Hobart works well for a family holiday because the city does not ask you to commit to a long drive every day. You can walk beside the harbour, spend a wet morning in a museum, catch a ferry to MONA or head up kunanyi / Mount Wellington, all from the same compact base.
The ideas below are arranged as individual activities rather than a fixed itinerary. The city entries are easy to combine; Bonorong, Richmond and the mountain need more time; Mount Field, Port Arthur and Bruny Island are better treated as the main outing for the day.
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Hobart’s waterfront is the easiest place to begin. A walk past Constitution Dock and the working harbour gives children fishing boats and ferries to watch, while adults can get their bearings without planning a formal attraction. There are plenty of places to stop for food, and it is easy to shorten the walk when small legs have had enough.
Follow the water towards Salamanca Place for sandstone warehouses, cafés and the broad lawns of Parliament House Gardens. This is a flexible first afternoon after a flight, or a useful gap-filler before a cruise or museum visit.
If your stay includes a Saturday, Salamanca Market runs from 8.30 am to 3 pm. The stalls mix Tasmanian produce, ready-to-eat food, crafts and gifts, so families can browse without expecting children to treat it like a conventional shopping trip. Earlier in the morning generally leaves more room for prams and slower walkers.
From Salamanca, continue into Battery Point for old cottages, quiet streets and views back towards the harbour. The pleasure is in the walk rather than a single attraction, so turn back when the children lose interest. Combining the waterfront, market and Battery Point makes a satisfying half-day without a car.
The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery is close to the waterfront and has free general admission. Its mix of natural history, Tasmanian stories, art and changing exhibitions gives families several possible directions instead of forcing everyone through one long display.
For younger children, mapiya lumi is the most useful starting point. The play-based gallery was designed for children aged seven and under, with a separate area for babies and toddlers up to three. Older children may spend more time with the animal, Antarctic and cultural collections. Because the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery is central and indoors, it also works when rain interrupts a waterfront day.
For many families, the ferry is as memorable as the Museum of Old and New Art itself. The trip from Brooke Street Pier takes about 25 minutes each way and turns the visit into a short river journey rather than another museum stop.
MONA is not a conventional children’s museum, and some works can be confronting or unsuitable for younger visitors. Families can move past anything that does not feel right and focus on the underground building, large-scale installations and the ferry experience. Museum entry is free for children aged 11 and under, while visitors aged 12 to 17 use a youth ticket; ferry tickets are separate, including a required no-cost ticket for children under four. Allow time for the return sailing rather than trying to squeeze MONA between other bookings.
Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the clearest ways for children to meet Tasmanian animals near Hobart. The sanctuary cares for native wildlife and operates a rescue service, so a visit can introduce wombats, echidnas, Tasmanian devils and other animals in a conservation setting rather than as a quick photo stop.
General admission includes keeper-led tours during the day. These help children understand what they are looking at and why the animals are in care. Bonorong is about 30 minutes from central Hobart by car and pairs naturally with Richmond. Travellers without a car can instead use an organised outing; Wonder Travel Oz’s kunanyi / Mount Wellington, Bonorong and Richmond guide explains how the three stops can fit into one day.
The summit of kunanyi / Mount Wellington changes the scale of a Hobart trip. From 1,271 metres above sea level, families can look across the city, River Derwent and surrounding ranges, then explore the short paths and observation shelter around the Pinnacle.
Conditions at the top are often colder and windier than in central Hobart, even when the waterfront feels mild. Take a warm layer and do not rely on buying food at the summit, as there is no café there. Pinnacle Road can close during snow, ice or other unsafe conditions; if it is closed, keep the mountain for another part of the trip rather than building the whole day around reaching the top.
The kunanyi / Mount Wellington Explorer Bus links central Hobart with the summit and removes the need to drive the mountain road. It is a practical option for families staying in the city, especially when no one wants to manage parking and rapidly changing conditions. Our guide to visiting Hobart without a car covers the mountain shuttle alongside other car-free options.
The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens offer a quieter change of pace after museums, markets and driving. Paths wind through established trees, lawns and specialised plant collections, with enough space for children to move without the visit needing a strict route.
Families can choose a few gardens, stop for a picnic and leave when attention starts to fade. The Subantarctic Plant House provides a brief, chilly contrast to the outdoor grounds and can make the visit feel more distinctive for school-aged children. The gardens are close to the city but sit outside the most convenient waterfront walking loop, so they work best as their own short outing or as a stop before continuing north.
Playgrounds are useful in Hobart for more than filling spare time. They give children a break from sightseeing and let adults reset the day without buying another ticket. Two of the strongest options sit outside the central waterfront, but each offers enough to justify the short drive.
Kingston Park is a large nature-based playground designed for different ages and abilities. Nine play areas provide separate spaces for babies, toddlers, primary-aged children and teenagers, while the wider park includes lawns, barbecue facilities, a beginner pump track and a 300-metre learn-to-ride track. Bring bikes or scooters if they are already part of the trip; otherwise the playground itself can easily hold attention. Kingston is south of Hobart and fits well into a day that does not already involve a long drive.
Across the river on Hobart’s eastern shore, Bellerive Beach Park combines an all-abilities playground with direct beach access. The fenced play area includes swings, slides, sand and water play, accessible paths and a wheelchair carousel. A beach mat also assists wheelchairs, prams and beach trolleys between the park and the sand. Families wanting a longer stretch can join the easy foreshore trail towards Kangaroo Bay, while others can keep the visit to the playground, picnic area and beach.
Rain does not need to turn into a full day in the hotel. Hobart has indoor options that let children use some energy, and they work just as well when the family needs a break from museums and driving.
The Doone Kennedy Hobart Aquatic Centre is the more flexible choice when children want water rather than structured laps. Its family leisure pool is heated to 32°C and has a beach entry, while the Splash and Play area adds a tipping bucket, slide and water features. Different pool spaces mean swimmers and young paddlers do not have to want exactly the same activity.
BOUNCEinc Hobart centres on more than 50 interconnected trampolines, with climbing elements, dodgeball, a high ropes course and a large airbag. A separate miniBOUNCE area is intended for walking-age children up to five who are under 110 centimetres tall. Standard sessions run for one hour, which makes this a contained activity rather than an open-ended indoor day. Children under 12 need adult supervision, and different zones have their own height or ability requirements.
The Red Decker is useful when the family wants to see more of Hobart but walking all day is unrealistic. Its full city loop takes about 90 minutes and covers 20 stops, with commentary along the way. Families can stay aboard for the circuit or use a 24- or 48-hour ticket to get off near attractions and rejoin later.
The bus is not only for first-day orientation. It can connect the waterfront with places such as the botanical gardens and other stops beyond the compact centre, making it a practical sightseeing option for travellers without a car. Staying on board for one complete loop first also gives children a rest while adults decide which areas are worth returning to.
A River Derwent cruise shows children the harbour from the working side of the water. The 2.5-hour Iron Pot Cruise leaves from Hobart’s waterfront and travels past Battery Point towards the Iron Pot lighthouse, Betsey Island and coastal sections where seabirds and marine wildlife may appear.
The boats have an enclosed cabin, large windows and a toilet, which makes this a more manageable family outing than an exposed sea trip. It is long enough to feel like a real cruise but still leaves part of the day free. Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed, so the reliable appeal is the river journey, lighthouse and changing view of Hobart rather than a promised animal encounter.
Richmond is roughly a 30-minute drive from central Hobart and gives families a compact day out with historic streets, open space and child-focused attractions. It also combines easily with Bonorong because the two sit in the same general direction from the city.
Old Hobart Town recreates Hobart as it appeared in the 1820s. More than 60 miniature buildings and over 500 small figures turn colonial history into something children can scan for details, rather than asking them to follow a long written account. The model village is outdoors and self-paced, so families can spend time finding scenes and characters before continuing into Richmond itself.
Hobart Zoo & Aquarium adds a different kind of wildlife day. Its exhibits include Australian and exotic animals, presentations, an aquarium with an interactive touch pool, and an indoor playground. That mix makes it distinct from Bonorong: the sanctuary concentrates on native wildlife and conservation, while the zoo offers a broader collection and an aquarium experience. General admission covers the main exhibits, scheduled presentations, aquarium and playground.
Some of Hobart’s most rewarding family outings sit beyond the city and are awkward to join by public transport. An organised tour can make sense when the family does not have a hire car, only has one open day, or would rather let someone else handle the route and timing. The options below lead into the longer day trips covered in the next sections.
Russell Falls gives families a waterfall walk without committing to a difficult hike. From the Mount Field National Park visitor centre, the broad track passes through tall forest to the falls and is suitable for wheelchairs and sturdy prams. Children get a clear destination quickly, while families with more energy can add another nearby trail rather than deciding in advance on a long circuit.
Mount Field is about a 90-minute drive from Hobart, so allow most of the day once stops and lunch are included. A Tasmania Parks Pass is required for the national park. The outing suits families who want forest scenery and an achievable walk more than a schedule packed with separate attractions.
Port Arthur Historic Site can work well for families, but older children are more likely to engage with the stories and the scale of the place. Entry includes access to more than 30 historic buildings, ruins, gardens and walking trails, as well as a short harbour cruise. Instead of trying to cover everything, choose a guided introduction and a few buildings that match the children’s interest.
The drive from Hobart and the size of the site make Port Arthur the main event for the day. Younger children can still enjoy the open grounds and boat ride, but the history requires a little more explanation and the visit is less flexible than a city museum. Our Port Arthur day-trip guide covers transport choices and how to plan the time on site.
Bruny Island gives families coast, wildlife, short walks and local food in one day, but it rewards a slower plan. Drivers first travel south from Hobart to Kettering and take the vehicle and passenger ferry across to the island. Once there, choose a small number of stops rather than trying to cover both ends of Bruny at speed.
A self-drive day offers the most control over breaks, meals and short walks. A wilderness cruise is a separate experience: it focuses on Bruny’s sea cliffs, caves and marine environment and spends several hours on the water. Families deciding between the two can use our guide to what to expect on a Bruny Island cruise before committing to a boat-based day.
