See Tasmania while visiting friends & family

If you have family living in Australia, you’ve probably already seen much of the country while visiting them. You may feel you’ve seen and done it all. But if you haven’t looked south to Tasmania, just an hour’s flight from mainland Australia, then you’ve yet to explore one of the country’s most beguiling destinations.

Include a side-trip to Tassie on your next trip to Australia, and we can help you plan an itinerary that suits everyone, whether they are passionate about wildlife, walking, wine or just taking it easy amid beautiful scenery. And if you like, you can bring the whole family, too, with characterful, welcoming hotels and bed-and-breakfasts that are perfectly set up for kids.

“The older generations, often those coming from the UK, need no convincing about Tasmania; it’s already on their radar,” says Susie de Carteret, the founder of our partner Tasmanian Odyssey. “It tends to be their relatives they’re visiting, who are already living in Australia, that don’t know much about the island.”

Our vacations in Tasmania have a huge amount to offer groups of every makeup, from wilderness walks to wine tasting, bird watching to incredible cuisine. Plus, despite being just an hour’s flight from Melbourne, you’ll find that it’s very crowd-free in comparison to big-name destinations in mainland Australia.

And for those who come to Australia regularly, to stay in touch with family and ensure they don’t miss out on the magic moments as grandchildren grow up, Tasmania is ideal for bringing over the whole family. “My clients will say to me, ‘I need an itinerary that I can present to my son and daughter-in-law, my daughter-in-law, for example, who are more into their wine and food and creature comforts, whereas we are passionate about birding and wildlife,’” says Susie.

A big part of the reason why Tasmania is a great option for family groups with children is that there are memorable wildlife experiences in abundance, and welcoming accommodation hosts who know exactly what families are looking for. “Tasmania is amazing for families, such an easy place,” says Susie. “You’ve got wildlife practically at your fingertips, you’ve got the Aurora Australis (Southern Lights) visible to the naked eye in winter,practically guaranteed, and all through this you’ll be having world-class food and wine. So, Tasmania offers this brilliant mix.”

Tasmania offers exceptional wildlife watching – animals like wallabies, platypuses, seals, penguins, whales and wombats are found all over, and what’s brilliant is, you rarely have to put much effort into seeing them. “You could be sitting on the shore of a little lake watching four or five platypuses swimming around, literally an arm's length in front of you, and you're there with a fantastic bottle of wine and fantastic food being cooked for you by your host,” says Susie. “You'll have eagles soaring above you and then suddenly a wallaby will hop out – Tasmania combines these elements so well.”

“We call it the ‘accessible wilderness,’” says Susie. Tasmania is not a huge island – 360km from north to south, 300km from east to west – but within that space it boasts no fewer than seven national parks including Freycinet, Mount Field and Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair. Twenty percent of the state is taken up by a Wilderness World Heritage Area.

Pull your car over to the side of the road just about anywhere here, take a few steps and you’re in the bush. “Recently a lovely walk has been developed in Strahan on the west coast,” Susie adds. “You go out over the sand dunes at dusk spotting nocturnal wildlife and birds. Some of my clients have seen Tasmanian devils doing that.”

Bird watching vacations in Tasmania are increasingly popular, with a range of endemics to spot, and few crowds to share your sightings with. If not everyone in your group shares the same passion for birding, we can also design a trip for you that encompasses other wildlife watching experiences like whale boat tours and nature hikes, as well as relaxing cultural activities.

Tassie’s fertile soils and cool climate have led to vineyards popping up all over the place, so whether you lean Sauv Blanc or Pinot Gris, Riesling or Chardonnay, there’s a cellar door here with your name on it. We can draw up an itinerary for you that combines tastings and tours in boutique wineries with fine dining experiences in picturesque locations around the island.

Some of the most popular cultural activities in Tasmania include spending a Saturday morning at Hobart’s famous Salamanca Market, where you can meet stallholders selling everything from Tasmania-grown loose teas to artisan clothing, cosmetics and irresistible crepes. The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is a labyrinthine space on Hobart’s Berriedale peninsula holding many provocative and playful works. And 100km southeast of the capital is Port Arthur, once a British penal colony, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tasmania is awash with artisan craftspeople, who love to show visitors around their back garden galleries and workshops. There are creative enclaves around the island, with places like Burnie and Geeveston particularly known as places where you can pick up some fantastic handmade souvenirs from Tassie artists.

You will eat well on our Tasmania vacations, and what’s more the food you eat will be seasonal, locally sourced and prepared by superb chefs, sometimes the hosts in your B&Bs. Expect a great deal of seafood, and wonderfully fresh fruit and vegetables – Tassie’s farmers’ markets are a riot of colour and flavour. And every region of the island has its own specialities to keep an eye out for – think Freycinet lobsters or Huon Valley tomatoes. We can create a trip for you that celebrates some of Tasmania’s best local producers.