After you've explored the various wineries of the Hunter Valley, it's time to hit up some of the area's killer national parks. Yengo National Park is a good place to start, offering more than 154,000 hectares of protected wilderness in the Great Dividing Range. Further east, you can explore the cultural offerings in metropolitan Newcastle. Here, visitors of all ages can check out science and technology exhibits at the Newcastle Museum. Or you can take a guided tour of the nearby Fort Scratchley, a 19th-century fortress that also houses a history museum.
Whether you're sipping, swirling, pairing or learning how its made, the name of the game in the Hunter Valley is wine. There are numerous wineries in the region, and many offer restaurants, tasting rooms or guided tours of their winemaking facilities. Once you've sampled the region's viticultural wares, you can explore the national parks throughout the region, where you'll find hiking trails, campsites and scenic views of the Great Dividing Range. Waterfront activities and river cruises on the Hunter River are popular, and you can find several sandy beaches on the Tasman Sea around Newcastle.
Hunter Valley has a humid subtropical climate, with hot summers, cool winters and regular rainfall throughout the year. Average summer temperatures peak around 30 degrees in January, and the months between November and April are usually the wettest of the year. Winters are cooler, with average temperatures between 5 and 18 degrees in June, July and August. Summer is the busiest season in the area, and you'll usually have the best luck snagging low rates on Hunter Valley vacation rentals during the cooler, slower winter months.
The Hunter Valley is a broad river basin that stretches several kilometres inland from the coast, in the low-lying area along the Hunter River. The valley itself is made up of rolling hillsides dotted with farms and vineyards; it's surrounded by relatively low mountains, with the peaks of the Great Dividing Range lying further to the west. Closer to the mouth of the Hunter River, you can find wetlands and estuaries, as well as plenty of sandy beaches along the coast of the Tasman Sea. River, mountain or valley views make killer backdrops for loads of Hunter Valley vacation rentals.
Our 2021 accommodation listings offer a large selection of 720 holiday rentals around Hunter Valley. From 25 farm stays to 125 cottages, find unique holiday homes for you to enjoy a memorable holiday or a weekend with your family and friends. The best place to stay around Hunter Valley is on Stayz.