2011 Already....

The last couple of weeks we have been taking to the road and visiting some great places in Launceston and surrounds for Shopping, Food, Wine and Berry Picking.

Here are my top 10 great places to visit:

1. For a weekend Breakfast by the water -

Stillwater River Cafe Restaurant and Wine Bar
2 Bridge Rd.Launceston TAS 7250

This place has great coffee and food and the service is A1. After Breakfast go upstairs to the Mill & Providore for some nice gifts and treats.

2. Followed by a leisurely walk either along the Seaport boarwalk or right to the Launceston Gorge - bring your bathers and have a swim in the pool located in the Gorge.

3. Launceston Library - I love this place. Look down the back of the library they usually have books for sale and March 19 2011 is their big book sale at St Albie's Hall

4. Op Shops in Launceston have to be the best ones by far - there are so many.

5. Lilydale is about a 20-30 minute nice drive to buy some great
Goats Cheese @ Yondover Farm House Cheese
Japanese Plants @ The Red Dragon Nursery
Antique & Collectibles Shop in the main street of town
Pick Blueberries Crestview Blueberry Farm Main Road
Leaning Church Vineyard for some wine and great food
Feeling adventurous you may also want to try the Treetop Adventure in the Hollybank Forest

6. On the way to Hobart stop by the Red Bridge Cafe in Campbell Town to try their Tub of Love dip, beautiful bread and organic goodies.

7. Hillwood Strawberry Farm - great day out for the kids picking in season Berries they also have a nice cafe with delicious ice creams, pancakes and a lot of other nice things. Their gift range is great as well.

8. Festivale every February in the City Park Launceston - the City Park is great any day but add music, food and tons of people and for three days it becomes the place to be. Also make sure you check out the Wood Design Centre on the edge of the Park which houses some beautiful furniture and gifts from local Tasmanians.

9. Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery at Invermay, now with a permanent exhibition, planetarium and lots of things for the kids and adults to see, along with the excellent gift shop it has to be one of the best places to spend a couple of hours. Their "Choose" Cafe located in the the Gallery also has very reasonable priced food and never disappoints!

10. The last but not the least favourite thing to do in Launceston and it's surrounds.......is driving to the many beaches close by and looking out to ocean when the weather is perfect (most of the year) and in the winter driving to see the snow at Ben Lomond or to see the majestic Cradle Mountain.