Top 7 family-friendly SA beaches
Posted 22 October, 2020
Ellen Morgan
With the arrival of spring weather and the hope of summer sun on the horizon, beach days are upon us. To help you pick your spot on the sand, here are 7 of the sweetest salty locations for the whole family.
Whether your tribe are boogie boarders, sand-castle kings, freestyle novices or seasoned beach cricketers, there’s a beach for it in beautiful South Australia.
With over 5000km of coastline in SA, there’s a whole lot of sand in which to pitch your umbrella and wedge the esky. But with little ones in-tow, it’s important to know which beaches are best suited to small swimmers and those where it’s best to be a little more cautious.
Of course, there are hungry tummies and bundles of energy to look after too, so we’ve also got you covered with a range of playgrounds and fish and chip spots.
Pack the boards, collect the cricket bats and chuck the sunscreen in the car. Here are 7 of our favourite spots for sun-soaked family fun.
1. Horseshoe Bay
You can almost smell the cheese and veg pasties on your way down to Port Elliot. Whether you opt for a winning bakery or a cone of fish and chippies from the Flying Fish Café, an afternoon in the sun on the lawn at Horseshoe Bay is about as good as it gets in summer.
If you’re lucky enough to have grown up in South Australia, it’s the stuff of family holiday dreams. With a sheltered bay, the beach is well-suited to little swimmers as there’s rarely any swell or wind.
The lawn behind the beach is perfect for family picnics and great for small humans who aren’t yet fans of sand in their toes.
If you want to lay out the towels by the water, the golden arch of beach provides plenty of space, but it can get pretty busy in the height of summer so make sure to head down early to snap up your spot.
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2. Port Willunga Beach
Just 40 minutes from Adelaide, Port Willy is a coastal favourite in SA.
The ochre cliffs, crisp white sands and crystal blue waters here are a sight for sore eyes, with many travelling long distances for a glimpse of the sunset by the jetty pylons. Many a Kodak moment is had here throughout the summer, and family holidays are no exception.
Towering cliffs provide a perfect windbreak most of the time, meaning there are generally little to no waves. When the swell is up, the small barrels can be a great spot for littlies to practice boogie boarding.
For the bigger kids, the
Star of Greece shipwreck (sunk just off shore in 1888) is great to snorkel over. The calm waters are also ideal for paddle boarding and kayaking, and there are a number of hikes along the clifftops.
Feeling peckish? The Star of Greece restaurant and Port Willy Kiosk sit atop the cliffs near the carpark, and are perfect pitstops for some salt and pepper squid.
