11 Perfect Weekend Getaways in Tasmania

No matter what type of getaway you need, you'll find it in Tasmania – from wild adventures to peaceful and private places to unwind.

For pampering: Stillwater Seven 

There are plenty of excellent reasons to check in at this seven-room boutique stay in Launceston: the Cataract Gorge location and accompanying waterfront views; the charm of sleeping inside a beautifully refurbished historic flour mill; and executive chef Craig Will’s delicious and much-awarded food at Stillwater Restaurant. 

If you’re still on the fence, just try and resist the property’s indulgent Me Time package. Spend two nights in a deluxe king suite (where you can drink your complimentary bottle of bubbles in the bath), enjoy a la carte breakfast each morning, plus one three course dinner and one three course lunch (every meal can be served in your room if you’re too relaxed to move). You also have $200 to spend at nearby Sanctum Medical Spa and your own fluffy hotel robe to take home. The only downside? How hard it is to leave.

For walking: East Coast and Central Highlands

Exploring nature by foot can be invigorating on its own but Tasmanian Walking Company is going a step further with its themed walks.

At scheduled times during the year or by request, Tasmanian Walking Company’s dedicated mindfulness walks are centred around the idea of “restoring stillness within” and giving guests a deeper connection to place. Led by an experienced practitioner, the four-day Three Capes Lodge Walk includes regular yoga, mindfulness sessions and daily meditation. Accommodation is an exclusive stay at the company’s Cape Pillar and Crescent Lodge with the very best of Tassie wine to sip at the end of each day.

The island state is home to bird species that can’t be found anywhere else and it helps if you’re guided by someone who knows where to look for them. The company runs several bird focused walks and photography groups around The Bay of Fires and Bruny Island – with the latter including stays at the off-grid Mt Mangana luxury camp site where you’ll replenish your supplies with Bruny produce, including fresh seafood, cheese and wine. If you’re lucky, your lens will capture one of the island’s true rarities, like the tiny forty-spotted pardalote.

For anyone stuck at a desk all day, just spending time in the wilderness breathing in the sweet smell of eucalypt and feeling the crunch of leaf matter underfoot is adventure in itself. But upgrading your walk to a run or mountain climb is exhilaration on another level. These tours – whether it’s hot-footing it down kunanyi/Mt Wellington or scaling Cradle Mountain – are for those who like their getaways with a shot of adrenaline. The Bruny Island Trail Run includes a downhill sprint from the summit of kunanyi/Mt Wellington followed by multi-kilometre dashes along Bruny Island’s Cape Queen Elizabeth and Labillardiere Peninsula, powered by delicious fuel such as freshly shucked Bruny oysters.

SEE ALSO: The Best Hiking Trails in Tasmania, From Easy to Epic

For a boutique apartment: The Ship Inn

The Ship Inn is so good at little luxuries and special touches that people visit Stanley, on the island’s north-west coast, expressly for the purpose of staying at the boutique hotel. Now its new Van Diemen’s Apartment, an elegant hideaway on the property’s second storey, is giving guests another reason to return.

The interior is painted the colour of a stormy sea, augmented with carefully selected wooden and ceramic curios, and the room looks out to The Nut, the stout rock formation that juts into Bass Strait. It’s a cosy place for two to warm up by a fire before adventuring in the nearby Tarkine Wilderness or simply wandering the town’s cafés, restaurants and stores, such as Tasmanian Wine and Food (2 Church Street; 0411 283 489) and The Angel’s Share whisky emporium.

For a family cultural experience: Mona

It’s fair to say that Mona, the wildly subversive art museum on a bank of the Derwent, wasn’t conceived with kids in mind.

But why not? David Walsh’s Museum of Old and New Art has just the kind of installations that children – young and old – thrill at, from the famous Cloaca (Belgian artist Wim Delvoye’s intricately designed poo machine; pictured above) to a waterfall of words commonly searched on Google (German artist Julius Popp’s Bit.fall).

Okay, there are some highly sexualised and sometimes confronting artworks but small children are easily distracted. And a day at Mona is an opportunity to push the boundaries of what art “should be”. In the nine months that the museum closed during the pandemic, the art was reassessed and rehung, allowing for new works to come into the collection and old favourites to return. But for families, the biggest changes are outside the building. American artist Tom Otterness’s enormous bronze sculpture, Girls Rule, (pictured) is a most playful playground. And the head-spinning maze House of Mirrors, which was created by Melbourne installation artists Christian Wagstaff and Keith Courtney and made its debut at Dark Mofo in 2016, is now on exhibition in the grounds.

There’s also a new burger bar, Dubsy’s, which serves everything from plant-based patties to wallaby and pork. Team your burger with loaded fries and grab a beanbag in the sun.

Of course, some things never change. There’s still live music on the lawn. You can grab a glass of Moorilla wine or Moo Brew. And on the ferry back, you can again choose to sit on a sheep before bedding down at the city’s new Mövenpick Hotel. This is culture with a side of fun.

For adventure: North-east Tasmania

After experiencing Tasmania’s wild landscape on two wheels, recharge in a comfortable, architect-designed pod… that’s the promise of Blue Derby Pods Ride, a guided mountain-biking adventure that kicks off in Launceston and bumps along more than 100 kilometres of world-class bike trails in north-east Tasmania. Between riding and sleeping you’ll fuel up with fare prepared by your “experience leaders” and visit the sleepy town of Derby. The three-day route climbs to the Blue Tier – the highest point in the trail – for views that will take away whatever breath you have left. Or if you’re feeling gung-ho, test your limits with the four-day package that covers the renowned Bay of Fires Trail. There are also opportunities to unwind if you like to take it slow. On day one, after cycling through the serene Cascade Valley and enjoying a picnic lunch, you can either get back on your bike for more or head off to your pod, nestled among tall blackwood trees. The best bit? There are only four pods, each accommodating one or two people, so you won’t see a crowd for days.

For small groups: Picnic Island

Is there any greater luxury than a private island? This speck of an isle in Coles Bay, about two hours from Hobart, has unspoiled views of Freycinet National Park and the soaring Hazards mountain range. The rustic cottages are right on the water so you can wave to your neighbours – passing dolphins and fairy penguins.

For couples: King Island

Lying between the mainland and Tasmania’s north-western tip, King Island is scenic lighthouses, picturesque shipwrecks, rolling golf courses (Cape Wickham and Ocean Duners are world class) and wildlife-spotting. But perhaps the highlight is Kittawa Lodge, a 39-hectare property with two self-contained one-bedroom cottages. Watch the wild coast beyond the windows from the freestanding bath in your ensuite, with a soundtrack of waves crashing to shore.

SEE ALSO: Tasty Reasons to Travel to Tasmania's Food Capital

For spirit-lovers: Hobart

Tasmania has built a rousing reputation for its boutique whisky and gin makers. Base yourself in Hobart to sample the wares of the best distilleries. Check in at the waterside MACq 01 Hotel (pictured at top; currently open for Friday and Saturday night stays) and sign up for a tasting tour with Drink Tasmania – just tell them how much time you have and what your poison is (gin, whisky or both) and they’ll create an itinerary for you.

For wildlife: Cradle Mountain

On the edge of the pristine Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, Devils @ Cradle lets you observe one of Australia’s most mysterious creatures, the Tasmanian devil. Wander through the conservation facility at your own pace or take a guided tour. While you’re there, book a room at the nearby Cradle Mountain Lodge.

For a charming village: Strahan

It takes effort to get to Strahan, at the edge of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. From Hobart, it’s four-and-a-half hours by car, winding through some of the state’s national parks. But that’s precisely why this hamlet – with a harbour about six times larger than Sydney’s and a growing food and art scene – has stayed one of the Apple Isle’s best-kept secrets. Check in to Captains Rest, a quaint one-bedroom cabin at the water’s edge, and be charmed by the village once dubbed “the best little town in the world” by America’s Chicago Tribune.

For vineyard glamping: Tamar Valley

You could base yourself in Launceston and take a day tour of the scenic Tamar Valley or soak up the splendour in one of the three glamping domes at Domescapes at Swinging Gate Vineyard. Each of the geodesic domes is heated, has a king-sized bed and ensuite, plus clear panels that reveal vineyard views and the sky after dark. Don’t forget to drop in at the cellar door.

SEE ALSO: The Most Romantic Getaways in Tasmania