The 20 best things to do in Hobart

Of course, we’re starting our list with the jewel in the crown of Hobart’s arts and culture scene. Visiting the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is a tourist must-do, but take it from a local: the place is genuinely that good. Deliberately designed to be disorienting, the dark and cavernous subterranean space is filled with the infamously subversive (past controversies include the poo machine and the wall of vulvas), plus other hidden treasures you can stumble upon yourself. 

Time Out tip: Go all in and catch the MONA ROMA ferry from downtown Hobart up the Derwent and approach the museum via boat. It’s well worth the extra splurge for the views of not only the imposing MONA structure, but the city itself. 

Hobart’s cool climate is ideal for cranking the heat above 80 degrees and enjoying a good sweat. Plus, the city’s pristine natural beauty provides the perfect backdrop, with saunas floating on private pontoons, suspended over lakes and hiding on secluded farms. A short drive from Hobart, Sauna Boat offers 60-minute shared or private sessions, overlooking the tranquil D’Entrecasteaux Channel. Just 20 minutes from the CBD, Kuuma Sauna – Australia’s first purpose-built sauna pontoon – is another top pick.

Time Out tip: Fancy a trip to the spa too? You can find the best day spas in Hobart for massages and facials here. 

Giving MONA a run for its money in the imposing landmark stakes (and coming out on top) is kunanyi / Mount Wellington, the 1,271-metre peak that looms over the city of Hobart. With that unusual dolerite 'organ pipes' formation and famous transmission tower on the top, kunanyi is a sight to behold from the ground and offers even better views from its peak. Pick a clear day for peak visibility and either tackle one of the several summit hikes or catch a bus from town to ascend to the top in comfort. Either way, you'll be rewarded with an unforgettable panoramic vista of Hobart, the River Derwent and a good chunk of Southern Tasmania. 

Time Out tip: Starting at The Springs carpark, the 7.4-kilometre Organ Pipes Walk takes you right up to one of Hobart’s most beloved landmarks. It takes around three hours return.

Every Saturday morning, it seems like half of Hobart converges on the historic Salamanca Place for its famous outdoor market. Get there early to avoid the bulk of the crowds (which peak around 10am), and you’ll be able to wander, as opposed to shuffle, around the stalls. There’s plenty to enjoy here, with stalls from local artisans, authors and foodies alike. One minute you’ll be sampling a local gin, wine or honey; next you’ll be admiring artwork of Tasmanian devils, jewellery made using local gemstones and toasty socks that Tassie sheep have kindly provided the wool for. It’s mildly chaotic but in the best way, and luckily, there are plenty of coffee and food trucks to keep you going.

Time Out tip: Come hungry, as there are food trucks serving every cuisine imaginable. 

Hobart’s more relaxed market offering is local favourite, the Farm Gate Market, held on a closed-off street in the CBD every Sunday from 8.30am to 1pm. Focused entirely on products that can be consumed or grown, it’s the perfect place to stock up on the best that Tassie has to offer: free-range meat and eggs, just-picked berries, top-tier peanut butter, fresh oysters, gins from local distilleries, veggies, homemade bread and pasta, sourdough crumpets (and the lemon curd, jam and honey to go on them), fresh-cut flowers, crunchy apples, giant cookies and so much more. There's a reason Lonely Planet recognised this humble Aussie farmers' market as one of the world’s ten best in 2025.

Time Out tip: BYO shopping bag, if not several. The Farm Gate Market is fully plastic bag-free.

Tasmania’s clean air and geographical location mean that it has a well-deserved reputation as one of the best places in the world to see the Aurora Australis or Southern Lights. While it’s down to sheer luck whether or not the geomagnetic conditions will lead to a spectacular aurora show during your time here, you can maximise your chances of spotting one by joining the Aurora Australis Tasmania group on Facebook where 300,000 members share tips on everything from the best secret locations with a clear view of the night sky, to the best camera settings to ensure that perfect shot.

Time Out tip: Top spots for spotting the Aurora Australis near Hobart include Goat Bluff, Carlton Beach, Tinderbox and the summit of kunanyi / Mount Wellington.

Nothing will warm your soul quite like a visit to Hobart’s most wholesome café, Hamlet, located just minutes from the city centre, right by the Hobart Rivulet track. This social enterprise doesn't just dish up an ever-changing menu of brunch favourites – think pesto omelettes, spiced lamb flatbread and fried eggplant with green chilli yogurt – it has immaculate vibes too. It also provides training and employment opportunities for those living with a disability. To date, they’ve worked with more than 750 participants, delivered almost 50,000 hours of training and supplied more than 45,000 warm meals to those sleeping rough. How’s that for heartwarming? 

Time Out tip: Hamlet shares a carpark with the start of the Hobart Rivulet track. Have brunch, then go for a stroll. 

Museums aren’t just restricted to four walls, and you’ll find one of Australia’s greatest at the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Port Arthur Historic Site. Just a 90-minute drive from Hobart, this is proudly Australia’s most intact and evocative convict site, with more than 30 historic buildings and ruins to explore. Stroll through the 40-hectare landscaped grounds, join an introductory walking tour, embark on a complimentary 20-minute harbour cruise where you’ll catch glimpses of the Isle of the Dead – and then come back to do it all again, with tickets granting you entry for two consecutive days. Trust us, you’ll need it.

Time Out tip: Want to explore Port Arthur's haunted past? Get spooked on a lantern-lit ghost tour, with sessions running daily after sunset.

Though Port Arthur is Tasmania’s most famous convict site, you actually don’t need to drive out of Hobart to find others. At Cascades Female Factory Historic Site in South Hobart, you’ll learn about convict women and girls and their remarkable tales of grit and resilience. Meanwhile, the Hobart Convict Penitentiary may be opposite an OfficeWorks, but step inside and you’ll be transported back to the 1820s, when this place was a prison barracks and had more than 50,000 men pass through it before they were assigned to work. 

Time Out tip: Both of these convict sites have knowledgeable guides who you can join for tours, or you can venture down the self-guided route. If you don’t plan on sleeping during your trip to Hobart, the Penitentiary offers an after-dark ghost tour as well.

If you're headed down south, you're probably going to want to see a Tasmanian Devil – a cute little carnivore with very sharp teeth. Much like a lot of Australia's native animals, the Tassie devil faces extinction, which is why Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary is so important. This expansive outdoor sanctuary (just 30 minutes from Hobart) has been rescuing and rehabilitating native animals since 1981. Every animal that lives at Bonorong is extinct elsewhere in the world, and every dollar you spend here goes towards maintaining their animals and funding local conservation efforts.

Time Out tip: All tickets grant you access to free public tours, which run daily at 10am, 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm. On the tour, you'll get up close to three of Australia's favourite species, including the Tassie devil. 

If sourdough bakery Pigeon Whole ever closed down, there would be a gaping (perhaps pigeon-shaped) hole in Tasmania’s bakery scene. What started in 2011 by Jay Patey is now a 60-employee, three-store operation, baking the best bread and pastries in Tassie. Nothing beats visiting the grand Art Deco flagship store in the heart of Hobart, though. There’s a wide range of loaves and treats on offer, with highlights including the ruby wheat loaf made from Tasmanian heritage wheat. 

Time Out tip: Those visiting from the mainland who are feeling inspired should pick up a jar of their sourdough starter to take home. Or the baked-at-home croissants.

Cascade Brewery in South Hobart was first built in 1824, and if you passed year ten maths, you’ll realise that it turns 200 this year. This makes Cascade the oldest continually operating brewery in the country, and as a bonus, it just so happens to be in a ridiculously picturesque spot at the base of kunanyi/Mount Wellington. There are two types of tours you can do here: an all-ages history tour and an 18-plus brewery tour, which obviously includes sampling some of Cascade’s finest beers. If you’d rather just sit and admire the lovely old façade of the building, head to the Cascade Brewery Bar for a bite to eat. The views and food are both top-notch, and the gardens are a treat to stroll around after lunch.

Time Out tip: Keep an eye out for Butch, the restaurant’s resident rooster. 

Seasonality shines on the menu at Tasmania’s award-winning restaurant and cooking school in New Norfolk, around a 30-minute drive from Hobart CBD. Begin your seasonal adventure in the gorgeous one-acre garden, which grows 90 per cent of the produce showcased in the restaurant and cooking school. From there, settle into the light and airy dining room where you’ll sample the season’s best bounty on the ever-changing, eight-course set menu. Alternatively, opt for a casual bite from the outdoor kiosk and enjoy it on the lush lawns out front.

Time Out tip: From Friday to Sunday, The Agrarian Kitchen runs tours of its one-acre walled kitchen garden. It's worth visiting just to have a peek at the greenhouse, berry patch, orchards and citrus groves.

While there’s plenty to do to keep you occupied in Hobart proper, a side adventure to Bruny Island is a feasible and fun day trip. The ferry terminal is at Kettering, a 35-minute drive south of Hobart. Arrive early to avoid a long queue of cars and spend your day exploring beautiful Bruny. Snap a photo at popular lookout The Neck, stock up on the best produce at Bruny Island Oysters and Bruny Island Cheese Co, grab some goodies out of the Bruny Island Baker’s roadside fridges, hike the Fluted Cape track, look for a rare white wallaby at Adventure Bay and admire the Cape Bruny Lighthouse. Make sure you don’t have too much fun and miss the last ferry home, though there are probably worse places to be stranded.

Time Out tip: There's no public transport on Bruny Island, so you'll need to bring a car or join a tour. If driving, take note that there's only one petrol station at the Adventure Bay General Store. 

Callington Mill is a major player in the Tasmanian whisky game, and their distillery is in Oatlands, a charming town with 150 historic sandstone buildings. OK, so it's not in Hobart (it's a 75-minute drive – and halfway to Launceston), but even if you don't like whisky, the town is well worth a visit. Explore the property and the original (1837) windmill, learn how to make whisky and gin, and visit the fabulous on-site eatery and bar, where you can sit down for some fine spirits (or wine or beer, if you prefer) and an excellent meal – the menu heroes Tassie produce, particularly seafood.

Time Out tip: You can mix your own blend of Callington Mill whisky while you're there. Called the Serendipity experience, you sit down in front of a range of tasting glasses and glass test tubes, then work out what ratio of a range of different flavours – from tokay to muscadelle – you want in your final mix. You add a label to the bottle with your name, your signature and the date, then they actually keep your recipe in case you ever want to order it from them again.

Public gardens are beautiful as a rule, but Hobart’s version is on another level. The 14-hectare Royal Tasmanian Botanic Garden is an inner-city haven for all things flora, with more than 6,000 species in 42 identifiable collections. You’ll find something different everywhere you turn, like the Japanese Garden, floral clock, Tasmanian Native Plant Collection and Fernery, lily pond and Subantarctic Plant House. You can easily spend a day here strolling around and exploring each corner of the gardens, and the water views across the Derwent are an added bonus.

Time Out tip: Bring along a picnic lunch, find a shady spot under one of the many trees and enjoy the leafy serenity.

If you’re brave enough to dip your toes in Tasmania’s chilly waters, head to the bougie coastal enclave of Sandy Bay, where you’ll find Nutgrove Beach. One of only a few sandy swimming spots near Hobart’s CBD, you’ll see people strolling, paddling and picnicking here – even outside of summer! A bonus to Nutgrove Beach is the backdrop of fancy real estate and the ever-present kunanyi/Mt Wellington looming in the distance.

Time Out tip: Love a chilly dip? You can find more of the best beaches in Tasmania here.

You can’t come to Tasmania without visiting a winery, and you can tick this off without leaving Hobart. Glaetzer-Dixon Family Winemakers operates out of an old ice factory on the city’s busy Brooker Highway and calls itself the state’s “first urban winery”. The cellar door offers tastings by appointment, usually run by Nick Glaetzer, the award-winning sixth-generation winemaker who started the winery. Just a short drive up the Brooker to Berriedale and you’ll find Moorilla, a vineyard on the MONA grounds that’s been operational longer than the edgy art museum has been around. Now owned and operated by MONA’s David Walsh, head in for a tasting at Moorilla’s cellar door once you’re done looking at the artwork.

Time Out tip: For more fine wines, consider journeying 30 minutes from Hobart to the Huon Valley – one of Australia's smallest, cool climate wine regions. 

North Hobart, or NoHo as it’s somewhat ironically referred to, is known as the foodie destination in Hobart. Whether you’re going casual or looking for something more upmarket, you’ll find something to suit at the north end of town. The suburb is home to firm favourites like brunch and coffee spot Born in Brunswick, all-day food and booze gem Room for A Pony and bustling Japanese eatery Bar Wa Izakaya, as well as buzzy new-ish restaurants Trophy Room and Ogee. North Hobart also houses a slew of local institutions for you to stumble upon, like wine bar Willing Bros, upscale Mexican at Pancho Villa, classic neighbourhood café Raincheck Lounge and The Winston, a divey pub serving up some of the best burgers in Hobart.

Time Out tip: Most of the city's hottest restaurants and bars are clustered around Elizabeth Street. You can easily walk there from the CBD. 

High up on a hill just out of the CBD is Battery Point, the oldest suburb in Hobart. Back in the 1800s, it was a mish-mash of dockworkers’ cottages and merchants’ mansions, and amazingly, a lot of these still remain. Start your sightseeing tour by climbing Kelly’s Steps, hacked into the cliff in 1839 by a whaling captain who wanted a shortcut between Salamanca and Battery Point, before visiting merchant’s mansion-turned-museum Narryna. You will have worked up an appetite after that, so head to Jackman and McRoss bakery for a scallop pie (a Tassie staple), then do a detour off Runnymede Street to check out the charming Arthur Circus, a circular street lined with beautifully restored old cottages. Cap it off with a drink at the historic Shipwrights Arms Hotel, aka the Shippies, a pub that first opened in 1846.

Time Out tip: Battery Point is an easy ten-minute stroll from Hobart's city centre.