Get pampered during your holidays in Hunter Valley

The information first appeared here Get pampered during your holidays in Hunter Valley



You
don’t have to wait for a season to visit this premier wine country in
New South Wales. Whether you are looking for a relaxing time to indulge
in some wine tasting, wine tours, fine dining or to be pampered in a day
spa, browse through some spectacular art & craft galleries or
experience some adventure such as a balloon ride over the vineyards,
Hunter offers you thrilling times every day of the year. There are some
great places to stay too. Book into one of the hotels or motels in Cessnock,
or one of the hotels in Pokolbin or stay in one of the Hunter Valley
retreats if planning to spend an extended vacation in this NSW’s premier
wine region.




A relaxing walk in the Hunter Valley Gardens was one of my favourite
experiences. Spread over 60 acres with so many feature gardens
displaying all colours of the rainbow will last in your memories
forever. Hunter Valley Gardens which is open from 9am to 5pm except
Christmas day is a must visit attraction for all those who visit Hunter
Valley.




Lets look at activities, attractions and great ways to spend your
vacation when in Hunter Valley. We have provided you with contact
numbers so that you can make your own arrangements and plan your holiday
activities.


Activities

• Aqua Golf & Putt Putt                                      02 4998 7896
• Balloon Alloft                                                     1300 723 279
• Balloon Safaris                                                   1800 818 191 FREE
• Cloud 9 Balloon Flights                                   1300 555 711
• Golf at Cypress Lakes                                      1800 465 318 FREE
• East Coast Corporate Experiences               0448 866 048
• Bicycle Hire                                                       0418 404 039
• Hunter Valley Cycling                                     0418 281 480
• Hunter Valley Golf                                            02 4991 4777
• Horse Riding Adventures                                02 4930 7111
• Hunter Wine Theatre                                       02 4998 7777
• Majors Lane Cooking School                         02 4930 7832
• Skydive the Hunter Valley                              02 4915 7429
• Team Activity                                                    02 4998 7222
• The Vintage Golf Club                                     02 4998 2208
• Tuscany Wine Estate Cooking School          02 4998 7288
• Wine Country Ballooning                               02 4991 7533
• Wine School Australia                                     0408 444 300

Art & Crafts

• Australian Alpaca Barn                                   02 4998 6669
• Hunter Valley Gallery of Woodwork            02 4990 4994
• Butterflies Gallery                                            02 4998 7724
• Emma’s Cottage Art Gallery                          02 4998 7734
• Marthaville Guildry & Craft Centre              02 4990 2653
• Ogishi Craft Centre                                          02 4998 7979
• Peter Sesselmann Art Studio & Gallery       0408 722 092
• Pokolbin Gallery an Sculpture Garden        1800 055 080 FREE
• The Gate Gallery                                              02 4998 3370
• Wine Glass Gallery                                          02 4998 6888

Spas

• Chateau Elan Spa                                             02 4998 2500
• Hunter Valley Reflections Day Spa              02 4930 9006
• Tea Tree Spa                                                     02 4991 0959
• Thai Nature Massage                                      02 4991 3331
• The Golden Door Elysia                                 02 4993 8500
• Zen Hair Skin Body                                         02 4998 6844

Attractions

• Cessnock Regional Art Gallery                      02 4991 6619
• Gems 4 U                                                           02 4998 6647
• Harrigans Irish Pub                                         1800 800 522 FREE
• Hunter Valley Gardens                                   02 4998 4000
• Hunter Valley Gardens Village                      02 4998 4000
• Hunter Valley Zoo                                            02 4990 7714
• Pokolbin Village                                                02 4998 7670
• Richmond Valley Railway Museum              02 4001 0197
• Sir Edgeworth David Memorial Museum    02 4937 4418
• Tempus Two                                                      02 4998 4000

Opt for one of the hotels or motels in Cessnock or one of the hotels in Pokolbin or stay in one of the Hunter Valley retreats if planning to holiday for a couple of days or more in Hunter region.




You could also book Hunter Valley accommodation online here. Select “NSW” as the state and “Hunter” as the region for your search.




Information here is with the courtesy of “Hunter Valley Visitors Guide 2013”.

Lord Howe Island to enjoy beautiful nature, swim, snorkel, scuba dive and swim

This information first appeared in Lord Howe Island to enjoy beautiful nature, swim, snorkel, scuba dive and swim



The
southern most reef in the world near Lord Howe Island is the home to
500 species of marine life and 90 species of coral. If you love to
snorkel, then the crystal clear water surrounding Lord Howe Island is
second to none. For those who are not so familiar where it is located,
Lord Howe is in the Tasman Sea almost exactly east of Port Macquarie
(circa 1.5hr flight from Port Macquarie). When looking for a place to
stay, look at the Lord Howe Island packages for holiday accommodation including holiday apartments in Lord Howe Island to spend a relaxing night while on holiday.




Lets check out few things to enjoy while on holiday here.

• Snorkel at Neds Beach in Lord Howe Island and you will be fascinated with spectacular marine life and corals.

• Take a ride on a glass bottom boat where you can see some of the marine life below without getting wet.

• Enjoy a day of scuba diving at one of the 60 popular dive sites.

• If you are a more experienced diver, you also have the opportunity to enjoy deep sea diving.

• Surf or body board at “Champagne Surf” at Blinky Beach.

• If you love kayaking, then enjoy a leisurely paddle from Neds Beach to Roach Island. This is also a superb way of enjoying the serenity and beauty surrounding Lord Howe Island.

• Go walking or hiking enjoying the nature and spectacular scenery of this pretty island. One of the popular walks is the walk to Transit Hill where you will get the chance to soak in the breathtaking beauty across the island towards the ocean.

• The 8 hour challenging return climb to the summit of Mt Gower
  is not for the faint hearted. The challenging day hike consists of
  steep drops and rope assisted climbs. Those who are up to the challenge
  are rewarded with some of the rare plants and wild life confined only to
  Lord Howe Island.

• Take advantage of the many vantage points in the island to enjoy bird watching. Lord Howe Island is popular as a premier bird watching destination in Australia.

• Play a round of golf in one of the most scenic golf courses in the world which is in the midst of rainforests, mountains and the ocean.

• Take a bike ride along the 13km scenic track which takes you past golden beaches and through rainforests.

• Whether you are walking or cycling, you will be tempted to stop and have a swim in the crystal clear waters at one of the spectacular beaches in Lord Howe Island.

Lord Howe Island packages for accommodation including holiday apartments in Lord Howe Island can be secured when looking for a place to stay during your vacation.




Online reservations are also possible via this link. Select “New South Wales” as the state and “Lord Howe Island” as the region for your search.

Explore Riverina the food bowl of Australia during your holidays

The information first appeared in Explore Riverina the food bowl of Australia during your holidays



Riverina
is known to be one of the most fertile regions in New South Wales. This
food bowl of Australia is proud to produce variety of rice grains,
citrus and grape wines, where the semillion seems to be the popular
grape variety grown here. Accommodation options are varied. You will be
able to book one of the hotels or motels in Wagga Wagga or motels in Deniliquin to stay while exploring the Riverina region.




Come on holiday on a wine tour and you will get the chance to visit
the De Bortoli, McWilliams Hanwood wineries and several more. This is
also a destination to enjoy chocolate tasting and variety of local
licorice biscuits, cookies etc.




Come over on holiday and this is what awaits you.

• If you arrive during spring, you will enjoy the amazing display of
  yellow fields which comprise of canola crops which stretch for miles on
  end. What a spectacular site!

• Pay a visit to rice and citrus farms.

• Visit the wineries and cellar doors such as De Bortoli, McWilliams and buy your favourite wines to take back home.

• Drop into the chocolate and licorice factories.

• Visit the Temora Aviation Museum. Look at the amazing collection of
  historic aircrafts.  Find out when the monthly flying dates are so that
  you can enjoy a ride.

• Enjoy a bite in one of the cafes, have a picnic and enjoy the
  gardens in the area. One such place where tourists and travellers stop
  by and enjoy a relaxing break is the “Gundagai’s Dog on the Tucker Box”.

• Take a drive from Deniliquin to Hay along the Long Paddock Drive enjoying the colonial heritage of this region along the way.

• The region is famous for its Merino sheep industry. Stop over at The
  Peppin Heritage Centre in Deniliquin to learn about the evolution of
  sheep industry in the area.

• Even if you have never been fascinated with art glass, a visit to
  the The National Art Glass Gallery in Wagga Wagga will amaze you. There
  is a fascinating collection of pretty contemporary art glass including
  stained glass, engraved glass art, sand- blown and hot – blown glass of
  various types.

• Take time to explore the Murrumbidgee Valley National Park known to
  be the largest coverage of river red gum forests in the world. You can
  explore the park during a leisurely bush walk or on a biking tour.
  Kayaking the waterways is yet another superb way of exploring this
  national park.

Stay and explore the Riverina region by booking one of the motels in Wagga Wagga or motels in Deniliquin.




You will also be able to secure an online reservation via this link. Remember to select “NSW” as the state and region “Riverina” when searching for accommodation.

Fabulous food and wine experiences in Central NSW

The post first appeared in Fabulous food and wine experiences in Central NSW



Holidays
in Central NSW will offer you the chance to indulge in some of the best
food and wine experiences. Cellar doors, farms, restaurants, cafes,
weekly food markets offer you mouth watering local produce including
cheeses, freshly baked breads, olive oils, wine and more for a truly
divine experience. There are many popular townships in the area which
you must explore.  You may want to book into one of the motels in Dubbo, motels in Bathurst or one of the motels in Orange when touring this area.


Here are the places to explore, visit and things to see in Central New South Wales.

• Check out the cellar doors and wineries in Mudgee famous for
  producing the best chardonnays in Australia as well as some of the best
  full bodied wines. Mudgee with its Mediterranean equivalent climate is
  the home of circa 36 cellar doors and 12 wineries. Come over and enjoy
  not only quality wine but delicious food, cheeses, olives and nuts
  produced locally.

• Visit Orange, Bathurst, Wellington, Cabonne and Blayney where you
  can enjoy the shiraz, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc produced from the
  cool climate grapes produced in this region.

• Visit towns such as Condobolin, Gulgong, Grenfell, Forbes, Sofala famous during the historic gold rush era.

• Check out the museum under the bridge in Coonamble.

• Explore the aviation museum in Narromine.

• Visit the regional art galleries in Bathurst, Cowra, Glenfell,
  Orange and Coonamble as well as historic towns such as Hill End and
  Gulargambone.

• Head further north to visit the ever so popular township of Dubbo.
  When you are here a visit to the Western Plains Zoo is a must. This open
  range zoo is the home to more than 700 species of animals from around
  the world where you can spend an enjoyable day or a couple of days
  either seeing the animals by foot, on a bicycle or driving around in a car.

• Visit the Dubbo Gaol functional between 1859 and 1966 where  you
  will get a glimpse of the harsh punishment given to even petty thieves
  in those by gone dark era.

• Whether you love astronomy or not, a visit to the observatory and
  satellite centre in Parkes will be a memorable experience. This is one
  of the centres which relayed live satellite pictures when Neil Armstrong
  landed on the moon.

This region is vast and intriguing. You need to plan your holiday to
stay a few days in the region and explore.  Motels in Dubbo, Bathurst,
Orange or motels in Mudgee
 as well as short term rentals in other smaller townships are available
for you to break journey when travelling in this region.


Online bookings are also possible by clicking this link.
Remember to select New South Wales as the state and “ Central New South
Wales “ as the region when you are searching for holiday accommodation
via this link.

Beautiful South Coast of NSW awaits to be explored

Information first appeared in Beautiful South Coast of NSW awaits to be explored



Have
you been on holiday to the south coast of New South Wales?  The coastal
stretch expands to hundreds of kilometers and the lush country is
blessed with such spectacular beaches, bays, lakes and national parks
where you can just relax while on holiday or maybe look for some
sporting activities like surfing, diving, fishing, kayaking or lengthy
bushwalks. What ever you fancy, its all taken care of when you are
holidaying here. To top it up great shopping and classy cafes,
restaurants and takeaway seafood outlets are all there for you to
experience a wonderful and memorable vacation. Places to stay are plenty
too. Right along the south coast from Wollongong to Kiama, Berry,
Nowra, Callala Bay, Culburra Beach, Hyams, Huskisson, Vincentia in
Jervis Bay and then accommodation in Mollymook Beach
in the Shoalhaven as well as Batemans Bay and further south are blessed
with resort townships offering plenty of affordable south coast
accommodation for your holiday.




Many who love to explore and enjoy the south coast opt to take the scenic Grand Pacific Coastal Drive
from Royal National Park south of Sydney up to Nowra. This drive in
sections sweeps right out to the sea and will take you past pretty
villages, beautiful beaches and scenic lookouts.  Do stop over and enjoy
the beauty when you are at a lookout point or driving through a quaint
coastal township.


Are you the adventurous type? If you are then try hang gliding at Bald Hill near Helensburgh and skydive in Wollongong.




Have you ever thought of learning to surf (that is if you are not one now)? Well you can learn to surf at the surf beach called “The Farm” at the Killalea State Park close to Shell Cove and Shell Harbour. This is a national surfing reserve with vast hectares of fabulous surf beaches.




There are thrills for the nature lovers too. Take a walk in Ben Boyd National Park where you will be fascinated with the pretty beaches, the spectacular rock formations along some of the rugged coastline.


Your exploration of the south coast is not complete without some time spent in pretty Kiama. You must visit the popular “Kiama Blow Hole” and if time permits take the Kiama Coast walk to admire the rugged coastal terrain.  Kiama also offers great beaches for surfing enthusiasts.


Wine enthusiasts should note that Shoalhaven region is the premier wine region of the south coast. There are circa 20 vineyards and 11 cellar doors
in the shoalhaven region and some world class restaurants when you are
looking for a place to wine and dine. Some known dining spots are Silos Restaurant, Coolangatta Estate and Cupitt’s Winery in Ulladulla where you can dine in the winery.




The Shoalhaven is blessed with beautiful coastal suburbs such as
Milton, Narrawallee, Mollymook, Ulladulla, Kings Point, Tabouries Lake,
Burill Lake and many more for you to explore. You could stay in one of
the apartments or a holiday house in Mollymook where you have the luxury of not only enjoying the pretty beaches but you also have access to two of the best golf courses the country has to offer. Well if you love fine dining, Rick Stein’s Bannisters has also found Mollymook as its home.




If you have made the journey from Sydney along the coast to the
south, you could make the return journey to Sydney via the inland route
exploring the scenic hinterland in Jamberoo and Kangaroo Valley as well as some of the pretty suburbs in the southern Highlands such as Bowral, Bundanoon, Mittagong and Moss Vale.




The beautiful south coast eagerly awaits to be explored by you.

Leisurely fun including culture and heritage in Central Coast

This information first appeared in Leisurely fun including culture and heritage in Central Coast



Did you read our previous blog post
on things to do and attractions in Central Coast? Well, that is not
all. There are lots more fun activities, attractions, culture and
heritage you can explore while holidaying here. Accommodation options
are plenty such as holiday houses in Terrigal
and caravan parks in central coast including caravan parks in Avoca
Beach available to stay for a few days when planning your holiday. Let
us check out what is there to explore straight away.

• Wharf in Patonga
  – What a beautiful spot to just sit by and enjoy the spectacular
  waterfront. There are fish and chips shops nearby when you feel like
  having a bite.
• Rock pool in Pearl Beach – Take a dip at the rock pool at the southern end of Pearl Beach. This is a natural rock pool filled with sea water.
• Take a Ferry – What better way to enjoy the waterways than taking a ferry along the Brisbane Waters.
• Somersby Falls – Do you like nature? Head to Somersby Falls to be greeted with soothing sounds of the cascading water fall.
• Head to the Skillion in Terrigal – This is where you can enjoy 180 degree views towards Forresters Beach and MacMasters Beach.
• Crackneck Point Lookout in Bateau Bay – This is a
  popular spot for whale watching during the migration season. It is a
  superb spot to enjoy a picnic with family and friends too.
• Come to The Entrance – Bring the young ones to witness pelican feeding at 3.30pm every afternoon at the Memorial Park.  If you come over on the 1^st or 3^rd Saturday of the month, Memorial Park markets are just the place where you can purchase some fresh local produce.
• Wyong Milk Factory – Taste the beautifully handmade chocolates at the Luka Chocolate factory.
• Gosford Regional Art Gallery – Enjoy some of the wonderful creations.
• Tour of the Distillery – Take a tour of the distillery in Erina where you can taste award winning liqueurs and spirits.
• Tour the Six String Brewing Company in Erina – Take a tour of the brewery and taste some of the special beer brewed on site.
• Ken Duncan Gallery – Admire Ken Duncan’s inspirational photography at this art gallery.
• Come to Laycock Street Theatre – See one of the entertaining performances at this community theatre.
• Fruit Wines at Firescreek in Holgate – Try out dessert wines where there is a mixture of fruit, herb and flower wines.
• Jacqui’s Art Gallery and Studio at Buff point – Enjoy the paintings, porcelain and jewellery work from various artists exhibited in the studio.
• Norah Head Lighthouse – Learn about the maritime history of the region while on a guided tour of this historic lighthouse in Norah Head.

The coastal fringe of the central coast is blessed with many places to stay. Holiday houses in Terrigal or one of the resorts in Central Coast will be superb for you to stay and explore this paradise in NSW.

Central Coast holidays in Avoca, Terrigal, Gosford, Copacabana and more

The information first appeared in Central Coast holidays in Avoca, Terrigal, Gosford, Copacabana and more

Just
40 minutes drive north of Sydney brings you to the region known as the
Central Coast of New South Wales blessed with pretty coastal suburbs
offering a relaxed beach lifestyle.  The suburbs such as Gosford and
Wyong though known to be urban offer a spectacular coastal outlook
especially along the waters edge. Suburbs such as Terrigal, Avoca,
Copacabana, Killcare and MacMasters Beach are popular holiday suburbs
which offer a vibrant café lifestyle in addition to the spectacular
beaches. Then you get The Entrance area which is a hub of activity and
entertainment for the whole family. Many visitors including the Sydney
residents flock to the area on a sunny weekend for a fun filled day
outing. The beaches are not the only attraction in central coast. The
wilderness and the national parks in the hinterland area are a paradise
for lovers of nature.  Come over and stay in one of the hotels in Avoca beach,
or in one of the holiday houses in Terrigal or may be a caravan park in
the central coast when planning your next holiday break. You will enjoy
all the activities we have offered you below.

• Aquafun at Avoca Lake – Enjoy some water sporting activities either on a kayak or pedal boat in the lake.
• Ettalong Beach – Hire a boat from one of the
  boatsheds and explore the waterways at leisure. This will be such a
  lovely day out with family and friends.
• Australian Reptile Park – Spend the day in the park
  seeing the reptiles, kangaroos, koalas, Tasmanian Devils including
  exciting shows held throughout the day.
• Segway – If you are over 9 years of age enjoy Mt Penang parkways on a segway.
• Mini Golf – Come to Mingara to have fun at the 18 hole mini golf park. This will be family fun for all ages.
• Learn how to surf – This will be your ideal chance
  to learn surfing. Drop into the tourist information centre to get
  details of surfing schools and instructors so that you can book a few
  lessons while on holiday.
• Catamaran and Boat Hire – Head to Long Jetty where you can hire catamarans, pedal boats, kayaks and tinnies for some exciting aqua fun.
• Walkabout Wild Life Park at Calga – Mingle among Aussie wild life, visit ancient aboriginal sites and learn about native bush medicines and of bush tucker.
• Glenworth Valley Adventures – Plan to spend a day
  at the outdoor adventure centre and enjoy abseiling, quad biking,
  kayaking and horse riding in this vast acreage.
• Mt. Pennang Gardens – See the amazing number of Australian plant species and enjoy the Wondabyne Stone sculptures in the gardens.
•  Bouddi Coastal Walk – Enjoy this scenic walk in Bouddi National Park offering spectacular views and super picnic spots along the way.
• Reef and Game Fishing – You can venture on all day
  game fishing expedition or a morning reef fishing expedition. The
  tourist information centre will provide you details where to go.
• Mountain Biking at Ourimbah State Forest – Popular pass time and it is enjoyable.
• Tree Top Adventure Park – If you need some adventure and excitement the time spent at the adventure park will be no doubt exciting.
• Dive around the Ex–HMAS Adelaide – If you enjoy diving, this artificial reef just minutes from the coast is just the adventure for you.
• Tandem flight or a Heli ride – Fly around in a fully open aircraft or a helicopter to soak in the amazing beauty of central coast from above.

You
may have already gathered that central coast of NSW has so much to
offer and aplenty of things to see. For those who like adventure the
things on offer are some of the best you can experience while on
holiday. So why not plan to stay here for couple of day or more by
booking one of the caravan parks in Avoca Beach or a holiday accommodation in Terrigal for your vacation?

Explore Mornington, Queenscliff, Frankston in the peninsula during your next holidays

The information first appeared in Explore Mornington, Queenscliff, Frankston in the peninsula during your next holidays



Mornington
Peninsula just a short distance from Melbourne is a place where you can
enjoy many things while on vacation. The seaside villages in the
peninsula are ever so popular among tourists. You will be able to find a
bed and breakfast in Mornington Peninsula,  hotels in Queenscliff or one of the motels in Frankston as the base for you to explore this fascinating destination.




This is what you can get up to during your holidays here.

• Visit some of the hinterland wineries to taste and collect some award winning wines to take back with you.
• Enjoy the various galleries in the area which exhibit work of art
  from local and international artists, shopping, botanic gardens,
  sporting activities in Frankston.
• Visit the popular Wednesday markets in Frankston main street.
• Visit the Mornington’s historic buildings dating back as far as the 1850s.
• Taste the mouth watering delicacies at one of the classy restaurants or cafes.
• Take a tour to see dolphins and fur seals.
• Go walking or cycling in one of the many tracks in the national parks.
• Play a round of golf in one of the scenic golf courses.
• Swim, kayak or paddle board while you are staying close to the beach in one of the coastal villages.
• Take the heritage railway from Mornington to Moorooduc which operates on the first  three Sundays of the month.
• Visit the Mills Beach the home of delightfully colourful bathing boxes.
• Spend some time in the seaside resort town Dromana and check out the spectacular views from Arthurs Seat.
• Take a trip to Red Hill and visit the top notch wineries where you will also able to taste wine, dine in boutique restaurants.
• Swim with seals and dolphins while you are in Sorrento.
• Take a ferry from Sorrento to Queenscliff or to Bellarine Peninsula. The passenger and car ferry usually departs hourly.

Plan your accommodation ahead by booking one of the bed and breakfast
or resorts in Mornington Peninsula or hotels in Queenscliff or a inn or
motels in Frankston or Dromana before heading over.


Online bookings are also possible via this link.