Things to Do in Hobart
Prices, opening hours, best times to visit and the stuff nobody tells you, everything you need for a first trip to Hobart, Tasmania, plus one pigeon's opinions on all of it.
Right, Hobart. Australia's second-oldest city, a museum that genuinely delights in making visitors uncomfortable in the best way, a colonial harbour town with a mountain looming over it and one of the most unusual, ambitious museums anywhere. This is the proper, no-nonsense guide to things to do in Hobart: what things actually cost, when to go, what to skip, and which bits are worth the ferry ride. Five main stops below, plus a quiz elsewhere on this site to see if you were paying attention.
MONA (Museum of Old and New Art)
Hobart is home to MONA, a museum known for its unconventional and often provocative contemporary art collection, built partly underground and deliberately designed to challenge and surprise visitors, genuinely one of the most ambitious, unusual museums anywhere, no wall labels in the conventional sense, instead an app-based guide called 'The O' that gives visitors direct commentary, sometimes irreverent, from the museum's founder.
The ferry ride to MONA, a striking camouflage-patterned catamaran departing from Hobart's waterfront, is genuinely part of the experience, worth booking the boat rather than driving if you want the full intended arrival.
Hours Check current opening days, typically closed some weekdays
Getting there MONA ferry from Brooke Street Pier, or a short drive
Hobart's Colonial Heritage
Hobart is Australia's second-oldest capital city, founded in the early 19th century, established in 1804, making it older than most other Australian state capitals, and this early founding is genuinely visible in Battery Point and Salamanca Place, colonial-era sandstone buildings and warehouses now housing galleries, cafes, and a well-known Saturday market.
Salamanca Market, held every Saturday, is genuinely one of the best weekly markets in Australia, local produce, crafts, and street food along the historic waterfront warehouses, worth planning your visit to coincide with it.
Best time Saturday for the market
Address Salamanca Place, Hobart
kunanyi/Mount Wellington
Hobart sits at the foot of kunanyi (Mount Wellington), a prominent mountain overlooking the city, a dramatic backdrop visible from nearly anywhere in the city, often capped with snow in winter, a genuinely striking presence that shapes the whole city's geography and outdoor culture.
The summit, reachable by road, offers sweeping views over Hobart, the Derwent River, and out toward the surrounding wilderness, worth the drive up on a clear day, though conditions at the top can differ significantly from the city below, pack a layer regardless of the weather down in town.
Best time Clear days for the best views
Getting there About 30 minutes from central Hobart
Hobart's Historic Waterfront
Hobart's harbour remains genuinely central to the city's identity, a working port, fishing fleet, and the departure point for Antarctic research vessels (Hobart serves as a gateway for Antarctic expeditions given its far-southern position). Fish punts moored along Constitution Dock sell fresh fish and chips, a proper local institution worth trying.
It's a good, free area to just wander, particularly in the evening when the waterfront restaurants and bars fill up, worth combining with Salamanca Place given how close they sit together.
Best time Evening
Address Hobart waterfront, Constitution Dock
Day Trips into Tasmania
Hobart makes a genuinely good base for exploring wider Tasmania, Bruny Island, known for its wildlife and food producers, and the Tasman Peninsula, home to the historic Port Arthur convict site, are both realistic day trips, worth the extra time if your schedule allows beyond just the city itself.
Tasmania's wilderness and food scene both have genuinely strong reputations, worth researching current tour options for whichever specific area interests you most.
Getting there Bruny Island and Port Arthur both roughly 1.5–2.5 hours from Hobart
Best time to visit Hobart
December through March, the Southern Hemisphere summer, gives the most comfortable weather for the amount of walking and day-tripping this list involves.
MONA and the harbour work well year-round, and winter's chance of snow on kunanyi/Mount Wellington offers a genuinely different, striking version of the city if you don't mind the cold.
Getting around Hobart
Central Hobart, including Salamanca Place and the waterfront, is genuinely walkable. Buses cover destinations further out, and the MONA ferry is the recommended way to reach the museum, both practical and part of the intended experience.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hobart worth visiting?
- Yes, particularly for MONA, genuinely one of the most unusual and ambitious museums anywhere, alongside colonial-era Salamanca Place and kunanyi/Mount Wellington's dramatic backdrop.
- How many days do you need in Hobart?
- Three days covers MONA, Salamanca Place, and kunanyi/Mount Wellington comfortably; add a day for a Bruny Island or Port Arthur trip.
- Is Hobart expensive?
- Moderate, generally comparable to other Australian capitals, MONA's entry fee is the main planned cost, walking the waterfront and Salamanca Place remains free.
- What is Hobart famous for?
- MONA, one of the most unconventional contemporary art museums anywhere, being Australia's second-oldest capital city, and kunanyi/Mount Wellington, the mountain overlooking the city.
That's everything I've got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government's latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
