Travelling Tasmania without a car

Launceston has been recognised as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy thanks to its incredible food and drink scene, award-winning markets, gastronomic events, and historic connection to produce. Here you can sample food from across the region and taste all Tassie has to offer!

Check out all CBD restaurants on our website and enjoy menus featuring seasonal, local produce.

Cataract Gorge is a natural haven minutes from the city. Ride the chairlift or cool off in the pool. Hike to Duck Reach if you want to stretch your legs or just meander by the waterside.

Refuel at The Basin Cafe or bring a picnic to eat on the lawns while watching the peacocks and pademelons wander by.

Get a unique view of the gorge with a trip on Tamar River Cruises.

Launceston is jam-packed full of cosy cocktail bars, traditional pubs, local breweries and wine rooms. Whatever your tipple, you'll find the best local Tassie beers, wines, ciders, and spirits.

📍Visit Du Cane Brewing or James Boag's Brewery for Launceston brewed bevvies (try the tour at Boags!), or Saint John Craft Beer Bar for beers (and whiskys) from across the state.

📍Havilah and Highclare Wine Room bring you face to face with the makers from local vineyards.

📍Sample Tassie spirits in crafted cocktails at Dill Pickle Club, Bar Urbane, Martini's Cocktail Lounge and Bar Stelo.

📍If coffee, bubble tea, and smoothies are more your style, you won't be disappointed with the huge range of cute cafes around the CBD. Try Tatler Lane by Sweetbrew, Gotcha House, M&B Cafe and Smoothie Bar.

Our city is filled with beautiful green spaces and waterways to relax in.

📍 Check out City Park for music on Sundays (12:30 - 2:30pm) all summer long and say hi to our Macaque monkeys.

📍 Prince's Square is home to a fabulous fountain and surrounded by delicious spots to grab some food for a picnic. We recommend coffee and pastries at Bread and Butter, brunch at Mad Apple Cafe, pizza and local brews at Du Cane and cocktails at 1808 Lounge.

📍 Riverbend Park is ideal for those with littles in toe and has a huge all-abilities park with play equipment.

Love fresh produce? Harvest Market is Launceston's award-winning farmer's market and local produce hub. It's open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 8:30am - 12:30pm.

Pick up veggies, meats, fish, preserves and oils for the week, or stop by the food vendors for breakfast, lunch and coffee.

📍 Find Harvest Market at 71 Cimitiere Street

From cold water plunges to pamper sessions, Launceston has everything you need to unwind during your city break. Check out the city's wellness offerings, from spas and saunas, to beauty salons and nail bars, to massage parlours and yoga studios.

Here's a few of our favourites:

📍Enjoy the Wellness Spa Deck at Hoshino Day Spa. Group bookings welcome!

📍Float away your worries at City Cave Launceston then jump in their infrared sauna.

📍Pamper yourself at one of our beauty and nail salons like Elysian, Brows, InSPArations, Cosy Nails, Aureum Beauty, and Mojjatchi

📍Work out the weekend's indulgences at F45 Training, Anytime Fitness or Curves

📍Unwind your body and mind at Launceston Pilates, Vivid Pilates, Yoga at The House of Prana or The Yoga Loft

📍Massage your muscles after a night of dancing at Harmony Acumassage, Clover Massage, the Launceston Massage Centre, or BodyBoh to name a few

Launceston is Australia's third oldest European settlement (1806) behind Sydney (1788) and Hobart (1803), so it's packed full of some of the country's oldest (and most beautiful) heritage buildings.

Remember to look up when you're exploring the CBD and try our free self-guided tour to find out more about our historic city.

Launceston is home to several museums and art galleries including QVMAG, Northern Tasmania's home of art, history and natural science!

📍Queen Victoria Museum at Inveresk

📍Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery

📍Leoni Duff Studio and Gallery

📍Dada Museum

📍Madeline Gordon Gallery

📍ART ARK

📍Raincoat Gallery

Launceston also has a huge range of murals and street art. Take a look at some of our favourite art in the city.

Whether you're after a trivia night or live music, a drag show or food festival, find out what's on while you're visiting Launceston.

Events are added to our calendar daily.

Want to explore some sites outside the city without a car? No problem. Launceston is serviced by some fabulous tour companies who’ll have you ooh, ahh and eiiing all over.

Tour companies can take you on day trips from Launceston to iconic sites like Cradle Mountain, Wineglass Bay, the Bay of Fires, and the Bridestowe Lavender Farm. Sample the incredible cool-climate wines of the Tamar Valley wine region on a wine tour, or go on a night safari in search of penguins at Low Head. Private charters are also available for those with more specific destinations in mind.

Looking for something more active? Based in Launceston, Tasmanian Expeditions, Tasmanian Walking Company and Wild Island Adventure offer active tours across the state. Whether you’re more interested in exploring rock climbing crags, rafting white water or heading on a cruise, Tasmanian Expeditions can pick you up and return you to Launceston CBD. Wild Island Adventure can even take you up to the snow at Ben Lomond for a ski or toboggan during winter.

Tour availability can be seasonal, so make sure you do your research and book your trips ahead of time.

Happy to drive yourself but looking for a road trip that doesn’t break the bank? Tasmania is the home of short distance roadtrips that don't disappoint. With short driving distances between most key sites and a huge diversity of offerings, you’ll be surprised how much you can see with minimal time sat behind the wheel.

Only a 75 minute drive from The Spirit of Tasmania’s port in Devonport, Laucneston is the perfect base for those bringin their own car to the island. Its also home to several hire car companies for those wanting to fly into Launceston Airport.

If you are keen to hire a car or are bringing your own on the Spirit of Tasmania, Launceston CBD makes the perfect hub for exploration being located in the heart of many of the state’s top attractions:

Sample world-class wine in the Tamar Valley Wine Region beginning only 15 minutes from Launceston CBD.

Discover the heritage towns of Evandale (20 minutes from the CBD) and Ross (one hour from the CBD), or explore the Beaconsfield Mine & Heritage Centre (40 minutes from Launceston CBD). If you're looking for UNESCO World Heritage sites and National Trust Estates, you'll be spoilt by Woolmers Estate, Brickendon Estate, and Clarendon Estate all located under 30 minutes drive from Launceston CBD.

See the full bloom of Bridestowe Lavender Farm in December and January, only 54 minutes from Launceston.

Visit Ben Lomond National Park, Australia’s largest boulder field and Tasmania’s largest alpine area, only one hour from Launceston. Expect alpine wildflowers in Summer and snow for tobogganing in winter.

For beaches, Bridport and Naranwyntapu National Park are both around one hour away.

Finally, three of Tasmania's most impressive icons, Cradle Mountain, Wineglass Bay/Freycinet and the Bay of Fires can be reached in two to three hours from Launceston.

So what are you waiting for? It's time to book your trip to Launceston!