Road tripping around Tasmania

If you are thinking of visiting Tasmania for a holiday, you NEED to do it.

We visited at the beginning of November 2020 and without a doubt it was one of the best holidays I have ever been on.

If you’re into incredible scenery, nature, loads of wildlife, amazing food and wine and kid friendly options then this is the holiday for you (and just quietly, who doesn’t love any or all of those things?!)

We visited with friends so choose to mostly stay in group accomodation. Finding places to stay was a sinch, it was just hard to pick which one looked better as there was so many great options.

Here’s how we road tripped our way around Tassie in 7 nights..

Day 1- Hobart

We flew into Hobart with Jetstar (hello direct flights from Adelaide!). We didnt get in until a bit later which wasn’t the best for bugs, but we managed. We opted to stay in the middle of town for the night in the Hotel Grand Chancellor. Super central to everything, it was the perfect place to dump our bags and set off walking to find something to eat.

Medici was a winner- delicious pizzas that we ate on the chairs outside on the footpath. Perfect for people watching (it was Melbourne Cup day, so there was plenty to watch) and great authentic food.

Once we were done we wandered back through the Salamanca Wharf, soaked in some of the scenery and looked at the MONA boat that I wish we could have gone on (when we visited MONA was closed, but if you are staying in Hobart I’ve heard its a MUST visit! Its on my list for next time!)

Day 2- Hobart to Ulverstone

We checked out of our hotel (stored bags there) and headed out for brekky. A friend recommended we head to Criterion Street Cafe- what a great idea that was. Tasty brekky and brunch options (say yes to the three cheese French toast), excellent coffee and lovely service. We called ahead to book a table as we were a large group and we were well looked after. It was smack bang in town so we popped into Woolies for car snacks.

We then taxi’ed it to our car rental place. We chose to rent through Apex Car Rentals- they were at least $200 cheaper than your larger companies and the cars we got were fabulous. Easy process, brand new cars, fuel efficient and good rates for no excess insurance (a must in Tassie when you see all the road kill)

Once we had out cars we drove up to Mount Wellington. Iconic views over Hobart, very chilly but absolutely gorgeous. If you are gifted with clear skies like we were you are in for one hell of a treat.

Our drive to Ulverstone had us stop into Campbell Town- a small town filled with with loads of history. We checked out the the bridge, some of the history trail and had lunch from the local bakery in Valentines Park.

We rested our heads at Ulverstone Boutique Hotel (Coast to Canyon). We booked via airbnb and were very happy with our stay. Great location, very clean and comfortable. I’d definitely stay again!

Day 3- Ulverstone to Turners Beach, with a day trip to Cradle Mountain

We started the morning with coffee and breakfast on the fly from Thirty Three Cups. Delicious coffee and banging Vegemite and Avocado on toast. The boys then popped into the Go Cart Entertainment Centre to burn off some steam and race go karts for 10 minutes. I sat in the car with Raven while she slept but they had a ball.

We then headed out to Cradle Mountain, firstly stopping at Sheffield. We got word that they have they make some pretty delicious fudge and I can confirm that it’s the truth. We stopped into ‘Fudge n Good Coffee’ which sells exactly that. The Peppermint Crunch and Chocolate Orange fudge were personal favs, but I doubt you would get a dud. We grabbed some takeaway coffees and headed up the mountain.

Cradle Mountain

If you had any doubts about heading to Cradle Mountain wipe them from your mind quick smart, because this place is by far one of my favourite places I have ever been to. If you love picturesque views and loads of wildlife then this is the place for you.

We headed to the visitor centre first, where we bought our passes (we opted for National Park yearly pass which allows to cars to access, and worked out the cheapest option for us as we were also planning to visit the Freycinet National Park too).

We then jumped on the bus and headed up to Dove Lake. A short walk later and we were greeted with views of Cradle Mountain and explored the boat shed. The full walk is 6kms long, but we walked to the boat shed and back which is about 10-15 minutes each way and was generally an easy walk. If you have a infant make sure you have a baby carrier!

10 minutes the opposite direction of the Boat Shed is a lookout that overlooks the lake/boat shed and mountain which appears to be a little steeper.

We then caught the bus back down to the Visitor Centre, collected our cars and drove to the carpark near the Enchanted Walk. This boardwalk was fine for the pram and a great walk for kids. One side was bushland and the other a rainforest and it was simply magical. A creek runs through the middle where you can spot Platypuses- we lucked out but the view was beautiful none the less.

We saw loads of Wombats here, as well as wallabies and birdlife- this was easily the highlight of my whole trip!

Once we finished up at Cradle Mountain we checked into our accommodation in Turners Beach. We stayed at the Grand Designs Home through airbnb. A beautiful home equip with open plan living, THAT beautiful box window and a lovely fireplace. There was a few issues with cleanliness when we were there, but that was taken up with the owner who was more than accomodating and apologetic. I feel like once a few issues are ironed out it would be a comfortable place to base yourself.

Day 4- Turners Beach to Launceston

We started the day with coffee and homemade cherry jam doughnuts at The Tasmanian Food and Wine Conservatory and it was perfect as I had imagined. Surrounded by local produce, plants and a dreamboat interior, it made the perfect start for our day.

When we were done we drove past Ashgrove Cheese- unfortunately their cheesery door was closed so we could do a tasting, but if you drive past and they are open I’d definitely stop in as their cheese is YUM.

We stopped at Deloraine and strolled through town, where we were greeted with loads of little shops filled with locally made wares. The florist/gift shop/cafe is a must visit!

Lunch was spent heading back to the Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm (call ahead to book if you’re a larger group) where we ate our body weight in burgers and homemade sausage rolls. If you visit you need to try the Raspberry Fizz non alcoholic drink (it’s so delicious) and get some Chocolate Covered Raspberries to take with you. If you’re anything like us they wont made it to the next stop and will get eaten in the car.

Before we left we wandered across the road to Van Diemens Land Icecreamery. The winning flavour of the day was Wattleseed and Treacle. Unusual but so moreish.

In Launceston we checked into our apartment on York Street right in the centre of town. Change Overnight gives proceeds of their accommodation towards a charity or cause of your choosing. The apartments are clean, spacious, well equip, walking distance to everything and have great views- I’d recommend them to anyone from couples to families.

Day 5- Launceston- Markets and Cataract Gorge

Early mornings call for visits to the local farmers market. The Harvest Market is in the centre of town and offers everything from fresh fruit and veg, to brekky options and craft beer and spirits. We grabbed some brekky and coffee, pastries from Dandys Sourdough, and fresh juice from Tasmania Juice Press. We couldn’t resist a 3 pack of beers from Seven Sheds brewing- they went down a treat later in the trip.

With full bellies we wandered the streets of Launceston, stopping into to see the Monkeys at City Park (yes there are Japanese Snow Monkeys in an enclosure in the middle of park which I found equal parts weird and cool) and perusing a few vintage and homewares shops in surrounding streets. Vintage Rose and Hello Fred were two personal favourites.

We were visiting someone for dinner that night and were on dessert duties, so called into Bread and Butter. This patisserie/cafe was very cool- industrial vibes, mouth watering pastries and savoury options and local wines and wares. We picked a few of their Pain Au Chocolat, brownies and sweet danishes which tasted amazing. I also snagged a Pain Au Raisin for the car ride, and it was easily the best choice I made all day.

The drive into the Gorge was short and the views were incredible. The flowers were bursting with colour, the hills were green and we were so lucky to have blue skies. I couldn’t believe how many peacocks were walking around and how friendly they were- I counted more than 20!

The bridge was closed for maintenance so I opted to go on the Skyrail one way. It goes over the top of the water and through the canopy of trees. A must do if you can handle heights, the view was breathtaking. We even saw a sneaky wallaby on our travels- Tasmania really is brimming with wildlife.

All that walking built up a hunger, so we stopped into the Tamar Valley Cellar Door. Nestled on the deck in the sun, we were treated to one hell of a view while eating cheese and chautereie plates and sipping on Pinot Gris. The winery was beautiful, the food maybe a tad overpriced, but for the experience it was worth it.

We then headed next door to Turners Stillhouse. When I was greeted with a neon pink ‘Let the fun beGIN’ sign I knew I was in the right place. We opted for their 4 gins tasting, which included a Pinot and Chardonnay barrelled gin. My personal favourites were their Three Cuts Distillers Release Blue Label Gin and Chardonnay Barrelled gin- so much so we got some posted back home.

The night was spent at a friends eating wood fire pizza, but if you’re looking for somewhere to have dinner Black Cow Bistro, Stillwater and St John Craft Beer Bar were all recommended to us by several people. They’re on the list for next time!

Day 6- Launceston to Bicheno, stopping off at Bay Of Fires

The main aim of the day was to visit the Bay Of Fires. I was hunting for the turquoise waters and iconic rocks and it certainly delivered. We drove all the way to the end of Garden Road, where we found the most quaint beach and amazing views. Along that road there are plenty of places to pull in for some awesome photo ops.

We then popped into St Helens, a small town nearby for a bakery lunch on the lawns of a small memorial park to stretch our legs and eat pies.

A very cruisy day, but we were looking forward to getting settled at our new home after a long few days of driving.

We ate dinner at home with supplies from the local shops, cosied up in the lounge room at our house called ‘Vivid Air’ (on Airbnb) and played Monopoly while watching the waves. This house is perfect for families and groups, has great views of the ocean, is well equipped and very comfortable.

Day 7- Bicheno

Today was all about exploring the Freycinet National Park. We stopped into the visitor centre where we grabbed a map and found some kid friendly places to walk. If you don’t have a day pass you’ll also need to buy one here before you start exploring.

We drove up to Cape Tourville, a 20 minute circuit walk perfect for families. The views of the coast are next level and if you’re lucky you might even spot a whale. You can catch a glimpse of wineglass bay from here as well- be sure to have the camera charged.

Honeymoon Bay was next on our list and it was my favourite spot in the park. The clearest water, epic views and super quaint. If you are camping there are spots that are basically on the beach and look like the perfect place to set up camp.

Before leaving we popped into Friendly Beaches. We didn’t go onto the beach itself, we just meandered down the path to the viewing point. It soaks in the views of the white sandy, long stretched beaches and it’s a lovely place to stop.

We were all getting hungry so we stopped into the The Icecreamery Coles Bay for fish and chips. We got Barramundi and Chips and Squid and Chips, and without a word of a lie it was the best fish we had ever had. Big chunky portions and melt in your mouth fish. The chips were also damn good. When we finished we got some ice-cream, also big on the portion sizes, and headed down to the water.

Before we left we also stopped into the Geograph, just next door to the ice creamery, for Iced Lattes. The coffee was great and it also looked like a lovely joint for pizzas and cafe options- it’s on the list for next time.

On the way home we stumbled past the Devils Door Cellar Door, where we stopped for a seated tasting and a few beers. For those that like their whites and Pinots, this is a place for you. If you don’t like wine be sure to visit just to go up their viewing tower. It boasts some amazing views of the country side and vineyards and is free to go up.

Back in Bicheno we stopped into the ‘Blowholes’. By late afternoon the swell had got up, making it the perfect time to check it out. The water sprays out through the holes in the rocks and makes for some awesome photos- just don’t be a rookie like me and stand down wind or you may need a waterproof jacket.

After dinner we rugged up and headed down to the beach to try and spot some Fairy Penguins. We parked our car at the end of Gordon Street in Bicheno. Long story short, rug up and head to the rocks. Perch yourself close to the path at dusk and patiently wait. You’ll be greeted with plenty of penguins coming in from the ocean making their way to their burrows. There are tours that also run if you want to jump on one.

On the last day we checked out of our home, headed to a few little towns as we headed towards Hobart. Then it was all about killing time, getting the minibus back to the airport and thinking about the week that was.