Tips for Planning a Girls Getaway in Wine Country

It’s time for the gals to do Granite Belt Wine Country. Cue the hens weekends, birthdays and overdue catch-ups ladies!

We’ve got all your tips for planning a girls getaway to Stanthorpe and Ballandean…

Sparking Wines and Beanbags

Sinking into bean bags and drinking sparkling wine as you look out over the vineyard. This idyllic setting at Summit Estate goes down a treat for hanging out with friends in a relaxed winery experience.

Want to add on a sunset view over the vineyard… well just time your visit with their Friday and Saturday afternoon Sunset Sessions. These early evening sessions invite you to BYO picnic, or you can pre-order a cheese platter or grazing board to share. Do it your own way, you’re even welcome to bring along a musical instrument, lawn games or whatever makes your group’s visit here more fun.

Tip: Sunset sessions may vary at times of the year or if functions are on, so phone up in advance to confirm if bringing a group.  Find out more about Sunset Sessions.

Do a Group Soap-Making Workshop!

A Washpool soap making workshop is a fun activity to do together and you’ll not only learn a lot together, but you’ll take home your beautiful naturals soaps as a souvenir of a fun day together.

Melissa is the chief soap maker and owner of Washpool Skin Wellness and offers a 9am to 3pm day, fully catered with quality coffee, morning tea and lunch. Class size is limited to 8 participants.

Strawberry Icecream & Strawberry Picking

From October to May it’s strawberry season on the Granite Belt and that means it’s time for strawberry ice creams and strawberry picking!

Ashbern Farms is a commercial strawberry farm that welcomes visitors on farm to pick their own strawberries, plus at the shed cafe grab a coffee or tea and sit out on the terrace overlooking the strawberry fields.

Do a Cooking Class

Book your group in a ‘Cooked From Scratch’ Cooking School class, where Lizzie loves to teach the delicious art of making everything from fermentations to Asian dumplings.

Choose from options including yogurt making and cooking with yoghurt, the poplar Tapas & Paella sessions, learning to make tasty little Asian dumplings or join Lizzie’s Wild Fermentation 101 class, which will see you taking home a fermentation jar of your own kraut to start you on your fermenting journey.

Foodie/Travel expert Eat Drink & Be Kerry recently experienced Cooked From Scratch and wrote this review.

 

Book a Table Under the Trees

Alfresco lunch under the trees is an idyllic spot to gather as a group on weekends at Hidden Creek Cellar Door & Vineyard

Sunset Wood-fired Pizzas in the Vineyard

Balancing Heart Vineyard has amazing spaces to chill out with your group at picnic tables, with views of the vineyard, dam and the valley beyond.  Head here any day of the week to enjoy their lunch menu, or time your visit with their Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening sunset pizza sessions.

Bookings are essential for dinners. Ask about their bus pick up service available to book ex Stanthorpe Saturday nights.

Tea and Truffle Tour with Maple

All year round truffle farmer Maple offers Tea with a Truffle Farmer tours at The Folly Truffles. Tours start with a walk through the truffiere to learn how truffles are grown, then it’s off to the cutest little French-style chalet for a tea or coffee with a little taste of truffles too.  Suitable for small groups of up to 6 people.

‘Best Ever’ Apple Pies at the Longest Table

Ask for the lovely long table to be reserved for your group of ladies at Sutton’s Juice Factory & Cidery.  This is one delicious stop on the itinerary that’s iconically Stanthorpe!  This is Queensland’s apple country and right here on Sutton’s Apple farm the shed cafe makes famously delicious, ‘best ever’ apple pies!

Served with cream and their own special recipe of spiced apple cider ice cream, it’s little wonder these pies have become a Stanthorpe icon!  Here it’s easy to spend a bit of time with the fun of tasting their apple juices and other products at the tasting bar.

A Vine + Dine Lunch Journey

From Friday to Monday lunch is more than a meal at Heritage Estate Wines, where a Vine + Dine Journey begins in the vineyard, continues in the cellar door with Sommelier (wine expert) wine talks and meet the chef experience over a 5 course degustation meal.  Sit at the unique 20-seater historic table, which is a Queensland treasure, having over 100 years ago served as Queensland’s Parliament table in Brisbane!

Do a Cheese Tasting

Stanthorpe Cheese is a fun spot to do a cheese tasting together. When you’ve chosen you favourites you’ll know which ones to buy in a takeaway cooler to enjoy back at your accommodation in the evening with a glass of wine together.

 

A Cottage Full of Chocolate!!!

Does a whole cottage full of chocolate sound enough for your group of ladies?  Taste the handmade chocolates, made onsite at the cutest little cottage, Wisteria Cottage: Heavenly Chocolates, tucked away in the valley near Girraween National Park.

Sit outside as a group in the adorable cottage gardens and enjoy some sinfully decadent European hot chocolates or coffee with your delicious treats.

Book YouR designated driver with a Wine Tour