The ultimate long weekend in Newcastle

Morning 

Among Newcastle’s greatest assets is its stunning coastal setting, and this should be your first point of call when arriving in the city – plus, you’ll want to stretch your legs after the drive north. Park at Nobbys Beach and check out the 19th-century beacon that is the Nobbys Lighthouse.  

Then enjoy a six-kilometre stroll along The Bathers Way, which ends at Merewether Beach. It’s a popular route, but thanks to the wideness of the trail, there’s plenty of room for walkers and runners of all speeds to navigate and still enjoy the experience. 

There are excellent views to be had all year round – of the city and harbour from the ANZAC Bridge, with massive coal loaders and cruise ships navigating the port. But things can get pretty spectacular over the cooler months (May through November), when the Pacific becomes the ‘Humpback Highway’ – more than 30,000 whales cruise up and down the east coast during this migration period, often with dolphins in their wake.  

Be sure to wear your swimsuit, because there are plenty of places to cool off en route, including Newcastle Beach (with its epic surf waves), the Art Deco Newcastle Ocean Baths and Bogey Hole, a 200-year-old ocean pool hand-carved by convicts. 

You’ll also pass the Strzelecki Lookout on the Memorial Walk – a cliff top walkway that was constructed here on the 100th anniversary of the ANZAC landing in Gallipoli in 1915. Apart from acting as a memorial to pay homage to those who served during the war, it’s a glorious place to soak up vast North Coast vistas.

Afternoon 

Your reward for the hike isn’t just great scenery, but finishing at Merewether Surfhouse, one of the social drawcards of Newcastle beach life. The striking glass building has dazzling views and houses an Italian restaurant, cafe, pizza kiosk and cocktail bar. Tuck into sardines with fennel and orange, slow-cooked duck or pasta with lamb ragu – and save room for Sicilian pistachio cake. 

While you’re in the neighbourhood, you can also get a taste for craft beer at Modus Merewether, an eco-friendly brewery where 36 taps offer a rotation of the Modus core beers, including their non-alcoholic NORT range and limited-edition sour, lager and dark beers.

Evening 

For a sustainable stay with a side of luxe, check in to the Crystalbrook Kingsley, the first five-star hotel to open in Newcastle. The property sits pretty within Newcastle’s legendary (and historic) Roundhouse building, which means that rooms enjoy a unique shape and perspective of the city. Head to the rooftop for a cocktail with a view at Romberg’s, then pull up a chair at the hotel’s restaurant Roundhouse, where you can feast on spanner crab lasagne, grilled Yamba prawns, pan-roasted free-range duck and miso-glazed pork.  

Still have energy? Coal & Cedar is an award-winning speakeasy with a huge selection of whiskies on offer – you need a code to enter the underground space.