South Australia offers fantastic roadtrip opportunities, featuring a rugged coast and a diverse landscape. Idyllic beauty, flavorful Barossa Valley wineries and charming towns like German influenced Hahndorf are among the highlights. A bonus is that there are generally fewer crowds compared to neighboring Victoria, but it’s not as sparsely populated along the coast compared to the outback. And for perhaps this reason, South Australia is often considered the friendliest state in the country. It is the kind of place where strangers will often happily chat and offer local tips, simply out of good natured friendliness.
We recently took our second road trip across South Australia earlier this year. Our first was in 2019, when we rented a car in Adelaide and drove east, including stops in the Barossa Valley wine region, which is considered the country’s best. This year we drove from Victoria along Princes Highway, on a stretch that covered popular destinations like Mount Gambier and Robe. The two trips have allowed us to experience many of the highlights along and near South Australia’s coast firsthand.
South Australia Road Trip Tips
Fuel Up Often
While there are even more desolate areas of Australia in the red center, some stretches of South Australia are also sparsely populated. That means you can drive upwards of an hour without an opportunity to top up fuel in your vehicle. So as a general rule, we tried not to let the car go under half a tank, just to be safe.
I highly recommend filling up your fuel tank often. On more desolate roads, we sometimes only encountered another car around every 10 minutes. So you really don’t want to be stuck on the side of the road. Cell reception can also be spotty in some places, so you don’t want to find yourself stranded with your thumb out.
Watch out for Wildlife
You’ll often see wildlife crossing signs along the highways in South Australia. Take particular caution especially around dusk and dawn, as this is often when animals like kangaroos are most active. Especially when is hot, during the middle of the day, they tend to lounge around, so the risk of one darting out of front of your vehicle is much slimmer then.
Avoid School Holidays if You Have a Choice
January is especially busy for a roadtrip around South Australia. This is peak school holiday time, and some days can also be especially hot. Our two roadtrips in South Australia have taken place in December and February. These are better months for this trip, as tourist crowds are sparser, accommodation is less expensive, and the weather is generally pleasant. Though it can still be hot or cold, depending where you are. Coastal temperatures are generally much cooler compared to inland.
The primary issue in January is the high demand for accommodation. Hotels in all categories, apartments rentals and even caravan parks are very busy, so prices are significantly higher. Some families book the same caravan spots during school holidays a year in advance. So I would advise not winging your South Australia roadtrip in January. December and February are better suited for spontaneous and flexible planning.
Don’t Transport Fruits and Vegetables into South Australia, even from Neighboring States like Victoria
Australia has strict rules regarding the importation of fresh fruits, vegetables and animal products. But these rules even pertain within the country! When you drive into South Australia, you are warned in advance that many of these products from other states and territories in Australia are not permitted. There is an honor system bin along Princes Highway coming from Victoria, with no person present when we drove over. But I’m guessing there are sometimes random checks by authorities, similar to airports, given the restrictions.
South Australia Highlights
Here are several of best the stops to include during a South Australia road trip! The destinations are generally covered driving from west to east, coming from neighboring Victoria. If you start the journey in Adelaide, this list gets flipped. I’ve also written tips on visiting every state and territory in Australia if you’re planning to visit other destinations in the country.
Mount Gambier
Mount Gambier is one of South Australia’s most strikingly beautiful and unique destinations. It’s renown for its crater lakes and limestone, volcanic landscape. Despite its beauty, Mount Gambier doesn’t get inundated with throngs of international visitors as its several hours away from both Adelaide and Melbourne. And it is simply not as famous as Uluru, which draws throngs of tour buses.
We enjoyed the beautiful walk around Blue Lake, which is dotted with impressive vantage points. Umpherston Sinkhole is another unique highlight, containing a lush sunken garden. There are a lot of stairs at Umpherston Sinkhole, so take note if you have any mobility issues.
Mount Gambier is also packed with great cafes, bakeries, restaurants and shops. We were impressed with the quality of the food and the coffee in cafes. In addition to tasty Aussie fare, like many places, Mount Gambier offers diverse restaurant choices including Thai, Indian, Mexican and more.
We rented a lovely century old country house off Airbnb called Bella Mia Tuscan Paradise and really enjoyed the experience of spending a few days in the area. It’s around a 20 minute drive outside Mount Gambier. It’s a peaceful spot where you can relax or even work remotely, as there was wifi via Starlink.
Beachport
Beachport is the type of place that can make your blood pressure drop when you roll into town. This small South Australia coastal community is home to just around 1,000 full time residents.
Beachport features a picturesque rugged coast that’s ideal for a scenic drive, as well as lovely hikes. The town doesn’t have an overabundance of restaurants and cafes due to its small population, but it’s about quality over quantity there. We had as delicious of fish n’chips as you can enjoy at Beachport Takeaway, which is owned by a British couple. The flake was perfectly executed, with fresh fish and deliciously crispy batter.
We also ate some of the best baked goods and seafood of our trip in Beachport. Casual golf enthusiasts can enjoy a 9 hole round at Beachport Golf Course. While the course doesn’t always keep regular hours, the staff are extremely friendly. I made a tee time a day in advance and they were very accommodating. It’s not an overly challenging course packed with water hazards, but there’s enough bunkers, trees, speedy greens and distance to keep things interesting.
Robe
Robe is one of South Australia’s most popular limestone coast destinations for several great reasons. Its rugged coast is picturesque for strolls along the shore. And its miles of sandy beaches are popular with holiday goers. The town also features an excellent culinary scene with quality restaurants, cafes and bakeries.
We visited Robe at the tail end of summer high season in February, after the peak school holiday season in January. Avoid January if you have some flexibility, as Robe is inundated with tourists then. It was busy enough during the day in February when we visited, but there was breathing room.
I highly recommend making a dinner reservation at Olive’s, as it is also busy with locals. The food was so delicious we returned for dinner a second time to try different dishes, which is rare for us. Menu highlights include coffee spiced lamb rump, pan fried barramundi, lemon myrtle and thyme chicken breast and local crayfish aglio and olio pasta. Their pizzas are also popular, and looked fantastic.
Robe features as array of excellent artisan products. We bought delicious locally produced fig and boysenberry jams from shops attached to the local library. The boysenberry jam was especially a treat, as its not so ubiquitous.
Visit Robe’s best bakery, Rise of Robe early. They close at 11:55am and sometimes sell out of bread before then!
Try the Local Crayfish along the Limestone Coast
Crayfish, a large crustacean similar to lobster, is popular and expensive by weight, but it’s much less expensive to try when there are broken up pieces in a pasta dish. Even in a gas station, I saw a whole cooked crayfish for around $150 AUD ($107 USD) as the going rate is around $135 AUD per kg! Meanwhile, the tasty crayfish pasta dish at Olive’s costs $37 AUD ($26 USD) and all the work is done for you.
Victor Harbor
Located along the Fleurieu Peninsula, Victor Harbor is a great stop during a South Australia road trip. Around 90 minutes outside Adelaide, it’s also a popular destination for day trips and weekend getaways, especially during school holidays.
You can catch a waterfront horse-drawn tram, which cross the causeway to Granite Island. Granite Island is home to a wild penguin colony.
Victor Harbor is about as laid back of a town as they come. You’ll see people rolling lawn balls alongside the town’s lovely coast. The town’s restaurants and pubs often have a throwback vibe, with Bell commenting that it reminded her of Australia in her childhood.
With so many quaint perks, Victor Harbor is also popular place for Australians to retire. So it’s not a place for bustling nightlife, but its quaint pubs are nice to enjoy casual local beers and wines. Youngsters have ample opportunities to get their party on in nearby Adelaide.
Hahndorf
Hahndorf is one of South Australia’s most culturally unique towns. Established by German Lutherans in 1839, it is Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement.
Located just 25 minutes outside Adelaide, Hahndorf is a popular destination nestled in the Adelaide Hills. Its German influence is clear in both its architecture as well as in the flavors of its bakeries, pubs, restaurants and cafes that dot its vibrant main street.
Housed in a charming 150 year old historic building, the Hahndorf Academy is a regional hub for the arts and heritage. It houses a migration museum, four galleries, artist studios and a retail gallery showcasing local works.
We enjoyed a lovely visit to Hahndorf and wish we could have spent more than a few hours there. Though a few hours will give you a solid idea of what the town has to offer. Plan to at least have lunch and/or a drink there.
Barossa Valley Wineries
South Australia’s Barossa Valley wine region is often regarded as the best in the country. It is particularly renown for flavorful Shiraz varieties, which is a personal favorite among bold Aussie reds. There are over 80 cellar doors among 150 wineries nestled amidst some of the world’s oldest continuously producing vines.
It’s delightful to visit several wineries during a road trip in South Australia. The scenery is beautiful, the wines are delicious and it’s also home to some of the friendliest cellar door staff I’ve encountered in travels spanning several of Australia’s most significant wine regions (Hunter Valley in New South Wales and Yarra Valley in Victoria being the others).
Chateau Yaldara was among the three lovely Barossa Valley wineries we visited. The beautiful winery impresses the moment you approach its immaculate grounds, adorned with a lovely garden and fountain. Additionally, their wines are tasty and the staff are knowledgeable and friendly. This was the best of the three wineries we visited to include in a romantic getaway itinerary.
Adelaide
The capital of South Australia is home to around 1.5 million people, making it the 5th largest city in the country. Adelaide is sometimes referred to as “the 20 minute city.” Its compact layout means beaches like Glenelg, the Adelaide Hills and Adelaide Airport are all within around a 20 minute drive from the city center.
Glenelg is a popular beach close to the center of Adelaide that we enjoyed exploring during our visit. Its relaxed pubs, international restaurants, artisan cafes and independent shops combine to give the area a hip vibe. There’s also fun for all ages at The Beachouse, a family amusement center housing plenty of rides, arcade games and waterslides.
Adelaide is not the most impressive city in the world for architecture, but it does have some interesting historic spots. Adelaide Arcade is a lovely building that dates to 1892. It houses heritage shops, popular chocolatiers like Haigh’s and charming cafes that are worth visiting.
Like many cities, downtown Adelaide’s nightlife gets especially vibrant on Friday and Saturday nights with a fairly young crowd. The legal drinking age in Australia is 18, so the party crowd in pubs can be generally younger compared to similar venues in the USA or Canada, where the legal drinking age is 21 and 19 respectively. But there’s venues to suit all ages and various personal tastes.
Nearby Kangaroo Island is one of the best destinations in Australia to view wildlife. A flight there from Adelaide Airport takes just 30-40 minutes. Or you can catch a ferry from Cape Jervis and bring your car aboard as well.
A less expensive alternative compared to Sydney, Melbourne and even Perth, Adelaide often ranks highly in global surveys for quality of life. And good living for locals often equates to a nice city for visitors to experience as well.
Adelaide Hotel Recommendation
If you visit Adelaide during quieter times, even right before Christmas like we did, you can score great hotel deals. We really enjoyed our stay at Intercontinental Adelaide when we visited. It’s a beautiful property adorned with pink marble bathrooms, a short walk from all the city center action.
South Australia Roadtrip Recap
A South Australia road trip is idyllic for its rugged scenic coast, charming towns, great wineries, quirky locales and delicious food and drinks. There are also some great destinations to view Australian wildlife. You can get off the beaten path for an Aussie adventure, but it’s not quite as intrepid as traipsing across the sparsely populated outback. The trip can tick a variety of boxes including a peaceful getaway with moderate adventure that can even satiate the palate of discerning wine enthusiasts and gourmands.
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