Jess's Two Week Family Holiday In Tasmania
It can be super hard to decide on what places to visit when travelling in Tasmania. With so many great family destinations, beautiful beaches, ancient rainforests, wildlife refuges and enchanting colonial towns; it is impossible to fit all the amazing places into one trip! One of the great parts for us here at Tassie4Kids is being able to hear about all the fantastic Tassie holidays families are having. Parents just like you, are sharing info and must see destinations, all in aid of helping each other enjoy Tassie to the fullest.
Cradle Mountain. Image - Travel with Jess.
We recently caught up with Jess, who shared with us the highlights of her family trip around the State. Jess is a Travel Writer, and like us, loves sharing tips and insights to some of the worlds most amazing family destinations. You can find a link to her Travel With Jess Blog at the end of this article.
TASSIE4KIDS: Introduce yourselves to everyone: JESS: My name is Jessica and my family is based on the east coast of Australia in Hervey Bay. My husband is Jason and our two young kids are Ripley (aged 5) and Trillian (aged 2).
Cape Tourville Lighthouse. Image - Travel with Jess.
Have you travelled a lot with your kids? What are some of the places you’ve visited? Yes, we travel a fair bit with our kids, at least every school holidays! We love exploring sections of Australia and we have also visited Hawaii, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Vietnam with our kids.
Douglas Aspley National Park. Image - Travel with Jess.
When did your family travel to Tasmania and how long did you stay for? We traveled in September 2017 for approximately 2 weeks.
Did you fly or travel on the Spirit of Tasmania? Any tips for travelling families? We flew from Brisbane to Hobart on Jetstar Airlines and hired a motor home to travel around and sleep in. Keep an eye out for specials!
Honeymoon Bay, Freycinet Natioanl Park. Image - Travel with Jess.
What attracted you and your family to Tasmania? We love exploring national parks and seeing beautiful landscapes. As you know, Tasmania has plenty of that! Tasmania has fairly short driving distances between places compared to other Australian states and with only two weeks to spare, it seemed like the best choice.
Tasmazia and the Village of Lower Crackpot. Images - Travel with Jess.
What places did you visit on your holiday? Did you like them? We spent time on the Tasman Peninsula, The East Coast, Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair and Hobart. We loved every single place we visited in Tasmania and in particular, felt that the small town of Bicheno on the East Coast would be a great place to linger longer due to it’s proximity to some awesome national parks.
Coal Mines Historic Site, Tasman Peninsula. Image - Travel with Jess.
Did your family go on any tours? No. Tours can be a little difficult with kids our age due to naps and random two year old temper tantrums. We did everything at our pace in our own time.
What was the highlight for the kids? The kids loved walking and playing in the snow when doing the Dove Lake Circuit. Coming from sunny Queensland, this was a real novelty for them!
Dove Lake Circuit Walk, Cradle Mountain. Image - Travel with Jess.
Best free family experience you participated in? Doing the Apsley River Waterhole and Gorge Walk, and exploring the various stretches of sand at the Bay of Fires.
Bay of Fires. Image - Travel with Jess.
Best paid family experience you participated in? Tasmazia and the Village of Lower Crackpot! We don’t usually pay for attractions but this place is worth every cent and is great for all ages.
Tasmazia and the Village of Lower Crackpot. Image- Travel with Jess.
What are your five top travel tips for families coming to Tasmania?
- A motor home with a kitchen is great because you can keep holiday costs down by self catering .
- Allow a few days to explore the Tasman Peninsula. It has a lot more to offer than just the Port Arthur Historic Site.
- Tasmania has a lot of natural beauty. Don’t be afraid to take the kids on a hike in one of the many national parks. Tasmania’s Parks and Wildlife Service have a great brochure on their website which lists ’60 great short walks’ and includes difficulty and duration.
- Tasmania’s weather is predictably unpredictable so make sure you bring clothes for all weather conditions.
- Don’t miss the Salamanca Markets in Hobart before you leave!
Evercreech. Image-Travel with Jess.
What do you recommend other families do/see/stay/eat when travelling to Tasmania? Explore as many national parks as possible, and make sure to try the pancake stack at the Honey Badger Desert Café in Hobart.
Honey Badger Desert Cafe. Image- Travel with Jess.
Which posts from your Travel Blog can other families get some great info on Tasmania from?
- Coal Mines Historic Site, Tasman Peninsula
- Free Activities in Port Arthur and the Tasman Peninsula
- Douglas Aspley National Park, East Coast of Tasmania.
- Cradle Mountain National Park - Dove Lake Circuit.
- Tasmazia and the Village of Lower Crackpot.
- Evercreech Forest Reserve.
Cape Hauy Track. Image - Travel with Jess.
Thanks Jess! If you want to follow Jess and her travels, head to her website www.travelwithjess.com. You can also find her on Instagram and Facebook.
Are you or recently travelled in Tasmania with your family and wish to share your adventures? Hit us up via the contact form here or send us a direct email! Its that easy!