Hobart, the capital of Tasmania and one of Australia’s oldest cities is a beautiful city with a rich history. Hobart, located on the estuary of the River Derwent nestled under the towering Kunanyi (Mount Wellington), is a popular getaway destination for Australians and international tourists every year.
Hobart is the main entry point into Tasmania. This small city makes a great base for tourists who want to explore the island.
Did you know there are many fun things to do for adventurers and short-term visitors in Hobart? This guide will give you a current rundown of what you can do in Hobart and the surrounding area to help plan your Tassie adventure.
The Best Things to Do in Hobart
This guide will highlight the top 31 things to do in Hobart to help you plan your Tasmanian trip. My personal experiences in Tasmania have also inspired me to write comprehensively about some of these highlights. Please check out each post for more information.
At the bottom of this article, you’ll find a comprehensive travel guide to Hobart. You will find all the information you need about Hobart, including where to stay, how to travel, and when to visit.
View Hobart from Mount Wellington (Kunanyi)
Mount Wellington (also known as Mount Kunanyi) dominates Hobart’s landscape. This powerful 1271-metre looms over the Hobart cityscape.
Kunanyi has a great deal of importance to the people in Hobart. It shields the city against damaging winds, absorbs rain clouds, and distributes drinking water from thousands of creeks and branches in Wellington Park.
When you ask people for suggestions for what to do around Hobart and for first-time visitors, the answer is always a trip to the summit. There are many ways to get up the Pinnacle, also known as.
The adventurers can choose to walk along one of the numerous walking trails in Wellington Park. You’ll find below a link that I consider to be the best circuit to reach the summit.
You can also drive or take the bus to The Pinnacle if you are not a hiker but want to see one of Hobart’s most popular attractions.
The Wellington Explorer departs from Franklin Square, near Salamanca Place. The Springs is a popular hiking and walking base at Mount Wellington.
Wellington Park is a great place to hike
Pinnacle, the highest point of Mount Wellington in Hobart, is not the only amazing hike. There are actually several dozen trails around Wellington Park.
The Springs is a great place to go for long hikes or short ones. There is a board here that lists the best tracks and walks in Hobart.
Discover Hobart Waterfalls
There are many falls to explore in the area of Hobart. Wellington Falls is the largest and my personal favorite. It requires a full-day hike.
There are also many smaller, equally beautiful waterfalls within walking distance from the suburbs of Hobart. O’Grady’s Falls are among them, as well as Silver Falls, Secret Falls, and Strickland Falls. The link below will tell you how to reach each of them.
Bruny Island Day Trip
Bruny Island may be the most popular and best-known attraction in Hobart. The 362 km2 island, which is packed with adventure, can be reached by car in 15 minutes from Kettering. This is just a half-hour south of Hobart.
Bruny Island has it all: the iconic Neck Lookout, rugged coastlines, unique wildlife, and world-class gourmet foods and produce. It’s no surprise that a trip to Bruny Island ranks high on many people’s lists of things to do when in Hobart.
Bruny Island is worth much more than a day trip. If you are short on time, it is possible to book a tour that will cram a lot into fewer hours.
MONA is the most unique and strange thing to do in Hobart
Mona is one of the most bizarre attractions in Hobart. The acronym MONA is “The Museum of Old and New.” This unique mix of ancient art, contemporary art, and modern art is the largest private-funded museum in the southern hemisphere. It’s the most bizarre, I would say.
If you are in Hobart, you should plan a visit to the MONA if it’s something you want to do!
Visit Port Arthur, a Unesco World Heritage Site
Hobart, if you haven’t already noticed, is an excellent place to base yourself for day trips to some of Tasmania’s most popular tourist attractions and areas. For history buffs, Port Arthur, on the Tasman Peninsula, is a must-do experience. It’s a simple day trip from Hobart.
The World-Heritage-listed Port Arthur Historic Site is a well-preserved penal colony site where thousands of convicts were sent during the early colonial period in Tasmania. The ticket for the Port Arthur Historic Site includes a tour that allows visitors to see the prisons, colonial homes, and mess of the early convicts.
South Hobart Camping – Go camping in South Hobart
Do you plan to travel to Tasmania by van or motorhome? I spent a few months in my van exploring Tassie. It was one of the best methods to see the island.
Gordon Foreshore Recreation Reserve is a great option if you want to camp in a beautiful location that allows for a campfire. This waterfront campsite, located 45 minutes south of Hobart, overlooks Bruny Island on the other side of the deep passage. Gordon Foreshore is a donation-only camp, so it’s one of the most affordable options to stay near Hobart.
Cascade Brewery: Sip a Cascade
Cascade Brewery is Australia’s oldest brewery. Cascade has been around since 1842 and is one of Tasmania’s iconic brands. Cascade is a brewery located near Hobart’s central area. Visitors can take guided tours of the brewery or taste the beer in the Cascade Bar.
Hop on a Wine Tour from Hobart (4 Wineries)
Tasmania is well-known as one of Australia’s best wine-producing regions.
If you are traveling to Hobart, you will have a wide range of options.
There’s a great full-day Tasmanian wine tour that you can book from Hobart. (Meet at Brooke Street Pier). This tour takes you to four of the finest wineries in Tasmania’s south.
Derwent Estate
Domaine A
Pooley Wines
Pressing Matters
Craigow Vineyard
Come prepared for an exciting day of fun! The tour lasts 7.5 hours, and each vineyard offers 4-6 tastings.
Best Of Hobart – Three-Hour Hobart Sightseeing Tour
If you’re a visitor to Hobart and want to see everything in a limited time, I recommend the famous 3-hour tram tour.
The trips are available daily in the mornings and afternoons. The coach tram, a historic tram converted for use as a tram, offers a unique and memorable experience. The tram visits more than 40 historical sites, tourist attractions, and city highlights in Hobart.
The guide’s humorous and in-depth commentary makes this a fantastic way to see the best of Hobart within three hours.
Mount Nelson Lookout: Hobart from Mount Nelson
There is another lookout worth visiting, too. While the Pinnacle on Mount Wellington is arguably one of the best places to see Hobart, it is not necessarily your only option.
Mount Nelson Lookout has a signaling station that was used to send messages between Hobart and the Port Arthur penal colony since 1811. It’s not surprising that they chose this spot. This location offers a spectacular view of the city and Tasman peninsula in the distance.
You can drive to Mount Nelson from Proctors Road or walk up the mountain.