Five fun things to do in the Hunter Valley besides wine tasting

But that’s far from the end of the story because the Hunter has plenty more to offer. Take the time for one or all of these fab five fun things and you’ll never want to leave. You can enjoy what the Hunter Valley has on offer whether you're there for a day trip, weekend escape or a little longer as part of an Australia wide RV adventure.

Nothing beats an aerial view of the Hunter from a hot air balloon. As the sun comes up on a gloriously still morning, the light slants seductively across the vines and you silently bob and float above. At least three companies offer rides, including Hunter Valley Ballooning, Beyond Ballooning and Balloon Aloft. Yes, you have to get up early, but prices include a sit-down brekky afterwards and the traditional glass of bubbly to celebrate a successful and enjoyable flight.

Here’s a wonderfully slow way to see the byways and wineries of the Hunter. Hunter Valley Classic Carriages has a range of tours for couples, groups, even newlyweds-to-be who clip-clop away behind a gentle yet powerful Clydesdale in vehicles ranging from a Victorian carriage to a full-on Western chuck-wagon for larger groups. Depending on the tour, you’ll visit wineries and produce stores, perhaps enjoy a catered picnic and generally have a good time safe in the knowledge your horse and driver know the routes and stick to drinking water.

If you haven’t piloted a Segway before, then a Hunter Valley exploration from NSW Segway is a brilliant place to start. You’ll get tuition on driving the battery-powered, stand-up Segways, then about five kilometres trundling about the tracks, stock routes and vineyards near McGuigan winery. Watch out for kangaroos, wombats and goannas, quiz your guide on everything to do with grapes and wine-making then stop for a tasting as part of a really entertaining time out.

Picture the Hunter Valley Gardens as a kind of botanical theme park that’s fun for kids and adults alike and you’re part way to understanding the attraction of this 14 hectare extravaganza. With 10 separate themed display gardens and eight kilometres of pathways, it takes some exploring for plant fans. Kids will love the Storybook Garden with its nursery-book characters, but then there are also rides to enjoy, including a Ferris wheel. There’s a proper restaurant at Harrigan’s, a shopping village and much more so leave a full day to explore the lot.

Strap yourself in for some real excitement with AeroHunter adventure flights which flies a selection of vintage piston-engine war planes out of Hunter Valley airports in Pokolbin and Maitland. Feel like doing extreme acrobatics in a Russian Yak 52, or maybe a reconnaissance mission to Newcastle flying under the radar? You’ll be riding shotgun while your pilot does the flying. AeroHunter also has a historic, Australian-built 1939 Wirraway and a hefty Grumman Avenger torpedo bomber to take for a spin. Tally-ho!

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