10 Unique Places to Visit on the Fleurieu Peninsula of South Australia

Located south of Adelaide, the Fleurieu Peninsula is one of the popular getaway destinations for travelers. This small-sized peninsula packs incredible things to see and do, with walking, hiking trails, surf beaches, cellar doors and wineries, coastal friendly towns, diverse native wildlife, and excellent culinary scenes. From exploring the stunning coastal beaches to lush green valleys etched with vineyards and hiking trails, the Fleurieu Peninsula is South Australia’s must-visit tourist destination.

So whether you’re looking to beach walk or hike through its dense national park, here are the top 10 places to visit on the Fleurieu Peninsula of South Australia.

Getting to the Fleurieu Peninsula

One of the major highlights of visiting the Fleurieu Peninsula is its proximity. Most travelers who often spend their vacation in Adelaide take a day trip to the Fleurieu because of short-distance travel. This ultimately makes all day-trippers, full-time travelers, and weekend hustlers enjoy their time in one of SA’s top tourist destinations. While getting to the Fleurieu is easy, we list some of the best ways to reach the region.

Travel by Bus: Regular buses run from Adelaide CBD to the Fleurieu Peninsula. Take the Adelaide Metro, which stops at Strathalbyn and McLaren Vale. On afternoons, some buses run between Adelaide and Cape Jervis. For bus timetable, check SeaLink.

Travel by Train: Operated by the metropolitan public train services, you could find options between Adelaide and Seaford. From Seaford, you can take a cab or a bus to reach McLaren, Port Willunga, and Victor Harbor.

Travel by Car: You can also book a cab for your direct journey to the Fleurieu from Adelaide. Alternatively, renting a car is also one of the preferred options for exploring the region.

When is the Best Time to Visit the Fleurieu Peninsula

With mild temperatures hovering year-round, the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia offers a pleasant climate to enjoy throughout its varied season. Like the Mediterranean climate, winters in the Fleurieu are freezing and summers warm. If you spend too much time in the central wine region of the coast, be prepared to expect some humidity during the daytime. On the other, as you traverse higher altitudes of the mountains, the temperatures will gradually reduce.

Considering the weather, December to March is generally the best time to visit the Fleurieu Peninsula. The temperatures range between 24-35°C, making it ideal for enjoying surfing and other water-based activities. 

Alternatively, to avoid large crowds in certain busy coastal towns – we recommend making a trip to the Fleurieu during winters. It occasionally rains, but ultimately is perfect weather to enjoy a glass of red wine by an open fire.

How Many Days to Spend on the Fleurieu Peninsula

Fleurieu Peninsula is just a 45-minute drive from Adelaide CBD, making it super convenient for travelers to visit the Fleurieu on a day trip or over a weekend. Furthermore, it doesn’t take much time to see the best coastal towns of the Fleurieu. Provided you handpick specific locations, you could easily cover major attractions & landmarks in a single day.

However, if you plan on staying, we recommend a minimum of three days to explore the Fleurieu Peninsula. Within this period, you can visit the eastern and western sections of the coast. Few visitors also plan a week’s long vacation to the Fleurieu.

Unique Places to Visit on the Fleurieu Peninsula

Victor Harbor

Located on the southern coast, Victor Harbor is one of the impressive coastal towns of the Fleurieu Peninsula region. For families, this place is a pure outdoor treat. From stunning ocean views to plenty of adventures, including golfing, boat-touring, walking trails, and hikes – the opportunities at Victor Harbor are endless. Moreover, with white sandy beaches, clear turquoise waters, and incredible culinary scenes, it’s easy to understand why Victor Harbor is a coastal playground of South Australia.

What makes Victor Harbor unique is its proximity to other Fleurieu attractions. Nearby places like Kangaroo Island, McLaren Vale Wines, and the River Port of Goolwa are a short distance from the town. This eventually makes Victor Harbor a perfect a holidaying base for your trip. Plus, everything you could do is close at hand. Some of the region’s best restaurants, cafes, and pubs line up in this town, with impressive seafood delicacy and classic farm wines.

Victor Harbor also boasts significant historical remnants representing early colonial architecture. You can learn more about the town’s history by taking a guided tour or detouring Granite Island via Clydesdale horse-drawn tram.

Things to do at Victor Harbor:

• Take the oldest Cockle Train from Goolwa to Victor Harbor
• Take an excursion to the Urimbirra Open-Range Wildlife Park.
• Detour to Granite Island Recreation Park.
• Go Whale-Watching in the winters.

Where to stay at Victor Harbor:

Normanville Beach

Located 75kms from Adelaide CBD, Normanville is one of South Australia’s paradisiacal coastal towns. Over the years, the town has attracted many regional and foreign tourists to discover its wonders. Today, it’s the largest settlement on the Fleurieu Peninsula coast, with Carrickalinga and Normanville beaches harboring the western border.

Tourists looking for a seaside escape get the perfect chance to discover the many intriguing spots of Normanville beach as you explore the coastline and marvel at the shipwrecks, historic sites, coastal shacks, and pretty little restaurants lining up the harbor. If you prefer going all-out, Normanville Beach is one of the safest places to go diving and snorkeling. So, do try these water-bound activities for fun!

Things to do at Normanville:

• Go horse-riding, golfing, or scuba-diving at Normanville beach.
• Explore nearby boutique wineries to relish South Australian classic wines.
• Learn about the town’s history, culture, and tourism development.

Horseshoe Bay – Port Elliot

While Victor Harbor steals the maximum attention, this quaint little town is just 6kms away to spend a relaxing holiday. Port Elliot is one of the underrated spots on the Fleurieu Peninsula coast. It does get overshadowed by the busiest trendy areas of Victor Harbor but remains a popular visiting place to explore.

One of the highlights of visiting Port Elliot is Horseshoe Bay. It’s the prettiest beach in South Australia to swim and surf. During the summers, the beach can get a little crowded; however, it’s still much better than other South Australian shores. Alternatively, if you’ve planned your visit during the winters, you might be lucky to spot the Southern Right Whale. They easily get spotted if you take guided boat trips.

Likewise, it’s best to discover Port Elliot’s amazing culinary scenes. The city area has terrific restaurants, cafes, pubs, and street stalls, along with great boutique shops, local markets, and stands.

Things to do in Port Elliot:

• Visit the FlyingFish Cafe to devour classic fish & chips.
• Take the Harbourmaster’s walking trail.
• Visit one of Port Elliot’s idyllic beaches – Boomer Beach.
• Go Whale-Watching at Middleton.

Port Willunga Beach

If there’s one beach you shouldn’t miss visiting on the Fleurieu, it’s Port Willunga. Located 35kms from Adelaide, Port Willunga is one of the most photographed beaches in Australia. It is known for its striking beauty, panoramic lookouts, long coastline, golden cliff faces, beach shacks & cafes, and much more.

Port Willunga beach is still a popular site for fishing. Thanks to the Star of Greece restaurant, which provides excellent coastal cuisine for your seafood hunger. With their local squid and garfish, the restaurant packs up a flavorsome platter to relish. Moreover, the restaurant is perched atop a cliff – providing some stunning ocean views of the coast.

Waitpinga Beach

If you love surfing, Waitpinga Beach is the place to go! Known to provide one of the best surfing spots on the Fleurieu Peninsula, the beach is fully exposed to generate high consistent waves. However, the place is only recommended for pro surfers due to dangerous conditions and powerful rips.

The Waitpinga Beach is named after the Aboriginal name “home of the wind.” And as the name suggests, the place really holds up strong wind currents flowing in towards the eastern coast. Adjoining Waitpinga is another popular spot – Parsons Beach. The car park is high up, providing great panoramic views of the surf beaches. Even if you land up to take some photos, Waitpinga Beach is worth your time!

Rapid Bay

Rapid Bay is one of the trendy touristic places on the Fleurieu Peninsula coast. Not only is this place famous for its long sandy beaches, but also its campgrounds. The entire bay is backed by tall towering cliffs, providing the best camping experience in South Australia.

Rapid Bay is one of Australia’s idyllic beaches, earlier known for its long jetty. The old ones were replaced by the new ones in 2009 and are available for visitors’ use. But the story goes beyond its jetty spotting experience. The beach gets its name from the HMS Rapid that arrived in 1830. Colonel Light, the explorer on the ship, discovered this bay along with other staff members.

Please note: The camping grounds at Rapid Bay fill up quickly. Even during the winters, you’ll see unavailability for a few campsites. However, you can call the caretaker on the site to make your reservation. For more info, visit this page.

Cape Jervis

Located on the southernmost tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula, Cape Jervis acts as a passage between the Sealink and Kangaroo Island. Since most travelers often take their ferries from this town, Cape Jervis has become a perfect tourist base to relax and explore nearby localities. Many visitors come to this point only to marvel at the spanning ocean views. It’s an incredible sight to behold, especially when the boats come and go.

One of the true highlights of visiting Cape Jervis is the Heysen Trail. The southern section of the trail starts/ends at Cape Jervis, so you’ll often find tourists prepping up for their triumphant journey. Likewise, we recommend completing the stretch from Cape Jervis to Spalding if you wish to cover a specific portion of the trail. The path is relatively easy for beginners and kids.

Things to do at Cape Jervis:

• Marvel at the ocean views from the lookout areas.
• Take a small, easy hike to Fishery Beach (4.4kms).
• Explore the southern trailhead of the long Heysen Trail.
• Take an excursion to Kangaroo Island.

Deep Creek National Park

Established in 1971, the Deep Creek National Park is one of the most glorious natural attractions of the Fleurieu Peninsula. Its the most considerable portion of vegetation left on the land, encompassing varied living species and friendly native wildlife life. The park stretches over 18kms of the coastline, housing incredible deep gorges, waterfalls, and campsites. It was formerly a conservatory park, but in 2021 the land got its designation to become a national park.

Deep Creek National Park has always been South Australia’s beloved camping destination. The amount of hiking trails you see here is unbelievable! From easy flat surfaces to rugged cliffs, Deep Creek National Park leads you to some of the park’s most unique and secluded viewpoints. Whether you’re visiting the park on a day trip or staying overnight, you’ll have ample time to discover more than 15 walking trails.

For campers who wish to stay the night, Deep Creek National Park has plenty of options for campgrounds. We camped at their Trig Campground, and it was simply amazing. While staying here, do not forget to take on their popular trail – the Deep Creek Circuit Hike. We recommend clubbing it with the Trip Campground for the best experience.

For families, we recommend taking The Stringybark Loop, a friendly surface to walk upon. The trail is relatively flat, with no steep edges whatsoever. Its best suited for beginners and kids who wish to venture into the deeper sections of the park. Furthermore, you can stay at the Stringybark campsite for a memorable experience. You can often spot resident kangaroos roaming around freely near the camp.

Those who love a challenge can take the Blowhole Beach Hike. It’s definitely not recommended for beginners, as you require moderate fitness levels to complete the stretch. The beauty of the trail is such that it leads directly to Blowhole Beach.

Things to do in Deep Creek National Park:

• Explore more than 100 species of native wildlife & birds at the national park.
• Walk the Deep Creek Cove Hike or Deep Creek Waterfall Hike for a stunning waterfall view.
• Do the Blowhole Beach Hike, and explore the extensive shoreline of the Fleurieu.
• Marvel at the sky by making a stargazing trip inside the Deep Creek National Park.

To stay at the Deep Creeks’ campgrounds, you must make prior bookings through the SA Parks website.

Read Next | The Best of Fleurieu Peninsula Hikes: Walking & Hiking Trails

Onkaparinga River National Park

Surrounded by nature and evergreen wildlife, the Onkaparinga River National Park is one of the best places to visit on the Fleurieu Peninsula. The park’s diversity is incredible, offering a range of fantastic hiking trails and scenic viewpoints. The national park is also home to SA’s second-longest river – the Onkaparinga River.

Onkaparinga River National Park is a diverse mix of rich vegetation, wetlands, deep gorges, and spectacular valleys. No matter where you go, you’ll be treated to friendly native wildlife, including koalas, kangaroos, birds, and possums. As you traverse deeper into the park, you’ll see a few remnants of the houses built in the 1880s, which are now heritage-listed huts.

Onkaparinga River National Park boasts 17 hiking trails of varying difficulty. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro hiker, the number of hikes you could do here is simply phenomenal. The most popular trail of Onkaparinga is Punchbowl Lookout Trail, and this 2km stretch is best suited for families who merely want to wander through the deep forests of the national park. We also did the Sundews Ridge Hike and stayed in their Pink Gum Campground. All the trails located inside the park are well-marked. For more info, you can visit the SA Parks.

Note: You can even plan an overnight stay at the Onkaparinga River National Park. With over 11 campsites, the proximity to the park’s other landmarks is much more accessible. The average price for an overnight stay is between $16.50 – $18.50 per night. Please visit the website for more updates.

McLaren Vale Winery

Located 45 minutes south of Adelaide, McLaren Vale is one of the premium, most sustainable wine regions of South Australia. Nestled amidst the rolling hills of Mount Lofty Ranges Gulf St Vincent beaches, McLaren Vale is the most visited place on the Fleurieu Peninsula coast. Thanks to its impressive wine cellar doors, vineyards, and attractive accommodation option.

The road to reach McLaren Vale is one of the scenic journeys of the Fleurieu Peninsula. As you drive past the lush green valleys, you’ll discover many award-wining restaurants, local farm markets, and wine tasting rooms. Upon your arrival, you’ll surely be overwhelmed by the things to see and do in the region. However, the d’Arenberg Cube remains the top-rated attraction of McLaren Vale.

The d’Arenberg Cube is an architectural beauty built amidst the Mourvèdre vines. Inside the building, you’ll find many wine tasting sections, a casual restaurant, a banquet room, and numerous artwork depicting Aboriginal culture. Apart from the things to do, each level provides gorgeous views overlooking the Willunga Hills.

A weekly farmers’ market is set up on Saturdays between 8 am and 12 pm. Over 80 farmers and local food producers come together to introduce homegrown products and items. No matter what you’re looking for, the market will provide you with the best local shopping experience.

Things to do in McLaren Vale:

• Go wine tasting at d’Arenberg winery.
• Learn more about Aboriginal art & culture.
• Visit McLaren Vale’s striking beaches – Port Noarlunga and Sellicks Beach.
• Book a luxury vineyard suite for a memorable stay.

Where to Stay on the Fleurieu

From beachfront cabins to luxury accommodation, eco-friendly nature nests, and campervan spots, the Fleurieu Peninsula offers many accommodation options. To get an idea of the best hotel stays, we have recommended a few options below –

Unique Places to Stay on the Fleurieu Peninsula

Goolwa Beachfront House – Goolwa
Seascape Retreat – Victor Harbour
South Beach House 2 – Normanville

For more ideas, read our guide – 10 Gorgeous Places to Stay on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Pet-Friendly Accommodation in the Fleurieu Peninsula

If you’re getting your pets along, these pet-friendly accommodations in the region will come in handy –

The Bluff at Battye – Encounter Bay
Yankalilla River Retreat – 18 Tonto Road
Carrie’d Away – 9 Dorset Court

Read next | A Complete Guide to Pet-Friendly Accommodation in the Fleurieu Peninsula