4 day Getaway with Friends

Grab your friends, turn on the ‘out of office’ and head north on the M1 to escape the hustle and bustle of Sydney. The next 4 days will be filled with sparkling beaches, a thriving café culture, captivating street art and hip small bars in Newcastle.

Once you arrive, immerse yourself in otherworldly luxury when you drop your bags at QT Newcastle, your home for the next 4 days.

Get your bearings by joining a walking tour with local expert Becky Kiil from Newcastle Afoot.Offering Eat and Drink History Walking Tours, Newcastle East Tours and an Architecture, Street Art & Hidden Secrets Walking Tour of Newcastle, there’s certainly a tour to suit everyone.

Explore the eclectic streets between the harbour and the sea, find hidden houses, see stunning street art and admire the architectural delights along the way.

Take a break and grab a refreshment – a beer refreshment specifically. Check out The Grain Store and Foghorn Brewery. Both venues ooze character and style and have great food and great craft beer.

Tip: plan your visit to Foghorn Brewery to coincide with a Brewery Tour.

Assuming you’re hungry after all that walking today, head straight to the elevator of your hotel and experience Jana Restaurant and Bar and Rooftop at QT, the on-site dining at QT Newcastle offering delicious local delights atop with fresh views of the harbour and coast.

Newcastle is a scenic place, and seeing it from the water will give you a whole new vantage point to enjoy. Hop on board a morning cruise with CoastXP or Nova Cruises and discover the Newcastle coastline by boat – keep an eye out for marine life life seals and sea birds, and if travelling between June-November, it is of course whale migration season where some 35,000 whales can be seen passing the Hunter Coast.

Spend your afternoon on a self-guided food tour where you’ll discover four restaurants, each chosen for their commitment to producing great food, friendly service and good vibes

Take your morning appetite to Signal Box, housed in a historic working railway signal box that operated until the Newcastle heavy rail line closed in 2014. Today the 1930’s heritage building has a new lease of life with a stylish steel and concrete dining pavilion offering a nod to the site’s industrial past and the most delicious dishes any time of day.

Now you are fuelled with breakfast, it’s time to stretch the legs with a Newy Rides bicycle tour – you’re in for a treat! Join Ben on this relaxed, easy riding tour that starts at Nobbys Beach and winds its way to the ‘burbs stopping off at local makers and creators along the way including distilleries, cafes and more.

This afternoon it’s time to head back to school, gin school that is! The gin blending group class class run by head distillers at Earp Distilling Co. takes you through the history of distilling and allows participants to use their choice of botanicals to create a bespoke gin to bottle and take home.
Alternatively, join a 30 minute guided distillery tour and spend the rest of your time at Earp Distilling catching up with each other over a G&T.

With more artists per capita than any other city, Newcastle trumps any other regional city in Australia with its diverse arts and culture scene. Our pick is the Lock-up (once Newcastle’s Police station, now an award-winning independent arts space) or book into a Boards and Beers session at Mitch Rev’s gallery (iconic local artist making waves in the art scene). Continue on the cultural train and catch an evening show at the Civic Theatre.

Stay in the city centre and hit up the Italians for dinner with Napoli for amazing pizza and across the road Popolo for one or three scoops of gelato. If you’re not ready for bed, visit a few local speakeast favourites for cocktails, Coal & Cedar, Blue Kahunas, Babylon, Jams Karaoke, The Rum Diaries, The Shipp Inn, Saints Gin Bar or Uptowns are sure to get the party started.

But don’t leave Newcastle just yet, we have left the best for last. After breakfast, put on your walking shoes and head for the Bathers Way. A stunning 6km walking trail following the Newcastle coastline from Nobbys Headland to Merewether Ocean Baths. The walk offers a rollercoaster journey of hills and descents, with plenty of opportunities to stop for a break at beach kiosks and cafes along the way or pack a picnic and enjoy a slower pace. Heads up: one of the best spots to take a break is at the Bogey Hole, a magnificent and hidden ocean pool – worthy of a selfie.

If perhaps a big walk isn’t for you, check out the Newcastle Scenic Explorer – a two hour minibus tour of all the top sights in the city.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end and its time to check out of your accommodation and head home. Make sure you come back soon, there is still so much more you could do in Newcastle.