25 incredible things to do in SA this summer
From camping out in an air-conditioned tent in the Flinders Ranges to swimming with sea lions on the Eyre Peninsula, here are 25 incredible ways to spend your summer in South Australia.
1. Discover a secret garden
Let the kids play in Mount Gambier’s Umpherston Sinkhole, or admire the stunning sunken garden together from atop. This secret garden (pictured above) was once a limestone cave that formed after seawater corroded the rocks and the chamber’s roof collapsed. You might even be lucky enough to see some of the possums who emerge from their hideouts to feed at night.
2. Kayak with dolphins
Explore the Port River by kayak or on a stand-up paddle board. See dolphins bob above the water’s surface, manoeuvre your way through mangroves, or daydream about untold stories of shipwrecks on a trip with Adventure Kayaking SA.
3. Cook up a (summer) storm
Handpick fresh produce from Jacob’s Creek’s kitchen garden for an outdoor Barossa Valley cooking class led by the winery’s restaurant chef. Best of all, the vines serve as the perfect backdrop to this experience.
4. Make a splash
Pack the car and cruise to the Copper Coast where the kids can enjoy hours of fun at Moonta Bay’s Splash Town – a free water park along the shoreline.
5. Go beyond the shoreline
Want to go swimming in a 74-tonne aquarium in the middle of the ocean? New to Victor Harbor this year, you reach the safety of the enclosure by catamaran, where you don a wetsuit and snorkel to explore the spectacle beneath the waves. If you don’t want to get your toes wet, venture down to the underwater viewing room.
6. BBQ lunch on the water
Throw some steaks, sausages and shrimp on the hot plates and enjoy a BBQ lunch on the River Torrens with friends and family behind the wheel of one of BBQ Buoys’ donut-shaped boats. It’s the ultimate VIP party on water and, best of all, you don’t need a boat licence – just take along your driver’s permit.
Watch below to see some water fun with BBQ Buoys.
7. Sweat on a trek
Hike along the clifftops at Hallett Cove Boardwalk. The winding stairs will get your heart rate up, while the waves crashing onto the rocky coastline will cool you down.
8. Rise early for a city tour
Beat the heat and book an early riser’s breakfast tour around the Adelaide Central Markets, then go solo exploring the rest of the city before the afternoon sun comes out.
9. Camp in comfort
Go camping of a different kind at Wilpena Pound Resort in the Flinders Ranges. Their luxurious private tents, with king beds, air-con, a private deck and even a fire pit, make outback sleep-outs comfy.
10. Brave a summer safari
Walk what feels like a never-ending tunnel before emerging within a secure enclosure, where you’re surrounded by Africa’s big cats in Monarto Zoo’s new Lions 360 experience. It’s like shark cage diving but with lions – and no water. Look around and above you to see these majestic animals roaming their 10-hectare habitat in this hair-raising encounter. It’s probably the only place in SA you’ll get shivers in summer.
11. Cycle Clare
Cycle Clare Valley’s Riesling Trail on hired bicycles. Whether you’re pedalling or walking, there’s plenty to experience along the way, including storyboards to give you a lesson in local history, and food stops to keep your strength up for the 35km stretch ahead. You can hire a bike from Cogwebs at Auburn, or Treadly Bike Hire in Adelaide, who’ve got convenient collapsible cycles you can pack into the car boot.
12. Swim with sea lions
Spend the day summersaulting and swirling with sea lions in the crystal clear waters of the Spencer Gulf. Known as the ‘puppies of the sea’, these inquisitive, gentle creatures bound towards the boat with glee, showing off by backflipping and twisting through the water. Adventure Bay Charters and Calypso Star Charters both offer tours from Port Lincoln.
Explore SA
Just for being an RAA member, you can book and save on SA summer activities like these.