Hunter Valley Travel Guide: Wineries, Restaurants, Activities & Accommodation

The Hunter Valley is Australia’s oldest wine region, sitting around 2 hours north of Sydney. It’s an easy weekend escape for Sydneysiders with such a huge number of wineries, restaurants and accommodation options that you can return time and time again and still discover new places to visit.

In this guide we’ve highlighted some of the wineries we keep going back to, but with over 150 to choose from in the Valley, you’ll be sure to find your own favourites. We’ve also included a selection of restaurants, accommodation options, things to do and a pre-planned itinerary to make the most of your stay.

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Is the Hunter Valley worth visiting?

Yes, very much so. Whether you are a serious wine lover or just looking for a relaxed weekend away from Sydney, the Hunter Valley has plenty to offer. The cellar door scene is hugely varied – from large professional tasting rooms to smaller, family-run cellars. Likewise, the restaurants run from hatted fine dining to perfect toasted cheese sandwiches. And it’s not just about the wine – there is a range of things to do outside the cellar doors, from cycling to day spas to hot air ballooning.

Why visit the Hunter Valley?

• Over 150 wineries offering a range of tastings, from $10 tastings in cottage settings to tailored premium experiences with matched food.
• Some of Australia’s best Semillon and Shiraz.
• Excellent restaurant scene, from fine dining to casual breakfast spots.
• Great accommodation options across different budgets and styles.
• Activities beyond the cellar door: cycling and e-biking, hot air ballooning, country drives, spa days and gardens.

Hunter Valley at a glance

Distance from Sydney	Around 2 hours from Sydney (driving), 175 km.
Best for	Couples, groups, families
Known for	Semillon, Shiraz, cellar door experiences, restaurants, Hunter Valley Gardens
Ideal stay	2-3 nights
Best time to visit	Autumn for harvest season and cooler days, Spring for mild weather and fewer crowds. If you are planning on visiting the Gardens, check what’s on before you go as events (such as in the school holidays) can significantly impact the experience.

How long should you stay in the Hunter Valley?

• Ideal stay: 2-3 nights
• Day trip from Sydney: Possible but would be rushed
• Weekend: The perfect length for most people. Enough time for several cellar door visits, lunch and dinner at a couple of restaurants and a non-wine activity.
• 3+ nights: Well worth it if you want to add in some more activities (such as a day trip to Wollombi, a day on e-bikes, a day spa session or try multiple restaurants).

Best things to do in the Hunter Valley

Cellar door tastings

With over 150 wineries to choose from in the Hunter Valley, you could spend weeks tasting and never run out of new places to try. There is a huge range of cellar doors to visit, from large professional operations to smaller family-run wineries. The ones you select depend on the type of experience you are looking for – whether you are looking for a particular style of wine, or matching food tastings with your wine selection or wanting more of a winery experience with tours. At most cellar doors you can expect to pay around $10 for a basic tasting and this is usually reduced or removed if you are purchasing more than a few bottles.

The cellar doors we have selected below are some of our favourites and represent a cross section of different styles and sizes of operation. We would recommend stopping in at the Information Centre when you arrive in the Valley – not only do they offer wine tastings but they can also help plan out your tastings. For all cellar doors, it is best to book in advance, particularly on weekends.

If you don’t have a designated driver there are several options for half day and full day winery tours.

Lakes Folly

This is listed first as it’s one of the first wineries as you drive in to the Valley from Sydney. Lakes Folly offer an excellent Chardonnay and Cabernet which is often sold out soon after it is released. This is a very different experience from some of the larger operations, it’s a lovely cottage setting with a dam with just the two wines to try. If the “sold out” sign isn’t out as you drive past then this is a fantastic quick first stop. Tastings are $10.

Brokenwood

Brokenwood’s cellar door was completely redeveloped and opened in December 2018. The result is an impressive space with circular tasting pods, an outdoor terrace bar and restaurant. There are a number of different tasting options, from the most basic at $25 per person, to a food and wine matched tasting ($75 per person) to more personalised experiences including winery tours.

This is one of the more expensive tasting experiences in the Valley, however the tastings are generous and they have such a broad wine selection that the team can tailor it to specific varieties you prefer. Once you finish your tasting, the terrace bar is a great space to sit with a glass of your favourite wine and a cheese platter.

Brokenwood is always busy, particularly on the weekends, so it’s best to book your tasting in advance, particularly if you are hoping to do one of the food and wine matching experiences.

Gundog Estate

Gundog Estate is one of the smaller cellar doors, with excellent wines in a relaxed setting. There is a range of tastings available, including a basic tasting for $10, limited release tasting for $20 and tastings matched with a cheese plate. The cellar door also has a great selection of local produce.

Gundog Estate is right next door to Usher Tinkler, who offer a varied and interesting range for tasting, along with salami and cheese. This is a great opportunity to try two very different cellar doors right next door to each other.

Tamburlaine Wines

Worth visiting if you’re interested in organic winemaking. Tamburlaine has built a strong reputation for wines with low sulphites and no preservatives. Very reasonably priced compared to most cellar doors in the area, and the wines are lovely.

Peppertree Wines

The Peppertree cellar door is in a beautiful setting and well set up to handle volume well with tasting tables outside in the gardens as well as in the cellar door. The staff are great at tailoring the experience to suit your preferences (just whites, just reds or a mix across the range). The cellar door is right next to Circa 1876 restaurant and this is a great combination for a lunch (Friday or Saturday) and tasting.

Also an excellent location for spotting kangaroos in the gardens and among the vines.

Audrey Wilkinson

For absolutely the best view in the Hunter Valley, this is your perfect stop. The cellar door offers a range of tastings, starting from the standard tasting for $15. The addition of a cheese board (stocked from Binnorie Dairy) is an excellent option to turn this from a wine tasting in to lunch.

Aside from the ones we have highlighted above, a few other standouts are:

• Savannah Estate – wine and pie tasting is a unique experience.
• McLeish Wines – a smaller winery, family-run and a little off the beaten track with an engaging tasting experience.
• Allandale – gorgeous views and wines from their Lovedale cellar door.
• Thomas Wines – engaging cellar door staff and great wines in a great setting. Right next to The Mill restaurant and Brokenback Bar for food options.

Cycling through the vines

One of the best activities in the region, wine-related or otherwise, Grapemobile operates e-bike (and regular bike) hire from their base in Pokolbin. The bikes come with clear instructions, maps and a taste of Moscato before you set out. The e-bikes make the hills easy and you can cover a lot of ground and most of the circuit is either bike tracks or quieter country roads.

Personal note: We covered around 25 km in total last visit, which included several cellar door stops. The bikes do have baskets, however you can arrange to have any wine you purchase delivered, or pick it up the next day – much better than trying to carry bottles on a bike.

Drive to Wollombi

Wollombi is a small historic village about 40 minutes drive from Pokolbin. To vary the scenery you can make the drive a circuit through winding country roads by travelling there from Pokolbin through Broke then along Wollombi Road and then back through Millfield and Bellbird.

Wollombi is known for its vast number of Aboriginal sites (Wollombi means “meeting place” to the Wonnarua Nation) and the Great North Road, a 240 km road built by convict labour to connect Sydney to the Hunter Valley.

One of the main attractions in town is the Wollombi Tavern, which has been serving since 1868 and is home to the infamous Dr Jurd’s Jungle Juice (traditionally the leftover wines and spirits combined at the end of each night). The pub has loads of outdoor space and serves pub-style meals.

Craft a cheese plate

The perfect accompaniment to your wine selection, there are a few great options to buy the ingredients for an amazing cheese platter in the Valley.

• Smelly Cheese Shop – is next to the Pokolbin General Store (which also sells basic supplies if you need them). They have an excellent selection of local cheese, including a walk-in cheese fridge. You can buy pre-made platters with sliced meats, cheese and biscuits, or choose your cheese to build a platter from scratch.
• Binnorie Dairy – specialises in soft cheese and is a great stop for something different. Their fresh and marinated cheeses are made on-site and the Triple Cream Brie and Labna are particularly good.
• Hunter Valley Cheese Company – has individual cheese selections, meats, lots of regional produce, cheese and antipasti platters. They also offer cheese tastings to make an experience of it.

Hunter Valley Gardens

A large, beautifully maintained garden complex in the heart of Pokolbin with ten distinctly different themed areas, including a rose garden, Chinese garden, walled garden and storybook garden. It’s one of the largest private gardens in Australia.

Right next to the Gardens is the Hunter Valley Gardens shopping village with cafes, small shops, a large park and aqua golf.

Personal note: At certain times of year, such as school holidays, themed events can take over the whole gardens. Check the website to see what’s on before you plan your visit as it can affect the whole experience (and the ticket price).

Day spa

There are several options for a day spa experience in the Hunter Valley and a morning treatment before a long lunch and wine tasting is a great way to spend the day. Options include:

• Ubika Spa – located within Rydges and offering facials, massages and a range of other treatments. Tip: arrive early for your booking as Rydges is huge and it can be hard to work out exactly where you need to go.
• Elysia Day Spa – sits in the centre of the Elysia Wellness retreat offering massages, facials and spa magnesium pools.
• Château Élan Day Spa – has two outdoor mineral pools as well as facials and massages.

Where to eat and drink in the Hunter Valley

There is a fantastic selection of restaurants in the Hunter Valley – ranging all the way from morning toasties and coffee at Greg’s up to hatted dining. These are a small selection of our favourites.

• Farm to fork dining: Circa 1876
• Hatted fine dining: Margan
• Breakfast by the pond: The Deck Cafe
• Toasties and coffee: Greg’s Cafe
• Pies and pastries in the garden: Ben Ean Deli and Patisserie
• Neighbourhood Italian: Pescara
• Pizza with views: Brokenback Bar

Circa 1876

Located at The Convent on Halls Road at Pokolbin in a 19th century cottage, Circa 1876 is a brilliant lunch or dinner destination. The menu is 3-courses ($120 per person) so arrive hungry.

Personal note: If you arrive for an early dinner sitting you can take your glass of wine and wander through the gardens watching the kangaroos before you sit down for your meal. Our favourite dishes last visit were the scallops and the duck – both perfectly cooked – and the colcannon mash as a side dish.

Margan

Open for lunch only Thursday through to Sunday, Margan has seasonally inspired menus based on fresh produce harvested on site. The restaurant is situated within the winery and can be combined with a tasting.

The Deck Cafe

The Deck Cafe is part of the Gartleman Winery and is set around a small pond with a fountain, ducks, free roaming chickens and a large pig pen in the corner. This is an excellent option for breakfast or lunch – great food, excellent coffee and friendly service in a relaxed atmosphere.

The Deck is always busy so be sure to book ahead (even for breakfast).

Ben Ean Deli & Patisserie

A more casual offering to start the day or break up wine tastings at lunch, Ben Ean does pies, pastries, sandwiches and grazing boards. The pies are particularly good.

Pescara

Set looking out over the dam at Hermitage Lodge, Pescara is one of the nicest dinner settings in Pokolbin. The service is friendly, the food is excellent and the atmosphere is relaxed.

Personal note: We loved this so much we went twice on our last Hunter Valley trip. Everything we tried was great but the standout dishes were the trout salad and the meatballs.

Greg’s Espresso Bar

A great little cafe near the Pokolbin General Store, this is worth a stop just for the names of the sandwiches alone (try the Sweet Baby Cheeses or the Colonel Mustard). A toasted cheese sandwich paired with great coffee makes this a perfect stop on your last day before you hit the road, or to fortify you for a day of wine tasting.

Where to stay in the Hunter Valley

There is a huge range of accommodation available in the Hunter Valley, including hotel and resort style, bed and breakfast and self-contained. Some of the accommodation is a little further out, so it’s worth checking what’s nearby before booking.

Hermitage Lodge

The lodge accommodation is laid out around a small vineyard and dam, with each lodge having a verandah overlooking the vines. The Pescara restaurant is on site, so you can walk to dinner without needing a taxi (note that it is closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays). Hermitage Lodge is centrally located, has a small on-site pool and is only a short drive to restaurants and wineries. The rooms are spacious and comfortable.

The Convent

Set in a restored 19th century convent building with lovely rooms, a pool and garden and both Peppertree wines cellar door and Circa 1876 on site. This is an excellent option for couples.

voco Kirkton Park

Manor estate with boutique accommodation, an on-site restaurant and cosy bar. Many rooms have balconies or verandahs to look out over the countryside.

Additional accommodation options for families:

• Rydges Hunter Valley – a huge complex with a large pool, water feature area for kids, day spa, brewery and lots of accommodation options.
• Oaks Cypress Lakes – apartment and townhouse style accommodation, big pool area and a golf course.
• Peppers Hunter Valley (formerly the Grand Mercure) – apartment style accommodation with restaurant, golf course, seasonal pool and day spa.

Additional accommodation options for couples:

• Spicers Guesthouse – recently renovated, in a great location with a pool and on-site restaurant (éRemo).
• Spicers Vineyard Estate – 12 guest suites in a more private, boutique environment. Includes a day spa, pool and restaurant (Botannica).

Perfect Hunter Valley itinerary options

2-night/ 3-day itinerary

Day 1: Arrive & explore

• Drive up from Sydney and aim to arrive late morning
• Stop at the Information Centre first on your way in for maps and to shortlist any cellar doors you would like to try.
• Stop at Lakes Folly (check their website or Instagram to ensure they have stock)
• Lunch at Ben Ean Deli & Patisserie – easy and casual lunch
• Afternoon: Brokenwood wine tasting (book ahead) and a cheese platter on the Terrace with your favourite wine
• Dinner at Pescara (book ahead)

Day 2: e-bikes & fine dining

• Breakfast at The Deck at Gartleman (book ahead)
• All day: Grapemobile e-bikes – this is a full day activity and you can stop at multiple wineries for tastings and lunch.
• Dinner: Circa 1876 (Margan or Muse are great alternatives)

Day 3: Departing

• Breakfast: Greg’s Espresso Bar for a toastie
• Morning: Walk through the Hunter Valley Gardens
• Stop at the Smelly Cheese Shop, Binnorie Dairy or the Hunter Valley Cheese Co for some cheese to take home with you (grab a cooler bag for the trip home)
• If you have a designated driver for the trip home, you could fit in one or two last wineries before you hit the road back to Sydney.

Extending beyond 3 days

If extending beyond 3 days then we would suggest:

• Hot air ballooning (you could also fit this in to the itinerary above on the morning of Day 2 or 3)
• Day trip to Wollombi
• Half day at a day spa
• Hunter Valley Wildlife Park

How to get to the Hunter Valley

Driving – Around 2 hours from Sydney (driving), 175 km.

Public transport – There’s no direct train or bus service to Pokolbin and you’ll need a hire car or taxi from there to get around the cellar doors. A rental car from Sydney Airport is the most practical solution for visitors flying in.

Local travel tip

Uber and taxis are available within the Pokolbin area. For cellar door tastings you’ll need either a designated driver or you can book a tour to take you around.

FAQs