Things to do in Launceston this weekend

One of the most beautiful places in Tasmania is Launceston. It is the second largest city in the island state. With amazing chilled out vibes, this city must surely be on your list of places to visit. I have been to Launceston multiple times and each time, I have found new things to do in the city. In this post, you will find the complete guide on things to do in Launceston this weekend.

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About Launceston

Situated on the confluence of North Esk and South Esk rivers, Launceston is a city in the north of Tasmania. Famous for its Cataract Gorge and walking trails, the city is one of the two cities that has earned the title of UNESCO City of Gastronomy. The city has a blend of city and countryside vibes.

The best and popular times to visit Launceston is during the summer season. Summer season is between December and February, this is also the peak season.

• Note: As Tasmania is closer to the southern pole, it is generally cold and even during the summer season, it is freezing at nights. So ensure to carry warm clothes.

Few years ago, I did a road trip along the east coast of Tasmania with my mother and here is the information about that Road Trip | East Coast Tasmania.

You need around 2 to 3 days to explore Launceston and surrounding places. But Tasmania is extremely beautiful and I suggest spending at least 2 weeks driving around the island and enjoying what the island has to offer.

How to get to Launceston?

By Air

Launceston is connected well with other major cities in Australia. There are flights that are scheduled to run frequently between Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Launceston. Jetstar is the budgeted airline to fly to Tasmania.

By Ship

The adventurous way to travel to Tasmania is by taking the ship Spirit of Tasmania that travels between Geelong in Victoria and Devonport in Tasmania. Journey between the two places take around 9 to 10 hours depending on the condition of the ocean. You can take your own car on the ship so you do not have to hire a car while you are on the island. The prices start from AUD 170 per person without the car.

Traveling between Launceston airport and Launceston Central Business District (CBD)

• Taxi – The Launceston airport is around 15 kilometres from the CBD and the journey by road takes just 10 to 15 minutes. Fastest way to take a taxi or drive. The taxi prices start from AUD 40 one way and there is a dedicated taxi stand outside the airport.
  • You can also rent out a car from the airport.
• Bus – There is a bus (number 796) that runs between the airport and the city and the journey takes around 30 minutes. The price for the bus is around AUD 20 one way.

Commuting in Launceston

Hiring a car

The best and easiest way to get around in Launceston is by a car. If you are traveling by the Spirit of Tasmania ship, then you can take your own car. But since I usually travel from Sydney, I fly into Launceston and hire the car at the airport. The best car rental company that I have found is Hertz as their cars are well maintained and clean.

• Do not forget to take the car with full insurance and with zero excess fee.
• To drive in Australia, you need to have a valid international driver’s licence or Australian recognised driver’s licence.

One of the other cool and common ways to travel in Tasmania is by hiring the campervans. With plenty of camp sites and campervan facilities around the island, it is convenient and best to stay. You can hire these campervans from Jucy Australia who are one of the best companies.

Public transport

The public transport in Launceston is operated by Metro Launceston and they have two combination of routes / corridors. Operating on weekdays between 8 AM and 6 PM, the buses run every 10 to 15 minutes once.

By the way, did you know that Launceston has a free bus service called The Tiger Bus that travels in the CBD? They operate on all 7 days during the summer and autumn seasons (December to April) except for certain public holidays like the ANZAC day and Christmas day.

Things to do in Launceston this weekend (Itinerary)

During my road trips, I usually make a map and a tentative plan so I know which of the places I want to cover. On my weekend trip in Launceston, I mainly wanted to see the city, the lavender farm and the Cradle mountain.

I had drafted a rough itinerary and shared it with the person I was traveling to (yes, this was not a solo travel). With minor changes after discussion, we had finalised the plans.

Day 1 (Friday evening) – Sydney to Launceston

We took an afternoon Jetstar flight from Sydney to Launceston, so we can spend the evening in Launceston. After picking up the car at the Launceston airport, we headed to the hotel ‘Olde Tudor Hotel‘.

The Olde Tudor hotel is huge and looks quaint, with the reception right in front of the parking lot. The check-in process was easy and the lady at the reception was very friendly and nice (something I love about small towns, the people are amazing). She provided us with all the necessary information and recommendations on the restaurants and things to do in Launceston.

Click to check for prices on Booking.com

I am in love with this place as the room was spacious and clean. The booking and check-in processes were seamless and convenient. I would definitely recommend this hotel.

As suggested by the lady at the reception, we had our dinner at a Thai restaurant, ‘Star of Siam’, which is situated in the city centre. The food was delicious and mouth-watering and I don’t think anyone can go wrong with Thai food.

• Restaurant: Star of Siam.
• Cuisine: Thai.
• Address: 63 Paterson St, Launceston TAS 7250.

The highlight of the day was the night walk on the wharf along the river at Seaport Launceston. It was breathtakingly beautiful and was a pleasing walk with light breeze. The walk was complemented by the red moon that looked stunning and do not forget to get yourself a gelato. I took the chocolate ice cream.

Day 2 (Saturday) – City and Bridestowe Lavender Estate

I love trying out local food joints when I am traveling. And so we started the day by eating the delicious cream rolls and coffee for breakfast at a local bakery.

Launceston city

Even though Launceston is the second largest city, the city does not have too many things to do. Some of the things that you can do are:

• Queen Victoria Museum (19th century railway workshop).
• Cataract Gorge – One of the beautiful places is the Cataract Gorge that is perfect for walking and swimming.
• Art Gallery.
• City Park.
• Sunday local market.

Bridestowe Lavender Estate

The next stop on our road trip was the Bridestowe Lavender Estate. Spread across 265 acres of land, the Bridestowe Lavender Estate is a well known lavender farm in Tasmania on the east. With painted purple flowers during the season (between November and mid-January), the attraction is one of the popular sites in Tasmania.

Did you know that you can see the purple flowers (Jacarandas) at various places in Sydney during the season?

We were disappointed when we reached the estate as the farms were not purple at all. It was the end of the season. After the disappointment of not seeing the purple flowers, we started our journey for the Cradle mountain.

If you have a few more days, I would suggest extending your trip from Launceston to Bay of Fires. The Bay of Fires is another epic place to visit in Tasmania.

Drive from Bridestowe Lavender Farm to Cradle Mountain

On the way, we made two “out of the plan” stops:

• First at Hillcrest Blueberry Farm – Yes, blueberry picking! And it was awesome fun. I learned that only the blue coloured blueberry is picked and not the green or red coloured (as blueberries do not ripe once they are removed from the plant).
• The second stop was at a small town called Sheffield. We had our lunch at T’s Chinese restaurant (Address: 85 Main Street, Sheffield TAS 7306.), which is supposedly one of the best Chinese restaurants in Australia.
  • The interesting shop that we accidentally discovered was an antique shop called ‘The Emporium’. With a variety of collectibles and antiques, the shop is one of the hidden and interesting finds. The owner of the shop is even more interesting and he has plenty of stories to share. Definitely do not miss this shop when you are in Sheffield.

The drive from the Bridestowe to Tullah Lakeside lodge was picturesque. For the night, we were staying at Tullah Lakeside Lodge, which is around 30 kilometres from the Cradle mountain.

Click here to check for prices on Booking.com

• Accommodation: Tullah Lakeside Lodge.
• Address: 56 Farrell St Tullah TAS AUS 7321.

We reached the lodge late night and immediately after keeping our bags at the room, we headed out to try our luck on the Aurora Australis (also called the Southern nights).

Did you know that Tasmania is one of the few places in the world where you can see the Southern Lights? Unlike the northern lights, the southern lights are a rare occasion and you need to be extremely lucky to see them.

It was one day before the full moon, because of which we could not even see the Milky Way (read 10 places to see Milky Way in New South Wales) let alone Aurora Australis. We clicked some pictures of the moon and stars, after which we called it a day.

Day 3 (Sunday) – Cradle Mountain, Launceston to Sydney

In the morning, we spent our time having breakfast by the lake (which was very pretty and delightful). After a good breakfast, we started for Cradle mountain national park. The drive was again amazing and refreshing.

Cradle Mountain

At the Cradle Mountain visitor centre, we bought the entry tickets and the shuttle service to the national park. The shuttle dropped us to the Dove Lake. And Oh My God! It was surely heaven on Earth. After Milford Sound in New Zealand, this is another place that was alluring and seductive. We took many pictures and we definitely couldn’t get enough of the place.

During my next road trip along the north of Tasmania, I hiked the Cradle mountain to the top. Refer Guide to hike the Cradle mountain for details on hiking to the Cradle mountain.

Drive from Cradle Mountain to Launceston

As we were running short on time and with heavy hearts, we started our drive from Cradle mountain to Launceston airport. On the way, we spotted a cute little echidna at the side of a free-way.

Look out for wildlife on the way. You can see unique Australian wildlife like the Tasmanian devils. Even though I have seen the Tasmanian devils in the zoos, I am yet to see one in the wild.

Is Launceston safe for solo female travelers?

Absolutely! Tasmania as a whole is very safe for solo female travelers. The people are very nice and friendly. And it is definitely one of the safest destinations I have ever traveled to. So I would suggest this location for solo travelers. However, like any other place, I would be cautious especially at nights and trust my instincts.

Closing Notes

I ended up having an amazing and memorable trip. Launceston and surrounds are truly amazing and Tasmania is our paradise in Australia.

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