a preserved jail cell, the main attraction is its model village which shows what the town was like in the early 1800s.
Watching over the mouth of the Tamar River, a collection of colonial cottages houses the Low Head Pilot Station Maritime Museum. Family-friendly exhibits at this pilot station tell the history of shipping on the Tamar and the arrival of the telegram in Tasmania. Animal lovers can try to spot Little Penguins up at the point.
Home Hill is a timber house with a unique heritage; it was the home to the only Prime Minister of Australia from Tasmania, Joseph Lyons. Visit the gardens outside and then tour inside this Devonport house to learn about the personal and political life of Joseph Lyons, his wife, Dame Enid Lyons, and their 12 children.
Located just downriver from Launceston, the Tamar Island Wetlands is a protected area of mudflats, lagoons, and islands. Although converted to farmland in the 1800s, the river estuary has been slowly reclaiming the wetlands since the 1950s, allowing for the return of birds, frogs, fish, invertebrates, and threatened species.
Located outside the town of Longford, Tasmania’s Woolmers Estate is an early 19th-century pioneer farm passed down through six generations of the Archer family. The 32-acre (13-hectare) estate was designated an Australian Convict Site in 2010; today, it offers visitors insight into the convict consignment system through its preserved buildings, which include a blacksmith's shop, stable, and bakehouse.
Visitors to Beaconsfield, Tasmania, can learn about the area’s gold mining history at the Beaconsfield Mine & Heritage Centre. More than simply a museum, the center includes ruins of buildings and machinery used during the gold rush era. As well as 19th-century mining history, visitors can learn about the dramatic 2006 Beaconsfield Mine collapse.
Learn about Tasmania’s convict history at Brickendon Estate, one of 11 penal sites in Australia where those condemned by the British justice system were sent to work in the 18th and 19th centuries. Built in 1824 by a man named William Archer, the 1,150-acre (465-hectare) farm is still owned and operated by his descendants, who provide a tangible link to this part of Australian history.
The entire town of Evandale is a National Trust site—a collection of late-Georgian and early-Victorian architecture that offers a glimpse into what Tasmania was like in centuries past. It’s one of the best-preserved historic towns in all of Australia, with some of the oldest structures dating back to 1809.
Isolated on a peninsula facing the Tasman Sea, the once-feared Port Arthur Penitentiary was where Britain’s most-condemned convicts were sent to endure harsh conditions. Today, the UNESCO-listed site has been restored and preserved to remember Australia’s past; a visit here sheds light on the darker days of Port Arthur.
Rising up over the sea in the northern Tasmanian village of Stanley, The Nut is a volcanic plug that draws in hikers and wildlife watchers with its 360-degree views over the village and the sea. Grab your binoculars and head to the top for the chance to spot seabirds, seals, and even penguins.
With a mission statement to sustain, inspire, and create, Design Tasmania (formerly the Design Centre) was established to support high-quality Tasmanian craft and design. Today, only Tasmanian-created items are exhibited and sold here, including the work of emerging craftspeople and designers.
Known for its marine life, reefs, and diverse kelp forests, Tinderbox Marine Reserve in southern Tasmania is an off-shore area of protected waters across the D'Entrecasteaux Channel from Bruny Island. The reserve’s diverse marine ecosystem and proximity to shore make it an inviting destination for recreational diving.
The leafy residential neighborhood of South Hobart offers a few attractions for travelers and many visitors find themselves passing through en route to nearby Mount Wellington. With its handsome Georgian buildings and green backdrop, it’s a picturesque district and home to the famous Cascades Brewery.
Less than a 2-hour drive south of Hobart will take you to Bruny Island Berry Farm, where you can pick your own berries or purchase pre-picked berries, berry ice cream, berry jam, and other berry-infused treats. The farm is also a beautiful spot to relax while taking in countryside views.
Set on the banks of Tasmania’s South Esk River, Clarendon House is a stately 3-story Georgian house considered one of Australia’s finest heritage estates. It lies on over 17 acres (7 hectares) of parkland and has a walled garden, servants’ quarters, farm buildings, and the Australian Fly Fishing Museum.
Sitting on the outskirts of Launceston, Franklin House is the city’s only house museum, built in 1838 in the Georgian style. Constructed for ex-convict and publican Britton Jones, it later hosted one of the Colony of Tasmania’s most prestigious private schools. The need to preserve Franklin House led to the founding of the National Trust in Tasmania.
Visiting Truganini Lookout is a highlight of Bruny Island, whether you’re climbing up the wooden staircase at sunset in hopes of glimpsing the island’s resident penguins, or just enjoying the panoramic views. The top of the island’s tall sand mound (known both as the Neck Lookout and the Truganini Lookout) offers spectacular 360-degree views of the island.
