Tasmania


Tasmania Holiday


I can honestly say that Tasmania is now officially my favourite Australian state.  With over 19 national parks, pristine beaches, rugged coastlines, great hiking, fascinating history and plenty to occupy the foodies; a Tasmania holiday literally has everything!

I love Tasmania because of how outdoors it is. Taking the kids on a Tasmania holiday is a great opportunity to get them away from the screen and enjoying the natural beauty of their surrounds.

Tasmania has plenty of unique geological features and a multitude of national parks. It’s really quite easy to find things to do in Tasmania without spending too much money.

Practicing their rock climbing skills at Honeymoon Bay on the Freycinet Peninsula
Get Yourself a National Parks Pass!

You will absolutely want to visit a few National Parks while visiting Tasmania.  The most cost effective way of doing this is to buy an 8 week pass. This gets a whole family into all of Tasmania’s National Parks. Passes can be purchased online here.

If you are into hiking, you will already know that the multi-day hiking opportunities in Tasmania are fantastic.  Did you know that the day hikes are also great? Quite a few of them are suitable for families as well!

Check out this list of 60 Great Short Walks published by Tasmania’s National Parks and Wildlife Service.  The list details length, difficulty and duration of each walk making it easy to choose one that’s suitable for your family.


Information and Inspiration for Your Tasmania Holiday



Great Places to Visit on Your Tasmania Holiday


The Tasman Peninsula

The Tasman Peninsula is easy to love! There are quite a few free things to see and do alongside some really unique geological features.  A highlight for us was the Coal Mines Historic Site and the Cape Hauy Track.

I recommend staying at the Port Arthur Holiday Park.  The prices are reasonable and they have something to suit all budgets; from powered/unpowered sites to family cabins.  We loved the natural environment, clean facilities and the cute little pademelons that visited every day at dusk and dawn.

tasmania holiday
The Tasman Arch on the Tasman Peninsula

The East Coast

The East Coast of Tasmania is extremely picturesque and there are a lot of uncrowded beautiful beaches to explore.  We particularly enjoyed staying in the small town of Bicheno due to it’s proximity to the Douglas Apsley National Park, the pretty beaches and small town vibe.

Other highlights include the Freycinet Peninsula and of course, the Bay of Fires.

tasmania holiday
The Bay of Fires on the East Coast of Tasmania. Although you can’t see it in this picture, there is plenty of white sand for the kids to play on.

Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park

We were lucky enough to visit this national park while there was still snow on the ground.  Watching the wombats amble around the grassy plains covered in a light blanket of snow as we headed towards Dove Lake was just beautiful.  I recommend doing the Dove Lake Circuit walk, this would be a great walk in the warmer months as well.

tasmania holiday
The iconic boat shed at Dove Lake, Cradle Mountain

Hobart

Hobart is a surprisingly enjoyable city.  It’s Australia’s second oldest capital but doesn’t have that ‘dirty’ feel that a lot of cities have. It has a bit of a hipster vibe about it and visiting the iconic Salamanca Markets on a Saturday is a must! It’s a great opportunity to pick up some hand-made Tasmanian products and produce.

We stayed at the Fountainside Hotel which I can’t fault.  Our room was modern and clean with a decent sized bathroom and shower.

Make sure you try a pancake stack at the Honeybadger Desert Cafe in Hobart

…for next time

Unfortunately, we ran out of time to visit Launceston and south of Hobart.  When we return, I would love to spend a week or two exploring the western wilderness of Tasmania.


YouTube Clips of a Tasmania Holiday with Kids



tasmania holiday
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Comments

2 responses to “Tasmania”

  1. Sharon Avatar

    Definitely getting a National Parks pass after this great read! The fam especially the kids love visiting parks and beaches. Thanks for this!

    1. Jessica Palmer Avatar

      No worries! I’m jealous – we can’t wait to be able to get back to Tasmania.

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