Fantastic 14-day Tasmania Itinerary for Families
This Tasmania Itinerary (14 days) starts and finishes in Hobart. We chose to spend time in Hobart at the end of our two-week road trip rather than at the beginning so that we could experience the wonderful Salamanca Markets which is only held on Saturday mornings.
Although we travelled this Tasmania Itinerary in a motorhome, using your own car or hiring a vehicle is just as easy. Accommodation is available for all budgets in Tasmania.
Day One – Tasmania Itinerary
Arrive in Hobart and pick up your hire car or motor home. Stock up on food if you have a motor home, and begin your short road trip to Port Arthur on the Tasman Peninsula. It’s approximately 96km via the Arthur Highway (1 hour 25 minutes).
The Port Arthur Holiday Park is a great choice of accommodation for families. It has both cabins and powered sites for caravans, clean facilities, plenty of nature and wildlife, and a great playground for the kids.
Day Two – Tasmania Itinerary
If you are into hiking, the Cape Hauy Track is a must do. (See my post on hiking the Cape Hauy Track). This is not an easy hike with young kids that need to be carried, but teenagers will be able to handle it and the views are incredibly rewarding.
If hiking is not for you, check out the lovely stretch of sand at Fortescue Bay, and/or visit the Port Arthur Lavender farm or the Tasmanian Devil Unzoo.
Day Three – Tasmania Itinerary
Spend the morning at either the Port Arthur historical site or the Coal Mines Historical site. Purchase your two-day Port Arthur historical site tickets here.
We had a great time visiting the Coal Mines Historical Site. It’s free to visit and easily managed with young kids. Check out my post on visiting the Coal Mines Historical Site.
Spend the afternoon checking out the natural highlights such as the Remarkable Cave, The Tasman Arch, The Devil’s Kitchen, The Blow Holes, and the Tessellated Pavement. The Tessellated Pavement is best viewed at low tide and it’s even better if you can time low tide with the sunset!
Day Four – Tasmania Itinerary
Say goodbye to the Tasman Peninsula and set out on your 189km road trip along the Arthur Highway and the Tasman Highway to the Freycinet Peninsula. This will take approximately 3 hours, excluding stops.
The Kelvedon Beach day area is a lovely place to stop to break up the drive. We stayed at the lluka Big 4 Holiday Park in a motorhome. However, there are some beautiful accommodation options in the Coles Bay/Freycinet Peninsula area. Check them out here.
If you have time in the afternoon, take a drive to the Cape Tourville Lighthouse. It’s a great short walk and even though the lighthouse itself is not that exciting, the views are enjoyable and there are free public binoculars to spy on the birds on a set of offshore isles called ‘The Nuggets’. Check out my post on the Cape Tourville Lighthouse for more information.
Day Five – Tasmania Itinerary
Do the Freycinet Peninsula walk first thing in the morning to avoid the tour buses. Kids may find this walk boring as its pretty much all uphill with not much to do at the top other than take a few photos and admire the view.
Pull in at Honeymoon Bay for a picnic (or a swim if its warm enough) before leaving the Freycinet Peninsula for the small town of Bicheno. It’s only a 35km drive which will take about 30 minutes.
We stayed at the Bicheno East Coast Holiday Park which was good value for money. Bicheno is an amazing little small town with a few cool things on offer such as a blow hole, motorcycle museum and penguin tours. Next time we visit, we will stay here to access the Freycinet Peninsula because its cheaper and the beach is a stunner. Other accommodation options in Bicheno can be found here.
Day Six – Tasmania Itinerary
In the morning, drive the 22km (approximately 42 minutes) to the Douglas Apsley National Park. A short walk will take you down to the Apsley River waterhole but if you feel up to a hike, the Apsley River Gorge Walk is really amazing. Check out my post on hiking the Apsley River Gorge Walk.
Use the afternoon to explore the town of Bicheno. The beaches are lovely and there is a pretty decent blow hole and small motorcycle museum. Penguin tours can be book here also.
Day Seven – Tasmania Itinerary
Pack up and drive the 74km (approximately 1 hour) road trip to St Helens or Binalong Bay. We checked into the Hillcrest Tourist Park at St Helens however there are some really nice accommodation options in Binalong Bay.
Once you are settled, head down to Binalong Bay to explore the white sand, aqua water, and bright orange coloured boulders of the Bay of Fires. Spend the afternoon basking in the glory that is Binalong Bay!
Make sure to read our guide to the Bay of Fires here if you plan to stay longer!
Day Eight – Tasmania Itinerary
It’s worth devoting a whole day (or more) to the Bay of Fires and today is the day to explore it. Drive down Gardens Road to the end, stopping where you feel like it. The beauty of the coastline in contrast to the rolling green hills dotted with cows is an amazing sight to see.
Kids will have a great time climbing the smooth rocks and testing their physical abilities. It was too cold to swim when we visited and as a result, it was completely and blissfully deserted.
Day Nine- Tasmania Itinerary
Say goodbye to the East Coast, and drive to Evercreech Forest Reserve (33km). Once you are at the forest reserve, a five minute walk is all it takes to reach the “White Knight” trees. At nearly 100 metres tall, they are reportedly the largest of their kind in Australia. See my post on the Evercreech Forest Reserve.
After lunch, make your way to the Cradle Mountain region of Tasmania. This drive is approximately 286km and should take just under 4 hours so you will most likely arrive late.
Excellent accommodation in the Cradle Mountain area can be found here:
Discovery Parks Cradle Mountain
Wilderness Village Cradle Mountain
The accommodation in the cradle mountain area can sell out so it’s best to book in advance. We left it too late and ended up quite a while away at Mole Creek Caravan Park. The caravan park is lovely, set on a creek with platypus, but it’s a fair drive every morning to reach the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park.
Mole Creek Caravan Park is approximately 224km (just under 3 horus) from Evercreech Forest Reserve.
Day Ten – Tasmania Itinerary
Park at the transit centre at Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park and take the shuttle bus down to dove lake. The cost of the shuttle is included in the national parks pass (more details a bit further down). I recommend doing the walk around the lake, it’s really lovely! See my post on Dove Lake for more details.
Day Eleven – Tasmania Itinerary
Pay a visit to Tasmazia and the Village of Lower Crackpot, a botanical maze and model village located approximately 41km (42 minutes drive) from the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre. This place is well worth a visit and lots of fun for the whole family. Stay here for lunch and head back into the maze afterwards! Check out my post on Tasmazia for more information.
Day Twelve – Tasmania Itinerary
Begin your drive back to Hobart, stopping at any of the charming small towns along the way to break up the drive. It should take approximately 4 hours (320 km) without stopping. This road trip is particularly scenic with never-ending rolling green hills dotted with sheep.
If you have been travelling in a motorhome, return it for the luxury of a hotel for the last couple of nights. I personally love Quest Apartments for families and there is one right on the waterfront!
Day Thirteen – Tasmania Itinerary
If you’ve time it right and it’s Saturday, pay a visit to the Salamanca Markets in the morning. There is a lot of Tasmanian products on offer and it’s a great opportunity to get some gifts to take home.
Drive or bus it to the top of Mount Wellington in the afternoon for some amazing 360 views. I would imagine that sunset or sunrise would be pretty spectacular! It can get cold and windy up there so don’t forget your jacket.
Day Fourteen – Tasmania Itinerary
Spend your last day in Tasmania discovering Hobart! There are lots of awesome things to do in this trendy city. I recommend stopping in at a little cafe called Honey Badger. The pancake stacks and toasted sandwiches are amazing!
Check out the well known and sometimes controversial Mona (Museum of Old and New Art), or spend some time walking around the waterfront shopping at the upmarket gift shops.
…If we had more time
Tasmania would be perfect to explore in 4 – 6 weeks and it’s impossible to squeeze in all of the good bits in two weeks comfortably. However, when it comes to holidays I take what I can get!
If we had another couple of weeks I would:
- Spend more time on the Freycinet Peninsula and the small town of Bicheno
- Visit Launceston
- Spend more time hiking at Cradle Mountain
- Explore the West Coast
- Explore South of Hobart
- Visit some of Tasmania’s islands
National Park Fees
A National Park entrance fee is required to visit the the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park and others.
You can buy a single day pass but its better value for money to get the 8 week pass. It gets a whole family into all of Tasmania’s National Parks.
Passes can be purchased online here.
Looking for More Awesome Family Holiday Destinations?
For more information on visiting Tasmania with kids, head on over to my Tasmania page. Head on back to the home page for inspiration on destinations worldwide.
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Planning and booking your holiday to Tasmania
National Parks Pass:
A National Park entrance fee is required to visit most parks in Tasmania. You can buy a single-day pass or if you are exploring more of Tassie, an eight-week pass that gets a whole family into all of Tasmania’s National Parks is better value for money. Passes can be purchased here.
More information:
Check out the official Tourism Tasmania page for more information on great places to visit in Tasmania.
Getting to Tasmania:
Search on Trip.com for the best deals to Tasmania. Flights are available from most capital cities into either Hobart or Launceston.
Alternatively, you can also come across by boat on the Spirit of Tasmania. If you choose to come across by boat, you can bring your own vehicle.
Accommodation in Tasmania:
Accommodation in Tasmania is varied and there are options from budget to luxury. Find a great deal here.
Getting around Tasmania:
Compare rental car prices here.
