Newcastle packs a good range of sights into a compact area. The harbour foreshore, the headland fortifications, the regional art gallery, and Blackbutt Reserve are all worth your time, and most of them are free. The East End along Hunter Street has the best concentration of galleries and cultural venues. For something further afield, the Stockton Bight sand dunes across the harbour and the Hunter Valley wine country to the west both make excellent half-day or full-day excursions.