Balloon Aloft Hot Air Ballooning

Hunter Valley Wine Country

Balloon Aloft is Australia’s longest running hot-air balloon company and has been flying over the Hunter Valley since 1980. Today we continue to lead the way with the most modern fleet of Australian-made balloons and a team of highly experienced local pilots and crew. You know you are in safe hands! Balloon Aloft sunrise flights operate seven days a week and take in spectacular views of the Pokolbin, Lovedale, Rothbury and Broke wine regions.All flights are followed by a delicious gourmet breakfast and Champagne celebration at the renowned Peterson's Champagne House.

Grapemobile Bicycle Hire

307 Palmers Lane, Pokolbin

Grapemobile Bicycle Hire is the Hunter Valley’s most popular & longest established provider of quality men’s and ladies mountain bikes & tandems. We cheerfully cater for singles, couples, groups & families.

Whether your desire is a romantic experience, a jolly jaunt with friends, or a pedal power mission, we’ve got your cycling needs covered. You’re most welcome to visit our Grapemobile Hunter Valley Bike Hire shop for your bicycle allocation, or we’ll even take the guesswork out of bicycle delivery by providing an optional luxury bus pick-up service, delivering you & your friends from your local accommodation or meeting place to our hire facility. This will ensure correct fitment of cycle & helmet, and provide you with the ideal location to commence your ultimate Hunter Valley Cycling adventure.

All hires include bicycle, helmet, bottled water, sunscreen, suggested tour map and, of course, roadside assistance. Our opening hours are 10.00am – 6.00pm, 7 days.

Heidis Hunter Valley Private Wine Tours

Hunter Valley Wine Country

Heidis Hunter Valley is a locally owned and operated luxury tour company. Heidis tours are conducted in a luxury black Range Rover Sport vehicle and each tour is fully custom designed and private. Heidi can either carefully hand pick the best Hunter Valley wineries, restaurants, cafes and local producers or you can suggest your own. Our extensive local knowledge and contacts provides you with a tour that seeks the interesting, the challenging, and the down right enjoyable. Our tours can accommodate your group of up to 4 passengers.

Heidis Comment

This tour is for those visitors who want a more private experience. The Range Rover is also very comfortable and stylish...

Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop

Pokolbin

At the Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop, we have the most impressive selection of delicatessen products offering the finest produce from Australia and overseas. As our name suggests, we have Roquefort from France, Gruyere from Switzerland, Gouda from Holland and Red Leicester from England. We also have a huge number of other hard to find cheeses from Gippsland, King Island, Margaret River and many more to tempt your taste buds!

Heidis Comment

Great place to stock up on cheeses, condiments, gourmet products, olives, olive oils etc. Try their local gelato, enjoy a light lunch. It gets busy on weekends so try to visit earlier in the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

National Parks

Wollombi

Wollombi Valley is surrounded by the Yengo National Park and the Watagan Mountains. Just 45 minutes from the village of Wollombi in the Yengo National Park is the Finchley Trig Lookout - one of my favourite drives with the most extroadinary views of the park and Mount Yengo. The area is quite remote and there is no mobile reception so take care and let someone know where you are going. It is a must to pick up a local map if you are travelling to the Finchley Trig lookout or any of the National Parks in the area.

Heidis Comment

The National Parks of the Hunter Valley are a great addition to the food and wine of the area. Pack a picnic and spend the day exploring.

Ogishi Art Glass Studio

Wilderness Road, Lovedale

Setsuko Ogishi’s glass is well known by Australian art glass lovers. Setsuko has been working with glass for over twenty years, exhibiting throughout Australia (including Parliament House in Canberra) and internationally. Visit the gallery on the corner of Wine Country Drive and Wilderness Road Lovedale. Open to public 11am- 4pm on weekend or by appointment.

Heidis Comment

i love visiting Setsukos studio to view her latest creations. She is such a lovely lady too. You may be lucky enough to see her working when you visit.

Skydive the Hunter Valley

Moores Lane, Elderslie

Tandem skydive over the vineyards with Skydive the Hunter Valley.

Our skydiving drop zone is located just under an hour from Newcastle and we operate out of our own private airstrip, so you can enjoy your Hunter Valley skydive all in the same location. This adventure attraction offers tandem skydiving from Australia's highest altitude of up to 14,000ft.

Experience the ultimate thrill of freefall at over 200km/hr for up to an insane 60 seconds, and then float under canopy for 5-7 minutes soaking up the spectacular views of the gorgeous Hunter Valley region.