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If you’re planning a trip to Tasmania and have limited time, taking day trips from Hobart is an excellent way to explore the beauty of the state. Hobart serves as an ideal base, allowing visitors to see many of Tasmania’s famous attractions without the hassle of relocating every few days.
Tasmania is known for its breath-taking scenery, natural beauty, and unique wildlife, and Hobart’s strategic location makes it easy to explore these features. Despite being a small state, Tasmania offers many diverse and stunning attractions that are just a short drive or boat cruise away from Hobart.
From historic sites to national parks, beaches to vineyards, there is something for people of all interests in Tasmania.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the best day trips from Hobart that you can take, allowing you to make the most of your time in Tasmania.
Bruny Island Day Trips from Hobart
Bruny island is a small island of the south-east coast of Tasmania, and is a great day trip from Hobart. The island offers a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere perfect for nature and food lovers.
Bruny island has beautiful natural scenery, including stunning beaches, forests, and wildlife. The island is also well known for it’s fresh seafood and local produce.
Visitors can enjoy a range of activities, such as hiking, fishing, and exploring the islands charming towns. The ferry ride to the island is also a scenic experience, providing stunning views of the Tasmanian coastline.
Bruny Island Food, Views & Sights Tour
This tour is more than just sightseeing on Bruny Island, but also focuses on the some of the best food Tasmania has to offer. Over the course of 10 hours, you’ll get scenic views of ‘The Neck’, eat delicious local food, and visit Bruny Lighthouse.
Foodwise, you’ll visit a fudge and chocolate maker for a tasting, have shucked oysters, cheese, and freshly caught fish, beef or lamb.
Bruny Island Wilderness Cruise
On this 3 hour tour, you’ll board a custom built, open aired boat which will take you on a cruise through towering sea cliffs and caves. During the cruise, your guide will be on the search for dolphins, seals and whales to point out to you. You can see seabirds too if you’re more of a bird person.
After the cruise, you’ll also have a short amount of time to explore on your own.
This tour is a good choice for people who like seeing wildlife in their natural habitat, enjoy cruising, and want to see some sea caves.
Bruny Island Independently
If you don’t want to hop on a tour, you can explore Bruny island yourself by driving 30 minutes to Kettering, where the ferry to the island is located. You don’t need to book ahead but you may have a wait in line, especially during the morning and late afternoon departures.
There is a bus that goes from Hobart to Kettering, which takes just over an hour, however I didn’t use that option so I don’t have too many details. My guess would be you would catch the earliest possible bus, arrive in Kettering, then catch a taxi to the ferry port.
If you choose to take this option, make sure you plan out your timings carefully, and be aware you might have much less time on the island. However, for some that might be a fair trade off as tours aren’t for everyone.
Wine Glass Bay Day Trips from Hobart
Wineglass Bay is a sunny beach located on the Freycinet Peninsula, about 2.5 hours drive from Hobart. It’s a popular day trip destination from Hobart, especially for nature lovers and beachgoers. The beach is renowned for it’s crystal clear waters, hikes and, and beautiful scenery.
On arrival, visitors can take a short hike to the lookout, which provides a panoramic view of the bay and it’s surroundings. The hike is moderately easy and is suitable for most people.
The Freycinet national park, where Wineglass Bay is located, also offers a range of activities, such as kayaking, snorkeling, and wildlife watching. The park is also home to several walking trails that lead to secluded beaches and stunning lookout points.
A trip to wineglass bay is a cool activity for visitors to Tasmania. I’d recommend keeping this one at the top of your list.
Scenic Flight Tour
This tour is a great if you don’t have a ton of time, but also want a birds eye view. You’ll experience a scenic flight over Freycinet National Park, a seal colony, Maria Island and Wineglass Bay, on this 3 hour tour.
You’ll also have a stopover on the beautiful Maria Island for a seafood lunch, see Fossil Cliffs and check out some local wildlife. Your lunch will include freshly caught seafood such as oysters, mussels, salmon and octopus, but if seafood isn’t your jam, let the operator know in advance and they can source other food.
Classic Wineglass Bay and Freycinet National Park Tour (Plus Wine)
This is the more classic type of tour to the Freycinet National Park and Wineglass Bay. You’ll get to enjoy the famous bay, and also take a walk up to the Wineglass Bay lookout for an epic view.
Lunch will be served at a restaurant overlooking the stunning Hazards Mountains, but beforehand you’ll have the chance to go on some other, shorter walks. Following lunch, the drive back will begin, but you’ll get to stop at a vineyard on the way for a wine tasting.
Note: Due to the wine tasting in the 2nd half of the tour, this tour isn’t suitable for people under 18.
Wine Related Day Trips from Hobart
Tasting wines is the popular day trip activity from Hobart, as the city is surrounded by several vineyards and wineries. Tasmania’s cool climate produces excellent wines, especially pinot noir, chardonnay, and sparkling wines.
The vineyards offer scenic views of countryside, making visiting them an enjoyable experience for wine and nature-lovers. The vineyards also offer guided tours and wine tastings where visitors can learn about the wine making process and sample of variety of wines.
Some vineyards also have restaurants, so you can enjoy a meal paired with the perfect wine. Wine tasting is a great day trip idea for those who love wine, food, and stunning scenery.
Winery Hopping Tour
If you love wine, this is the perfect day tour from Hobart for you. This tour visits 4 of Tasmania’s best wineries. There’s a nice mix of white and red wines to try, and also some sparkling wine.
In addition to tasting the wine, you’ll also get to see the wine making process, including the fermentation process, and wander through the vineyards to see the fresh grapes.
This is a fun tour for over 18s.
Wine, Beer and Cider Tour
This tour is a great option if you prefer to get a taste of different drinks, not just wine. On this trip you’ll visit a winery for a tasting, and get a tour of the vineyard.
Next you’ll visit the Pagan Cider Cellar Door to get into both traditional apple ciders, and some other fruit based ciders. Lunch will then be served before you move onto the final part of the tour – your beer tasting.
Obviously, this tour isn’t the place for children, but if you’re over 18, its a great tour to go on while tasting the best of Tasmania liquid.
Mt Wellington Day Trips from Hobart
Mount Wellington is a prominent mountain located just outside Hobart, and it’s a popular day trip from Hobart for visitors. The mountain offers stunning panoramic views of Hobart, the Tasmanian coastline, and the surrounding wilderness.
The summit is accessible by car or by foot, and there are several walking trails that lead to the top. The mountain is also a popular destination for those who are a bit more adventurous, with activities such as hiking, rock climbing, and mountain biking.
The air is fresh and clean, and the scenery is breath-taking. Visitors can also enjoy a coffee or a meal at the summits cafe, which provides a stunning view while eating.
Mt Field & Wellington + Wildlife Experience
This tour packs multiple sights into one day, and involves visiting to the summit of Mt Wellington. You’ll visit Mt Fields to check out the beautiful Russell Falls and enormous fern trees.
Next you’ll visit Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary where you’ll get to feed kangaroos, and also look out for Tasmanian Devils. You’ll either visit the Mt Wellington summit in the morning or the afternoon, and as long as the weather is clear, you’ll get epic views over the surrounding area.
This day tour is a good option if you want to see a bit of everything in the area surrounding Mt Wellington.
Port Arthur Day Trips from Hobart
Port Arthur is found 60km southeast of Hobart, and is an interesting attraction which used to be a 19th century penal settlement. It’s a popular day trip destination from Hobart, especially for history enthusiasts.
The site was once a notorious convict settlement, and visitors can explore the ruins and learn about Australia’s colonial history. The stunning coastal location adds to the beauty of the site.
Port Arthur is surrounded by beautiful natural scenery, including the Tasman national park and the Remarkable Cave. Visitors can take guided tours, go on a boat ride, or explore the area on foot.
The site also has cafes and restaurants, making it a perfect day trip destination from Hobart.
Port Arthur and a Wildlife Cruise
On the cruise part of the tour, you’ll get the chance to see seals, dolphins and whales, while cruising through the beautiful Tasman Coast. You’ll also see towering sea cliffs and deep sea caves on the 3 hour cruise.
After your cruise you’ll be dropped off at Port Arthur. Here you can have lunch and explore the Port Arthur site.
This tour is a nice pick if you want a mix of natural and man made sights. If you really want to see whales, its best to check which season is best to find them before choosing a time of year for your trip.
Port Arthur Day Trip
This tour is a good choice if you want a mix of land based sights, but a focus on Port Arthur.
In Port Arthur, you’ll have about 4 hours to explore, checking out the history of arguably the best preserved penal colony in Australia. However, if you don’t mind cutting off an hour, you can also visit the nearby Remarkable Cave.
Beyond those two sights, you will also have a chance elsewhere in the tour to visit the Tasmanian Chocolate Foundry and the Port Arthur Lavender Farm. In addition you’ll get to visit Maingon Bay to view Penguin Rocks from a lookout.
Port Arthur Without a Tour
If you wish to just visit Port Arthur (and do so without a tour), you can drive there, which will take roughly 90 minutes. Alternatively you can go by bus.
In conclusion, Hobart is an excellent base for exploring the many attractions that Tasmania has to offer. With its diverse range of natural beauty, wildlife, and historic sites, there is truly something for everyone in Tasmania.
From the sunny beaches of wineglass bay to the historic ruins of Port Arthur, and the panoramic views from the summit of Mount Wellington, there are countless day trip ideas to choose from.
By taking day trips from Hobart, you can maximise your time in Tasmania and experience the very best the state has to offer. Whether you’re a nature lover, history enthusiast, or simply seeking a relaxing day trip, Hobart is a great place to use as your base.
So pack your bags and get ready to explore Tasmania’s beautiful attractions, starting with these top day trips from Hobart.
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