A Family & Foodies Guide to Hobart with Kids 2023
If you are like us and like to maximise your time on holidays then checkout our list of things to do in Hobart with kids that we have compiled over three different visits throughout the last 4 years. We love visiting Hobart, it is such a beautiful place!
Checkout our top places to visit in Hobart with Kids. We have listed places to visit, to try the local food and outdoor adventures - we hope you enjoy our tips!
Our biggest tip is to have a think of what you would like to do with the family when you’re in Hobart before you book your flights as some places close during the week, like MONA (closed 3 days a week), the Tasmanian Museum & Gallery (closed one day) and the Salamanca Market and Farm Gate Market are only on weekends.
Note: All photos shown below are the property of Busy City Kids unless otherwise stated. Click on images in the gallery below to view full size images.
Places to Visit - Art Galleries, Historical Sites and Museums
Battery Point
Battery Point is a historic suburb just 10 mins walk from Hobart City Centre. From Salamanca Place, climb the colonial era Kelly’s steps and wander up through the lanes and quaint streets of Battery Point, filled with stories of Hobart’s historic past. We love seeing the old houses and buildings and visiting the cafés, bakeries and restaurants and the Princes Park playground on the way back. More info here.
Hobart Waterfront - Constitution Dock
If you’re walking along the Franklin Wharf, you might notice some cool sculptures of seals, penguins, dogs and more! We love taking silly photos there but also gorgeous pics with such great backdrop! The bronze sculpture represents Louis Bernacchi, a Tasmanian Antarctic hero. He is the first Tasmanian to set foot on Antarctica as part of the British Antarctic Expedition of 1898-1900 aka the Southern Cross Expedition. He was in charge of the meteorological observations and photography.
Kingborough Community Hub playground
The Kingston Park Playground provides nature-based play spaces for all ages and abilities. There are nine distinct areas of play, representing the aspirations of the community and inspired by native fauna and habitats within Kingborough. There is also a large public open space connected next to the playground which provides BBQ’s, an open area to play ball games together, enjoy the beginners pump track, learn to ride bike tracks as well as get some exercise in the outdoor gym zones. About 18 minutes by car, we packed some snacks and loved this amazing place. Parking and toilets next to the playground. More info here.
Mawson's Huts Replica Museum
We haven’t visited the Mawson’s Huts Replica Museum however we hope to one day. The Museum was built to raise funds for the ongoing conservation of the historic buildings at Cape Denison, which were used as the main base for the 1911-14 Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE).
Standing on the Hobart waterfront just 200 metres from where Mawson’s expedition departed from in 1911, the Replica also serves as an educational facility and promotes the legacy of the AAE. More info here.
Photo credit: @busycitykids
MONA - Museum of Old and New Art
Where do we start?! MONA is a big deal for me and I could spend days there if allowed! Hubby and the kids enjoy spending time there too as it’s always a place of full surprises. Exhibitions, installations are not highly publicised even on their own website so you’ll always find something new and interesting at MONA.
I have visited MONA three times since 2019 and have found solace in the sizeable permanent installations such as the Bit.Fall waterfall hooked to Google, 20:50 oil sump, the Nolan Snake Mural, ‘that wall’ and more! Miss loved the Ladies Lounge while Mister loved the outdoor arty trampoline, the wall of sound and the ferries. It’s always great to see new exhibitions set in this amazing fortress of stunning architecture that eccentric owner David Walsh keeps carving at, you will not be disappointed! Kids are not as subjective as adults are when it comes to Modern Art so MONA will impress them.
Check when they are open and book in advance to avoid disappointment for either entry or ferry spots. It is much more relaxed now then during covid. More info here.
Eating at NOMA is also a lot of fun, there’s quite a few options so checkout their website for fine dining inside to casual food near the winery. We had food in the top winery section of MONA and the kids liked a pay in the Girls Rule playground after. We tried gorgeous wines from the winery and food from Moorilla Wine Bar and also had Calamari, Corn and chips from Dubsy’s. More info here.
Getting to NOMA - We love the experience of grabbing a MONA ferry either the jungle or farm ferry is fine by us. We usually grab the 10AM ferry out, both ferries usually go then. It is a lovely ferry ride there. You can also drive and park there (however parking is limited apparently) or take the bus too. More info here.
Port Arthur Historic Site
Port Arthur will be on our list next time we visit Hobart! The Port Arthur Historic Site is one of Australia’s favourite tourist destinations. 90 mins from Hobart by road, it’s a place of global significance – one of the 11 places that make up the UNESCO Australian Convict Sites World Heritage Property. The Port Arthur site is a large site so it will take a day or more to explore. (Photos below from the Port Arthur Facebook page.) More info here.
Queen’s Domain Communal Legacy Park Playground
We stumbled upon the Legal Park playground walking into the city from our airbnb. This playground has a large adventure play space suitable for children of all ages plus an accessible community space for barbecues and picnics, an outdoor amphitheatre, two pizza ovens, public toilets and shelters. Love the idea of Community Bake Days where an expert is on-hand to help people with the wood-fired ovens that are free for community use. More info here.
Richmond Historic Village
Richmond Village is rich in history and architecture, with more than 50 historic buildings, mostly from the 1820s. This is a wonderful town to explore to learn about Tasmania’s past while enjoying visits to galleries, museums, cafes, and historical landmarks. Richmond was an important convict station linking Hobart with Port Arthur. 30 minutes from Hobart. We love exploring this beautiful village and tasting the food on offer. Kids love the bakery and lolly shop of course - checkout the food section of this blog below! (Last photo taken from Richmond Village Facebook page.) More info here.
Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery
We always enjoy visiting the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery whenever we are in Hobart. It has great permanent exhibitions on the rich history of Tasmania and Hobart, Tasmanian Aboriginal people, Tasmania Earth and Animals, Antarctica explorations and more. Lots of hands-on spots for kids throughout the permanent exhibitions. Best of all entry is Free. More info here.
Mapiya Lumi Little Kids Area at Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery
We were so happy to finally visit the mapiya lumi permanent kids installation at the Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery. Designed for children 0-7 years, it focuses on a sense of home and place that is unique to the islands that make up lutruwita/Tasmania. It has a variety of things for little ones to explore and experience as well as a little reading nook and slide at the back of the installation. More info here.
Food
Food is a massive part of why we love visiting Hobart and Tasmania so much so we’ve listed lots of great places to enjoy local produce and delicacies!
Salamanca Market
The Salamanca Market is Tasmania's most visited tourism attraction and runs every Saturday from 8.30 am to 3 pm, rain, hail or shine. It boasts over 300 stalls of fresh produce from local growers, hot coffee, delicious breakfast and lunch options, lots of gift ideas and plenty of handmade products. Located in Hobart near the Hobart Waterfront. More info here.
Farm Gate Market
The Farm Gate Market is another great market in Hobart on every Sunday come rain, hail or shine from 8:30 am to 1 pm. Bathurst Street in the centre of Hobart turns into a bustling farmers’ market. You will find some local producers who attend Salamanca Market on Saturdays like our favourite The Westerway Raspberry Farm as well as other producers and food trucks for coffee and food options. More info here.
Barilla Bay Oyster and Abalone Farm Tours and Shop
Barilla Bay runs Oyster Farm, Gillespies Ginger Beer and Candy Abalone tours on Thursday, Friday & Saturday. Book ahead as these tours are quite popular and book out. We enjoyed a tour back in 2021, the tour guide was so lovely and informative and we tried their freshly shucked oysters as well as Gillespies’ homemade Ginger Beer! The shop has a great selection of local oysters and abalone of course as well as other seafoods, ginger beer and local produce to have on-site or take-away. More info here.
Glen Huon Dairy - Huon Valley
The Glen Huon Dairy 10 minutes drive from Huonville part of the Bruny Island Cheese Co is a small-scale and sustainable organic dairy farm that is all about animal welfare and milk quality. You can buy freshly bottled milk from the dairy’s Farm Shop as well as cheeses and other gorgeous local produce and also do a Farm Tour! More info here.
Hill Street Grocer
Hill Street Grocer is a small independent grocery store chain in Hobart with 10 stores which always has amazing local produce. We always shop at Hill Street Grocer whenever we’re in Hobart. Our favourite store is the small Hill Street Grocer Newtown as we have stayed in airbnbs nearby but love love their largest Hill Street Grocer Devonport which has an in-house butcher & baker, big deli and big cheese selection and cheese fridge and more! More info here.
Jackman and McRoss
Jackman and McRoss is a well known and well loved bakery in Battery Point. We have loved our many visits picking up gorgeous breads, brioche, cakes and scallop pies. We highly recommend a trip there to try this great bakery to eat in or take away and eat in nearby small park with swings. There’s also the bigger Princes Park playground which we like to stop by on the way back into the city. Jackman and McRoss also have a smaller bakery store in New Town now. More info here.
Lark Distillery
Lark Distillery known around the world for the oldest Single Malt Whisky in Australia. Lark has a cellar door on Hobart Waterfront where parents can enjoy a Lark Whisky or other local beverages and ciders. There is an outdoor area which is great for summer days. The Lark Distillery recently opened The Still on Argyle Street which is a retail and tasting room with an impressive selection of Whisky and Gin. They also have Distillery Tours in Pontville. (Last two photos sourced from Lark’s website.) More info here.
Queens Pastry
Queens Pastry is a gorgeous boutique Patisserie top of Harrington Street in Hobart that is popular with doughnuts fans but also croissants lovers who can enjoy freshly baked croissants straight out of the oven three times a day at 7:30 am, 8:45 am and 10:30 am. We love this place, it has and it has great coffee too! More info here.
The Richmond Bakery
The Richmond Bakery is a popular place to eat when visiting Richmond Village two decades ago. You can see from their Google reviews that people love their savoury and sweet pies and we couldn’t agree more! We enjoyed some traditional meat pies, sausage rolls and of course tried their renowned Curried Scallop pies loaded with scallops and delicious sauce! (Last photo from the Bakery’s website.) More info here.
Sweets and Treats - Richmond Lolly Shop
Sweets and Treats opened for business in the historic village of Richmond in 1985. They provide old style lollies and treats with good old fashioned service. The lollies are displayed in rows and rows of glass jars and cheerfully weighed out by request. Little Miss and her brother loved this shop, no surprise there! (Last image from Sweets and Treats - Richmond Lolly Shop Instagram page.) More info here.
Van Diemens Land Creamery
Even though it’s freezing cold whenever we visit Hobart in April, we love ice cream from Van Diemens Land Creamery on Hobart Waterfront. You’ll always find a queue however it moves fast and the ice cream is delicious. Kids love the double chocolate and mint choc chip flavours as well as many others. I love trying the award winning flavours such as Pepperberry & Leatherwood Honey, Peach & Lemon Myrtle and more! So good! If your child or other visitors are coeliac, you can notify the staff who are happy to provide ice cream from a new tub to avoid cross contamination with cones etc. Last photo from VDL Facebook page. More info here.
Pigeon Whole Bakers
Being massive bakery and coffee lovers, we love visiting Pigeon Whole Bakers for breakfast or any time really ha! Located on Argyle Street in Hobart City, it’s a great place for your morning coffee or baked goods. We love their baguettes, sourdough breads, fresh bagel and sandwiches such as the cucumber cheese bagel and sweet treats like meringues and croissants, the list goes on! Enjoy! More info here.
Port Cygnet Cannery {permanently closed}
The Port Cygnet Cannery building housed was a thriving Apple Cannery established in 1938. The property was bought in 2009 and restored from 2009 to 2019. We visited in 2021 and really loved everything about this place. About an hour’s drive from Hobart, it is a gorgeous town with boat sceneries and nearby playgrounds. We had the most amazing paddock to plate meal, the pizzas were the best ones we’ve ever had and loved this gorgeous building which had an area for kids to do indoor games whilst parents relaxed. The drive home was a little bit scary as it was very dark and lots of wild animals around so be mindful of that before heading that way. Sadly upon writing this post, the Cannery closed in March 2023 and awaiting new owners. More info here.
Willie Smith’s Apple Shed
30 minutes from Hobart, the Willie Smith’s Apple Shed is a popular place to eat and try Willie Smith’s drinks alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Popular is no understatement, book way in advance even before you arrive to Hobart, to avoid disappointment! We enjoyed trying the different ciders and the charcuterie board, Tasmanian cheese board and cheesecakes on offer! There is also an outdoor area and a kids wooden cubby. More info here.
Outdoor Adventures
Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary
The Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary operates Tasmania’s largest 24/7 Wildlife Rescue Service and their army of volunteers bring aid to thousands of suffering animals every year. The Bonorong Sanctuary is entirely funded through entry fees. It is not a zoo and their aim is to get healthy animals back to the wild. They run four daily tours (included with entry) which we thoroughly enjoyed where the staff can introduce you to Tasmanian local animals such as the Tassie Devil and gorgeous wombats. Kids can also feed the kangaroos onsite. The Bonorong Sanctuary also opens at night for special night time experiences.They have a Bonorong Food Hut that serves 100% plant-based, delicious food during the day. Or you can bring your own food and have a picnic throughout the sanctuary. More info here.
Bruny Island
Bruny Island is 40 kms from Hobart and is accessible via passenger-vehicle ferry from Kettering, which is a 30 mins drive (32km) South of Hobart. The ferry runs several times daily. Allow a full day trip at a a minimum to drive around Bruny Island and see the various beaches, nature walks and food destinations from local oysters, cheese, honey, whisky and chocolate producers. We enjoyed visiting the Bruny Island Cheese Co and Bruny Island Chocolate Company (shown below) during our 2021 visit. We missed the Cape Bruny Lighthouse but friends recommend it. You will need a Parks pass to visit the area and Lighthouse. More info here.
Adventure Bay on Bruny Island
Adventure Bay is known for its beautiful 7km long, east facing beach and relaxed beach town. Families enjoy water sports, fishing, bushwalking, scenic boat cruises and visiting the nearby raspberry farm or camping caravan holiday park and nearby accomodations.
Cloudy Bay on Bruny Island
Cloudy Bay is a large bay on the South Coast of Bruny Island is great for a swim, surf, walking trails, campground and more. More info here.
The Neck on Bruny Island
The Neck connects North and South Bruny Island in Southern Tasmania. You can enjoy 360 degree views from the Neck. 279 steps lead to the top where you can enjoy beautiful views. More info here.
Geeveston Platypus Walk
The Geeveston Platypus Walk is a small world from the Geeveston Visitor Center and part of the Heritage Park. You can see sculptures and local ducks and birds on this short walk along the river and if you are lucky see a local Platypus! Sadly we weren’t that lucky but it was a nice walk and play in the nearby playground. Located in the small town of Geeveston. More info here.
Hastings Caves and Thermal Pools
On our last trip to Hobart, we visited the Hastings Caves and Thermal Springs around 90 minutes from Hobart in beautiful Huon Valley. We loved admiring such a remarkable living and breathing ecosystem which started to form million years ago! We also enjoyed a warm dip in the 28 degree Thermal Pool after our guided tour while other visitors enjoyed a picnic. An awesome experience amongst nature. Guided tours of the Hastings Caves take about 45 minutes. The staff recommend arriving ahead of time prior to the tour times to allow tickets issuing and pickup and 20 minutes drive to the cave car park and short walk to the caves. Book ahead to avoid disappointment as these tours book out quickly. Thermal Springs entry is at the ticket area and is included with your guided tour ticket. There is very limited mobile reception once you enter the area. Read tips on what to wear before you go. More info here.
Mount Wellington Summit
Mount Wellington is set at 1271 metres above Hobart City! It is a 30 mins drive from Hobart CBD and worth the trip for such gorgeous views. It’s also a great place to mountain bike or nature walk. If you go in winter, you might catch snow and have a snow fight! It’s very windy up there, a winding road up and can be icy so rug up and be careful on the road. Alternatively, you can catch a Bus up too. More info here.
Tahune Aventures
The Tahune Adventures area is a fantastic place for outdoor adventures for families. We loved visiting Tahune Adventures in 2021! We enjoyed the Swinging Bridges Walk, Huon Pine Walk and of course the Airwalk! We couldn’t believe how tall some trees were towering, such natural beauty! Allow a couple of hours to enjoy this great place. The kids loved the two swinging bridges suspended from the riverbanks. They also loved the Airwalk which is an elevated walkway 30 metres above the forest floor, with the final cantilever section sitting at a height of 50 metres above the Huon River! Basic fitness is required. About 1 hour drive from Hobart with limited mobile reception once you enter the area. More info here.
Wineglass Bay Lookout part of Freycinet National Park
If you are keen for a drive to checkout Wineglass Bay in the Freycinet National Park, it will set you back 2.5 hours from Hobart however it’s gorgeous once you’re there and if you’re keen to walk all around the National Park. You will need to bring some hiking shoes or really good walking shoes as there are a few stairs up and purchase a Parks Pass either online or when you arrive at the car park onsite. It was a rainy cloudy and misty day when we visited however it was still nice to visit. There are many great walks across Tassie to enjoy. More info here.
Royal Tasmanian Botanic Gardens
The Royal Tasmanian Botanic Gardens covers an area of approx. 14 hectares in the Hobart Queens Domain. You can also visit the gardens for a small fee and enjoy guided tours. I personally love the different areas of the garden like the Lily Pond, Gatekeeper’s Cottage, the Subantarctic Plant House, the Japanese Garden, Conservatory, Food Garden and French Explorers Garden. More info here.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our Top Things to do in Hobart with Kids! If you have any comments, questions or things you think we should add, email us via our contact form.