Top 5 Ways to Explore Newcastle, NSW

Top 5 Ways to Explore Newcastle, NSW

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Posted 2022-05-20 by Sue Wfollow
Newcastle is an interesting city located over New South Wales/Newcastle, New South Wales/data=!4m8!4m7!1m2!1m1!1s0x6b129838f39a743f:0x3017d681632a850!1m2!1m1!1s0x6b733e1371c702e5:0x4017d681632a8a0!3e0?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiR2MyZ_un3AhWZRmwGHXLrAaoQ-A96BAgCEA0 2 hours north of Sydney , with many fascinating places to explore. As it is Australia's second-oldest city, it has a wide range of historical areas, including buildings with Victorian and Art Deco architecture along the streets in the city centre. The city has history, but it also has brand new areas (such as the Honeysuckle Precinct on the waterfront) and stunning beaches, just minutes from the city centre.

If you are visiting the area and would like to know more about the history of Newcastle as you are walking around, why not stop in at the Newcastle Museum for a quick history lesson, or join a walking tour with Newcastle Afoot . Another good way to explore Newcastle and find out where to go, is to chat to a local. We have discovered amazing cocktail bars , lookouts , entertainment venues , playgrounds and breakfast cafes , from local recommendations. Why don't you explore Newcastle this weekend? Who knows what you will discover!



1/ Walk

Newcastle is an ideal city to explore by foot, so put on your walking shoes and start exploring! Newcastle East is my favourite place to look around, as you can walk along and admire the historical buildings - many of them built in the late 1800s/early 1900s. Most of the facades of the buildings are heritage-listed, so you may walk along and see construction works with the facades getting restored, while the rest of the building is knocked down and re-built. The city is changing, with Newcastle Council making upgrades to each area and revitalising the city centre. Take a walk down to Newcastle Beach, walk around to the Art Deco Newcastle Ocean Baths and continue along the Bathers Way coastal walk, for a walk with a view.



2/ Light Rail

There is a light rail system which runs parallel along the Hunter River between the Newcastle Interchange and Newcastle Beach. You need to purchase an Opal card from a retailer and then you tap your card onto the reader at the station, at the start and end of your trip. If you have kids , they love the novelty of being on the bright red tram and stopping at the stations. There are convenient stops located right outside the Newcastle Museum/ Civic Theatre and Queen's Wharf, to save your feet if you are feeling weary!



3/ Stockton Ferry

There is a ferry that travels across the Hunter River from Queen's Wharf in the city to Stockton , which uses the Opal card for payment. The good part of this service is that you don't have to wait very long for the ferry to come - it is just a 5 minute trip from one side to the other. When you get to Stockton, take a walk along the river and learn about the shipwreck history, let the kids loose in the playground , have lunch in a cafe and walk along Stockton Beach. From the beach, you can admire the Stockton Sand Dunes in the distance, which are the largest moving sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere! The ferry is used by commuters for work, as well as hundreds of families on the weekend. See here for the timetable.

4/ Bike Hire

Another fun way to explore the city is by pedal power. The Honeysuckle Precinct is a good place to start, as the river path is flat and suitable for all abilities. Hire your bike from the SwipeNRide stand near Rydges Hotel for $11 an hour and pedal your way along the river, all the way to Nobby's Breakwall and along the coastline. You can also hop on the ferry and explore the bike paths on the Stockton side as well!



5/ River Cruises

There are boats that explore the river, as well as travel out into the ocean to go whale watching, between May and November. Nova Cruises leave from the Honeysuckle Precinct and offer a range of cruises such as Newcastle River Lunch Cruises, Historic Morpeth Cruises, Hunter River Discovery Cruises and Whale Watching Cruises. The Hunter River is a busy shipping destination, with the Port of Newcastle a major gateway for Australian imports and exports. If you love all things maritime, then you will enjoy exploring Newcastle by boat and seeing the shipping containers and tugboats, move in and out of the Port.

If you have found a different way to explore Newcastle, feel free to add to this article by making a comment below. The city is changing so much, that there are new bars, cafes, walks, lookouts, hotels, playgrounds, tour options and ways to experience Newcastle, getting created every day. Who knows what you will discover around the next corner?



* For more articles on things to do and places to explore in Newcastle, see the article for Top 5 Things To Do in Newcastle , A-Z Guide of Things To Do in Newcastle , Best Lookouts Around Newcastle and Top 5 Things to do at Blackbutt Nature Reserve.

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%wnnewcastle
156861 - 2023-06-14 13:03:20

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