TasVacations Blog

Cradle Mountain Comforts

For a special occasion (my birthday) I decided to visit Cradle Mountain National Park, known for its stunning scenery, and home to the famous Overland track and Dove Lake.

We drove from Hobart to Cradle Mountain (via the popular “Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm” at Elizabeth Town for lunch) – a must stop on your next trip to Tassie!

We arrived late afternoon and checked into our hotel. I was fortunate to be able to trial a newly refurbished King Split Level Room at the RACT Cradle Mountain Hotel. The location was perfect, and the rooms were very modern – with a lovely balcony. We also dined onsite at the Cradle Mountain Hotel’s “Altitude Restaurant” restaurant for breakfast and dinner on the first night and the food was amazing.


After check in we relaxed in one of the open lounge areas, next to a warm fire as snow began to fall upon the bushland around us.  I have been to Cradle Mountain a few times before however had never seen so much snow which made for a very special trip to remember.

A trip to Cradle Mountain isn’t complete without a walk through the national park. This time we participated in some of the short and long walks around the park including Enchanted Walk and Dove Lake giving us the chance to get up close and personal with the local wildlife including wombats and pademelons.

In the afternoon we spoilt ourselves with a visit to the Waldheim Alpine Day Spa at Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge where we hired out “The Sanctuary”. This included private use of a steam room, sauna, large hot-tub and cool plunge pool, as well as a relaxation lounge and overlooks the enchanting Pencil Pine River and towering King Billy Pines – so peaceful, and the views were amazing.

On the second night we also dined at the “Tavern Bar and Bistro” at Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge for a hearty meal in a relaxed and casual environment.

On our return to Hobart we travelled north west to Devonport for a stop at “Anvers Confectionary and Café” offering amazing breakfast and lunch options for every taste bud. A visit to the chocolate shop is a must for free tastings, you can also watch them make the chocolate at one of their daily demonstrations.

We then travelled via Deloraine and through the Central Highlands of Tasmania where we got to see The Great Lake in all its beauty.

We travelled to Cradle Mountain during winter and would recommend hiring a vehicle with AWD/ 4WD capabilities as the roads can be quite unpredictable – just like our weather. Cradle Mountain is a popular destination and with limited property availability can sell out fast. We always recommend pre booking accommodation in advance for this location.

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Thank You

TasVacations would like to thank the tour/attraction operators and partner properties for hosting us during our adventures. Thank you to Budget Rent A Car for providing our vehicles. For information on any of our partners, please contact our friendly consultants.