# Road trips in South Australia

> 9 road trips and 64 hand-picked places in South Australia, with routes, stops and practical tips for driving and camping.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/roadtrips/south-australia/

9 road trips and 64 hand-picked places in South Australia, with routes, stops and practical tips for driving and camping.

## Road trips through South Australia

- [Adelaide Hills, Barossa and Clare Valley wine loop](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/au-adelaide-hills-barossa-clare/): A relaxed four-day loop from Adelaide through German-settled hill villages and two of Australia's best-known wine valleys, ending at the Cornish copper town of Burra.
- [McLaren Vale, Victor Harbor and Kangaroo Island](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/au-fleurieu-kangaroo-island/): Wine, whales and wildlife in four days: down the Fleurieu Peninsula, across to Kangaroo Island by ferry, then sea lions, giant granite boulders and fur seals in the south and west.
- [Limestone Coast: Coorong to Mount Gambier](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/au-limestone-coast-drive/): Follow the Princes Highway along the Coorong lagoon, then visit Robe, Naracoorte's World Heritage caves, Coonawarra reds and the volcanic lakes and sinkholes of Mount Gambier.
- [Eyre Peninsula to the Nullarbor and Head of Bight](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/au-eyre-peninsula-nullarbor/): Six days from Port Augusta to Port Lincoln's seafood coast, then west along the Eyre Highway to the Great Australian Bight, ending with whale watching at Head of Bight in season.
- [Flinders Ranges: Wilpena Pound to Arkaroola](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/au-flinders-ranges-loop/): A four-day trip north from Port Augusta into the ancient Flinders Ranges: the great amphitheatre of Wilpena Pound, geological gorges, a copper-mining village and the remote Arkaroola sanctuary.
- [Oodnadatta Track to Coober Pedy](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/au-oodnadatta-track-coober-pedy/): Six days in the outback: from Port Augusta to Marree, along the Oodnadatta Track past Lake Eyre and mound springs, then to the opal town of Coober Pedy. Best from April to October.
- [Birdsville Track and Strzelecki Track](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/au-birdsville-strzelecki-tracks/): A remote loop for well-prepared, self-sufficient travellers: Marree to Birdsville on a historic stock route, then Cooper Creek country and the long Strzelecki Track south. Long unsealed distances; check conditions first.
- [Crossing the Nullarbor on the Eyre Highway](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/au-nullarbor-eyre-highway/): From Norseman to Port Augusta along Australia's great southern crossing: roughly 1,700 km of straight road, remote roadhouses, sea cliffs and whale watching, with fuel and rest stops planned in advance.
- [The Explorer's Way: Port Augusta to Darwin](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/au-stuart-highway-explorers-way/): Australia's classic north-south drive on the Stuart Highway, about 2,800 km from the Flinders gateway to the tropical Top End, with underground opal towns, red desert and thermal pools.

## Places worth the detour in South Australia

- [Seal Bay Conservation Park](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-seal-bay/): One of the world's rarest sea lions, the Australian sea lion, breeds on this beach on Kangaroo Island's south coast. Guided tours let you walk among them at a safe distance; a boardwalk gives views from above.
- [Remarkable Rocks](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-remarkable-rocks/): Huge granite boulders sculpted by wind, rain and lichen over about 500 million years, sitting on a dome above the Southern Ocean in Flinders Chase National Park. Best at sunrise or sunset; the wind can be strong.
- [Blue Lake](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-blue-lake-mount-gambier/): A volcanic crater lake that turns a vivid turquoise-blue from about November to March, then fades to steel grey in winter. A 3.6 km loop path circles the rim, and the water supplies the city.
- [Naracoorte Caves National Park](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-naracoorte-caves/): A World Heritage fossil site where Pleistocene animals, including marsupial lions, fell into caves and were preserved. Guided tours go into decorated caves, and a seasonal bat cave allows viewing of a maternity colony.
- [Coorong National Park (Salt Creek)](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-coorong-salt-creek/): A long, shallow lagoon behind high sand dunes and the Southern Ocean beach, important for pelicans, black swans and migratory waders. Walks and short drives leave the Princes Highway at Salt Creek; the Ngarrindjeri are its traditional owners.
- [Wilpena Pound (Ikara)](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-wilpena-pound/): A vast natural amphitheatre of quartzite ranges, called Ikara, the meeting place, by the Adnyamathanha people. Walk to Wangara Lookout or climb St Mary Peak, at 1,171 m the highest point in the ranges. Avoid the heat of summer.
- [Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-arkaroola/): A 610 km² private sanctuary in the remote northern Flinders Ranges, with rugged ridges, rock-wallabies and some of the darkest skies in the country. Guided 4WD ridgetop tours and an observatory are the draw; go between April and October.
- [Coffin Bay Oyster Farms](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-coffin-bay-oysters/): A small waterfront town about 45 km west of Port Lincoln, famed for oysters grown in the sheltered bay. Farm tours let you taste them within minutes of harvest, and the nearby national park has surf beaches.
- [Head of Bight](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-head-of-bight/): Limestone cliffs above the Great Australian Bight, where southern right whales come to calve between about June and October. Whales can be watched from clifftop platforms on Yalata Aboriginal land, which requires a paid access permit.
- [Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-kanku-breakaways/): Flat-topped, multicoloured hills of ochre, cream and red, about 33 km north of Coober Pedy, with a lookout that is spectacular at sunrise and sunset. The gravel access road is passable for 2WD in dry weather.
- [Adelaide Central Market](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-adelaide-central-market/): A covered market in the heart of the city with dozens of stalls selling local cheese, seafood, produce and ready-to-eat meals. Go on a weekday morning to avoid the Saturday crowds.
- [Adelaide Botanic Garden](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-adelaide-botanic-garden/): Free-entry gardens beside the city centre, with a Victorian palm house, a giant Amazon water lily pavilion and shady lawns. An easy first stop on foot before heading into the hills.
- [Mount Lofty Summit](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-mount-lofty-summit/): The highest point of the Adelaide Hills at 710 m, with a sweeping outlook over the city, Gulf St Vincent and the plains. Walk up from Waterfall Gully or drive the sealed road to the top.
- [Hahndorf Main Street](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-hahndorf-german-village/): Australia's oldest surviving German settlement, founded in 1839 by Lutheran families. The tree-lined main street has timber-framed buildings, bakeries, breweries and galleries, and gets busy on weekends.
- [Cleland Wildlife Park](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-cleland-wildlife-park/): A walk-through bushland park on Mount Lofty's slopes where you can meet koalas, kangaroos, wallabies and emus at close range. A good way to see native wildlife without a long drive.
- [Glenelg Beach and Jetty](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-glenelg-jetty/): Adelaide's classic seaside suburb, where the colony was proclaimed in 1836. A long sandy beach, a jetty and cafés around Moseley Square, reached by tram from the city in about 30 minutes.
- [Port Adelaide Maritime Quarter](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-port-adelaide-maritime/): Adelaide's historic port, with 19th-century warehouses, the South Australian Maritime Museum, a lighthouse and dolphins often seen in the Port River. The Sunday fish market is a local tradition.
- [Mengler Hill Lookout](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-menglers-hill-lookout/): A hilltop outlook above the Barossa Valley floor, with a sculpture park beside it. The rows of vines and church spires of Tanunda are at their best in the soft light of late afternoon.
- [Seppeltsfield Winery and Palm Avenue](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-seppeltsfield/): A heritage wine estate founded in 1851, approached along an avenue of date palms planted during the Depression. It is known for fortified wines and a historic bluestone cellar complex.
- [Sevenhill Cellars](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-sevenhill-cellars/): The Clare Valley's oldest winery, established in 1851 by Jesuit priests, with a stone church and cellars still making sacramental wine. A quiet stop that suits a slow tasting rather than a rush.
- [Riesling Trail](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-clare-riesling-trail/): A sealed 35 km walking and cycling path on an old railway line between Auburn and Clare, passing cellar doors and small towns. Flat and easy; spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons.
- [Burra Heritage Town](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-burra-heritage/): A preserved copper-mining town whose Cornish miners' cottages, mine buildings and streets date from the 1840s boom. A self-guided heritage trail links the main sites.
- [Mannum Dock Museum of River History](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-mannum-dock-museum/): The birthplace of Murray River paddle-steamer trade, where the PS Marion is moored. The museum covers the era of river boats, floods and ferries; a cable ferry crosses the river just nearby.
- [PS Industry, Renmark](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-ps-industry-renmark/): A restored 1911 paddle steamer berthed on the Murray in the Riverland, the heart of South Australia's citrus and wine country. Visits usually involve a guided look at the steam engine.
- [McLaren Vale Cellar Doors](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-mclaren-vale-cellar-doors/): A wine region 45 minutes south of Adelaide, known for Shiraz and Grenache, with dozens of cellar doors among rolling vineyards and olive groves. Book lunches in advance, and plan a designated driver.
- [Willunga Farmers Market](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-willunga-farmers-market/): A Saturday-morning market in a slate-quarrying town with historic stone buildings. Local growers sell produce, bread, olive oil and almonds; arrive early for the best selection and a coffee on the main street.
- [Port Willunga Jetty Ruins](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-port-willunga-ruins/): A beach below limestone cliffs with the stumps of an old jetty and a stone cave, once a grain-shipping port. A favourite for sunset photographs, with a clifftop café above.
- [Granite Island (Nulcoowarra)](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-granite-island/): A small granite island linked to Victor Harbor by a 630 m causeway, with a loop walk, sea views and a little penguin colony. Penguins come ashore at dusk, so keep lights low and distances respectful.
- [The Bluff (Rosetta Head)](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-the-bluff-encounter-bay/): A granite headland over Encounter Bay with a short, steep walk to a summit lookout. Southern right whales often pass close to shore between June and October, so bring binoculars.
- [Cape du Couedic and Admirals Arch](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-admirals-arch/): A natural limestone arch hung with stalactites, below an 1909 lighthouse on the island's south-west tip. New Zealand fur seals rest on the rocks beneath the boardwalk, so stay on the path.
- [Little Sahara](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-little-sahara/): A field of pale sand dunes rising unexpectedly from the scrub on Kangaroo Island's south coast. Sandboards can be hired nearby; visit in the cooler part of the day, as the sand gets very hot.
- [Vivonne Bay](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-vivonne-bay/): A wide, white-sand bay with a historic jetty and a sheltered estuary on the south coast. Rips and large swells make the open surf unsafe for swimming; stick to the calmer water near the jetty.
- [Kingscote Wharf Pelican Feeding](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-kingscote-pelicans/): Kingscote is the island's main town and the site of South Australia's first official European settlement, in 1836. The waterfront draws Australian pelicans, and a daily feeding session has long been a local sight.
- [Rocky River Campground, Flinders Chase](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-rocky-river-campground/): The main national park campground, set in mallee woodland near the park visitor centre at Flinders Chase. Kangaroos, wallabies and koalas wander through; keep food sealed and book ahead in school holidays.
- [Umpherston Sinkhole](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-umpherston-sinkhole/): A collapsed limestone cave turned into a sunken garden in the 1880s, with terraces, ferns and hydrangeas. Come after dark to see brushtail possums emerge, and watch them from a distance without feeding them.
- [Cave Garden](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-cave-garden-mount-gambier/): A deep sinkhole in the middle of Mount Gambier, lined with gardens and a rose-covered viewing platform. It is a quick stop beside the town hall that shows how the city sits on porous limestone.
- [Mount Schank](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-mount-schank/): A symmetrical extinct volcanic cone about 15 km south of Mount Gambier, rising about 100 m above the plain. A short, steep walk leads to the rim, with views across the Limestone Coast's farmland.
- [Coonawarra Cellar Doors](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-coonawarra-cellar-doors/): A narrow strip of red terra rossa soil, about 15 km long, that produces some of Australia's best Cabernet Sauvignon. Cellar doors are small and close together, so tasting here is easy by bike or on foot.
- [Robe Obelisk and Cape Dombey](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-robe-obelisk/): A red-and-white striped navigation marker built in 1855 on the cliffs above Guichen Bay, once guiding ships into the port. Combine it with a walk around Robe's old stone jetty and fishing-town streets.
- [Larry the Big Lobster](https://camping-spirit.com/places/au-big-lobster-kingston/): A 17 m fibreglass southern rock lobster built in 1979 beside the Princes Highway at Kingston SE, a classic Big Thing and an easy photo stop on the Adelaide to Melbourne road. Crayfish season runs from October to April.

## FAQs

**What are the best road trips in South Australia?**
Popular routes include Adelaide Hills, Barossa and Clare Valley wine loop, McLaren Vale, Victor Harbor and Kangaroo Island, Limestone Coast: Coorong to Mount Gambier and Eyre Peninsula to the Nullarbor and Head of Bight. CampingSpirit has 9 trip guides that pass through South Australia, each with a stop-by-stop itinerary and a route map.

**Which places in South Australia are worth a detour?**
Our editors recommend Seal Bay Conservation Park, Remarkable Rocks, Blue Lake, Naracoorte Caves National Park, Coorong National Park (Salt Creek) and Wilpena Pound (Ikara).