Hunter Valley has great wine and restaurants; it is a great place to go hiking, hot air ballooning, horse riding, golf, wine-barrel rolling and scenic flights.
The region is one of the most alluring getaways from Sydney. It is a tourist destination in Australia, a short distance from Sydney, that attracts millions of people every year. Tourists can visit Hunter Valley Gardens, chocolate factories, spas, art galleries and local markets.
1. Enjoy The Wine Tastings
Your visit to Hunter Valley is incomplete without experiencing the wine tour. From specialty drops to red or white—you will be spoilt for choice in this wine country.
You can enjoy the tour with your gang or solo. Tasting the specialty wines while exploring the Hunter Valley region and discovering the surroundings is blissful.
Due to health restrictions, pre-booking is mandatory for the wineries now. And for that, check out the online booking platform to secure your place in advance.
Below are some of the best wineries in Hunter Valley that you should not miss while visiting.
1.1. Tulloch Wines
It is my favourite spot for two reasons; firstly, you can taste five Tulloch Wines and five homemade chocolates in its 45 minutes of tasting time; it offers Kombucha or Junior tasting, an alcohol-free facility for kids and non-drinkers.
1.2. Brokenwood
Besides taking a sip of Brokenwood wine and luscious sample food, here you will also learn about wine-making and Brokenwood’s history.
1.3. Audrey Wilkinson
You can enjoy your whole day at the Audrey Wilkiwine-tasting—a fantastic picnic spot with an in-house museum.
1.4. Oakvale Wines
Oakvale serves tasty and authentic vegan-friendly wine. This pet-friendly winery is a great place to indulge in some hand-crafted wines and enjoy the scenic view of Hunter Valley.
2. Go For Hot Air Ballooning
This is a great place to celebrate a wedding anniversary; couples can go to the Hunter Valley ballooning to witness the picturesque view of the beautiful landscapes, vineyards, national parks, and farmlands.
Book your hot air Balloon ride at Balloon Aloft Early to get a bird’s eye view of the Hunter Valley’s wine regions like Rothbury, Pokolbin, and Broke.
Balloon Loft also offers packages like Exclusive Flights. They provide the royal treatment with chocolate and champagne on board, and the ride concludes with a photo album and a delicious breakfast at Peterson House Winery.
You can arrange Corporate Flights for a group; they offer a dozen balloons for 100 people daily. In October, there is a Balloon Fiesta—an event where dozens of colouring balloons drift over the valley at sunrise.
3. Learn Some Cooking Techniques
The best way to get closer to local culture is to attend cooking classes and get your hands on local organic produce.
Join the Hunter Valley Cooking School to learn culinary skills using locally sourced ingredients. You can take a course on Binnorie cheese from a nearby cheese factory or attend a Pizza Making Class at Hunter Valley to learn how to make pizza with the finest quality flour and organic tomatoes.
Candy lovers can go for a Candy Making Class. Here, you can learn to prepare alcohol-infused candies like Boozy peanut brittle or Rocky Road chocolate. You can also have candy and recipes as souvenirs.
4. Spend Time At The Beautiful Hunter Valley Gardens
Hunter Valley Gardens has flowers and trees with sensational colours and mesmerising fragrances. These ten-themed gardens have exotic plants, Italian grotto, restaurants, Indian mosaics, and waterfalls for your delight.
This award-winning Hunter Valley Garden is a two-hour drive from Sydney; they host fantastic events, including Christmas Lights Spectacular and the Snow Time in the Garden.
You can also go for Aqua Golf or Putt-Putt games and win prizes by hitting a ball on the target or join Hunter Valley Golf games in Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley Resort or Vintage Golf Club in Rothbury.
5. Participating In Wine-making & Wine-barrel Race
Learning the traditional wine-making process is one of the interesting outdoor things to do in Hunter Valley. What can be better than squishing grapes with your bare toes while jumping in an oak barrel and making wine?
Soak your bare feet into the grapes and find out how the skin, stem, and seeds finally end up in your glass. Book your grape stomping fun with your friends and get your feet dirty in a barrel to make wine.
Are you with a competitive crew? That’s great. Go for a wine barrel-rolling race. It is a fun race where you can participate with your friends. All you have to do is roll the barrel of wine. The prizes are Bottles of local wine for the winning group.
6. Visiting The Hunter Valley Zoo With Kids
Situated within the wine country and near the Hunter Valley gardens is the Hunter Valley Zoo, home to many native and exotic animals from across the globe.
From feeding the kangaroos and farmyard animals to cuddling up with the koalas or patting a wombat—there are plenty of fun things at Hunter Valley Zoo.
Kids will love seeing animals such as Meerkats, Ring-tailed lemurs, birds, dingoes, and replies. White Lions, Monkeys, Tasmanian Devils, and American Alligators are the exotic collections here.
With free barbeque and seating facilities, you can arrange a picnic for your family in this relaxed atmosphere.
7. Visiting The Hunter Valley Chocolate Company
Here’s good news for Chocolate lovers. If you are in Hunter Valley, visit the Hunter Valley Chocolate Company & Fudge Factory and treat your tastebuds with melt-in-the-mouth Belgian chocolate.
This chocolate company is one of the most famous attractions for tourists here. It has been serving the finest quality handmade chocolate and freshly produced fudge for the past 20 years.
What’s so special? They use Belgian couverture chocolate with the coatings of Australian fruits and nuts, infused with pure fruit oil for a fruity flavour. They have a wide selection of fudge and gelato as well.
8. Take A Tour Of The Maitland Regional Art Gallery
Located in the federation gothic building, the Maitland Regional Art Gallery, aka MRAG, is a model of 1900 architecture and today home to more than 6000 artworks made by some of the most famous international and Australian artists.
The artwork is mainly made on paper, but it also has art collections like sculptures and installations. Here, you will find a kids’ wing featuring art activities and workshops.
Along with exploring the exhibition and gallery shops for the crafted artisan products, you can also visit Seraphine Cafe—a cozy cafe nestled between this art gallery for some delectable dishes.
Newcastle Art Gallery is another place worth visiting for art lovers. They have beautiful collections of Australian and Japanese ceramics, Australian Indigenous Art, sculptures, and many more.
9. Strolling Around The Hunter Valley Markets
This valley is not just famous for wineries but also a perfect place to meet new people, explore artisan products and taste local tipples and seasonal cuisine. Below are some of the famous markets in this region.
9.1. Maitland Markets
Maitland Market is a very old market situated in Maitland Showground and has been offering artisan goodies and seasonal products for the last 25 years in Hunter Valley. Here, you can shop for clothes, lifestyle products, and antique items.
9.2. Handmade in the Hunter Markets
This market is a must-visit for all art lovers who love to buy handmade products like artwork, jewellery, home decor, and paintings. The market is located near Kevin Sobel’s Wines. This cellar door offers a large selection of dry table wines, fruity whites, classic reds, and luscious desserts.
9.3. Wollombi Village Market
Wollombi Village Market is another market in Hunter Valley that you should not miss if you are searching for local produce like cheese, handmade jams, or sourdough bread.
You can also explore the nearby Wollomi Village—a historic town and a famous rest stop with cozy cafes, guesthouses, and sandstone cottages.
10. Be Adventurous With Hunter Valley Horse Riding
Book a day with your family for an adventurous horse and carriage ride in the Hunter Valley. From exploring the picturesque spots of Molly Morgan Range to discovering the abundant farmlands and small villages or wildlife—this will make an excellent tour for all ages and groups.
The horse-drawn carriages are used for wine tours, picnic rides, corporate events, weddings, and romantic charters. So, plan your trip and relax in the peace and tranquillity of this wine country.
11. Relax Your Mind & Body At Spas
Take spa treatments to rejuvenate your mind and body in Hunter Valley. If you want to free yourself from the impact of the daily hustle and bustle, visiting the day spas could make your vacation more meaningful.
Ubika Spa in Lovedale and the Spa at Chateau will impress you with their treatment rooms, golf courses, and rolling vineyard.
Day Spas offer hot stone therapy, body massages, and facial and body wraps.
Replenish yourself in the Elysia Wellness Retreat Spa. It is the largest day spa famous for Watsu aquatic bodywork and other massages and body treatments.
12. Explore The Eateries—A Dreamland For Foodies
Hunter Valley is a hotspot for all food lovers and home to farm-fresh products like cheeses, chocolates, olives, and grapes. This place is also famous for having some of the best quality restaurants.
You can plan your trip in eateries like Muse restaurant to get your hands on the most delicious chicken and oyster dishes or their delicious Muse coconut dessert.
The Cellar Restaurant offers slow-cooked lamb recipes with flatbread and pickled cucumber. And don’t miss out on pan-fried halloumi with beetroot, watercress, and tahini yogurt.
To satisfy your craving for dessert, head to Sabor Dessert Bar—an award-winning dessert restaurant famous for high tea, sweets, and wines.
13. Go Hiking At Barrington Tops National Park
If overnight hiking, fishing, picnic, and camping activities are on your bucket list, Barrington Tops National Park is the perfect spot to fulfil your wish.
This spectacular National Park holds some international significance for being a part of the Gondwana Rainforests. This World Heritage Site is home to a large number of diverse habitats for birds and animals.
You can plan for day hiking, where you can enjoy cycling trails, barbeque parties, and fishing.
Some popular hikes are the Blue Gum Loop Trail, with picnic spots and a riverside walk through the rainforest. Antarctic Beech Forest Walking Track offers scenic views, bird-watching, and rainforest exploration.
Aeroplane Hill Walking Track is famous for wildlife spotting, scenic woodlands, and wetlands in the sub-alpine region.
14. Going For A Coastal Walk
Walking along the Bathers Way is one of the best ways to experience the coastline, a hotspot for runners, bikers, and everyone.
Bathers Way connects Newcastle’s beaches from Nobbys Beach to the Mereweather Baths. It has salty sea air, a fantastic oceanic view, and a hidden history.
Besides that, you will get the chance to visit Newcastle—the largest city of Hunter Valley, filled with eateries, parks, galleries, museums, gardens, and many more. Bathers Bay also connects the Newcastle Memorial Walk—a scenic bridge popular for whale watching. It holds some historical significance as well.
15. Spending Night In A Tiny House
In the heart of this wine country, you will find tiny houses popping up all over the valley— couples could spend a romantic night, have a candlelight dinner and make the vacation more memorable.
Instead of booking a large hotel room or a big house for accommodation, you can easily spend a relaxing weekend in a fully-equipped house while sipping your favourite wine beside the campfire.
Malniri Park has been in Hunter Valley for nearly 40 years. It is a family-friendly spot overlooking the stunning Hawkesbury River.
Dam It Getaway is a fantastic property 30 minutes from the Barrington Tops National Park. They offer an outdoor pool and spa with a beautiful valley view.
Piccolino provides a calm and peaceful atmosphere without an internet connection. It is located near the Wollemi National Park, a perfect place to explore the bushwalking tracks and aboriginal caves.
Tiny House 888 is at the heart of central Pokolbin and is the best escape from busy city life. With more than 150 wineries, landscapes, and restaurants, this is nothing but heaven to spend some quality time with your family.
Wrapping Up
Whether you are a wine lover, teetotaller, or a couple searching for alone time—this is a perfect place to spend your holiday.
From exploring the wineries and top-class restaurants with their delectable dishes to hot air-ballooning or experiencing hiking and camping—Hunter Valley is a dreamland for all fun lovers.
So, if you want to take a break from that eat-sleep-repeat lifestyle, plan a trip to Australia’s oldest wine region.
Last Updated on May 10, 2024 by Arnab
