Tasmania Travel Guide: 8 Spots You Must Visit
Each year, over eight million tourists visit the country of Australia and many pick Tasmania travel spots.
And, most of them head to places like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. If you plan to head to Australia soon but are looking to avoid the large tourist crowds that flock to these cities, then we suggest heading to Tasmania.
Tasmania is about as off the beaten path as you can get. For those who don’t know, Tasmania is an island that’s secluded from the rest of the continent, much like Hawaii is to the United States.
But, what does this island really have to offer?
Check out this Tasmania travel guide to learn about the top spots to visit on the island.
1. Freycinet National Park
Without a doubt, you need to make a visit to Freycinet National Park while traveling in Tasmania.
This park is located on a peninsula that’s just south of Cole’s Bay. It’s a prime spot for camping, taking a scenic drive, and bird-watching. The park also features pink granite peaks that are surrounded by white-sand beaches, making it an extremely popular spot for photographers.
However, the main highlight of Freycinet National Park is definitely Wineglass Bay. This is a curved stretch of sand that’s filled with the bluest water you could imagine. So blue, in fact, that it looks other-worldly.
And, although this national park is certainly a popular attraction, it’s definitely easy to find a hiking trail that allows you to escape the crowds.
If you’re short on time and you’re a novice hiker, we recommend hiking along the Wineglass Bay Lookout path. If you’re up for more of a challenge, then we suggest hiking Mount Amos.
And, don’t forget to catch the sunset from either Cape Tourville’s lighthouse or Honeymoon Bay while you’re here.
2. Explore Salamanca Market
While Australia is full of some wonderful artisan markets, Salamanca Market in Tasmania definitely takes the cake as the best of the bunch.
This market is located in Hobart along its picturesque waterfront. Salamanca Market was first established in 1972, and it’s been booming with activity every Saturday ever since it first opened.
From the hours of 8 am to 3 pm, you’ll be able to explore over 300 vendors selling organic produce, unique Tasmanian products, secondhand clothes and books, ceramics, tourist souvenirs, woodwork, ethnic foods and drinks, antiques, and original artwork.
After you pick up some food from the market, you can easily find a spot to sit down and admire the view from one of the many parks and gardens surrounding Salamanca.
Even when the market is not taking place, this is a great area of town to visit with some nice cafes, restaurants, pubs, and shops.
3. Wellington Park and Mount Wellington
No visit to Tasmania is complete without a trip to Wellington Park.
The summit of Mount Wellington is so iconic in the area that locals simply refer to it as “the mountain.” From the top of the mountain, you’ll get beautiful views of the city of Hobart as well as Southern Tasmania.
If you plan to hike this mountain, make sure you are in good physical shape. And, if you plan to do the hike in the winter months, make sure you’ve packed adequate clothing to keep you warm.
However, while Mount Wellington is definitely the highlight of the park on your Tasmania travel, it isn’t the only thing worth exploring.
Wellington Park also offers many trails that are great for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and four-wheeling.
If you’re a rock climber, then you’ll definitely want to check out the Oregon Pipes. This is a series of vertical rocks that are situated along Mount Wellington and offer incredible views.
4. Hobart
We’ve already mentioned Hobart a couple of times in this article, so in case you couldn’t tell, it’s the top city to explore in Tasmania travel itineraries.
Hobart is the heart of Tasmania, and it’s the most populous city in the area. In fact, it’s also the second-oldest city in all of Australia.
In addition to the Salamanca Market and Mount Wellington, visitors flock to Hobart during the summer months, as it’s a popular cruise ship destination.
Other attractions to check out in Hobart include:
Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens
When you’re looking for a low-key activity, the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens is the perfect place to go.
These gardens are nestled inside the Queens Domain neighborhood next to the Derwent River. This is a beautiful outdoor oasis that spreads across 34 acres and offers you the chance to see unique herbs, cacti, lily ponds, plant houses, and other indigenous species.
MONA
The Museum of Old and New Art is situated just 11 kilometers north of Hobart’s city center, and you can easily access it by ferry or bus.
If you have the time, we definitely recommend catching the ferry, as it’s an adventure in itself. During your 30-minute ferry ride, you can take in views of the scenic Hobart while sipping on a cocktail.
The museum offers a unique and innovative art experience, beginning with the infrastructure of the building itself, which is that of an inverted, underground pyramid.
Cascade Brewery
Cascade Brewery is the oldest and most iconic brewery in all of Australia. And, seeing as it sits in the foothills of Mount Wellington, it also offers some pretty epic views.
In fact, in order to make the beer, brewers source pure Tasmanian water straight from Mount Wellington. To learn more about how this delicious beer is rafted, we suggest taking a tour of the brewery.
Battery Point
While in Hobart, you also need to carve out some time to visit Battery Point. This is a very prestigious suburb of Hobart that has an extremely rich history. To truly appreciate the suburb, we suggest embarking on a free walking tour of the area.
5. Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park
The Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is easily one of the most beautiful places you’ll visit in Tasmania, if not all of Australia.
This national park comprises of two distinct regions: Cradle Mountain and Lake St Clair.
In the Cradle Mountain section, you’ll find the bulk of the park’s attractions. This area is home to the park’s visitor center, gift shop, facilities, and cabins. This is also where people go to begin the Overland Track.
The Overland Track is a 40-mile trek that takes around six days to complete. While it’s definitely not for the faint of heart, this trek offers some of the best views of Australia’s natural landscape.
Lake St Clair is located in the south end of the park, and it offers plenty of hiking trails, picnic areas, and of course, views of Australia’s deepest lake.
In addition to the jaw-dropping mountain scenery and forests you’ll encounter in this park, you’ll also get the chance to spot unique wildlife, such as platypus, wombats, and wallabies.
6. Mt Fields National Park
After visiting Freycinet and Cradle Mountain, you may feel like you’ve had your fill of national parks.
But trust us, you’re also going to want to leave some time for Mt Fields National Park. Mt Fields is actually Tasmania’s first national park, and it offers a wide range of walking treks as well as plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife.
However, one must not miss the star attraction of Mt Fields National Park: Russell Falls.
These falls are very easy to walk to and are even accessible by wheelchair.
In the winter months, you can even ski and snowboard in the park.
7. Tasmanian Devil Unzoo
People across the world know about Tasmania for one reason: the Tasmanian devil.
The reason this place is called an ‘unzoo’ is because it flips the experience of a traditional zoo on its head. In this space, cages are either hidden or removed, therefore encouraging its visitors to rethink how we approach natural spaces and wildlife.
The zoo offers up close and personal animal encounters, an original art gallery, a Tasmanian native garden, and numerous wildlife adventures.
Plus, you’ll feel good visiting this zoo knowing that a good chunk of the proceeds goes toward protecting the endangered Tasmanian devil.
8. Richmond
Just outside of Hobart is the picturesque, historic town of Richmond.
This is a cute, quaint town that’s full of historic buildings, interesting architecture, and unique attractions.
While there, you can walk over Australia’s oldest bridge. And, you’ll definitely want to take some time to find your way through the Richmond maze.
However, the best part of Richmond is walking through the town to explore all of the old Georgian buildings. In fact, many of them have been repurposed and now house cafes, bookshops, galleries, and restaurants.
Tasmania Travel Guide: Are you Ready to Explore Tasmania?
Now that you’ve read this Tasmania travel guide, it’s time to book your flight to Australia!
If you plan to hit up some of the national parks in Tasmania, then you’re going to need the right trekking poles.
Check out this guide to learn about the best black diamond trekking poles.
