← Newcastle & the Hunter
Pubs & restaurants with playgrounds in Newcastle
Around Newcastle and the Hunter, Club Maitland City's Scrambles is the biggest indoor option, air-conditioned over several levels, while the Bradford at Rutherford and the Salamander at Port Stephens both have huge outdoor playgrounds. Harrigan's at Cameron Park has a playroom painted by a local artist, beside a function room that looks over the pond.
Each entry below is written from what the venue says on its own website, and the page is linked. Hunter pubs often run their family nights early in the week, so the venue's events page is the one to check.
Newcastle city and inner
PUB · ELERMORE VALE
Hotel Elermore
Hotel Elermore, the renovated former Shaft Tavern, has a huge undercover kids' play area next to its sports lounge and beer garden. The Little Legends kids' menu is $12 with an ice cream cup, the bistro serves lunch and dinner seven days, and tables can be booked online.
Play area Large undercover kids play area beside the dining space.
PUB · NEW LAMBTON
Blackbutt Hotel
The Blackbutt Hotel in New Lambton has a children's play area for families, and a beer garden with sunny, shaded and all-weather covered sections that it describes as family-friendly by day. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and it's been family-owned since 1996.
Play area Children's playground area open while parents dine.
PUB · MINMI
Minmi Hotel
The Minmi Hotel has a kids' playground next to its beer garden, and the bar and bistro serve lunch and dinner seven days.
Play area Kids playground beside the beer garden
From Minmi Hotel ↗
PUB · MARYLAND
Maryland Tavern
The Maryland Tavern's Kids Corner is an indoor playground and jungle gym connected directly to the bistro. Kids' meals for 12 and under come with a soft drink, an ice cream and an activity pack, and there are school holiday activities.
Play area Kids Corner indoor playground and jungle gym connected to the bistro
CLUB · MEREWETHER
Souths Merewether
Souths Merewether has a fully enclosed children's playground, with a video game table and TV, beside its outdoor dining, and the dining room looks over a landscaped garden and lawn.
Play area Fully enclosed children's playground beside outdoor dining
From Souths Merewether ↗
Lake Macquarie
PUB · CAMERON PARK
Harrigan's Cameron Park
Harrigan's at Cameron Park has a kids' play area with new interactive equipment and a mural by local artist Mitch Revs. The Sunroom, with a full glass wall over Milar Pond, sits right beside it and takes kids' parties of up to 40. Kids' meals for 12 and under come with ice cream, and the outdoor tables look over the lake.
Play area Upgraded kids play area with new interactive equipment and local mural.
PUB · MOUNT HUTTON
Lake Macquarie Tavern
Lake Macquarie Tavern at Mount Hutton has an outdoor family seating area with a dedicated kids' play zone. The bistro serves lunch and dinner, there's a free courtesy bus from Thursday to Sunday, and the function room, with its own bar, takes birthdays and christenings.
Play area Dedicated kids play zone in the outdoor family area.
PUB · BELMONT
The Belmont Hotel
The Belmont Hotel on Lake Macquarie has an enclosed, weatherproof kids' play area with plenty of equipment and room to explore, beside a bistro that serves all day on weekends.
Play area Enclosed, weather-proof kids' play area with play equipment
From The Belmont Hotel ↗
PUB · WARNERS BAY
Warners at the Bay
Warners at the Bay has a secure kids' play zone with comfortable seating for parents alongside it. The bistro does breakfast from 7am on weekends and serves all day.
Play area Secure kids' play zone with seating for parents alongside
From Warners at the Bay ↗
PUB · JEWELLS
Jewells Tavern
Jewells Tavern has a huge outdoor playground, a children's menu in the bistro, and outdoor tables under a shade awning.
Play area Huge outdoor playground
CLUB · CHARLESTOWN
Central Leagues Club
Central Leagues Club at Charlestown has a spacious kids' area with a large jumping castle for children up to 11, a free basketball game and colouring in. The area doubles as function space, so it closes for some private events.
Play area Spacious Kids Area with a large jumping castle (up to 11) and free basketball game
Maitland and Lower Hunter
PUB · RUTHERFORD
The Bradford Hotel
The Bradford at Rutherford has a huge playground in its beer garden, a 'wild jungle' to climb, with an undercover deck right next to it that can be booked for kids' parties. The pub will sort invitations, cakes and party bags, adults must supervise in the playground, and under-12s get a free ice block with their meal.
Play area Large jungle-themed kids playground.
🎉 Hosts kids’ parties Their party page ↗
CLUB · RUTHERFORD
Club Maitland City
Scrambles at Club Maitland City is a fully air-conditioned, multi-level indoor playground with zones by age, open from 9am every day, for children up to 150 cm. Socks are required, an adult stays with them, and the Little Legends kids' menu comes with a free drink and ice cream. The Quarry Restaurant serves lunch and dinner seven days.
Play area Scrambles: air-conditioned multi-level indoor playground with age zones, open from 9am
PUB · TENAMBIT
The Regal Inn
The Regal Inn at Tenambit has a playground in a huge backyard with acres of grass to explore, and a bistro serving lunch and dinner seven days; book by phone.
Play area Fully serviced playground in a huge backyard with acres of grass
From The Regal Inn ↗
Port Stephens
PUB · SALAMANDER BAY
Salamander Hotel
The Salamander Hotel at Salamander Bay has a huge kids' playground, and its Kids Bento Box, $15 for 12 and under, comes with chips, veg, fruit, a soft drink and ice cream. The bistro serves lunch and dinner seven days, indoors and out, and there's a kids' party guide for the play area.
Play area Huge outdoor kids playground.
PUB · RAYMOND TERRACE
Lakeside Village Tavern
Lakeside Village Tavern at Raymond Terrace has an indoor jungle playground for climbing, which is also where its kids' parties happen, and it can put you in touch with face painters and balloon artists. The bistro serves lunch and dinner every day.
Play area Indoor jungle playground used for kids' parties
🎉 Hosts kids’ parties Their party page ↗
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Checked on each venue’s own website. Play areas can close for events or bad weather, so check before you go. We are not paid to list them. Run one of these venues? Tell us if anything has changed.