Things to do in Hunter Valley

New South Wales' Hunter Region is mostly known for its rolling hills and vineyards, but the area encompassed and offers so much more.

Choose your own adventure for a day trip or weekend getaway, where you can make time for nature, wine, conversation, and some much-needed pampering.

What to do

Get off the ground

There’s nothing quite like watching the sunrise from 1500 metres in the air while you float above the vineyards, which is why one of the most incredible experiences you can do in the Hunter Valley is a hot air balloon flight.

With the team at Balloons Aloft, you’ll experience the Hunter Valley in a completely different way – seeing the region from a birds-eye view. 

Walk the gardens or hit the track

Want to awaken your senses? Take a stroll amongst 60 acres of stunning themed gardens in the Hunter Valley Gardens.

The gardens feature thousands of roses, a ten-metre-high waterfall, mosaic ground cover, topiary animals, perfectly manicured lawns and an abundance of flowers blooming all year 'round.

Banking on something more active? Yango Walking Track boasts six kilometres of trail through untouched wilderness in Yengo National Park, journeying past red cedars, giant stinging trees and spectacular vistas along the way.

Visit local galleries

The Hunter is dotted with art galleries and museums. For traditional Australian landscapes, decorative work and investment opportunities, visit the Morpeth Gallery.

While you’re there, take a wander around Morpeth’s historic buildings, relax on the riverfront and sample some famous Morpeth sourdough

Where to eat

If you’re looking for somewhere to line the stomach before a day of wine tasting, Café Enzo draws a crowd on any given weekend. You can’t go past the vegetarian breakfast with poached eggs and a solid cappuccino.

Ask any Hunter Valley dweller where to go for fancy dinner date and they’ll say Muse restaurant. The towering atrium dining room of this modern Australian marvel is perched on the perimeter of Hungerford Hill Winery. The celebrated kitchen offers a seasonal menu marked by ingenuity and its championing of local produce. 

Wine and cheese tasting

With over 150 cellar doors to choose from, a weekend is never enough to explore the Hunter Valley. From big-name wineries to boutique bottlers, Australia’s oldest wine region has it all.

The historic 1866 Audrey Wilkinson winery offers an excellent range of Semillon’s at its picturesque tasting room. At avant-garde winery Usher Tinkler, which is housed within the beautifully restored Pokolbin Church – you can pair wine or whiskey with prosciutto, truffle salami and camembert.

And when you need a break from a jam-packed schedule of cellar doors, drop into the Hunter Valley Cheese Factory. Here you’ll find a wide selection of handmade cow and goat milk cheese, available to taste and buy.

Order a cheese tasting board to try five cheeses, or book a private cheese appreciation class to learn about cheese varieties and the art of wine matching.

Where to stay

Envisioning yourself in a secluded cabin, feeling like you're worlds away from it all? Consider a stay at Belford Cottages, a handful of private dwellings scattered around 15 acres of beautiful, unspoilt bushland. Each has its own private balcony, for sundown wine-sipping and kangaroo-spotting.

For those travelling on a tighter budget, or saving the bucks for bottles – the Hill Top Country Guest House in Rothbury is good value. Situated on the Molly Morgan Range, affording brilliant views of the Hunter Valley, it’s housed in a colonial-style building and dress with touches of luxury, including king-size beds, spa baths, a sauna and a pool