Love Dale Country Lodge

Hunter Valley is one of the oldest wine regions in Australia, with more than 120 wineries and excellent hotels and restaurants. The trip’s cost will depend upon your itinerary. 

A Hunter Valley Wine Tour’s cost is $175 and around $165 for a wine and food experience. Or as much as $350 per night for a Coast, Country and Mountain Itinerary. 

During the concert season, prepare at least $362 per night for a concert weekend package. You can also try hands-on cooking with friends for around $350 per night. 

Suggested Itinerary

On your first day, you can check in at one of the many accommodations in Hunter Valley. Then you can go to the Grapremobile Bicycle Hire and get bikes to explore the fabulous rolling hills of Hunter Valley, its dairy farms and country laneways. You can have lunch at your choice of great restaurants and enjoy local meat, seafood and produce.

In the afternoon, you can continue biking or drive to the top of the foothills of Brokenback towards Audrey Wilkinson and have a taste of its wines. You can also visit the Oakvale Wines country estate or Usher Tinkler and enjoy the wine or whisky. In the evening, enjoy dinner in the Muse restaurant and have a taste of their roasted Rothbury, salmon sashimi and redate farm duck leg. 

On the second day, you can embark on an adventure on other Hunter Valley attractions. You have to wake up very early in preparation for Balloon Aloft’s hot air balloon ride. Get to see the sunrise aboard the enormous hot air balloon and enjoy the incredible landscape below. 

If you want to choose a less adventurous activity, you can have a round of golf in the Greg Norman-designed Hunter Valley’s 18 hole championship golf course. For a more relaxing tour, visit the Hunter Garden Valley Gardens, a 24 hectares ten themed garden. It showcases a great variety of flowers and plants, including the Storybook Graden and Rose Garden. The hotel features a magnificent bathroom designed and constructed by cairns bathroom renovations.

After the relaxing stroll or tiring round of golf, you can spend the afternoon having lunch or coffee in the nearby restaurants. Then afterwards, have a relaxing massage at the Golden Door Day Spa. Indulge yourself for some Swedish massage or Spa Fusion with facial and Pedi spa. 

Go back to your hotel or accommodation, more relaxed and happy. Order delicious dinner at the nearby restaurant and then cap it with a few glasses of Hunter Valley’s great wine selection. Then sleep in your comfortable bed and rest for the next day’s adventure. 

On your last day, enjoy a tour of Port Stephens before returning to Sydney. Have a good breakfast and prepare yourself for the adventure ahead. Port Stephens is an excellent place for exploration and a natural playground. 

The 32 kilometres long Stockton Beach is the location of the southern hemisphere’s most enormous moving dunes. You can ride a four-wheel-drive vehicle or go sandboarding on the 60-70 degrees angle dunes. 

Imagine yourself on top of the dunes and then suddenly going down for an exhilarating ride on a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Don’t worry because a professional instructor would always accompany you for your safety. 

After your dunes adventure, you can relax with Moonshadow Cruise and enjoy Dolphin watching. 

They are Port Stephen’s largest cruises company. Port Stephen’s is considered the Dolphin Capital of Australia. Enjoy seeing around 150 bottlenose dolphins freely swimming around Port Stephens. 

After a day of adventure and dolphin watching, you can eat buffet style on a Moonshadow cruise. 

If your not the adventurous type, you can instead go on cooking classes in Hunter Valley. They offer cooking classes for Italian, Indonesian and Vietnamese dishes. You can visit the Margan Winery, and you can join the chef’s cooking classes and learn to cook using truffles and other local ingredients. 

If you are a sweet tooth, you can also enjoy delicious handmade chocolate from the Hunter Valley Chocolate Company. If you’re interested in cheesemaking, then The Hunter Valley Cheese Factory might be of great interest to you. Learn which cheese matches the different variety of wine available in Hunter Valley. 

With all the activities available, you’re assured that every visit to Hunter Valley is unique and exciting. 

Hunter Valles is one of Australia’s top wine tourist destinations. With over 150 vineyards, you will indeed have a great wine tasting experience. Enjoy their world-renown Semillon and Shiraz, as well as their restaurants, national parks, golf courses, and gardens. 

Visitors can choose between guided and self-guided wine tours to their 150 different wineries and have a sample of the best wines in the region. You will also see the occasional local animals like the Kangaroo, as well as the magnificent rolling landscape. 

Visitors can have a day-tour from their hotels in Sydney. For a complete experience, visitors can also stay for a few days at many available accommodations in Hunter Valley. Companies like Newcastle Kitchen Renovations organize Christmas parties at this Wineries yard.

It’s always a pleasant experience to wake up and see the different colours and hues of the many vineyards in Hunter Valley. Here are some wineries that you can visit in Hunter Valley.

A large portion of the prestigious vineyards in Hunter Valley is located in Southern Valley and the Brokenback range foothills. The vineyards are set amidst a backdrop of gently sloping hills, making it a fantastic site to visit. 

Wineries to visit in Hunter Valley

Tyrrell’s

Tyrrell’s is located in an area near some of the oldest vines in Hunter Valley. Its 140-year-old vineyard is a must-see for visitors and wine enthusiasts. Tyrrel’s offers a great winery experience with its high-end and exclusive wines. It is also a member of the First Family of Wine group, composed of prestigious wine producers worldwide. 

The tour begins at 10:30 am and costs $10, a value for money since it already includes wine tasting. Each group is only limited to up to 6 people. Guest can have 45 minutes of tasting using the set tasting list given by the vineyard. It is open from Monday to Sunday from 10:00 am onwards. 

Bimbadgen Estate

Bimbadgen Estate is located on a hilltop with a commanding position and great views of the Barrington and Brikenback ranges. It is in the centre of the Hunter Valley Wine Country and home to Esca Bimbadgen Restaurant and modern accommodations & tasting rooms. 

The Cellar door wine tasting experience is $8 per person. Bimbadgen Estate has a large selection of wines including, Chardonnay, Semillon, Shiraz, Cabernet, and many others. The property has an outdoor amphitheatre, vines, grape receiving, and crushing area. It is located on McDonald’s road, Pokolbin, and is open from Sunday to Thursday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. 

Red Door Collective

Red door Collective is located on 25 acres of property in the heart of the wine country. Its Pinot Noir winemaker was awarded Winemaker of the Year. Enjoy a selection of premium single-vineyard wines or relax in their cozy coffee lounge. They are located at Hermitage Road Pokolbin and open on Saturday to Sunday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Petersons Wines

Petersons Wines is located in Mount View’s rolling hills and surrounded by the valley’s fantastic views. This family-operated and owned winery has been making wines for 27 years. They were awarded as the Small Winery of Australia Champion in 2011 and are famous for their exceptional quality wines. 

Guest can also enjoy their delicious sticky-style deserts and luscious, full-bodied reds. They are located in Mount View Road and open from Monday to Sunday from 10:00 onwards. 

Oakvale

Oakvale Wines is unique because they offer vegan-friendly and organic wines. The $5 tour will showcase their seven certified vegan-friendly and organic wines. Proceeds of the public tasting will go to the production of wines for Meals on Wheels, and they have donated more than 45,000 piccolo bottles in Hunter Valley. Oakvale Wines is located on Broke Road Pokolbin and open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. 

Mcguigan Wines

Upon entering Mcguigan Wines, you will be welcomed to their specially designed wine-tasting area to accommodate up to 100 visitors. McGuigan Wines is known for its Black Label as well as its Vineyard Select and Personal Reserve wines. They have also regularly won medals and wards in several international wine competitions. Mcguigan Wines is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm from Monday to Sunday. 

Tulloch Wines

If you are both a wine and chocolate lover, then Tulloch is the best place to visit. They offer 45-minute chocolate and wine testing activity. Try their five handmade chocolates and five Tulloch Wines. 

They also have a non-alcoholic tasting experience so the whole family can enjoy their visit to Tulloch Wines. They have been in the business for over 125 years. They are located at De Beyers Road, Pokolbin, and open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. 

Hunter Valley had been known for its vine-filled landscape and best wines. Its rolling vineyards, which is also home to the best wine refineries globally, is undoubtedly the central drawer to visitors and locals alike. 

But what other attractions and activities aside from the usual wine drinking and tasting does Hunter Valley offer to tourist and guest? To start with, it also has excellent restaurants, beautiful accommodations, and a lot of festivals and events. There is no dull moment when you visit Hunter Valley. Here is some alternative if you are not a wine drinker in Hunter Valley.

Try Top-Notch Coffee At Hunter Valley Coffee Roaster

If you are looking for quality beans and expert coffee brewing, this gold medalist in the Australian Grown Category at the 2016 Compak Golden Bean Awards will be the best place to visit. They used Mountain Top coffee that is clean, sustainable and pesticide-free. The Coffee Roaster is located at Worthington’s Vineyard. 

Dine at The Legends Grill @ The Vintage

 Enjoy delectable food at the Vintage and try their classic french dish, chateaubriand. It a 500g beef eye fillet served with bone marrow, asparagus, bearnaise and mushrooms. This dish was introduced a few years ago in Vintage and had become popular ever since. 

It’s great for couples and has to be cooked below medium-rare for the perfect juicy meat. After the main dish, you can also try their Sticky Date Pudding with butterscotch sauce. It is the ideal combination for a romantic evening or family dinner. 

Visit different Olive groves in Hunter Valley.

Aside from vineyards, Hunter Valley is also known for its many Olive groves. Try visiting the Whispering Brook and join the famous Olive Long Table Lunch. It is a four-course menu prepared by the Cellar chef Andrew Wright that features dishes with the new season’s olive oil harvest.

You can also visit Adina Vineyard and Olive Grove and see 12 different types of olive oil varieties. See how they process olives and their different salad blends. 

Enjoy Nature and the Outdoors

Hunter Valley is surrounded by beautiful scenery and nature. It has many breathtaking views of the mountain and serene bushland.

Hunter Valley is home to State Forest, Conservation Areas and National Parks. Visitors will have a lot of opportunities to see birds, local wildlife and kangaroos. They can also tour the gardens, go mountain biking or bushwalking.

Hunter Valley Heritage

Hunter Valley has a rich cultural heritage and histories like mining, convicts, bushranging and aboriginal sites. Tourist can take the scenic Tourist Drive 33 or Convict Trail.

The Convict Trail is a 240-kilometre long road constructed by convicts between 1826 to 1836. Marvel at the remarkable feat of engineering as it passes through razorback ridges, towering passes and sandstone gorges. It provides a route from Sydney, Newcastle and Hunter Valley. 

Original structures such as buttresses, bridges, piers, culverts and stone retaining walls can be seen along the Great North Road. 

Learn the Aboriginal history or explore the historic Wollombi Village and learn about the history of convicts. Visitors can take a 1 km historical walk of Wollombi and its historical buildings. 

You can visit the St John’s Anglican Church, built-in 1846 and consecrate by Bishop Tyrell in 1849. Then afterwards, go to the Endeavor Museum, the timber courthouse’s original location and lockup. 

Within the vicinity of Wollombi Village is the Wollombi Cemetery which was consecrated in 1849 by Bishop Tyrel. You can also visit the Wollombi Cottage, the old barn, Wollombi School and the Forge. To complete your visit, you also have a relaxing stroll along the Wollombi Brook. 

The Hunter Valley is located just north of Sydney in New South Whales. Hunter Valley is known for its many wineries and is Australia’s major wine regions. It has a great history dating back to the early 1800s. 

It is home to a lot of family-run and world-renowned wineries, mainly located near the Hunter River. Enjoy the view of its rolling landscape filled with vineyards. Embark on an adventure and enjoy the wine, food and warm hospitality of people. 

What is the best time to visit Hunter Valley?

Answering which time to visit Hunter Valley is challenging since each season brings something unique to visitors. Each season summer, autumn, winter and spring, draws a new experience and adventure. 

Summer

Summer in the Hunter Valley is from December to February and a great time for many holiday festivities, concerts and grape harvesting. It is a very vibrant time and perfect for a wine tasting of sparkling white wine. 

Summer is a great time for picking grapes, although you have to prepare yourself for the heat and a little walking in the vineyards. Watch how the newly harvested grapes are de-stemmed and crushed to produce juice that will be fermented into tasty wine. 

 Autumn

Autumn in Hunter Valley is from March to May and is also one of its peak seasons for visitors. The temperature is excellent with minimal rain. It is also a favourite for photographers since the vineyards turn into brown, green, yellow, and orange hues.

Expect huge crowds, tickets, and the prices of accommodations can be a little higher. So it would be a great idea to book ahead to get the best deals. 

Winter

Winter is between June to August, and visitors will witness the mist and fog blanketing the whole Hunter Valley. Visitors can enjoy the chilly weather that can fall to 5 degrees Celcius. So don’t forget to bring your jackets and winter essentials when you visit Hunter Valley during the Winter season. 

So what better way of spending cold nights in Hunter Valley than to have a taste of their excellent wines. Winter is a low season for tourist, so expect fewer crowds.

Spring 

Spring is from September to November and one of the best time to see the vineyards and gardens coming into life. It offers beautiful views and many activities for the guest. 

Spring signals the start of the concert season with many local and international acts performing. It is also the season for the Octoberfest, market days, wine festivals, music festivals, balloon fiestas, and so much more.