Family Activities
For Kids & Parents
The best family activities in Fleurieu Peninsula
The horse-drawn tram at Victor Harbor, steam trains at Goolwa, calm bays for swimming, farm animal experiences and playgrounds - the Fleurieu is a family holiday legend.
The Fleurieu Peninsula is a brilliant place to travel with children, with a stack of things to do that work for all ages and most weather. The classic family day out is at Victor Harbor: ride the heritage horse-drawn tram across the causeway to Granite Island, then hop aboard the Cockle Train, a historic steam-and-heritage railway that runs along the coast to Goolwa.
There's plenty more to keep kids busy. Think mini golf and foreshore playgrounds, the trout farm at Tooperang where you can catch your own, wildlife parks, and gentle, swimmable beaches up and down the Gulf St Vincent coast. Markets, farm gates and pick-your-own orchards turn a simple drive into an adventure, and the region's many short, flat walks and rail trails are easy going for little legs and prams.
Rainy days are well covered too, with museums, galleries, indoor play and family-friendly cafés in the larger towns. Most attractions are close together and easy to string into a single outing, and lots of beaches, walks and parks are free. For the most popular activities and the Cockle Train, check seasonal timetables and book ahead during school holidays.
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114 places
Fleurieu Cherries
A family cherry orchard in The Range hinterland offering pick-your-own cherries each summer (early December to January).
Fleurieu E-Bike Hire
Electric bike rental along the 31km Encounter Bikeway with pickup at Goolwa, Middleton or Port Elliot - self-guided coastal cycling.
Fleurieu Fishing Charters
Offshore fishing charters from Wirrina Cove Marina with 30+ years of local experience - two vessels carrying up to 16 passengers, snapper, whiting and tuna grounds.
Fleurieu Food & Wine Cooking School
Hands-on cooking classes at McLaren Vale wineries - pasta, cheese, spice masterclasses and native food, suited to beginners and confident cooks.
Fleurieu Hills Vineyards
A high-altitude (300m+) single-vineyard estate in the Fleurieu hills, with a December cellar door pop-up coinciding with the cherry season.
Fleurieu Milk Company Farm Gate
A family dairy farm gate near Myponga with a refillable glass-bottle milk-on-tap system, plus cream, yoghurt and local Fleurieu produce.
Fleurieu Yoga
A boutique yoga studio in Aldinga village with a full weekly schedule of hatha, vinyasa, yin and pilates classes.
FoodBuilder Bread Class
A 4-hour hands-on bread-making class in McLaren Vale - take home a sourdough starter and fresh-baked loaves, with wine and light lunch included.
Fork in the Road Wines
A relaxed bring-your-own-picnic-style cellar door on the heritage cricket oval site at Sand Road, McLaren Vale.
Forktree Brewing
A converted shearing shed brewery on a working family farm, with panoramic ocean views over Carrickalinga to Cape Jervis - one of the most scenic brewery destinations on the Peninsula.
G T Fisher Train Playground
A renovated nature playground on the Victor Harbor foreshore featuring its iconic decommissioned steam locomotive - a much-loved family stop.
Gilbert's Motor Museum
Classic cars and motoring memorabilia
A family-run motor museum in the heart of Strathalbyn housing a rotating collection of classic cars, motoring memorabilia and vintage advertising.
Glacier Rock (Selwyn Rock)
A 280-million-year-old glaciated river bed
A Permian-era glacial pavement carved into 510 million year old bedrock on the floor of the Inman River - one of the oldest and most accessible glacial sites in Australia.
Goolwa Beach
Eighteen kilometres of open Southern Ocean sand
Goolwa Beach is the southern end of an 18-kilometre stretch of wave-pounded Southern Ocean sand running all the way to the Murray Mouth, with a patrolled swimming area and a legendary (and legal) 4WD beach drive.
Goolwa Beach Dune Boardwalk
A 170 m timber boardwalk over the Goolwa dunes to a lookout with panoramas of Sir Richard Peninsula, the Hindmarsh Island Bridge and the Coorong.
Goolwa Wharf Precinct
A State Heritage Area covering 19 historic sites along the Goolwa wharf - paddle steamer, railway, goods sheds, hotels and Little Scotland - the best-preserved 19th-century river port in Australia.
Goolwa Wharf Rotary Market
Riverside market on the Goolwa Wharf
A community market on the Goolwa Wharf with over 80 stalls of fresh produce, crafts, food and music - held on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month.
Granite Island
Victor Harbor's penguin-island
A small rocky island off the Victor Harbor foreshore, home to a little penguin colony and accessed by the iconic horse-drawn tram causeway.
Harvest the Fleurieu
A family strawberry farm on the Victor Harbor Road with a pick-your-own patch (October-May), a market hall of local produce and an on-site cafe.
Helivista
Scenic helicopter flights over McLaren Vale - 30-minute scenic loops, wine flights to remote cellar doors and lunch flight packages.
Horseshoe Bay
Port Elliot's sheltered family cove
A near-perfect horseshoe of sandy beach framed by sandstone headlands at Port Elliot, one of the safest swimming beaches on the Encounter Coast.
Ingalalla Falls
Tiered cascade and rockpools in Second Valley Forest
A family-friendly tiered waterfall and rockpool just a short stroll from the carpark, set in the lush Second Valley Forest Reserve south of Normanville.
Inman Valley Hotel
A country pub in the rolling hills
A traditional country pub in the tiny hamlet of Inman Valley - a classic Fleurieu lunch stop after a bike ride along the Encounter Bikeway or a visit to Glacier Rock.
Jungle in Willunga
A small tropical jungle boardwalk experience on Willunga's main road with an animal hunt, climbing web and Fairy Fern Garden - $2 entry, perfect for younger kids.