Fancy a long weekend in the Hunter Valley with your furry friend in tow? Here’s our guide to dog-friendly places to eat, play and stay in the wine region.
- 4 min read
Where to drink
Pets are not only welcomed but actively encouraged to join you at many Hunter Valley vineyards. They’ll even get to exchange a wag with the winery dogs that live at many of our favourites. Just remember to keep your dog on a leash, clean up after them and keep them in the designated areas.
Boutique Gundog Estate is pet-friendly, which is only fitting with a name like that. Order yourself a glass of something delicious and a Tail Ale Dog-Friendly Beer for your mate. Made from a special powdered beef marrow broth, it will aid digestion, promote strong bones and give them a shiny coat. The team at Briar Ridge will even serve your dog a refined platter of tasty dog treats to enjoy while you work your way through the wines. They can then refresh themselves at the dedicated hydration station before stretching out beside the firepit for a well-deserved nap.
Briar Ridge Vineyard, Mount View - Credit: Briar Ridge Vineyard
Meet the resident wine dog at Thomas Wines, where pooches are welcome in the tasting room as you sip their signature semillon and shiraz. Stomp! Wines is the perfect perch for an alfresco picnic with pooch. Enjoy a gourmet hamper and a bottle of excellent chardonnay, then throw a ball around on the lawn. Tuscan-inspired Tintilla Estate welcomes dogs too, with lots of outdoor spaces for them to explore – just remember to select the 'pet' option when booking your wine or olive tasting.
Dogs are welcome everywhere inside Pepper Tree Wines, from the sprawling grounds to the cellar door and even the private tasting room. Capercaillie Wines also has an all-access policy for dogs and well-behaved pups are free to have an off-leash romp by the dam. The large lawn, picnic tables and laid-back vibe at Saddler’s Creek Wines makes it a popular spot for tastings with both dogs and kids.
Saddler's Creek Wines, Pokolbin
Hanging Tree Wines is set on 40 acres and has four resident winery dogs – Muscat, Bundy, Kahlua and Sambuca. After a tasting, take a walk around the koi fish pond, play a game of giant chess, challenge the kids with a treasure hunt designed for young minds and admire the French-style rose garden. Five winery dogs call Glandore Estate home and they’re always happy to see other pups. You can try the award-winning tempranillo while they test out a tennis ball. Blueberry Hill has a pack that includes a kelpie, a border collie and a greyhound, so they’re always happy to meet other pups on the lawn. The resident Italian sheepdog maremma at Krinklewood Biodynamic Vineyard welcomes visitors to the cellar door, just don't let him fool you – no matter how cute Polare looks, he isn't allowed to share your cheese platters.
Krinklewood Vineyard, Broke
If your dog prefers a beer, many of the breweries in the Hunter Valley are open to four-pawed guests as well. Stop in for a pint and a pat at IronBark Hill Brewhouse, Hope Estate's brewery and distillery, The Valley Brewhouse or 4 Pines at The Farm.
Grape Getaways offer seven-hour all-inclusive private tours for you and your pooch, which can be curated to include breweries and distilleries as well as cheese and chocolate makers. Hunter Valley Private Wine Tours and Transfers (and their miniature fox terrier Maverick) offer personalised tours with four-legged friends receiving a gift bag complete with treats and a toy along with snacks and water to keep furry ones fed and hydrated throughout the day. Hunter Valley Prestige Wine Tours are another wonderful locally owned operator who can accommodate dogs on group tours.
Gundog Estate Hunter Cellar and Gourmet Pantry, Pokolbin - Credit: Gundog Estate
Where to eat
Pampered pooches are a common sight at many restaurants and cafes across the Hunter Valley, though it’s a good idea to book ahead so you can guarantee a spot in the outside area. You won’t even need to forgo fine dining with a dog in tow. Hatted restaurants Margan and Bistro Molines have outdoor terraces where pets are welcome, as do Yellow Billy and éRemo. Lillino’s is a traditional Italian trattoria with a large grassy area and a resident pooch to greet you.
Bistro Molines, Mount View
For something more casual, The Deck Cafe has lovely seating over the water (and pup cups), Brokenback Bar serves pizzas and snacks all day, and there are always dogs in the sprawling courtyard of Cafe Enzo. Expect your pooch to be seriously spoilt at Lovedale Smokehouse Cafe and Deli, from the dedicated doggy menu featuring puppacinos, paw-faits, and doggy donuts. Dine at the outdoor tables or picnic area.
Cafe Enzo, Pokolbin
Where to play
Both two- and four-legged family members can get in a little exercise during your stay. Near Cessnock, Hall Park offers plenty of green space for off-leash zoomies while Manning Park has an enclosed off-leash area if your dog is an escape artist. Kitchener Dam also sees many pet owners pounding the path, although dogs are required to be on a leash here.
Kitchener Dam, Kitchener - Credit: Cessnock City Council
Where to stay
If your dog enjoys a little luxury, check in to the famed Spicers Guesthouse where pampered pups are welcome in the King Deluxe rooms and the stylish four-bedroom The Cottage. The special Pooch Package includes a cosy dog bed and bowl. Wirral Grange is a boutique vineyard in Lovedale with a homey three-bedroom cottage in the middle of the vines. Dogs are invited to snooze by the wood fire or snoot around the fenced backyard and human guests will be welcomed with complimentary farm-fresh eggs, honey and wine.
Spicers Guesthouse, Hunter Valley - Credit: Nicholas Goodridge
The boutique Tonic Hotel in Lovedale is inspired by the design of a rustic outback shed, making for a chic rural retreat for both human and dog. Estate Tuscany is a little slice of Italy in the Hunter. Looking out over 300 acres of vineyards and the Brokenback Range, it has a variety of pet-friendly options from cosy rooms overlooking the olive grove to a three-bed apartment. Travellers on a budget can check out Wine Country Tourist Park and Ingenia Holidays Hunter Valley, which offer several pet-friendly cabins and powered sites.
Large groups will love Ironstone Estate, which has three standalone houses each sleeping up to 12 guests (plus pets) with private pools or spas, firepits, barbecue areas, rolling lawns and vineyard views. Puddleduck House is a five-bedroom house with a fantastic swimming pool, set on five acres of farmland and welcomes up to two small dogs. Stay within strolling distance of the semillon at Winemakers House at De Iulius, a stylish split-level home that sleeps up to seven. There’s a sunny courtyard for summer and a wood fire for winter, plus a secure dog enclosure. voco™ Kirkton Park Hunter Valley has a handful of pet-friendly rooms with private courtyards that allow service dogs.
voco™ Kirkton Park, Hunter Valley - Credit: voco™ Kirkton Park
