1. Food, glorious food<\/h3>\n![\"Tasmania](\"https:\/\/www.adventuretours.com.au\/australia-outback-yarns\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Tasmania-food-wine-Tasmania-tourism.jpg\")
Image c\/o Tasmania Tourism<\/p><\/div>\n
Starting with the head of the family \u2013 mum, the Foodie. There’s a long list of gourmet food\u00a0to tempt your\u00a0tastebuds on the Apple Isle, but oysters were certainly a hit, especially those on Bruny Island. We loved the idea of a drive-through oyster bar where you can pick up a few dozen of your favourite, head to a secluded beach and enjoy the delicacies with a squeeze of lemon.<\/p>\n
Then there is the ice cream. I\u2019ve tried to find the technical term for an expert ice cream-maker; either it\u00a0doesn\u2019t exist or this is a rare occasion where Google has failed me. Regardless, it seems that each town in Tasmania<\/a> lays claim to an ice cream expert, so you’re never stuck for a way to reward the\u00a0kids (and the parents)\u00a0after a day spent walking the trails.<\/p>\n![\"Tasmania](\"https:\/\/www.adventuretours.com.au\/australia-outback-yarns\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Tasmania-food-fresh-pasta-Tasmania-Tourism.jpg\")
Image c\/o Tasmania Tourism<\/p><\/div>\n
Cheeses, chocolates, berries seem to be everywhere too, many with natural, wholesome ingredients, connected to their source and made the old-fashion way. We\u2019ve even seen vendors specialising in strange food combinations too \u2013 oysters and ice cream, or coffee and smoked salmon. Guessing they must be popular.<\/p>\n
2. A more relaxed pace<\/h3>\n
Finally, my wife loved the pace of Tassie. It\u2019s just that little bit slower than the rest of the country. And I don\u2019t mean that in a bad way. There’s an infectious peace and tranquillity to the island that helps you\u00a0slow down and relax. For the oldest European colony in the country, the State still feels like it’s a little bit behind the mainland. It\u2019s as though Tasmanians acknowledged the\u00a021st<\/sup> century, but then all got together and agreed that they still prefer the old ways of doings things and have decided to stay in the 20th<\/sup> (or even 19th<\/sup>) century. And because they’ re all so comfortable with that decision, so am I \u2013 it\u2019s a great, easygoing lifestyle.<\/p>\n3. Animal attractions<\/h3>\n
As for the kids, they will remember the place partly for its food and partly for the shorter car rides – but the main things the kids really loved were the animals. There is no such thing as too many echidna stops! I lost count of the number of times we pulled over on the side of the road to investigate the spiky critters, let alone the number of encounters on the walking trails.<\/p>\n
![\"Tasmania](\"https:\/\/www.adventuretours.com.au\/australia-outback-yarns\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Tasmania-wombat-forest-Tasmania-Tourism.jpg\")
Image c\/o Tasmania Tourism<\/p><\/div>\n
Cradle Mountain will always be remembered by the kids, not just for the beautiful walks (or the snow fight at the top of Marian’s Lookout), but mostly for the wombats. The final count was 21 \u2013 all in the fading hours of the late afternoon.<\/p>\n
Platypus were also a hit \u2013 mostly (I think) for the fact that these creatures seldom showed themselves. We were lucky enough to see three of them, thanks to some early morning trout hunting expeditions. Being patient and still seem to be the key ingredients for seeing this elusive creatures. The Tassie Devil also proved to be elusive\u2026 a little too much so\u2026 we never ended up seeing a wild one, although the kids certainly had fun trying.<\/p>\n
RELATED: BEHIND THE SCENES ON A TASSIE GROUP TOUR<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n4. Walk on the wild side<\/h3>\n
Other than the wildlife, it was the wild places that the kids also enjoyed. I\u2019m not sure how it started, but the boys began howling like wolves (or maybe Tassie Tigers?) soon after we arrived on the island. For several days as we\u2019ve walked the beaches and hopped the rocks around the Bay of Fires, the boys were constantly howling\u2026 at each other, at the wind and the waves. I can only put it down to the senses stirred by the wilds of Tassie. There is just something about it, in the air, the thunder of the waves, the howling of the winds, the biting chill in the air that seems to awaken the senses, raising the hair on your back and\u00a0a glint in your\u00a0eye.<\/p>\n
![\"Tasmania](\"https:\/\/www.adventuretours.com.au\/australia-outback-yarns\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Tasmania-forest-walk-traveller-Tasmania-Tourism.jpg\")
Image c\/o Tasmania Tourism<\/p><\/div>\n
My wife and I couldn\u2019t help but chuckle whilst watching boys shiver their way through a quick dip in the ocean, determined to enjoy it no matter how cold it was! The young ones would not be tamed by something as trivial as temperature.<\/p>\n
Image c\/o Tasmania Tourism<\/p><\/div>\n
Starting with the head of the family \u2013 mum, the Foodie. There’s a long list of gourmet food\u00a0to tempt your\u00a0tastebuds on the Apple Isle, but oysters were certainly a hit, especially those on Bruny Island. We loved the idea of a drive-through oyster bar where you can pick up a few dozen of your favourite, head to a secluded beach and enjoy the delicacies with a squeeze of lemon.<\/p>\n
Then there is the ice cream. I\u2019ve tried to find the technical term for an expert ice cream-maker; either it\u00a0doesn\u2019t exist or this is a rare occasion where Google has failed me. Regardless, it seems that each town in Tasmania<\/a> lays claim to an ice cream expert, so you’re never stuck for a way to reward the\u00a0kids (and the parents)\u00a0after a day spent walking the trails.<\/p>\n Image c\/o Tasmania Tourism<\/p><\/div>\n Cheeses, chocolates, berries seem to be everywhere too, many with natural, wholesome ingredients, connected to their source and made the old-fashion way. We\u2019ve even seen vendors specialising in strange food combinations too \u2013 oysters and ice cream, or coffee and smoked salmon. Guessing they must be popular.<\/p>\n Finally, my wife loved the pace of Tassie. It\u2019s just that little bit slower than the rest of the country. And I don\u2019t mean that in a bad way. There’s an infectious peace and tranquillity to the island that helps you\u00a0slow down and relax. For the oldest European colony in the country, the State still feels like it’s a little bit behind the mainland. It\u2019s as though Tasmanians acknowledged the\u00a021st<\/sup> century, but then all got together and agreed that they still prefer the old ways of doings things and have decided to stay in the 20th<\/sup> (or even 19th<\/sup>) century. And because they’ re all so comfortable with that decision, so am I \u2013 it\u2019s a great, easygoing lifestyle.<\/p>\n As for the kids, they will remember the place partly for its food and partly for the shorter car rides – but the main things the kids really loved were the animals. There is no such thing as too many echidna stops! I lost count of the number of times we pulled over on the side of the road to investigate the spiky critters, let alone the number of encounters on the walking trails.<\/p>\n Image c\/o Tasmania Tourism<\/p><\/div>\n Cradle Mountain will always be remembered by the kids, not just for the beautiful walks (or the snow fight at the top of Marian’s Lookout), but mostly for the wombats. The final count was 21 \u2013 all in the fading hours of the late afternoon.<\/p>\n Platypus were also a hit \u2013 mostly (I think) for the fact that these creatures seldom showed themselves. We were lucky enough to see three of them, thanks to some early morning trout hunting expeditions. Being patient and still seem to be the key ingredients for seeing this elusive creatures. The Tassie Devil also proved to be elusive\u2026 a little too much so\u2026 we never ended up seeing a wild one, although the kids certainly had fun trying.<\/p>\n RELATED: BEHIND THE SCENES ON A TASSIE GROUP TOUR<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Other than the wildlife, it was the wild places that the kids also enjoyed. I\u2019m not sure how it started, but the boys began howling like wolves (or maybe Tassie Tigers?) soon after we arrived on the island. For several days as we\u2019ve walked the beaches and hopped the rocks around the Bay of Fires, the boys were constantly howling\u2026 at each other, at the wind and the waves. I can only put it down to the senses stirred by the wilds of Tassie. There is just something about it, in the air, the thunder of the waves, the howling of the winds, the biting chill in the air that seems to awaken the senses, raising the hair on your back and\u00a0a glint in your\u00a0eye.<\/p>\n Image c\/o Tasmania Tourism<\/p><\/div>\n My wife and I couldn\u2019t help but chuckle whilst watching boys shiver their way through a quick dip in the ocean, determined to enjoy it no matter how cold it was! The young ones would not be tamed by something as trivial as temperature.<\/p>\n2. A more relaxed pace<\/h3>\n
3. Animal attractions<\/h3>\n
4. Walk on the wild side<\/h3>\n
![\"Tasmania](\"https:\/\/www.adventuretours.com.au\/australia-outback-yarns\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Tasmania-kayak-ocean-Tasmania-Tourism.jpg\")