By evening, the waterfront at Sullivans Cove fills with people moving between dinner, drinks and whatever show or gig they have booked, while the slopes of kunanyi / Mount Wellington darken above the city. Hobart is a small capital, so a night out here is compact rather than sprawling.
Nightlife in Hobart is spread across a handful of walkable pockets: the historic docks and Salamanca Place, the central city streets, and a few larger venues further out. It suits visitors who prefer a varied evening of theatre, live music, a long dinner or a few drinks over a single large clubbing strip, and who are happy to move between a few distinct areas rather than stay in one.
Where to go out in Hobart
1. Salamanca Place and Sullivans Cove
This is the historic waterfront quarter, with sandstone warehouses and the Peacock Theatre built into the foot of an old quarry at the Salamanca Arts Centre. It suits an evening that combines a show or a gallery visit with dinner and drinks nearby, all on foot.
Practical point: the Peacock is one of the city's smaller theatres, so check what is on before you build an evening around it.
2. The central city theatre and concert circuit
The CBD holds the city's main performance venues, including the Theatre Royal on Campbell Street, Australia's oldest theatre, and the Federation Concert Hall on Davey Street, home to the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. This suits a planned night out around a booked performance rather than a spontaneous wander.
Practical point: the Theatre Royal runs 45-minute tours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11AM, so you can visit the building even without a ticket to a show.
3. Liverpool Street and the Odeon
The Odeon on Liverpool Street began as a cinema and now operates as a live music and comedy venue leased by the Museum of Old and New Art. It suits a night built around a gig or a comedy set.
Practical point: during the MONA FOMA and Dark MOFO arts festivals the Odeon hosts significant art installations, and it works as a music venue the rest of the year.
4. Independent cinema
The State Cinema on Elizabeth Street is a long-running independent cinema showing local, Australian and international films that tend away from blockbusters, with a bar, a cafe and a bookshop on site. It suits a quieter evening, or the first half of one before moving on.
Practical point: it also has a rooftop cinema that opens during the warmer months.
5. Wrest Point and Sandy Bay Road
Wrest Point Hotel Casino on Sandy Bay Road is the city's best-known gambling venue and holds several restaurants and bars, including a revolving restaurant at the top of the tower. It suits a dressed-up dinner, a drink, or a low-stakes flutter rather than a serious gaming session.
Practical point: the gaming floor is modest, mostly poker machines with a small table area, and the building has been renovated several times but still carries a 1970s feel.
6. Brewery visits
Cascade Brewery on Cascade Road, Australia's oldest brewery, runs a Brewery Tour and a gentler Heritage Tour, while Moo Brew at Cove Hill Road offers a behind-the-scenes look at its beers with samples. These suit an afternoon or early evening rather than a late night.
Practical point: the Cascade Brewery Tour is for people over 16 who do not need a walking aid, and requires flat covered shoes and long pants; the Heritage Tour suits all ages, with beer tastings for those over 18. Moo Brew runs on Fridays and operates a complimentary bus from Brooke St Pier at noon, stopping at MONA around 12:30PM.
7. Racing at Elwick
Elwick Racecourse on Goodwood Road hosts horse racing and greyhound racing through the year. It suits a daytime or early-evening outing with a group rather than a late night in town.
Practical point: the main yearly event is the Hobart Cup, Tasmania's primary thoroughbred race, held in February.
8. Wine in the Coal River Valley and beyond
The Greater Hobart region forms part of the Southern Wine Route, with the Coal River Valley east of the Derwent around Cambridge and Richmond as the main growing area, plus wineries north in the Derwent Valley and west along the Huon Trail. This suits a long lunch or an afternoon tasting rather than an evening out.
Practical point: the cool climate is known for cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, gewurztraminer, pinot gris, pinot noir, riesling and sauvignon blanc, and Wine Tasmania has further information on the regions.
How a night out unfolds
The sources do not describe local dining or going-out hours in detail, so plan around what you have booked. Performance venues and the cinema set the shape of an evening: the State Cinema and Village Cinemas both run from 10AM, the State until 9PM and Village until 9:30PM, and Wrest Point lists hours running to 5AM. Brewery tours and winery visits sit earlier in the day, and the Moo Brew tour runs on Friday lunchtimes. For live music beyond the venues above, the Dwarf Gig Guide covers gigs in Tasmania for the month ahead.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- MONA FOMA and Dark MOFO — annual arts festivals; during them the Odeon on Liverpool Street hosts significant art installations.
- Hobart Cup — February, at Elwick Racecourse.
- New Year's Eve and New Year's Day — 31 December and 1 January.
- Australia Day — 26 January.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I see live music or comedy in Hobart?
The Odeon on Liverpool Street is a live music and comedy venue, and the Federation Concert Hall hosts the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. For a wider listing of gigs across the state, check the Dwarf Gig Guide for Tasmania, which covers the month ahead.
What can I do on a night out that does not involve drinking?
The State Cinema shows independent and international films and has a cafe and bookshop, and the Theatre Royal, the Playhouse Theatre and the Peacock Theatre all stage performances through the year. The Theatre Royal also runs tours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11AM.
Is there a casino in Hobart?
Yes. Wrest Point Hotel Casino on Sandy Bay Road is the best known, with restaurants and bars in the complex alongside a modest gaming floor.
When is the best time to catch a race meeting?
Elwick Racecourse hosts horse and greyhound racing through the year, with the Hobart Cup in February as the main annual event.
Check what is on at the theatres and venues before you arrive, then build your evening around a booked show, a long dinner or a few drinks in one of the pockets above.