Newcastle Travel Guide

Four+one daily itineraries for visitors to the Newcastle area (in order of ascending likely cost)…

1) Beach Day: Swim a few laps at the Merewether Baths to get the motors firing for the day. Grab an early cappuccino from Swell and sip it on the beach. Walk the sand to Bar Beach. They’ll be plenty of surfers, kiteboarders, bikinis and budgie smugglers (Speedos) to capture your gaze. Tempura fish & chips at the Bar Beach kiosk goes down a treat then head over the hill and along the Bathers Way to Newcastle Beach. A gelato from Estabar cures the mid-arvo snack pangs and the easy walk round to Nobbys is a delight. Ask a local for a dinner recommendation as you watch the last rays of sun filter through the dusk clouds.

2) Saturday in the City: Hit one of the Darby Street eateries for a great breakfast. And spend the morning exploring the boutiques and delis along this strip. Saunter down to the gallery for a culture fix then head onwards to Honeysuckle for a harbourside lunch. Walk off the calories along the foreshore and pop over to Stockton on the ferry to admire the sandstone architecture. Cruise back to the city side, quench your thirst at the Brewery and continue onto Nobbys Beach and the Breakwall. In the late afternoon, take in a Knights footy game or a sunset walk then find an iconic eatery like Scratchleys, Paymasters, Goldbergs or Bacchus for the evening meal. Post-dinner entertainment is not far away…

3) Port Stephens: hit the dunes with Sand Safaris in the morning – sandboards, quadbikes, four-wheel drives and even camels are the optional modes of safari transport. Wash off the sweat and silica with a dip at One Mile or Birubi beaches then head into Nelson Bay and grab a quick bite at one of the takeaways. Walk up Tomaree in the afternoon or head out on a whale and dolphin cruise. Doll yourself up and sample the amazing and renowned cuisine of Zest or Ritual Restaurants for a very special, memorable dinner.

4) The Hunter Vineyards: a slow drive up the valley is in order. Stop in and have a quick explore of Neath, Stanford Merthyr or Cessnock to get an idea of village life.  Do a morning tour of a few wineries and stop in at the Smelly Cheese shop for some gorgeous brie or washed rind to go with your new bottle of Semillon. Wander through the Hunter Valley Gardens for an hour or three and refine the viticulture a wee bit more with another couple of vineyards. Don the fancy outfit and choose from one of the many, many great restaurants. The food is guaranteed to be great, all washed down by a perfectly matched local vintage, of course.

5) Mix it and match it: pick the eyes out of the options above and design your own plan!