25 incredible things to do in SA this summer

By Lauren Ferrone
Published: Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Updated: July 22, 2019 at 4:29 pm

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.

Cook up a summer storm at Jacob's Creek

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.

Just for being an RAA member, you can save on many of these SA adventures. Search here for experiences.

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.

Camping of a different kind in the Flinders Ranges

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.

Swimming with sea lions

13. Summer stargazing

There’s something about staring at a starry sky on a summer’s night that makes this season our favourite. Try stargazing with those who do it for a living, like The Backyard Universe. They run tours on the Fleurieu Peninsula, in the Flinders Ranges, and in other spots around SA.

14. Cool down in the hills

It really is cooler in the hills, especially when the world’s best beer is brewed there. Visit Adelaide Hills’ award-winning Prancing Pony Brewery to taste its Indian Red Ale, which took out top prize at the 2016 International Beer Challenge in London.

15. Segway through Seppeltsfield

Get a backstage pass to see the Barossa Valley’s Seppeltsfield Winery estate by Segway. Step onto the two-wheeled scooter and glide among the grapevines on an hour long guided tour by Segway Sensation SA. They even do Segway circuits along the Torrens if you’re looking for a different way to see our stunning riverbank.

16. Go sandboarding

Grab a board, find your balance and surf safely down the sandy dunes at Vivonne Bay with Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action – the little ones can toboggan their way to the bottom.

Surf safely down Kangaroo Island's sandy slopes

17. Learn to surf

Whether you’re a grommet or a pro, there’s plenty of fun to be had out in the surf. If you’re headed to one of SA’s popular Fleurieu Peninsula beaches, like Middleton, Goolwa or Moana, you can get a lesson or two on how to ride the perfect wave from Surf & Sun. Don’t forget to slip, slop, slap!

18. Ice-cream road trip

Stop by the mid-north rural town of Laura to see where SA’s favourite Golden North ice-cream is made. Their famous liquorice flavour will temporarily stain your tongue black as a reminder that no trip is ever too far for ice-cream.

19. Explore by 4X4

Spend half the day or longer exploring gorges, and watching wallaroos and red kangaroos while learning about the Aboriginal and European histories of the Flinders Ranges. To see as much of the vast outback landscape as you can, make your way along the red dirt on a 4WD tour by Wilpena Pound Resort.

20. Get lost in a summer haze (or maze)

Twist and turn through Clare Valley’s award-winning Mintaro Maze, stumbling across water fountains and rest stops hidden among hedges that are sculpted from more than 800 conifer plants. Start by weaving your way around before spending the day picnicking on the stunning grounds.

Weave through Clare Valley's Mintaro Maze

21. Go on a jetty journey

Throw a fishing line off one of SA’s many jetties, and sit waiting patiently for the pull and tug from below the water’s surface.

22. Family time at Tailem

Get some fresh farm air on a holiday with the kids at Tailem Bend’s Lyrabendi Farmstay. The little ones will be excited waking up to farm animals like sheep, goats, ponies and the faithful farm dogs.

23. Laze around lakeside

Swim, fish or do nothing at all – the carefree choices are endless at Lake Bonney in the Riverland. Stay at the local caravan park by the lake, where there’s plenty to keep the kids busy.

24. Test your tastebuds

Picnic in the Adelaide Hills with Woodside Cheese Wrights’ award-winning Anthill goat cheese – it’s encrusted with native Australian green ants! Follow it up with a visit to Hahndorf Hill Winery to pair gourmet chocolate with some of the best drops.

25. Slow the pace

Stroll through Bella Lavender Estate’s lavender fields in the Riverland, before enjoying a game of putt putt and lavender-laced scones smeared with homemade jam. Find out some of the many uses for lavender – from soaps to insect repellent and even pet aromatherapy. Plus, don’t forget to pick up some treats from the gift shop.

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Just for being an RAA member, you can book and save on SA summer activities like these.

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