What to do This Coming Winter in the Hunter Valley!

Posted on by iHop Hunter Valley

If you’re lacking in ideas on how to spend those cooler weekends, the Hunter Valley offers an array of activities that are fun for the whole family. Whether it’s family time, or sitting by a crackling fire with a red in hand, we have your winter itinerary covered!  The Hunter Valley has loads of fun this winter for you to enjoy! Winter in the Hunter Valley is a magical time, with many fun activities for the whole family.

For The Kids

Winter in the Hunter Valley is a perfect time to bring the kids for some family fun. Whether this be lapping up the beauty of the Hunter Valley Gardens, shopping in the Gardens Village or even visiting the winter-themed attractions targeted towards families! Every winter, the Hunter Valley hosts a family-fun event called Snow Time in the Gardens. This icy adventure is full of fun activities for the kids and even adults who love winter! If parking is an issue for you, be sure to hop on with iHop to get easy access to and from this family-fun fest to ensure a day of fun in the sun (and snow!) for your family.

Kids can play in the snow play zone, and get a taste of what it’s like to play in snow! With the fun of creating snowmen, or having a snowball fight, the snow in the snow play zone is always ready for your snow-playing fun! If that’s not enough, why not toboggan down the ice luge, racing down the 45-metre luge which will surely leave you with a smile on your face, or go for a skate on the indoor ice skating rink 

For the Big Kids (Adults)

This winter, grab a seat on the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus and wine-hop between some of the best wineries around Pokolbin that the Hunter Valley has to offer. Create your customised day, cruising between wineries, getting a taste test of some of the best wines the Hunter Valley has to offer. Having a designated driver looking after you, there’s no need to stress about getting from winery to winery and tasting your way around the Hunter Valley. Winter in the Hunter Valley is the perfect time to sample some of the Hunter Valley’s best wines, so why not make a day of it and warm you up on a cold winter’s day. If wine isn’t for you, no need to worry, there’s plenty of breweries and eateries that you can stop in to get your fix! If you’re wanting to do something special, why not hop on a hot air balloon at sunrise, watching the sun rise over the beauty that is the Hunter Valley. With many accommodations boasting around the Hunter Valley, why not treat yourself to a glorious day spa treatment or just relax with a cheese plate and glass of wine in hand.

Events

Every June the Hunter Valley is home to the Hunter Valley Food and Wine festival; a place full of all the best food and wine that the Hunter Valley has to offer, all in one place. There are also many different food and wine events taking place at the cellar doors and restaurants around the region. Winter is a wonderful time to visit and warm up with a hearty glass of red in front of a toasty fire, and enjoy the delicious delicacies of the Valley under the crisp blue winter sky. 

Even though the vineyards are dormant over the winter months, there’s still plenty of things to do in the Hunter Valley in Winter, with loads of fun for both kids and adults. Why not add the Hunter Valley to your winter bucket list, and jump on-board an iHop bus or tour to get you around!

Check out the Hunter Valley’s official tourism site and start planning your Winter in the Hunter Valley for 2022. 

Chocolate Tasting in the Hunter Valley

Posted on by iHop Hunter Valley

Love chocolate? Love beautiful scenery and nature? Sounds like a chocolate tour in the Hunter Valley is right up your alley. With many chocolate companies, and cellar doors to choose from, you can eat all the best chocolate the Hunter Valley has to offer to your heart’s content. 

Tours with Chocolate

If you’re not from the area, and want the ease of having the day planned out for you, we can satisfy your sweet tooth, and allow you to have a chocolate coma without the stress of driving! With our Taste ‘n’ Graze tour, a day full of wine tastings and food pairings, is perfect for those craving a sweet and savoury flavour day.

After a delightful tasting of cheese and wine pairings at a boutique cellar door, your next stop is for all those chocolate and wine lovers. With arisitan chocolate pairings for each wine, the flavour palette of the two are a tasting sensation you don’t want to miss.

Chocolate Tasting

Chocolate tasting in the Hunter Valley is incredibly popular, with a wide variety of chocolate stores to satisfy your chocolate cravings. With iHop offering an On-Demand Bus service and Hop-On Hop-Off Bus around Central Pokolbin, finding your way to these chocolate venues couldn’t be easier. Stop off at the Shopping Village in the Hunter Valley Gardens located at Hop 6 and explore the choice of local shops before stopping for a chocolate tasting and lollies at the British Lolly Shop.

If that wasn’t enough to hit that chocolate sweet spot, don’t fret, there are many more chocolate shops to visit. The Hunter Valley Chocolate Company is the perfect place for your chocolate tasting needs. With three locations, the Hunter Valley Chocolate Company has all your chocolate and fudge needs to satisfy your sweet tooth. At Twenty-3-Twenty, you are able to watch head chocolatier Peter make the artisan sweets before your very eyes, before indulging yourself in the sweet pleasure of trying these handmade treats.

Festivals

If festivals are more your thing, be sure to check out the Cheese and Chocolate Festival held every July in the Hunter Valley to satisfy your chocolate tasting and cheese tasting needs. Not only does this event boast some of the best beer and wines Hunter Valley has to offer, but is a day dedicated to tasting the best cheese and chocolate found in the Hunter Valley. If chocolate tasting in the Hunter Valley with a wine (or beer!) in hand is your guilty pleasure, this festival is the perfect place for you. With various options to choose from, and multiple stores to sample tastings at, this festival is for the cheese and chocolate lovers who want to try them all!

While the Hunter Valley has loads to offer for your chocolate tasting needs, we recommend trying a guided chocolate and wine pairing experience. Chocolate tasting in the Hunter Valley will be sure to satisfy your sweet cravings, so why not try some of the best chocolate treats the Hunter Valley has to offer; whether you experience onboard a tour or making your own way there.

Things To Do in Pokolbin

Posted on by iHop Hunter Valley

So you are here in Pokolbin surrounded by the natural beauty of rolling vineyards… but you don’t necessarily drink wine? Don’t worry, you are certainly not alone!

Customers often ask us what are some other things to do in Pokolbin, the heart of Australia’s oldest wine producing region? The Hunter Valley is not just all about wine tasting, offering a varied range of activities and things to do. In fact, this beautiful location boasts a lot more variety than you might think. So much so that we decided to write a blog post offering some local tips and insights!

Read on to discover what else you can get up to on your non-wine drinking trip to this famous region.

Transport Activities

Pokolbin is a place full of fun and entertaining activities for all! Whether you want to take in everything the great outdoors has to offer – hiking, horse riding, bike riding and the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus are all great ways to get around and see the area. Or if you fancy something a bit different – see the Hunter Valley from a birds eye view with a bespoke helicopter flight or hot air balloon ride that delivers breathtaking views and a memorable experience. These are just some of the most popular transport activities to do in Pokolbin.

Horse Riding

There are plenty of horse riding options available in the Hunter Valley including tours for beginners up to advanced riders, private tours for families, a romantic trip or corporate events – all with different durations and price points. So whatever the occasion and budget, horse riding through the vineyards is such a wonderful and unique experience to get amongst the vines and take in some beautiful scenery.

Take to the Skies

A helicopter or hot air balloon ride is a must do way to see the Hunter Valley. Helicopter flights  offer various experiences available to suit your travel preference and budget. Whether you’re just interested in a snap shot scenic flight or want to fly to different locations, there are many tailor made options to make your experience truly special. Alternatively jump aboard a hot air balloon ride departing at sunrise to catch a glimpse of the early morning local wildlife and glowing vineyards in all their glory.

On Ya Bike

There are a few bicycle hire companies in Pokolbin, providing guided tours or private hires from half to full days, suiting a variety of needs. Electric bikes are available for those wanting a more laid back ride or wanting to cover off a longer distance, and push bikes for those looking to exert some energy and enjoy that well earnt drink and leisurely lunch along the way.

Entertain the Kids

Looking for some family friendly activities? You couldn’t be in a better place with all the things to do in Pokolbin. A popular stop for the entire family is at the Shopping Village and the Hunter Valley Gardens which is located at  Hop 6 – on the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour Depending on the time of year, children and adults will have a great time in the award-winning gardens, engaging in the Magical Storybook or the Christmas Lights Spectacular. Also at this location is Aqua Golf and Putt Putt if you fancy some family-friendly competition. Stay on and enjoy lunch or coffee at the many cafes and wander around the many boutique shops.

There is also the Hunter Valley Zoo, which homes everything from the Wombat and Tasmanian Devil to the Lion and Tortoise. Why not drop in to hand feed a kangaroo, cuddle a koala or reptile and watch the monkeys at play? There are many “meet the animal” encounter experiences also for the entire family to enjoy.

If you fancy doing a handful of activities in the Hunter Valley, it might be worth considering booking the iHopGO On-Demand bus that caters for small to larger groups and can transport you to anywhere in the local area. The service is charged at a flat fee for the group, where you can arrange to be picked up on the next available time, or plan ahead days, weeks or even months in advance.

Shopping!

Why not indulge in tasting some irresistible local artisan chocolates, visit the many local cheese shops and providores and create your own antipasto platter or browse the latest fashion and homewares. You can find all these treats in the Hunter Valley, if you know where to look. Find out more about the shops on offer here.

Events

Many of the vineyards actually utilise their land for hosting music events and concerts, and there’s also annual music events including Opera in the Vineyards in October and Jazz in the Vineyards in November. So be sure to plan ahead and see if there are any events that coincide with the dates that you’ll be in the Valley and experience a truly memorable day or evening out.

There are also a variety of cultural events that pop up over the Hunter Valley throughout the year, including artisan markets, comedy festivals and the Hunter Valley Art Fair in October, that showcases a unique collection of work from local artists.

Of Course There is Beer & Spirits!

We are also home to a range of micro breweries and distilleries that can be visited via iHop’s Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours or On-Demand Bus, so if you feel like sinking a few cold ones, enjoy a brewery lunch or sampling vodka, schnapps, liquors or even rums, checkout all these venues and their locations on our iGuide/Timetable to Central Pokolbin which can be downloaded here.

So by now you know Pokolbin is not just a place to drink wine. There are plenty of amazing activities and things to do for all ages. If you don’t have transportation to get you to your activities or like the idea of having a local, designated driver, iHop Hunter Valley offers a range of transport options for getting around, visiting destinations all over the Hunter Valley Region (not just vineyards).

Things to do in the Hunter Valley this Summer

Posted on by iHop Hunter Valley

With rich vineyards and olive groves, the Hunter Valley is a popular choice for those wanting to experience award winning wine and craft beer. 

Summer time for the Hunter Valley is often its busiest, with events becoming a regular occurrence. With the great degree of events and showcases emerging, it can become difficult to decide which events to attend. Our Hop-on-Hop-off tours aim to make this a little easier through ease of accessibility to these events; being designed to showcase the best the Hunter Valley region has to offer. 

To make your plans become a reality, we have listed our top Hop-on-Hop-off events this summer in the Hunter Valley.

Roche Estate – Grapevine Gathering 2020 (Hop 5 – Central Pokolbin Loop) 

Set amongst the stunning vineyards, the Red-Hot Summer Tour will return in celebration of 10 years of operation. Indulge while taking in the Hunter Valley and treat yourself to one of the concerts hampers ranging from $20 to $140. Or, simply enjoy the music with ARIA Hall of Fame inductees Hunters & Collectors reuniting to headline the 2020 tour, bringing with them special guests James Reyne, The Living End, The Angels, Baby Animals, Killing Heidi and Boom Crash Opera.

Bimbadgen Estate Wines – Sundown Fridays (Hop 14 – Lovedale & North Pokolbin Loops)

Take in the delights of the Bimbadgen Estate while relaxing in their Tuscan inspired courtyard. Pair this with delectable food and a $5 Happy Hour from 3pm-6pm. This is what Sundown Fridays are all about.

Each Friday will bring a new artist to appeal to your music needs, providing live music from 4pm. With guests invited to book dinner reservations at Esca Bimbadgen, it is the perfect Friday plan and start to your wine country weekend away!

Go ahead and enquire now!

De Bortoli Wines –  Hunter Wine Country Markets (Hop 2 – Lovedale & North Pokolbin Loop)

Satisfy your taste buds with food, coffee and wine while observing meticulously handcrafted items at the Hunter Wine Country Markets every Saturday!  Local artisans showcase their work with stalls ranging from food, jewelry, candles, soaps and much more.

Make sure to bring the kids along for a camel ride, or simply to listen to the live entertainment from local buskers in a fun and friendly atmosphere.

Lovedale Smokehouse – Majors Lane Cooking School (Hop 7 – Lovedale & North Pokolbin Loop)

Head over to Lovedale Smokehouse every Saturday and Sunday for a fun hands-on outdoor cooking class. Situated in a stunning 100-acre vineyard, you will get the choice of a variety of classes and cooking styles to learn. Your senses will be ignited by the smells, sounds and flavours of your chosen cuisine as you learn how to compile a tantalizing menu.

At the conclusion of your class, you will receive a souvenir apron, recipes and a glass of wine or beer with your meal.

Due to the popularity of these events it is crucial to start organising your plans as soon as possible. Make sure to grab your family and friends to book your Hop-on-Hop-off bus tour today with iHop Hunter Valley before tickets run out!

Hunter Valley Balloon Fiesta

Posted on by iHop Hunter Valley

HUNTER VALLEY BALLOON FIESTA 4TH – 7TH OCTOBER 2019

The annual Balloon Aloft Hunter Valley Fiesta will take to the skies over the Hunter Valley over the October long weekend this year in an amazing display of colour and excitement! Each day will see upward of twenty-five hot air balloons from all around the country launch together at sunrise and float majestically over the Hunter Valley wine country. Come join in the excitement as a passenger or follow along from the ground.

WHEN: Friday 4th October – Monday 7th October
TIME: 5:00 – 10:00am
COST: Refer to Balloon Aloft website for pricing & availability
PHONE: 1300 723 279

More about iHop Hunter Valley

Our tours have been designed to showcase the best the Hunter Valley Region has to offer, from internationally renowned and boutique wineries, micro breweries, casual through to fine dining venues, cheese shops, chocolatiers, and shopping villages. Our tours cover the most popular locations in the Hunter Valley as well as the lesser known hidden gems!

Offering a unique range of tours to suit all budget and tastes from our; self-guided Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours, Premium Food and Drink pairing Taste ‘n’ Graze Tour, Behind the Scenes Winery and Tasting Beyond the Vines Half Day Tour, Progressive Tasting and Dinner Twilight & Night Tours, customised Corporate Tours, Package Offers like our ‘Fly-n-Hop’ Tour and more!

Browse the other amazing Hunter Valley Locations you can visit on your iHop Hunter Valley tour.

Christmas Lights Spectacular

Posted on by iHop Hunter Valley

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SPECTACULAR AT HUNTER VALLEY GARDENS
November 08 – January 26, 2020
Gardens open daily 9am – 4pm, lights open 5.30pm – 10pm

TIS THE SEASON TO SPARKLE

Your favourite Christmas lights display is back and boy do we have a great spectacle to show you! The Christmas Lights Spectacular be lighting up the Gardens from November 2, 2018 – January 26, 2019, so be sure to see the Southern Hemisphere’s largest lights display!

Enjoy our live entertainment, Santa’s workshop display, and incredible rides including our Ferris Wheel, Swing Chair, Carousel, Super Slide and Inflatable zones. Our tasty food and beverage stalls will be available throughout the event plus a special fireworks display.*

Why not make a whole weekend out of it by experiencing the Gardens during the day and then seeing the lights at night? Harrigan’s Accommodation is right next door and offers a great deal for tickets and accommodation.

DATE:Friday 8th November – Sunday 26th January
TIME: 5:30 – 10:00pm
COST: Entry fees apply
WHERE: Hunter Valley Gardens
EMAIL: welcome@hvg.com.au
PHONE: 02 4998 4000

More about iHop Hunter Valley

Our tours have been designed to showcase the best the Hunter Valley Region has to offer, from internationally renowned and boutique wineries, micro breweries, casual through to fine dining venues, cheese shops, chocolatiers, and shopping villages. Our tours cover the most popular locations in the Hunter Valley as well as the lesser known hidden gems!

Pig & Pinot Sunday Lunch Buffet

Posted on by iHop Hunter Valley

Join our winemaker, Sarah Fagan, for a tasting flight of premium Pinot Noir followed by a sumptuous Sunday lunch of roast pig, with all the trimmings, served buffet style in our Barrel Room. Finish off with some fine cheese and a glass of our iconic Noble one.

When: Sunday 8th September 
Time: 11:30am – 3:00pm

Cost: $99 per person | $50 per person under 18’s

More information: https://bit.ly/32oUIU5



More about iHop Hunter Valley

Our tours have been designed to showcase the best the Hunter Valley Region has to offer, from internationally renowned and boutique wineries, micro breweries, casual through to fine dining venues, cheese shops, chocolatiers, and shopping villages. Our tours cover the most popular locations in the Hunter Valley as well as the lesser known hidden gems!

Offering a unique range of tours to suit all budget and tastes from our; self-guided Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours, Premium Food and Drink pairing Taste ‘n’ Graze Tour, Behind the Scenes Winery and Tasting Beyond the Vines Half Day Tour, Progressive Tasting and Dinner Twilight & Night Tours, customised Corporate Tours, Package Offers like our ‘Fly-n-Hop’ Tour and more!

When touring with us you will be guided by a proud local that lives and breaths the Hunter Valley way of life and absolutely loves it! We are all passionate wine and produce enthusiasts and love sharing with our guests the very best on offer from the world-famous Hunter Valley wine region.



Cork & Fork, Wine + Butchery Lunch

Posted on by iHop Hunter Valley

This year we celebrate Lamb…

At De Iuliis we do things differently. We’re not bound by tradition. We make great wine. We have a bit of fun with it. We do things for everyone to enjoy. So let’s lunch…

On the back of two preceding years, this third in a series of butchery themed wine events held in the winery at De Iuliis, has just been announced. It’s taken us three years to settle on the name, but here we have it CORK & FORK. Who’d have guessed…

So befitting with our “Made By Mike” mantra, we’re backing up again with a festival style lunch event – Cork & Fork Wine and Butchery Lunch on Saturday 10 August 2019, in the winery at De Iuliis in the Hunter Valley. This year we celebrate Lamb…

Cork & Fork – Lamb-B-Q

This festival-style lunch is certain to attract a wait list. Sure up your spot at this uber fun wine and butchery lunch at De Iuliis Winery, and leave the car behind. Think salumi, sit down feast style lunch, sunshine, live music, endless wine, butchery workshops. Fun. And this year we’re offering to organise you a ride so if you’re living or staying locally, or from Newcastle, don’t forget to book the pick up option.

Where: DE IULIIS WINES
1616 BROKE ROAD,
POKOLBIN NSW 2320

When: Saturday 10th August 
Time: 11:00am – 4:30pm

Cost: $150 per person (kids under 12 just $25)
$199 per person with return transfers from Newcastle
$175 per person with return transfers from Cessnock/Pokolbin

#madebymike #deiuliis #corkandfork #wine #butchery #hungerfordmeatco #binnoriedairy #longlunch #huntervalley

Hunter Valley BEER & BBQ Festival at Hope Estate

Posted on by iHop Hunter Valley

Over two big days we’ll be serving up finger licking good BBQ and over 40 amazing craft beers and ciders to wash it all down.
​
A celebration of all things Beer & BBQ this festival brings together two of Australia’s favourite pastimes, which also happen to be hugely popular trends in the food scene in a stunning rural setting. The event will stage sanctioned rounds of both the Steak Cookoff (Saturday) and Australasian BBQ Alliance Championship (Sunday).

In addition to the BBQ Competitions and Beer Tasting there will be Live Music, Beer Masterclasses, an array of dining options including BBQ Food vendors, a Kids Zone, Consumer Competitions, Wine Tasting, stalls selling all things Beer & BBQ, displays and demonstrations.

Whether you are a serious foodie, aspiring brewer or someone that just loves eating BBQ and drinking beer this weekend will have something for all ages.

When: Saturday 3rd August – Sunday 4th August
Time: 10:00am – 5:00pm

Early bird tickets available from www.hopeestate.com.au

More about iHop Hunter Valley

Our tours have been designed to showcase the best the Hunter Valley Region has to offer, from internationally renowned and boutique wineries, micro breweries, casual through to fine dining venues, cheese shops, chocolatiers, and shopping villages. Our tours cover the most popular locations in the Hunter Valley as well as the lesser known hidden gems!