Beaches that will make you just stop

Is there any better way to celebrate a special anniversary with your beloved than a romantic, surprise holiday in one of the world’s most beautiful coastal locations? No, we can’t think of one either.

Elise Cook first experienced Tasmania’s beautiful landscapes when her husband Domenic surprised her with a trip to the east coast for their third wedding anniversary. During their Great Eastern Drive road trip in their vintage Kombi, Elise and Dom discovered some of the most romantic, beautiful beaches and coastal hideaways to be found anywhere in Australia.

Elise and Dom wandered along the Great Eastern Drive, exploring and discovering as they went, and soaked up long, peaceful days together, feeling as though they were the only people in the world. It was an experience that was to become the most memorable and romantic holiday of their lives—one that enabled them to shake off everyday pressures and truly reconnect as a couple.

Wineglass Bay by Elise Cook

‘I think you need to disconnect before you can connect with your surroundings—and with each other—in a deeper way, and that definitely happened travelling along the east coast.’

Natural romance

A romantic picnic dinner by Elise Cook

It’s incredibly easy to follow in Elise and Dom’s footsteps and create your own romantic east coast road trip. Tasmania’s east coast is full of special places, including some of world’s most beautiful and romantic beaches.

Picture yourself strolling white sand beaches, swimming in turquoise water, sharing luscious picnic dinners of local delicacies under a sky full of stars, and waking in the morning to the sound of the sea, and you’re starting to get the picture…

The perfect time for a picnic by Elise Cook

The Great Eastern Drive is the thread that connects the countless beautiful beaches of the east coast. And, while there are far too many idyllic coastal destinations to mention here, two beaches in particular numbered among Elise and Dom’s favourites:

Honeymoon Bay

Honeymoon Bay by Elise Cook

Honeymoon Bay is a stunning, aptly-named treasure of a beach. This lovely little bay is fringed with eucalyptus forest and nestled between two rocky headlands, with wonderful views of the dramatic Hazards mountains. Swim in the shallow, sapphire-coloured water, go snorkeling or spend some quality time relaxing and staring out to sea. Honeymoon Bay is a short walk from the Freycinet Visitor Centre, but it feels like another world entirely.

Honeymoon Bay by @sideprjct

Wineglass Bay

Wineglass Bay by Elise Cook

Despite being one of the most well-known beaches in Tasmania (or the world), Wineglass Bay can often feel like a secluded paradise. Take the 1.3km walk to the Wineglass Bay Lookout, and then descend down the steep track to the bay itself to walk that perfect crescent of white sand and swim in the clear, bluer-than-blue water. The first section of track, which leads to the lookout, is a fairly steep, but it does reward you with that view.

If walking is not on your list of romantic couples’ activities, you can also join cruises to Wineglass Bay with Wineglass Bay Cruises, which departs regularly from Coles Bay (these are sightseeing cruises, and don’t disembark at the Bay), or try a truly spectacular scenic flight with Freycinet Air. But, if you want to dip your feet in that unbelievably perfect water, walking is the way to get there.

There are dozens of other, equally romantic beaches all along Tasmania’s east coast, and many of them are as easy to get to as pulling over when you see a spot you like, and taking a walk to explore.

Wineglass Bay by Elise Cook

Things to do, places to stay…

You can take your pick of romantic accommodation along the Great Eastern Drive, with everything from beachfront apartments to romantic couples’ retreats scattered all along the coast. Near Honeymoon Bay and Wineglass Bay, you’ll find lots of great options in the lovely coastal town of Coles Bay—from apartments and bed and breakfasts to eco-lodges and private retreats.

You can also join a whole range of great couples’ activities at Coles Bay, including beach strolls, snorkeling, kayaking, cruising, walking in the national park, dining, drinking coffee … the list is, apparently, endless.

‘At night on the east coast we just listened to the sound of the ocean—to the waves crashing and the silence behind it. It really was magic—it’s nature’s music.’

Travel north from Freycinet along the Great Eastern Drive to reach Falmouth, one of the prettiest parts of the east coast and the location for the truly lovely Saltwater Sunrise. This place is a romantic’s dream—where you can stay in luxurious oceanfront villas with stunning ocean views, literally 50 metres from your own private beach.

Saltwater Sunrise by @sideprjct

Further north, at the Bay of Fires, you’ll find mile after mile of perfect east coast beaches. This is where Elise and Dom spent days on end, swimming, relaxing, enjoying good food and wine and feeling that they had the place entirely to themselves. You can read about their time at the Bay of Fires here.

There are numerous excellent accommodation choices for couples here, including Pelican Point Sanctuary —a luxury retreat located on 87 acres of private land, just a few minutes’ from the Bay of Fires. You can find out more about this romantic retreat here.

To discover more romantic accommodation options on the east coast, visit our Where to stay page.

Pelican Point Sanctuary by @sideprjct

Romance in four easy steps…

Copy and paste our top couples’ holiday tips (below) into your itinerary notes and prepare yourself for the most romantic holiday ever:

1. Beach yourselves

One of the most romantic things you can do for the person you love is to give them your time. And what better way to disconnect from your busy life and devote time to each other than by walking on a pristine east coast beach. At Freycinet, visit Honeymoon Bay, and Wineglass Bay; at Bay of Fires, explore the beaches at Cosy Corner and the Gardens, or just stop anywhere along the Great Eastern Drive to wander beaches that will make you feel like you’re the first one to set foot upon them.

2. Have candlelit dinners and sunlit lunches

As Elise and Dom will attest, this can happen almost anywhere on the Great Eastern Drive, including romantic picnic dinners for two on a beach. For something really special, try a romantic meal at an east coast winery. Visit Springvale Wines to experience their delightful pop up restaurant among the vines and taste fresh east coast seafood accompanied by Springvale’s acclaimed wines.

3. Find a honeymoon haven

Well, you don’t have to be on your honeymoon to indulge yourselves in the east coast’s romantic accommodation. There are countless places to choose from—from luxury apartments to eco lodges, cosy bed and breakfasts to five star retreats—like Pelican Point Sanctuary.

4. Do something new together

The east coast is the perfect place to try out something new with your beloved. Go sea kayaking, take a cruise, swim in a crystal clear lagoon or walk to the top of a coastal mountain. Whatever you choose, it will create a shared memory that you will cherish forever. Try a spectacular scenic flight with Freycinet Air, or explore the east coast form the sea with Wineglass Bay Cruises, or Bay of Fires Eco Tours.

Elise and Dom completed their Great Eastern Drive experience feeling refreshed, happy and closer than ever before, with precious memories of their time on the Great Eastern Drive that they will be able to share forever.

‘Our trip along the east coast left us feeling incredibly happy, grateful and grounded. I feel like we returned home with our hearts wide open and ready for more adventures together.’

The view from the Kombi by Elise Cook

Up Next

In our next blog, we’ll continue our exploration of the east coast’s loveliest beaches, by sharing some of the region’s most beautiful, hidden beach nooks.

Read the other chapters here 

• Chapter 1: How to have the coastal road trip of a lifetime on the Great Eastern Drive > read it here
• Chapter 2: Your best Bay of Fires holiday, by land or sea > read it here

Start planning 

• To begin planning your own east coast adventure, start exploring here.