Every Toddler will agree, visiting Tasmania in 8 days is a real challenge but what if you only have 8 days? Well, even in 8 days you can see and do lots of amazing and crazy Things. This blog post will guide you Through The highlights, you certainly have To do as a Toddler visiting Tassie. As appropriate for young children my mom and dad choose for a mix between nature and cultural heritage on one side and between hikes, beach visits and amazing boat and Train rides on The other side. Read on and discover how amazing Tasmania is for The little ones.

Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park 2 days

As a kid of course I want To walk, climb and run while on holiday. The good news is That some of The amazing walks at Cradle Mountain National park are not easy but also not super difficult. Boardwalks are easy To run on and There are plenty of stairs To climb. Bad news is That The walkways are not stoller friendly, so if you give up during one of The longer hikes, a carrier is your only option. During my walks I saw some amazing secenery which I will not easily forget and friendly wildlife joined me on my adventure on several occarions. Wombats, quolls and kangaroos are my new best friends.

Reflections at Dove lake

Dove lake circuit is an easy walk of 6 km, but if you are Too young or you do not have The habbit of hiking, you have The possibility To just go for a stroll To The Dove Lake boatshed and To glacier Rock (both easy walks of 15 min). You will see That these short walks are already worth it.

👉My Tip: go early in The morning To see The beautiful reflections on The water of Dove lake and To avoid The crowds. This is especially important if you want To go by car, parking space is very limited and on busy moments The park is Therefore only accessible by shutle bus.

👉My Tip: in case you want To experience a sundowner, glacier rock is without any doubt The place To be, however keep a close eye on your Toddlers (and children in general) so They don’t come Too close To The edges of The rock. There are no security measures and an accident can happen fast, especially when The rock is wet and slippery.

Other Toddler friendly Tracks

If your are looking for Toddler friendly Tracks, I would recommend The following:

• The enchanted walk, easy walk Through The rain forest, especially nice for Toddlers
• Pencil Pines Rain Forest walk, easy walk which includes small amounts of stairs, which guides you To some beautiful falls
• King Billy walk, easy rainforest walk to spot some amazing fungi

As you may have noticed, you do not need To be a highly skilled hiker To have lot’s of fun at Cradle mountain. In case you want To discover more about Cradle Mountain National park, click on The link below:

Hiking at Cradle Mountain with kids

👉My Tip: check out The weather forecast up front, as even The easiest paths may become dangerous in case of hard winds or when They become slippy.  In addition The weather may change very quickly, so be prepared and dress in layers.

Devils rock at Devils@Cradle

In case you did not spot any of The amazing Tasmanian devils in The wild, which is quite possible as There numbers go down drastically, visit Devils@Cradle and you will have The Time of your life. Even if you were lucky To spot one of Those amazing creatures in Their natual habitat, it is still worth passing by, especially during Their feeding moments. At This sanctuary, you will also get a good explanation why These species are endangered and what actions The local sanctuaries and research centres are taking.

Apart from The Tasmanian Devils, The sanctiary also hosts some cute quolls, who are a bit shy at first but also very curious if you give Them The Time To get used To your presence. I had The impression They loved playing as much as I do.

Strahan – 2 days

It is often stated it rains 364 days a year in Stahan, however I have not seen a single drop when I was visiting. Strahan, located at The West Coast of Tasmania is great for kids. Although it is small Town, There is lots To do including a nice walk Towards Hogarth falls.

Strahan Foreshore Walk

The interesting walk Through Strahan starts from The Regatta Railway station and will give  you some great vistas. Run around in The Huan Pine Sawmill, visit The Strahan wharf centre or just watch The beautiful scenery. There is something for everybody.

👉My Tip: if you are into picnics, There is no better place Than Strahan.

Gordon river cruise

All kids love boats, don’t they? Well in Strahan There are plenty of opportunities To go on The water. The most iconic boat Tour is the Gordon River Cruise, which I would highly recommend To do with kids. It’s safe, lots of Things To see and with a few stopovers I was not bored even after 5 hours. I had a great Time stolling Through The rainforests Huan Pines and during my visit of Sarah Island, where I listed very carefully To all The exiting stories about The history of That island.

West Coast Wilderness Railway

I Think trains are always a good idea, no matter where you are! If you are of The same opinion, you may not miss one of The rides The West Coast Wilderness Railway has To offer. Seeing Those majectic steam Trains was already a Treat To my eyes, so you can imagine The fun I had To step back in Time and To climb aboard for a once in a life Time experience. During our Rainforest ride a few stops were planned, as such I could enjoy a short rainforest walk, visit a local honey shop and watch how Those Trains are turned To start our return Trip back To Strahan.

👉My Tip: both The Gordon river cruise as The West coast wilderness railway are not cheap activities, but really worth it. They have different formulas and prices and because They are so popular it is best To reserve your Tickets on line, at least a couple of days in advance, especially during summer.

Hobart – 2 days 

No doubt The capital of Tasmia has a lot To offer, but it is its surroundings That are most appealing for kids. The views from Mount Wellington are breathtaking! Well it is what The locals say and as we were unable To visit due To bad weather conditions, we have no other option Than To believe Them on Their words. So This is what we did visit:

Port Arthur

Although having a dark history and known as one of The most haunted places in Australia, Port Arthur Historic Site is fun for kids and a great opportunity To step back in Time. I was very fond of The harbour cruise and The visit of The main penitentiary builing, which is spectacular.

The interactive Lottery of life exhibit was also a big hit as I could try on real prison chains and learn about The life of some prisoners, where They came from, what They had done and what Their fate was after Their release.

👉My Tip: for The older kids, check out The after dark Historic ghost Tours.

Port Arthur Lavender farm

Not only a great place To learn about cultivating lavender, but also a must do if your are into amazing breakfasts. Try some of The Treats That are made of lavender. I was amazed how colourful and yummy They were. Oh yes and before I forget To mention, The views are fantastic.

Tahune Airwalk

Not everybody is a big fan of heights, but I am. Steel canopy walkways located in The Tahune forests, Huon valley, will bring you up To 50 meters and let you encounter some of The world’s Tallest and longest living Trees. You will meet giants That reach higher Than a 20 storey building. To see This, as a Toddler, just makes you speechless. If you are old enough you can do The Eagle Hang Glider experience and whiz from Three To Three on a 250 m long zipline. Unfortunately I did not hit The Threshold of 25 kilos, so it was a no go for me.

Don’t forget To do The swinging bridges walk, which is an easy hike of 1 hour, which brings you across The Huan and The Picton River. Swinging bridges are sometimes scary for The little ones, however I felf quite safe on These ones. So safe mom and dad shouted at least a million Times not To run or To jump!

Hobart waterfront

The waterfront is one of The focusses of The city. Apart from watching The fascinating polar research vessels and yachts it is also a great place To stroll around just before dinner Time. The fish boats and stalls will offer you fresher Than fresh.

👉My Tip: if you are visiting on a Saturday, you will have The opportunity To visit The local Salamanca market.

Freycinet National Park – 1 day

If your are in need of a family day, running along some amazing sandy beaches or playing hide and seek with local wildlife, Freycinet National Park is The place To be. I spotted wild wallabies, cute birds and if it would have been summer I would definitely have gone for a swim.

Wineglass Bay

If you want To get some exercise, a hike To the Wineglass Bay Lookout point is a real challenge, also for moms and dads. Therefore I would only recommend it To The bravest amongst us. The climb is steep and I had To face more Than 600 steps, so my poor little legs were begging for a rest very quickly and daddy had To carry me Through some of The Trickier parts of The walk. Arriving at The lookout we Took some great pictures as proof we made it To The Top. If your are into some more walking and you have sufficient Time you can make your way down To The Wineglass beach. The path To The beach is even more challenging Than The one To The lookout point, as such we choose To return and discover some more accessible parts of The area. Taking a carrier would have been a great idea! So we discovered There is more on offer for Toddlers Than just The Wineglass Bay walk.

Cape Tourville Lookout does The Trick in case you are fond of lighthouses. There are well maintained and easily accessible boardwalks, The place is very family friendly and accessible by stroller. This Track will show you some eyecatching coastal scenery. It is definitely a great alternative for kids, which are not yet quite up to The steep ascent To The wineglass bay lookout.

Bicheno beach is known as a real jewel and however jewels are often over rated, it is not The case for This one. There is a great pinguin night Tour, but a simple morning walk on Bicheno beach will deliver you some idyllic photo’s.

👉My Tip: if you have The Time, visit Douglas Apsley, which is an easy hike for kids That ends in a gorgeous clear waterhole.

For sundowners I would recommend To have drinks on The deck of The The Feycinet lodge. In addition you can go for a great meal with a view over Coles Bay in The bistro or restaurant. The food and The service are excellent.

👉My Tip: if you have The Time, visit Douglas Apsley, which is an easy hike for kids That ends in a gorgeous clear waterhole.

👉My Tip: Wineglass bay cruise or kayaking are excellent activities TO do with kids if The weather permits.

Bay of Fires – 1 Day

When you follow The signs Till Binalong Bay, you will reach one of The most incredible places of Tasmania, Bay of Fires. The combination of orange covered boulders and The white sandy beaches and turquoise water is just breathtaking. At Bay of Fires, Rock pools are eveywhere and however it is very Tempting, Try not To disturb The little sea creatures That live in There, They are more fragile Than you may Think, if I may believe my mom.

Apart from The rock pools I like climbing onto The huge rocks. Normally I am not allowed To do so due To safety reasons but at Bay of Fires my mom and dad decided differently. Of course with The required guidance from mom and dad and with The message I needed To stay away from The edges. The beaches in This area are also a great spot To build sandcastles and To do some pingiun watching at nigh fall.

As you have noticed, even in 8 Days Tasmania can be an excellent holiday destination for kids.  Tasmania is very child friendly and The surroundings are so diverse That even The most difficult Toddlers will find something To ‘wow’ about. Just one last Tip: Tasmania offers some amazing camping facilities off The beaten Track. In case you love camping, This should be on your list, while visiting This amazing country.

In case you want To read more about a going on a family holiday To Tasmania, I can suggest The following articles:

Review Spirit of Tasmania

Cheerio,

Little T