While you’re feeling fresh and the holiday feelings are high, get most of the driving for day one done first thing. Take in the rolling vineyards to your left and the Tasman Sea to your right as you drive along the Tasman Highway for just over two hours from Hobart to Devil’s Corner Cellar Door. This winter, the Tassie winery has launched its Moulting Lagoon Adventure. The vineyard manager will guide guests from the cellar door down to the lagoon the vineyard sits by. Here you’ll sit fireside while you sip Devil’s Corner Premium Cuvee and Resolution Riesling, while knocking back freshly shucked Freycinet oysters. When you’re bubbled and oystered out you’ll head back to the cellar door and descend into Devil’s Den, a newly built underground cellar where lunch is served with some matching wines. In true winter fashion, the experience is wrapped up with steaming mugs of mulled wine and roasting marshmallows on vines over a firepit. devilscorner.com.au

There’s only one island in the world where you can catch a glimpse of a Tassie devil and that’s right here in Tasmania. Head 30 minutes further north to East Coast Natureworld to get up close and personal with Australian wildlife. You won’t just get to see Tassie devils during feeding hour, here you can feed free-roaming wallabies by hand, see more of Australia’s native wildlife, and for this Off Season East Coast Natureworld have launched a Wombat Walk tour where groups can join keepers as they feed wombats their breakfast and get their daily health check. Wombats love to follow people, so you’ll be able to take the orphaned natives for a walk around the enclosure. Wombats, like Grace, are extremely friendly so you’ll also be able to give them a little cuddle. natureworld.com.au

You want to make it to Freycinet Lodge for sunset, which in winter is around about 4.30-4.45pm. Set in Freycinet National Park, the lodge has a sprawling outdoor deck that overlooks Coles Bay. It’s the perfect spot to sip a glass of Tassie pinot noir and watch as sunset changes the colour of the sky until nightfall. Here, street lights are traded for starlight. Thanks to its isolated location, once the sky gets dark you’ll be able to see constellations of stars light up the night sky like fairy lights. If you can tear yourself away from the deck head inside to The Bay Restaurant to get a taste of hyper-local meats, seafood and produce. Tuck yourself into a Coastal Pavilion for the night. Nestled among trees, each cabin boasts a king bed, outdoor bathtub, living area and expansive deck to soak in views of the bay. freycinetlodge.com.au

Get a head start on the day and take full advantage of your proximity to Wineglass Bay Lookout, the jewel in the Freycinet National Park crown. The only way to reach the lookout is by foot. The track will lead you through coastal woodland and past granite boulders and is around 1.3km each way. It can be steep in patches so it’s recommended that you have a basic level of fitness. There are resting seats along the way if you need a breather. You’ll be rewarded with stunning views of the curvaceous white beach, Wineglass Bay. Refuel at Freycinet Lodge with a hearty breakfast, kicking back in your room before hitting the road.

No trip along the East Coast of Tassie is complete without a lunch stop at Lobster Shack Tasmania. Just a 40 minute drive from Feycinet Lodge, Lobster Shack is a waterfront fish and chippery that serves up the best lobster roll you’ll ever try. Run by a husband and wife team, Marcus and Sara, the Tassie locals fish for the produce they cook up and serve daily. The Lobster Roll is the Shack’s signature dish. Sara travelled around Australia tasting lobster rolls and taking notes to make sure the lobster roll she created was the best and she has succeeded. It’s the perfect ratio of fresh lobster, chives, milk bun, lettuce and sauce. For the Off Season, Lobster Shack Tasmania is also serving up a delicious Lobster Cob Loaf Chowder that will warm you right up. The best views are from the outdoor deck, which is soaked in sun. Come summer, Lobster Shack is so popular that the car park is often full and you need to line up to even get in the car park. lobstershacktasmania.com.au

Tasmania is no stranger to a whisky distillery, it’s home to Lark Distillery, one of Australia’s most famous. But, a harbourside distillery? There’s only one on the island and that’s Waubs Harbour Distillery where the views are just as good as the single malt whisky. The distillery is just steps from the ocean in Bicheno. Once an old abalone and seafood processing site, the team at Waubs Harbour Distillery have transformed it into a modern and picturesque site. Start with a site tour so you can see what makes Waubs Harbour Distillery’s take on Tassie whisky so unique, but also so you can take in the view of the harbour from every angle. Then make your way to the Tasting Room. This Off Season on Saturday afternoons Waubs Harbour Distillery will offer a tasting of its single malt whiskies accompanied by a tasting grazing plate. Who said you need to freeze to soak in the ocean views? Sit by the fireplace and look out through the Tasting Rooms glass walls while the sun sets over the bay. waubsharbourwhisky.com

You could easily mistake Piermont Retreat for seaside retreat in the English countryside. The property is 45 minutes south of Bicheno, next to Swansea. European-style cottages dot the coastline so each overlooks The Four Mile beach. There are 29 self-contained accommodations ranging from one-bedroom cottages to more modern Scandi-style three-bedroom residences. All have ocean views and all have decks you can rug up and relish the views from. Homestead Restaurant located in the main house is usually open for lunch and dinner, but this August will close for a month-long break. For the Off Season, Piermont encourages guests to stay (at a discounted rate) and bring their own food to cook themselves. There will be a pantry with food essentials guests can purchase if they get stuck, but no dining facilities. The tennis court, pool and other facilities will still be available to guests. It’s the perfect time to take in the idyllic property, sans crowds. Even if you’re not usually an early bird, we highly recommend rising in time for sunrise, which, thankfully, isn’t until around 7-7.30am. piermont.com.au

After a slow morning at Piermont, it’s time to head back to Hobart. Get a big chunk of the driving out of the way while you have fresh eyes. Drive about one hour and 30 minutes south to Richmond. A perfectly preserved historical town that is home to what was once one of Australia’s longest bridges, Richmond Bridge. Antique stores, accommodations, cafes, restaurants, wine bars and more are housed in more than 50 Georgian buildings in the colonial-era town. While away an hour or two window shopping and exploring the alleyways of the town. Larder & Vin providore and wine bar is a must when passing through Richmond. Stock up on produce from all across Tasmania – like Tasman Sea Salt and Van Dieman Providore goods – or stay for a midday wine and grazing platter. If it’s a sunny day you could pick up a picnic hamper from Larder & Vin and sit on the rolling hills of either side of Richmond Bridge and watch the ducks and swans bob their heads in and out of the Coal River while you lunch. larderandvin.com.au

Cool climate wines? Tick. A stunning vineyard? Tick. a stunning cellar door? Tick. Frogmore Creek is one of Tasmania’s most recognised ultra-premium wineries. The cellar door and restaurant is a sprawling space overlooking acres of the stunning vineyard. Settle in for a wine tasting before heading back to Hobart. Of course, in classic Tassie-style, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme at Frogmore, but the Riseling and Pinot Gris are also worth a try. If you’ve built an appetite, the Restaurant exclusively serves a 2-course menu that you can curate yourself. You can dine on a main and dessert or an entree and main. The choice is yours. frogmorecreek.com.au