When Is The Best Time To Visit Tasmania?

Trying to plan the best Tasmania holiday? Timing is important to nail the experience you’d like to have. Let me break down the four distinct seasons we have — and, in all honesty, we love them all.

Summer In Tasmania.

Our warmest months are December, January, February and March — expect daily weather to sit in the mid-20s around the coastline - and, in central Tasmania, it’s usually at least 5 degrees cooler due to the elevation. Now, those of you travelling from warmer places might not think this is that warm, but let me tell you - down here at those temperatures, you’ll want to jump in the water. We have the cleanest air in the world so the sun really hits!

In Summer, Tasmania is at its busiest! Expect to need to plan for all your bookings at least 3-4 months out. The Island is hopping with events, festivals, and pop-up activities and is the perfect time to visit with family, friends and children. There is just so much on! A few handy resources for your Summer travel are the Tasmanian Bushfire Alerts and the Tasmania Event Guide. Local advice is always the best for finding the best beaches, hikes, eats and local activities, so stay with a small business that loves to host - our guide to the best local stays is here!

Summer swims and sunshine with the ducks right in front of Captain's Rest. By Will & Bear.

Autumn In Tasmania.

March to May brings cooler temperatures, vibrant autumnal colours and harvest time here on the Island. Being positioned in the Southern Ocean, which is the world's weather engine - this season can bring beach weather or even at times storms and snow - so think layers when packing! With crisp days and crunchy leaves, this is our very favourite season for road-tripping around the Island to sample all its delights (both visually and for foodies!). For those who love outdoor adventures, hiking, boating and climbing - this is the season for it!

Handy resources for Autumn In Tasmania are this handy Road Trip guide and planner, and our favourite resource for those who love a walk in nature, the AllTrails app which is best used on your phone to find beautiful places to enjoy the outdoors wherever you are on your adventure.

The Captains Rest Apple Tree ready for harvest in Autumn. By Lara Hotz.

Winter In Tasmania.

Winter is my very favourite season of them all to visit Tasmania. With the tourists mostly gone, and locals hunkering down with good books in front of fireplaces, it seems like you have the entire Island to yourself at times. For couples and solo travellers, creatives, artists and dreamers - Winter is by far my pick of seasons here. And, I'm not alone. It’s the pick of seasons for the locals that live here for a reason, with wild, moody and ever-changing weather and landscapes, a pinch of otherworldly magic seems to be in the air and fun really comes out to play with some incredible festivals and events including the infamous Dark Mofo.

Handy resources for Winter travel include checking for road closures due to snow and ice, which can be unpredictable, and making sure you have decent travel insurance in case plans need to change around the wild environment - we like Alliance or Cover1. Finally, another reason to winter here in the south is a lot of incredible accommodations like to rent by the month - so you can really escape reality down here in the South. Just get in touch with any of our preferred accommodation suppliers to see what they can do for you, they are all lovely!

Winter is always mood plus, here at Captains Rest. Image by me Sarah Andrews.

Spring In Tasmania.

If you feel like Winter is a tad cold for you, my second pick for your trip would be Spring - September, October and November. The Island is starting to bloom again as sunnier days come along, but you’ll find the Island equally void of tourists as Winter, as most people are busy with work and family commitments leading up to the Summer Holidays here in Australia.

Spring is a time for the more intrepid traveller - plenty of accommodation availability and often stays and tours on special means it’s a cheaper time to visit, and you also won’t need to plan ahead for your trip. You can be open to adventure to see where the wind or your whims blow you!

Spring with 'The Girls' at Captains Rest. By Graham King. 

Using The Seasons As A Guide To Where To Stay And What To Do In Tasmania.

I loved putting together this little celebration of the Seasons of Tasmania here for you. One of the most common questions we get asked here at Captain’s Rest by our lovely guests is “When is the best time to visit?”. As you can see, it’s incredible here year-round (and always toasty inside!) - it all depends on what your travel flavour is, and who your travel companions are. As a guide, I always direct families, groups and friends travelling together towards Summer & Autumn, and couples, solo adventures and creatives towards Spring and Winter. I know with this guide, and the tools listed for navigating the seasons well, whatever your pick, you’ll have the most incredible trip!