Launceston, in Tasmania’s north, is Tasmania’s second largest city and one of Australia’s oldest.  Launceston and the surrounding Tamar Valley is a great area to add to your Tasmanian itinerary.  Here are some of the top things to do in Launceston and the Tamar Valley that we did on our recent trip to Tasmania.

Best things to do in Launceston with kids

Wondering what to do in Launceston with kids? Start with these!

Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm

Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm

This fabulous cafe and outdoor area is located in between Launceston and Devonport.  They open at 7am, and it is a great breakfast stopping point if you have just left the Spirit of Tasmania – which is what we did.  They serve the best waffles ever which are coated with delicious raspberry icecream, cream and raspberries.  I highly recommend them!  The Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm is very child friendly with colouring in paper and pencils and very friendly staff.

There is also a great outdoor area with a toddler playground and a lake with walking tracks.  The whole area is very picturesque.

City Park

Checking out the monkeys in City Park

One of the great Launceston attractions for kids is the large City Park in central Launceston. It is well know for its Japanese macaque enclosure which our kids just loved- and so did I when I was a kid! There is also a playground and a lot of open space.

Cataract Gorge

Cataract Gorge

This river gorge area just outside of the centre of Launceston is just fabulous. There is a great park area with walks, the longest single span chair lift in the world, cable hang gliding, cafe, restaurant, cruises and a swimming pool by the side of the first basin.

Gourlay’s Sweet Shop

Gourlay’s Sweet Shop

I have to mention this one!  Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with me although dad did say we were related to the original owners.  It has fabulous old fashioned lollies. I especially recommend the acid drops.

Tasmania Zoo

This “zoo” was a disappointment.  I should have believed the trip advisor reviews I read before going, but I thought perhaps it was bad weather when the people who had problems visited.  We went on a gorgeous day though, and there were not many animals to see.  We didn’t even see a kangaroo. There was  feed to buy when we entered the zoo, but strangely no animals to feed it to. I chose to still go to this attraction as the brochure said you could pet Tasmanian devils.  Unfortunately, this was not true.  We just got to see them feed one of them.  The other annoying part was that the fences were made of corrugated steel – not glass – and were too high for either of my kids to see anything at all.

Tasmanian Devil feeding time

The highlight was the dinosaur walk.  The kids loved this.  We basically walked around looking at dinosaur statues.  For $50, I would like to experience and see more.  It is cheaper to visit Melbourne Zoo which is brimming full of wildlife so this was a disappointment and massively over priced.  I would only visit this wildlife park if it is your only chance to see Tasmanian Devils.  Otherwise, save your money for the great Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary just outside of Hobart.

Tamar Valley Wineries

There are some fabulous wineries in the Tamar Valley and it is easy to go on a self guided tour.  Check out this site to help you out.

Grindelwald

Lunch at the bakery at Grondelwald

This gorgeous Swiss village is located just outside of Launceston.  It is one of the best places to visit in Launceston and a great place to stop for lunch or to stretch the legs. It is also a great place to base yourself while visiting this region of Tasmania.  You can read more about our time in Grindelwald and the Aspect Tamar Valley Resort.

This region has plenty to keep you entertained for a couple of days.  We enjoyed our time here, especially at Grindelwald, and it is worth a stopover on your Tasmania trip.

Need more inspiration? Check out my guide to the top 25 things to see in Tasmania – the ultimate bucket list! Many of the attractions in this article made it to the list!

I’d love to hear what else there is to do in this region.  Any suggestions?