✦ Top pick
Bruny Island is the best all-rounder for food and scenery; choose Port Arthur for history and the Tasman cliffs, or Wineglass Bay if you want Tasmania's signature beach walk.
Hobart is one of the best-placed small cities in the world for day-tripping: within two hours you can stand on a sea cliff above the Tasman Sea, walk a beach voted among the planet's finest, taste oysters pulled from the channel that morning, or summit a 1,271-metre mountain that looms over the city's rooftops. The roads are quiet, the distances are honest, and the scenery shifts fast from sandstone Georgian villages to temperate rainforest.
Most of these trips are doable in a single day, either self-driving or on a small-group tour that handles the logistics. A few (Cradle Mountain, the far south) are long days that reward an early alarm. This list is ranked best-first for the average visitor, but each entry notes who it suits, how to get there, and the standout things to see, do and eat.
If you only have time for one or two, read the top pick below, then match the rest to your interests: history, wildlife, wilderness walking, or eating your way along a producer trail.
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1tours from $196.52Bruny Island Google
Bruny is two islands joined by a sandy isthmus called The Neck, and it packs Tasmania's east-coast highlights into one day: dramatic dolerite sea cliffs, white beaches, fur seals and a serious larder of artisan food. The drive south to Kettering takes about 40 minutes, then a 20-minute vehicle ferry crosses to Roberts Point. Climb the wooden steps at The Neck lookout for the classic view, taste your way through oysters, cheese, whisky, fudge and cold-climate wine, and head to Cape Bruny Lighthouse on the wild southern tip. A three-hour wilderness boat cruise from Adventure Bay gets you up close to the cliffs, blowholes and seal colonies.
- Get Shucked oysters and Bruny Island Cheese Co.
- The Neck lookout and short uphill stairs
- Cape Bruny Lighthouse
- Bruny Island wilderness coast cruise
Best for Food lovers and first-timers wanting scenery plus tastings
Getting there 40-minute drive to Kettering, then a 20-minute car ferry; full-day guided tours run from Hobart
2tours from $126.34Port Arthur and the Tasman Peninsula Google
Port Arthur Historic Site is Australia's most complete and affecting convict settlement, a UNESCO World Heritage site set on a startlingly beautiful harbour. Allow several hours to walk the Penitentiary ruins, the Separate Prison, the church and the Isle of the Dead, with a short included harbour cruise to put the geography in context. The drive out crosses the narrow Eaglehawk Neck, once guarded by a line of dogs to stop escapes, and the surrounding Tasman National Park has some of the highest sea cliffs in the Southern Hemisphere. Stop at the Tessellated Pavement, the Tasman Arch and the Devils Kitchen, and consider a wildlife boat cruise beneath the 300-metre cliffs.
- Port Arthur Historic Site and Isle of the Dead
- Tessellated Pavement and Tasman Arch
- Eaglehawk Neck
- Tasman Island wilderness cruise
Best for History buffs and dramatic coastal scenery
Getting there About 90 minutes by car; full-day guided tours and shuttles depart Hobart daily
3tours from $118.62Wineglass Bay and Freycinet National Park Google
The perfect arc of Wineglass Bay, backed by the pink granite Hazards mountains, is Tasmania's most photographed beach and routinely ranked among the world's best. The reward involves a steep 30-to-45-minute climb to the saddle lookout; fitter walkers continue down to the sand and loop back via Hazards Beach (roughly 4 to 5 hours return). The drive up the Great Eastern Drive is a highlight in itself, passing Spiky Bridge, Kate's Berry Farm and the oyster farms around Coles Bay. Because it is a long day from Hobart, an organised tour or an overnight stay takes the pressure off the driving.
- Wineglass Bay saddle lookout
- Hazards Beach circuit walk
- Coles Bay oysters
- Cape Tourville Lighthouse boardwalk
Best for Walkers and beach scenery, ideally with an early start
Getting there About 2.5 hours by car via Triabunna and Swansea; full-day tours run from Hobart
4tours from $35.09kunanyi / Mount Wellington Google
The fastest big-view escape from the city, kunanyi/Mount Wellington rises 1,271 metres directly behind Hobart, and on a clear day the summit boardwalk takes in the city, the Derwent estuary, Bruny Island and the wild peaks of the south west. The sealed road climbs through tall eucalypt forest, alpine moorland and the dramatic dolerite columns known as the Organ Pipes, a favourite with rock climbers. Dress warmly: the summit can be 10 degrees colder than the waterfront and snow falls even in summer. If you do not have a car, the Explorer shuttle runs from Hobart, and mountain-bike descents let you coast back down to the city.
- Pinnacle summit observation shelter
- The Organ Pipes dolerite cliffs
- Sphinx Rock lookout
- Summit-to-city bike descent
Best for Short on time, big-view seekers and cyclists
Getting there 20-30 minute drive; the kunanyi/Mt Wellington Explorer Bus shuttle runs from Hobart
5Richmond Google
Richmond is the easiest historic outing from Hobart, a postcard Georgian village built by convict labour and barely changed since the 1830s. The Richmond Bridge, completed in 1825, is the oldest stone-arch road bridge still in use in Australia, and the old gaol pre-dates Port Arthur. Spend a couple of hours wandering sandstone main-street shops, the lolly store, galleries and tea rooms, then feed the ducks below the bridge. It pairs naturally with the nearby Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary or a stop on the way to or from the east coast.
- Richmond Bridge (1825)
- Old Hobart Town historic model village
- Richmond Gaol
- Sweets at the Richmond lolly shop
Best for A short, easy half-day with history and a relaxed lunch
Getting there About 25 minutes by car; often combined with Bonorong and Mount Field on tours
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6tours from $132.65Mount Field National Park Google
One of Tasmania's oldest national parks, Mount Field offers an immense amount within a short, mostly flat walk from the car park. The Russell Falls circuit leads through tree ferns and some of the tallest flowering plants on earth, the swamp gums, on a stroller-friendly path, and you can extend to Horseshoe Falls and the Tall Trees Walk. Higher up, the road climbs to Lake Dobson, where alpine tarns and (in winter) a small ski field feel a world away from the rainforest below. It is the most varied nature day trip close to Hobart and works well combined with Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Russell Falls
- Tall Trees Walk among the swamp gums
- Lake Dobson alpine area
- Tasmanian devils at nearby Bonorong
Best for Families and nature lovers wanting waterfalls without a long hike
Getting there About 75 minutes by car via New Norfolk; combined day tours run from Hobart
7tours from $140.37Huon Valley and Hastings Caves Google
Tasmania's deep south is apple country, salmon farms and ancient forest, and a loop through the Huon Valley shows it all at an unhurried pace. Follow the Huon River through Huonville and Geeveston to the Tahune AirWalk, a steel walkway suspended in the rainforest canopy above the Huon and Picton rivers. Further south, the Hastings Caves are a rare dolomite cave system, and the adjacent thermal springs pool sits at a constant 28 degrees. Along the way the Huon Trail's cider houses, berry farms and roadside produce stalls make easy stops.
- Tahune AirWalk canopy walkway
- Hastings Caves and thermal pool
- Huon Valley cider and apples
- Fresh Tasmanian salmon
Best for Quiet forest scenery and a slow producer trail
Getting there About 1 hour to Huonville by car; full-day tours combine the caves, AirWalk and tasting stops
8Maria Island Google
Car-free Maria Island is a national park and a wildlife sanctuary where wombats graze on the lawns of a former convict probation station and Cape Barren geese wander the tracks. From Hobart it is a drive to Triabunna and a 30-minute ferry to Darlington, the well-preserved historic settlement. Walk to the Painted Cliffs, sandstone stained with honeycomb patterns of iron oxide, best seen near low tide, or hike to the Fossil Cliffs and Bishop and Clerk for bigger views. There are no shops on the island, so bring everything you need and check ferry times carefully.
- Painted Cliffs sandstone formations
- Grazing wombats at Darlington
- Fossil Cliffs walk
- Historic convict ruins
Best for Wildlife watchers, cyclists and walkers who like things quiet
Getting there About 90 minutes by car to Triabunna, then a 30-minute passenger ferry to Darlington
9tours from $189.50Cradle Mountain Google
The jagged silhouette of Cradle Mountain reflected in Dove Lake is Tasmania's wilderness icon, and while it is a long way from Hobart, it is achievable as a very full day with an early start. The classic outing is the Dove Lake Circuit, a 6-kilometre, roughly two-hour loop around the lake beneath the peak, with boardwalks, button-grass plains and a good chance of seeing wombats. Shorter options like Enchanted Walk and Marions Lookout suit varying fitness levels, and the Cradle Mountain shuttle ferries visitors from the visitor centre to the lake. Because of the distance, a small-group tour that does the driving is the sensible way to attempt it in one day; otherwise stay overnight.
- Dove Lake Circuit walk
- Cradle Mountain reflected from the boatshed
- Wombats on the button-grass plains
- Marions Lookout climb
Best for Adventurous travelers happy with a long day for an iconic landscape
Getting there About 4 hours each way by car; a dedicated small-group active day tour runs from Hobart
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✦ Good to know
Before you go
Hiring a car vs touringBruny Island, Port Arthur, Richmond and Mount Field are easy self-drives on sealed roads. For long days like Wineglass Bay and especially Cradle Mountain, a guided tour saves you 8-plus hours of driving and lets you actually enjoy the scenery.
Book ferries and tours aheadThe Bruny Island and Maria Island ferries fill on weekends and over summer, and popular day tours sell out in peak season (December to February). Reserve a few days ahead where you can.
Dress for fast-changing weatherTasmania's weather turns quickly, and kunanyi/Mt Wellington, Cradle Mountain and Mount Field's high country can be 10-plus degrees colder than Hobart with sudden cloud or snow. Pack a warm layer and a rain jacket even in summer.
Start early for the long onesWineglass Bay, the Huon south and Cradle Mountain are 2.5 to 4.5 hours from Hobart one way. Leave by 7-8am to have enough daylight for walking and the drive home.
National Parks passFreycinet, Mount Field, Maria Island and the Tasman Peninsula are national parks that require a Parks Pass. A holiday vehicle pass covering all parks is the best value if you plan more than one nature day trip; guided tours usually include entry.
Few cities give you this much range within a couple of hours: world-class beaches, convict history, alpine wilderness and a larder of oysters, cheese and cider. Pick one or two that match your pace, book the ferries and tours ahead in summer, and build the rest of your Tasmania trip around them.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best day trip from Hobart if you only have one day?
Bruny Island is the most rewarding single day for the average visitor, combining sea cliffs, beaches, wildlife and a strong food scene about an hour south plus a short ferry. If you prefer history and dramatic coast, choose Port Arthur and the Tasman Peninsula instead.
Can you do Wineglass Bay as a day trip from Hobart?
Yes, but it is a long day. Wineglass Bay in Freycinet National Park is about 2.5 hours each way, so leave early; many visitors take a full-day guided tour that handles the driving and includes the lookout walk.
What is the closest day trip from Hobart?
kunanyi/Mount Wellington is the closest, only 20-30 minutes from the city centre to a 1,271-metre summit with panoramic views. The historic village of Richmond is also very close, about 25 minutes by car.
Is Cradle Mountain a realistic day trip from Hobart?
It is possible but demanding, around 4 to 4.5 hours of driving each way. To do it in one day, take a small-group active tour that leaves very early; otherwise it is better as an overnight trip.
Which day trip from Hobart is best for seeing wildlife?
Maria Island is outstanding for wombats, wallabies and Cape Barren geese in a car-free setting, while Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary near Richmond guarantees close encounters with Tasmanian devils. Mount Field and Bruny Island also offer good chances of spotting native animals.
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