The Hunter Valley perfect for a Gourmet Getaway...and the kids!

Every year we get a group of about 7 families to head up to the Hunter to see the magnificent Hunter Valley Gardens Christmas Light Spectacular.

The Hunter is famous for romance, wineries and great restaurants, but with planning, it is also a kids paradise, and you still get to go wine tasting!

We book the Sunday Night at Crowne Plaza Lovedale as it allows just one night accommodation and only one day's leave, and the villas are perfect for families and large groups.

The Crowne offers hotel room accommodation, but if you are a family of 4 or more, the villas are the way to go. They have both two bedroom and three bedroom villas. The living room is spacious and there are two bathrooms (more in the larger villa). The kitchen is well equipped with stove top and microwave if you are staying awhile and want to eat in your room from time to time. The two bedroom villa also has three TV's - only those of you with large age gaps between children will understand what a bonus that is! With so much to do in the Hunter and the resort, you could quite happily stay a week in comfort.

Our villa was upstairs and had a lovely view from the deckchair on the balcony, a real country feel.

The big draw, however, is all the offerings of the resort - tennis, bike hire, golf, table tennis, kids club and of course, the pool. The pool is spacious, plenty of deck chairs, a spa and toddler pool, with pool bar service to boot.
There are also games - giant chess and checkers and planned activities, like bocce or volleyball.

They also have rooms for movies, Wii, Playstation and X-box. Four small rooms with lounges and beanbags that can be booked for a period for sole use. I'm ashamed to admit the kids adore it!

For those with opportunity to luxuriate, there is a day spa but alas I did not get the chance to review it with my brood in tow. I had to take my relaxation late afternoon, lazing by the pool while the kids cooled down.

There are a number of dining options in the resort, but for our group we make use of the BBQ hire and all descend on one of the gang's three bedroom villa, which opens out onto an expanse of grass. The kids happily play cricket while dinner is organised.

We then all head over to the Hunter Valley Gardens as the sun begins to set.

The gates open at 6.30, and there is a Christmas concert and food stalls to fill in the time and get you in the festive mood. Then at 7.30, the lights come on and you can set off round the gardens. If you have never been, it's worth getting a daytime/night time combined ticket, as the gardens are beautiful in their own right, and the kids love the Storybook garden, where the folk of Nursery Rhymes adorn the scenery.
At night, however, all this is eclipsed by the sparkling festivities. Fairies, Angels, Snowmen and of course, the man in red are created by over a million twinkling lights.

You can merrily stroll around the gardens listening to the music, sit for the story of Mary and Joseph, or partake in the fairground attractions. There will be something to delight and entertain everyone in your party, as the magic is infectious.






The Hunter has a myriad of restaurants, and different cuisines to suit all palates. For our large group, there is no better spot of lunch than Oishii at Tempus Two Winery. It offers both Thai and Japanese food (kid-pleasers) of a high standard and if you get an outdoor table, the kids can roam the grassy expanse while you linger over a bottle of wine (adult pleaser).

Should you choose to dine indoors elsewhere or spend the afternoon wine tasting, remember a bribe never goes astray - and the Hunter Barn is the place to dangle as the carrot.
The Hunter Barn is a coffee and lolly shop, which is enough in itself, but in fact, it offers so much more.

They boast the world's largest lolly kangaroo, waiting for the awarding of the Guiness World Record. There is a giant gum ball machine and outside, there is a tank and a seaplane for the exploring. You can linger over a coffee or a game of giant chess while the kids browse the lolly displays - amazing how long it can take to decide when told they can choose only one thing!

There is definitely a lot to do in the Hunter, and a lot of it is adult focused, but the trick is to tell the kids the trip is for them - hard sell the xmas lights, lolly shop and resort offerings, and they won't even notice they're spending as much time in vineyards wine-tasting  or restaurants offering sensational adult fare.

My kids have always loved the Hunter, as they think it's a visit to the countryside, and love to roam around the farms, grape farms that is!. They love exploring the magnificent gardens, and Sculpture in the Vines is a favourite for everyone.

All holidays should have something to please everyone, and the Hunter is has it all, no matter what your interests and what age you are. A kid-friendly holiday shouldn't mean the adults have to miss out!

Practicalities:
Crowne Plaza Lovedale: http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/crowneplaza/hotels/us/en/lovedale/ntlhv/hoteldetail
Hunter Valley Gardens: http://www.huntervalleygardens.com.au/
Hunter Barn: http://www.thehunterbarn.com.au/
Oishii: http://www.oishii.com.au/

Overnight in the Hunter Valley & Newcastle http://holidazeandhellidaze.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/a-little-escape-with-broad-appeal-fun.html

See also Hunter Valley Gardens Christmas Lights, Hunter Barn and Constable Estate Vineyard


Linking with #MCoW  #WednesdayAroundtheWorld as the countdown in son for us - COVID permitting. Our Snowtime visit got cancelled with lockdwon so fingers crossed!

Note also, the Hunter Barn has since been replaced with a different business, but still chocolates, I think.