Things to do in Orange, NSW – exclusive guide

The best things to do in Orange, NSW, are food and wine tours. Other Orange attractions include the Corner Store Boutique Gallery, Orange Botanic Gardens and Mount Canobolas.

Orange, NSW, is a town that thrives on its food and drink. On the Mitchell Highway in the Central Tablelands, Orange has become a popular weekend break destination from Sydney in recent years.

Indulgence may be the name of the game here, but there are a few things to do in Orange, NSW, that don’t involve filling your face.

Things to do in Orange, NSW: Galleries and Museums

Cultural attractions in Orange include the Corner Store Boutique Gallery, which pulls together artists from several mediums. The Orange Regional Gallery is more traditional, but is still worth a browse.

The Orange Regional Museum, meanwhile, does the obligatory local history thing.

Orange Heritage Trail

If it’s heritage you’re after, however, the Orange Heritage Trail links together several of the town’s handsome old buildings. You can pick up the leaflet in the Visitor Information Centre, and the walk takes about 90 minutes.

Five memorable experiences to book in Orange

Private wine-tasting tour – on board a rather cool-looking trike.
Sparkling wine masterclass – with vineyard tour and three course lunch.
Helicopter tour to a top winery – with wine-tasting.
Private picnic in the vineyard – with wine included.
Half day foodie tours – taste the best the region has to offer.

Things to do in Orange, NSW: Outdoor attractions

Another key strength of Orange is that it gets four distinct seasons. This makes for beautiful flower displays in spring and colourful falling leaves in autumn. The best places in town to enjoy this riot of colour are Cook Park and the Orange Botanic Gardens.

However, there are several natural spaces nearby that also show off the seasons while providing enjoyable walking trails. Top picks include the Pinnacle Reserve and ancient volcano Mount Canobolas.

What to do in Orange: Wine and food tours

This is all very pleasant, but the best things to do in Orange revolve around food and drink. There are around 60 vineyards in the vicinity of Orange. Those providing an excellent visitor experience include Swinging Bridge, Philip Shaw, Printhie Wines and Borodell Vineyard.

You might as well make a day of it, though, visiting several wineries on a wine tour. Vine Ventures and Orange Wine Tours are among the companies offering guided wine-tasting adventures.

Country Food Trails also visits wineries, but puts more of an emphasis on food. Its tours visit farms and producers, with specialised options including a delve into the local saffron-growing industry.

Aboriginal tours in Orange, NSW

For food with an Aboriginal twist, try Indigenous Cultural Tours’ bush tucker experiences. These involve tasting foods traditionally used by the local Wiradjuri people, and the cultural tours share Wiradjuri history and beliefs.

Where to stay in Orange

The top Orange accommodation choices are:

For style and cool factor: Byng Street Boutique Hotel.
For a solid motel with (usually) cheap rates and free parking: Ophir Hotel.
For a glorious three bedroom cottage in a vineyard: Borrodell Vineyard.
For quality, business traveller-friendly apartments: Quest Orange.
For studios with spa baths: De Russie Boutique Hotel.

More New South Wales town and city guides