Best day trips from Hobart: how to get there and what to see

Hobart sits under a mountain, on a river, with a peninsula and a heritage valley within 90 minutes. That makes day trips easy, but the trade-off is time: Port Arthur and the Huon Valley eat a full day, while MONA, kunanyi and Richmond can be done in half a day and combined.

Use the table to choose by how you will travel. If you have no car, the ferry to MONA and the bus to Richmond are the two trips that need no planning. Everything else is easier with a car or a booked tour.

MONA is the reason many people come to Hobart. The ferry leaves Brooke Street Pier in the city centre and takes about 25 minutes down the Derwent, with the option of a faster boat or a slower one. Buy a combined ferry and entry ticket, or take the bus from the city if the ferry is full.

The museum is underground, cut into the rock, and the collection is deliberately confronting. Allow three to four hours for the galleries plus the grounds. The winery, restaurant and lawn are worth an hour on their own. In summer the ferry sells out days ahead, so book before you arrive.

Return ferries run through the afternoon and early evening. Check the last departure when you book; missing it means a bus or taxi back.

The mountain behind Hobart rises to 1,271 m and the summit road starts 20 minutes from the city. On a clear day you see the harbour, the Derwent estuary and, in winter, snow on the rocks. The temperature at the top can be 10 °C colder than the city, and the wind is often strong, so take a jacket even in summer.

By car, drive to the summit and stop at the Springs on the way down for short walks. Without a car, a shuttle bus runs from the city centre and from the waterfront; it is the simplest option and includes a stop at the Springs. Walking to the top is a serious half-day climb, not a casual stroll.

Go early or late for the best light and fewer people. Cloud can close the view within minutes, so check the webcam before you set off.

Richmond is a small Georgian village 30 minutes north-east of Hobart, with Australia's oldest surviving convict-built bridge, a gaol and a main street of stone cottages. It is the easiest day trip without a car: a public bus runs from the city, and the village itself is walkable in two hours.

The Coal River Valley around Richmond has wineries and berry farms, which is why a car turns this into a fuller day. Combine the village with one or two cellar doors, or continue to the Tasman Peninsula if you are heading that way.

Weekdays are quieter. The bakery and cafés fill at lunch, so arrive before noon or after 2pm.

Port Arthur is the country's best-known convict site, on a peninsula 90 minutes south-east of Hobart. The entry ticket covers the historic site, a harbour cruise and a guided walk, and most people need four to five hours there. Add the drive and it is a full day, so leave by 8am.

The same peninsula has the Tessellated Pavement, Tasman Arch, Devils Kitchen and the Remarkable Cave, all short stops on the way back. Wildlife cruises run from Eaglehawk Neck and Pirates Bay. If you have no car, day tours from Hobart cover the site and the main lookouts, usually with hotel pickup.

Book entry and tours ahead in summer and around school holidays. The site is exposed; take water, a hat and a rain jacket.

South of Hobart, the Huon Valley is orchard country: apples, cherries, cider and salmon farms, with quiet roads along the river. It suits a relaxed drive rather than a checklist. Cygnet and Huonville are the main stops, and the drive to the far south takes you towards wilderness country.

North-west of the city, the Derwent Valley leads to New Norfolk and on towards Mount Field National Park, where the Russell Falls walk is short and easy. Both valleys need a car; public transport is limited.

These are the trips to choose when you have already done MONA and Port Arthur, or when the weather closes the mountain.

Two people with a hire car can do a full day for roughly A$150–200 including fuel, entry and lunch. Without a car, ferry and bus trips cost less per person, but tours to Port Arthur are the biggest single expense.

Prices below are 2026 estimates. Check each operator before you book, especially in summer when demand is highest.

Hobart's weather changes fast. A day that starts clear can turn wet by lunch, so take a rain jacket on every trip, including the mountain and the peninsula. Summer daylight runs late, which makes long drives easier; in winter, plan to be back before dark.

Book MONA ferry, Port Arthur entry and any tour in advance for December to February and during school holidays. Fuel stations thin out on the Tasman and Huon peninsulas, so fill up before you leave the city.

If you are relying on buses, check the timetable the day before; services to Richmond and the valleys are infrequent, and some do not run on Sundays.