Whether it’s sipping great wine, eating fresh seafood or paddle boarding around towering cliffs and hidden caves, there is something for every family on the Fleurieu Peninsula. Here are a few of our favourite experiences.

1. Get a taste of McLaren Vale

With more than 70 cellar doors and many family-friendly options, you can’t get bored in one of Australia’s most exciting wine regions. There are dozens of terrific wineries to explore including D’Arenberg Cube, SC Pannell, Gemtree and Maxwell Wines - which has a maze for the kids! Enjoy bold reds in different styles, try world-famous gin at Never Never distillery and sample a wide selection of the region’s tasty cheeses and olives.  There is so much to see and do in McLaren Vale!

Where: Less than an hour’s drive south of Adelaide city.

2. Visit Kangaroo Island

As the name suggests, Kangaroo Island is home to many wild native animals including koala, sealions, koalas and of course, kangaroos. A place full of natural beauty, you can swim with dolphins, play in lavender fields, slide down dunes, camp right on the beach or treat yourself to a night or two in a luxury retreat. The options are endless here.

Where: 13km off the coast of South Australia

Cost: Return ferry price from Cape Jervis to Kangaroo Island are $98 per person plus $196 for a vehicle up to 5 metres in length and 2.3 metres in height.

More info: Ferry SeaLink Kangaroo Island

3. Take a ride on a horse-drawn tram

Just 90 minutes south of Adelaide, Victor Harbor is home to the only horse-drawn tramway in the country. Enjoy incredible views while being drawn by beautiful Clydesdale horses. The tram will take you along a 630m causeway from Victor Harbor to Granite Island. You can also walk across to the island. It takes about 20 minutes.

When: Weather permitting, the tram runs every day from 10.30am with the last tram leaving the mainland at 3.20pm.

Where:  Esplanade, Victor Harbor.

Cost: $20 return per adult. $15 for children aged 4—13 or free with a paying adult. There is a limit of two children per adult.

4. End the day with a Port Willunga sunset

There aren’t many better places to enjoy a sunset in South Australia than from the caves at Port Willunga. The caves were once used to store fisherman boats and now make for the perfect spot to throw down the towel or picnic rug and enjoy a sundowner. The caves are carved into golden cliff faces overlooking the remains of the Port Willunga Jetty. Other stunning nearby beaches include Sellicks Beach, Aldinga, Port Noarlunga, Normanville and the clothes-optional Maslin Beach.

Where: About 35km south of Adelaide city.

Cost: Free.

5. Paddle board at Rapid Bay

This stunning spot, just 100km south of Adelaide is home to towering cliffs, hidden caves and usually calm, clear turquoise water. It’s perfect for paddle boarding or you can fish off the beach’s very long jetty. Keep an eye out for the famed Leafy Sea dragon in the waters here.  You can camp right on the beach here and wake up to sound of the ocean lapping the shore!

Where: Rapid Bay is 105 kilometres south of Adelaide and sits at the bottom of a steeply descending road from the main Normanville-Cape Jervis Road.

Cost: Free to visit for the day. Check costs to camp here in our Stay section below.

6. Snorkel at Port Noarlunga

Claim a shady spot under the jetty here and spend the day at this snorkeling paradise. If you walk down the last set of stairs on the jetty, you’ll see hundreds of fish. The reef here is also home to hundreds of species of marine plants. At low tide, head a few minutes down the road to Port Noarlunga South where you can relax on a floatie and let the tide carry you downstream to where the small waves start. If you’re lucky you may even get a visit from a sea lion here like we did. Don’t let the stairs deter you, this spot is worth the effort.

Where: 95/96 Esplanade, Port Noarlunga.

Cost: Free.

7. Drive on the beach at Sellicks or Aldinga

Swap the bitumen for a sandy highway and head to one of the few beaches in Adelaide where vehicles are allowed on the sand. Windows down, wind in your hair and miles of beautiful sand ahead. And the best part? You don’t need to carry the kids, the esky and everything else! Choose from either Sellicks, Silver Sands, Moana or Aldinga Beach.

Where: Sellicks Beach is about 47km from Adelaide city centre.

Cost: Free.

Whether it’s heading to a world-renowned winery or grabbing some good ol’ fish and chips and eating on the beach, there are plenty of delicious kid-friendly options on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Down the Rabbit Hole

Hop down to this family-friendly winery and step aboard a vintage double decker bus to taste a drop or two of their fresh wines. If you’re hungry, you can then throw down a rug and have a wine paired with one of their mouth-watering platters. This is the creation of fellow travellers Elise Cook and Domenic Palumbo who spent two years travelling across Australia in their Kombi van before returning to build this magical space. There’s also a playground, coffee hut and a cute store there.

Where: 233 Binney Road, McLaren Vale.

More info: Down The Rabbit Hole Wines

Maxwell Wines

So this one isn’t exactly kid-friendly but it’s certainly worth mentioning if you’re able to lock in a babysitter for the evening. Here’s your chance to have dinner in an underground limestone cave! One of the most unique places to dine, this 50-seat restaurant was once used to grow mushrooms. Now this extraordinary space offers fresh produce from South Australian suppliers.

Where: Corner Olivers Road and Chalk Hill Road, McLaren Vale.

More info: Maxwell Wines - Experience - Lime Cave

  Star of Greece

Grab a table on the deck and enjoy the gorgeous views and fresh local seafood at this café located on the cliff’s edge above Port Willunga Beach. If the kids aren’t in the mood, you can always order fish and chips from the outdoor kiosk and take it down to the beach. The café is named after a nearby shipwreck which is now a popular diving spot.

Where: 1 The Esplanade, Port Wilunga.

More info: Menu - Star of Greece

Shifty Lizard Brewing Co

If hot diggity dogs and loaded fries are your jam, then this is your joint. If not, you can also get a veggo doggo here. Wash it all down with their impressive selection of craft beers on a Shifty tasting paddle.

Where: 33 High Street, Willunga.

More info: Shifty Lizard Micro Brewery

Never Never Distillery

It’s hard to believe this award-winning distillery only started about five years ago. Three people with a passion for gin came together and their efforts were quickly recognised when their Southern Strength Gin won World’s Best Southern Strength Gin at the 2019 World Gin Awards. You can relax in their trendy tasting room at the Chalk Hill Collective, which is also home to Chalk Hill Wines, and sample three of their juniper-laced spirits before grabbing a bite to eat at the Italian restaurant Cucina di Strada which is also on site.

Where: 56 Field St, McLaren Vale.

More info: Never Never Distilling Co