Taste of Summer Hobart runs from Sunday 27 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027 at Princes Wharf No. 1 on Hobart's waterfront. It's a week of Tasmanian food, wine, beer and music over New Year. In a campervan, stay at a holiday park outside the centre, take the bus or a taxi to the wharf, then head off on a Tasmania summer loop.
Taste of Summer at a glance
| Event | Details |
|---|---|
| Dates | 27 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 |
| Where | Princes Wharf No. 1, Castray Esplanade, Hobart |
| What | Tasmanian food, wine, beer, cider and live music |
| Nearest pick-up | Hobart |
| Book ahead | Holiday parks and campervans: New Year is peak season in Tasmania |
Check the official Taste of Summer website for opening hours, tickets and the music line-up before you go.
Why go by campervan
Taste of Summer lands in Hobart's busiest week. The Sydney to Hobart yacht race finishes on the waterfront over the same days, New Year's Eve brings fireworks over the River Derwent, and hotel rooms in the city are hard to find. A campervan gives you a bed you've already booked, a kitchen for the days you're not eating at the festival, and the freedom to leave town the moment the party's over.
Tasmania is also made for a campervan trip. Distances are short, the roads are quiet outside the cities, and the east coast beaches, national parks and wine regions are all within a few hours of Hobart.
Where to stay in a campervan
There's nowhere to park a campervan overnight on the waterfront, so stay at a holiday park and leave the van there. Hobart's closest parks for campervans are in the northern suburbs around Berriedale, near MONA, and in Sandy Bay to the south. Both are a short bus or taxi ride from the wharf.
Getting to Princes Wharf
Leave the campervan at your holiday park. Parking in central Hobart is limited, a campervan won't fit most city car parks, and you'll want to enjoy the wine. Buses run into the city from the northern suburbs and Sandy Bay, and taxis and rideshare are easy to find for the trip home.
If you're staying near Berriedale, the MONA ferry runs between the museum and the Hobart waterfront, so you can combine a day at MONA with an evening at the festival. Check MONA's website for ferry times over the holidays.
A week in Hobart over New Year
One way to plan the week, with the campervan parked at your holiday park for the city days:
- 27 and 28 December: pick up the campervan, settle in at your holiday park, and spend an evening at Taste of Summer while the yachts arrive
- 29 December: MONA by ferry, then back to the waterfront for dinner
- 30 December: a day trip to the Huon Valley or Bruny Island, back at the park by evening
- 31 December: New Year's Eve on the waterfront, by bus or taxi
- Saturday 2 January: Salamanca Market, a short walk from Princes Wharf
- 3 January onwards: last day of the festival, then on the road
Day trips like the Huon Valley and Bruny Island are where the campervan earns its keep. Check your hire company's rules before taking the van on the Bruny Island ferry or on unsealed roads.
Make it a Tasmania summer loop
Taste of Summer is a great start to a summer road trip. From Hobart, head up the east coast to Freycinet and the Bay of Fires, across to Launceston and Cradle Mountain, and back down the west coast. Seven to ten days covers the full loop.
January is peak season on the east coast too. National park campgrounds such as Richardsons Beach at Freycinet run a ballot over summer, so have a holiday park booked as a backup, and buy a Tasmanian parks pass before you go.
Tasmania loop itinerary→Campervan hire Tasmania→What to pack
- Warm layers and a rain jacket: Hobart summer evenings on the water can be cool, even after a hot day
- Sunscreen and a hat: Tasmania's UV is strong in summer
- A small cool bag for festival produce to take back to the van
- Comfortable shoes for the waterfront and Salamanca
- Photo ID if you plan to drink at the festival
Hire a campervan in Hobart
Compare campervans and motorhomes from Hobart in one search. Book early for the New Year week.
More summer events by campervan
Campervan events calendar: festivals, markets and events→New Year's Eve in Sydney by campervan→Australian Open 2027 by campervan→Rhythm and Vines 2026 by campervan→Rhythm and Alps 2026 by campervan→Frequently Asked Questions
When is Taste of Summer 2026?
From Sunday 27 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, at Princes Wharf No. 1 on Hobart's waterfront.
Can I park a campervan at Taste of Summer?
There's no campervan parking at the wharf. Stay at a holiday park and take a bus, taxi or rideshare into the city.
Where can I stay in a campervan in Hobart over New Year?
Holiday parks in the northern suburbs around Berriedale and in Sandy Bay. Book early, as New Year is Hobart's busiest week.
Is it better to fly to Tasmania or take a campervan on the ferry?
For most trips, flying to Hobart and hiring a campervan there is simpler. See our Tasmania campervan hire page for the ferry and fly-in options.
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