Summer stays in SA
Summer is the perfect time for a coastal getaway. Drop a line off the jetty, take a dip in crystal-clear water or enjoy the bounty of produce South Australia’s coastal areas have to offer.
It’s time to pack your bathers, sunnies and favourite summer hat, because we’re exploring three SA seaside regions.
Before you read on, watch our video highlighting some of the best things to see and do on the Fleurieu Peninsula.
1. Eyre Peninsula
Stay
From five-star luxury eco-lodges to sleeping under the stars, the Eyre Peninsula has plenty of accommodation options.
Just 20 minutes from Port Lincoln, you’ll find Tanonga Luxury Eco Lodges, which offer style, comfort and seclusion. Stay at the Ridge Site where you’ll experience 360-degree panoramic views all the way to Boston Bay and beyond. Or, spend a few days at the Valley Site surrounded by native bush and wildlife.
If you want to sleep under the stars, tranquil Memory Cove has campsites with easy beach access. Enjoy the coastal views that overlook the surrounding islands, and if you’re lucky you might even spot an emu on the beach. Campground access is limited to 15 vehicles a day and there are only five sites available. Book prior to visiting and pick up a key from the Port Lincoln Visitor Centre.
Eat & drink
While summer isn’t considered the prime season for oysters, it doesn’t mean you can’t shuck your own and indulge in these salty, creamy molluscs. Jump aboard a cruise with Experience Coffin Bay and take a day tour to enjoy the region’s world-famous oysters plucked straight from the lease.
Afterwards, enjoy lunch at 1802 Oyster Bar and then wine tasting at Boston Bay Wines.
For more standout seafood, visit Fumo 28 on the Port Lincoln foreshore. The menu includes bluefin tuna with a sesame and maple glaze, and local smoked octopus brushed with gochujang – a fermented Korean chilli paste.
Do
The Eyre Peninsula is known for its natural wonders, both on land and under water.
Swim with playful sea lions at Baird Bay or come within inches of a great white shark during a cage diving experience.
Venture to Tumby Bay and spend the day on the water with a fishing charter. Learn the ropes and try your hand at catching King George whiting, giant yellowfin kingfish or even southern bluefin tuna.
Back on land, drive 60 minutes from Port Lincoln towards the Western Australian border and you’ll be met with uninterrupted views of the rugged coastline, sharp cliff faces, and an impressive limestone stack named Cummings Monument. The shard of rock, sculpted by the crashing waves, rises from the middle of the ocean. If you visit this area, stick to the path and follow the signs.
Southeast of Streaky Bay, an outcrop of unique pink boulders, known as Murphy’s Haystacks, provide an excellent photo opportunity. These ancient wind-worn inselbergs are said to be 1.6 billion years old. Visit just after sunrise or before sunset to grab the best shot.
2. Fleurieu Peninsula
Only an hour from Adelaide, the Fleurieu Peninsula is home to wineries, world-class restaurants, stellar surf breaks and wonderful wildlife.
Stay
From farm stays and beachside shacks to cosy cottages, you’ll be spoiled for choice when choosing where to stay on the Fleurieu Peninsula. Only a short stroll from Middleton Beach, there are self-contained beach huts that have everything you need for your stay on the Fleurieu. Relax or unwind on the deck of your hut or grab your surfboard and head on down to the beach.
About 6km from Myponga, along a dirt road that provides stunning views of the rolling hills and ocean, you’ll find the cosy Brooklyn Farm homestead.
Established more than 100 years ago, this farm stay has had five owners and has even been used as a movie set.
The latest owners bought the property about three years ago and have introduced sheep, chickens and even alpacas. Spend the day relaxing at the large house or go hiking and spot local wildlife that call the area home.
Eat & drink
The Fleurieu Peninsula has four wine regions: McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Currency Creek and the Southern Fleurieu.
The world-class wine region of McLaren Vale is best known for its shiraz, with wineries and cellar doors dotted across the district.
Built on the site of the Seaview Chapel and schoolhouse, Chapel Hill Winery has turned the original buildings into a tasting room perched on the edge of the stunning Onkaparinga Gorge. Visitors can taste wines or take a shiraz masterclass and enjoy sweeping views of McLaren Vale and the Gulf St Vincent.
If you’re looking for a bite to eat, you can’t go past the d’Arenberg Cube for a wine or gin tasting. Venture to Goolwa, among the sandhills, and you’ll find Kuti Shack, which serves up local fish and the mighty pipi (kuti). Pipis, which can be found along Goolwa beach, are a staple on Kuti Shack’s menu and are paired with local ingredients.
Smiling Samoyed Brewery, on the banks of the Myponga Reservoir, offers tasty food, refreshing brews and stunning views. Enjoy a pint and a selection of wood-fired pizzas.
Do
Once you’ve had your fill of pipis or pizza, jump on a bike and tour the region. Ride along the 31km-long Encounter Bikeway, which connects the coastal towns between Goolwa North and Encounter Bay.
Soak in the sea views as you ride through Victor Harbor, Middleton and Port Elliot on the way to Goolwa.
If you’re in McLaren Vale, take a wine and bike tour. Explore the region’s hills and vineyards by bike along sections of the Kidman Trail then sip some of the state’s best wine.
Want to see some wildlife? Jump aboard a Big Duck Boat Tour and explore Encounter Bay in search of sea life.
During the summer months, you may see seals, sea lions and dolphins. Prefer a land-based animal experience? Visit Softfoot Alpaca and Wildlife Park at Hindmarsh Valley where you can take a farm tour and get up-close to these South American camelid mammals.
While in Victor Harbor, walk or take the horse-drawn tram across the causeway to Granite Island. Stroll around the island, taking in the sights and sounds. As you explore, be on the lookout for the little penguins that call the island home.
3. Yorke Peninsula
The Yorke Peninsula has more than 700km of coastline, making it the perfect place for a summer getaway. Go swimming at one of the many beaches, try your hand at crabbing or take a surfing lesson.
Stay
There is an abundance of shacks dotted along the Yorke Peninsula coastline, which provide easy access to the region’s many scenic beaches.
However, if you’re looking for something a little different, stay in a cabin at the Tarnasey Farm in Wallaroo. Kids will love meeting the animals that live on the farm. Collect eggs in the morning, feed the slobbery cows and witness the duck’s antics.
If you want a beachside sleeping experience and don’t mind roughing it, stay at the Cable Bay Beach Campground in Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park.
The campsite offers picturesque views of the offshore islands and easy access to Chinamans surf break. If surfing isn’t your thing, this area is a good place to fish, with whiting and flathead on offer.
Eat & drink
Located in Wallaroo’s town centre, Bond Store is a microbrewery, distillery and restaurant. After a busy day touring the Yorke Peninsula, sit down and relax with a quandong and blood orange gin and tonic or a craft beer made from local grain.
If you’re feeling peckish, grab a bite to eat in the Bond Store Restaurant. The parrilla – an Argentinian charcoal grill – is the key feature in the kitchen, providing barbecued steaks, salmon and even octopus with a smoky flavour.
Barley Stacks Wines, about 10 minutes from Maitland, was the first commercial vineyard and winery to be established on the traditional barley belt of the Yorke Peninsula.
Visit the winery’s cellar door for a wine tasting before tucking into delicious food, including pizzas or a cheese platter.
For those looking for a more casual dining experience, there’s an array of exquisite bakeries on the Yorke Peninsula.
Grab a Cornish pasty from the Cornish Kitchen in Moonta or bite into a Kitchener bun at the Minlaton Bakery. It doesn’t matter which town you stop in, there’s bound to be a bakery around the corner.
Do
The beach is the place to be on the Yorke Peninsula. Throw a fishing line or crab net out from one of the many jetties and try to catch your lunch or hit the surf for a swim or paddle.
If you’re a beginner surfer, join a lesson with Neptune’s Surf Coaching. They’ll take you to beginner surf breaks where you can learn to surf safely. For more experienced surfers, there are several breaks available during summer.
Ethel Wreck off the coast of Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park can be fickle at times but when it’s pumping, it’ll serve up a powerful right-hand break.
If you’re more interested in a relaxing swim, look no further than the stunning rock pools at Hillocks Drive. About 16km from the Marion Bay township, the crystal-clear waters and vibrant marine life of the rock pools are the perfect place to cool down during summer.