We didn’t know what to expect when visiting South Australia for the first time. We heard the landscapes and wildlife are amazing but that is definitely an understatement. South Australia is a state of vast contrasts, untouched beaches, stunning National Parks and animals that will make your heart pump. There are 11 distinct regions to explore, embracing everything from rugged coasts to sandy beaches, wine country, the mighty Murray River and the raw outback. This guide contains all the best places to visit in South Australia, best things to do and where we stayed on our road trip.
It is know wonder why South Australia seems to be growing increasingly popular as a travel destination. This must have something to do with not only the incredible scenery but also the good living, fresh quality food, award winning wines, vibrant art festivals and the multicultural lifestyle.
Best way to get around South Australia
There is no better way to explore South Australia than in a motorhome. For this trip we wanted to have the freedom and flexibility to explore on our own time line. We decided to hire a Euro Tourer through Apollo Motorhomes.
The Euro Tourer came with everything we needed to be our home on wheels in South Australia. Inside was comfortable to move around in with cupboard space for our equipment and clothes. The 2 front seats could turn around to face the dining table and seats. The kitchen came with a microwave, 3 burner cooker, a kettle, cutlery, plates, bowls and cooking equipment. The non fixed dining style bed bed was at the back of the van. We really liked this style of bed which was easy to dissemble back into the lounge area. The toilet and shower made it easy for us to freedom camp wherever we needed. However most campsites in South Australia have drop toilets.
Click here to book your camper van with Apollo and start your own adventure.
Best places to visit in South Australia
Adelaide City
Do your self a favour and be sure to spend a few days exploring Adelaide city. I hope it surprises you as much as it did us. The city boasts atmosphere, trendy cafes, stylish wine bars and great street art. We recommend doing a city tour with Flamboyance Tours, Katina runs the local tour company. The tour is fun, quirky and is a great way to explore Adelaide by foot.
For California beach vibes head to Glenelg for golden hour. Walk along the jetty and take a ride on the Ferris wheel. In the afternoon order cocktail at one of the bars on the beach and enjoy soaking up the lively atmosphere.
Adelaide Hills
A drive through the Adelaide Hills beautiful scenery and vineyards has to be one of my favourite scenic drives. It offers plenty of outdoor adventures, Botanic Gardens, fruit farms, wineries, farmers markets, Wildlife Parks and magical experiences. This is what make Adelaide Hills a favourite choice for every one.
Visit Hahndorlf one of Australia’s oldest German settlements and be transported back in time. The old fashioned oozes Bavarian charm, stroll the tree lined Main Street and visit shops, cafes, ice creameries, craft brewery, winery cellar doors, a chocolatier, artisan shops, galleries German pubs and cafes.
For sunset drive up to the top of Mount Barker for spectacular views. There is parking right up the top making the walk an easy few minutes.
Stay: Mount Barker Caravan Park Powered site $35
Barossa Valley
Welcome to Australia’s award wining wine capital- the Barossa Valley. The area is a renowned wine-producing region northeast of Adelaide in South Australia with over 150 wineries and 80 cellar doors.
You can explore Barossa by bicycle, motorbike, vintage car, hot air balloon or helicopter. Wine and dine your way around some of Australia’s finest restaurants. A world of gastronomic delight awaits in this picturesque cluster of villages, rolling hills, stone churches and vineyards.
Enjoy a drink at Seppeltsfield – Barossa Valley’s most historic winery. you drive into Seppeltsfield you will cross through the Avenue of Palms, a 5km trail of palm trees. Dine in at the Award-winning restaurant FINO the food will enhance your taste buds and delightfully compliment Seppeltsfield’s best wines.
Erye Peninsular
The Eyre Peninsula has a spectacular, sprawling coastline with succulent seafood, an abundance of wildlife and is blessed with natural beauty. If you love crystal clear water you’ll need days to explore the region’s pristine beaches.
Check out Lake MacDonnell with its super-high salt concentration resulting in some seriously intense colours.
Get your heart racing an adventurous great white shark cage diving expedition with Calypso Star Charters. The charter takes you to The Neptune Island off Port Lincoln which is the only place in Australia where you can come face to face with great whites in their natural habitat.
Unfortunately we only had 2 nights in the Eyre Peninsular, we would have loved to stay longer because there is so much to see and do there.
Stay: Port Lincoln Tourist Park Powered site from $35
Fleurieu Peninsular – The best place to visit in South Australia
The Fleurieu Peninsular is the ultimate coastal haven for all a food, wine and picturesque views. Enjoy award winning wines, swim in some of Australia’s best beaches and watch the sunsets over looking the ocean from a cave. This region would have to be number one on the best places to visit in South Australia.
Watch the sunset from the man made caves at Port Willunga. Enjoy the beautiful scenic drive down to Second Valley, which is rated as one of Australia’s top 10 beaches. Not only was the water crystal clear and turquoise blue, there’s also a windy path that leads around the jetty and rocks It makes for a really cool walk. The best about visiting Second Valley is the incredible views you get as you walk up the rolling hill. Be sure to take a rug, bottle of wine and head up for sunset.
Rapid Bay was another favourite on the Fleurieu Peninsular. The Bay is nestled between two long sandy beaches and cliffs. It’s known for its very long jetty, historical monuments and unique rock caves. Here was our favourite camp site which is located right on the beach. Rapid Bay campground has a large grass area with a bbq and flushing toilets.
Camp sites: Port Willunga Tourist Park Powered site $42, Second Valley Caravan Park powered site $50, Rapid Bay Camping unpowered sites $25
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Yorke Peninsular
The Yorke Peninsular offers breathtaking scenery, secluded beaches, picturesque townships, spectacular National Parks, cultural heritage and tones of outdoor adventure. It’s home to 700 kilometres of picture perfect coastline and is located only a short 90 minute drive from Adelaide making it one of South Australias most accessible and serene holiday destinations.
The Yorke Peninsula is brimming with beautiful beaches, but if you’re seeking sandy solitude then Hardwicke Bay is the answer. Find sheltered rock pools at Berry Bay, learn about Moonta’s rich history that has earned the town national heritage status and uncover its famous past on one of the Moonta Mines Walking Trails or inside the Moonta Mines Museum. Take a walk along the unique long, L-shaped jetty.
Innes National Park
At the tip of the Yorke Peninsular is Innes National park which offers great surfing, swimming beaches, rock pools, an abundance of wildlife. Its a great spot to disconnect from reality and enjoy paradise with little phone reception. Visit Cape Spencer Lighthouse and the Ethel shipwreck to learn about the tumultuous maritime history of South Australia. Explore historic Inneston, an abandoned township surrounded by bushland. Pondalowie Bay offers long and consistent waves, if you walk down the beach you will find a washed up boat covered in graffiti. Dolphin Beach is an unspoilt 800-metre long stretch of shimmering sand and calm turquoise waters.
Entry into Innes national park costs $11 per vehicle and can be paid at the visitors centre as well as camp fees. There are a number of camp sites spread out across the national park and cost about $16 per night. Camp sites are basic with no power but do come with drop toilets. We spent 2 nights camping at Pondalowie campsite which was a great location because it is located in the middle of the National Park and is close to the surf beaches.
Stirling Ranges
Nestled at the foot of Wilpena Pound, Rawnsley Park Station is a 12,000-hectare working sheep station and offers a variety of accommodation from luxury villas, bush camping, holiday units and a unique homestead. There is also an on-site restaurant and an outdoor pool. We spent a night in the luxury villa with uninterrupted views from the private balcony and a retractable ceiling offering night-sky viewing from the comfort of your bed. There are a few self drive 4WD tracks and viewpoints in the park that you can check out. Book your stay at Rawnsley Park Station here.
Take a scenic flight over the Flinders Ranges with China Air. From Rawnsley Park Station, on the South side of Wilpena Pound, Chinta Air offers scenic flights over Wilpena Pound, Flinders Ranges National Park, Heysen Range including Bunyeroo and Brachina. Flights are from 30 minutes, 45 minutes or 1 hour, Its a fantastic way to grasp the incredible size and landscape of the Flinders Ranges. Click here to book your scenic flight.
Kangaroo Island
Spot Koalas in their natural habitat at the Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary which is a privately-owned conservation park focused on providing habitat for native animals to live in the wild. When you book a guided walk or tour you are also helping to support the next phase of recovery and rebuild. When walking through you can see the severity of the January 2020 bush fires which destroyed most of the park and koalas. We were so happy on our walk to see 8 koalas that had survived and found new homes in the trees that did survive. You can book tours with Hanson Bay Wildlife Park here.
One of our favourite experiences on kangaroo Island was the chance to swim with the dolphins. Kangaroo Island Marine Adventures offer a 3 hour Island Explorer Tour. The clear, protected waters is home to friendly Kangaroo Island dolphins. See if you can spot the seals, sea eagles and osprey. Book your tour here.
So much to see and do.
Visit Kangaroo Islands largest winery –False Cape Wines who’s vineyard covers over 60 acres. The Cellar Door is made from recycled wood, jetty timbers and stone sourced on the property. It’s a beautiful setting nestled among the vineyard and Gum trees. The perfect spot to enjoy a platter and award winning wines.
You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to beaches here, with over 500 kilometres of coastline theres everything from the whitest of white sandy beaches to awesome surf breaks. Weave through a little labyrinth of caves before emerging onto some of the whitest sand and clearest water at Stokes Bay. If you have a 4WD drive along the pristine white sandy beach of Emu Bay.
Limestone Coast
The limestone Coast is one of the most diverse regions in South Australia. Rugged coastlines, clear blue waters, lush farmland, spectacular caves, magical sink holes and sunken gardens.
Be amazed at Umpherston sunken garden, the twenty metres deep and 50 metres across garden was created in 1886 and includes viewing platforms, benches, sculptures & walking paths. Take the best photos from the bottom capturing its huge circumference and beautiful curtain-like hanging vines.
Kilsby Sinkhole is world-renowned as one of the best sinkhole dive sites due to its crystal clear water and visibility. Try the Sinkhole Gin, produced from crystal clear limestone-filtered water and local native botanicals.
At the Piccaninnie Ponds, you can dive or snorkel across the chasm and down to check out underwater creatures and plants.
So many blue lakes!
The Blue Lake in Mount Gambier occupies one of the craters of the extinct volcano after which the city has been named. There is a 3.6 km walking trail which connects to each of the viewing platforms dotted around the Lake.
Take a dip in Little Blue Lake which looks like deep swimming pool in the middle a paddock. Its a great spot to enjoy a cool swim in a beautiful natural water filled sinkhole. There are stairs that can take you down to a floating pontoon.
Want to read more about road trips in Australia? Check out our 2 week itinerary around Tasmania, and Western Australia South West road trip guide. If you love fun-filled, off-road adventures then you will love our 2 week Kimberley Road trip itinerary.
South Australia has impressed us in so many ways and on so many levels. Whether you are a wine connoisseur,adrenaline junkie, a wildlife lover or an outdoor enthusiast there is something in South Australia for you. We hope our guide to the best places to visit in South Australia will help you plan your next trip. If we have missed any other places please leave them in the comments below.
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