Uncork More of Australia in South Australia

Red or white? In South Australia, the answer is always both—and so much more.

Adelaide, South Australia’s capital city, has long exceeded expectations as a vibrant city of culture, cuisine and creativity. Now, with direct United Airlines flights from San Francisco arriving three times weekly during the December–March peak season, South Australia becomes an effortless gateway for North American travelers seeking a richer, more immersive Australian experience.

From Adelaide’s celebrated wine, dining and arts scene, venture outward to the dramatic Limestone Coast, the vast beauty of the Outback, Australia’s most scenic rail journeys, and Kangaroo Island, where wildlife and wilderness reign.

There’s a lot of Australia in South Australia. So, pour a glass of Barossa Shiraz, and discover a destination that invites you to savour every moment in the nation’s Festival State.

Check out our featured trip to South Australia or get in touch with our Destination Specialists to start planning your own custom tailor-made trip to Australia today!

Tasting Your Way in and Around Adelaide

South Australia’s dry, warm climate and nutrient-rich soils yield flavoursome produce, and no location embodies the state’s relationship with food like Adelaide Central Market. You can find just about every link in the ‘farm to table’ chain here. It is also a veritable UN of international flavours, from classic street foods to innovative modern restaurants. The best way to experience Adelaide’s most delicious attraction is to join a tasting tour so you can share a wide variety of flavours, stories and locally crafted creations. It’s an ideal first taste of Adelaide’s vibrant and diverse food scene before you go exploring the city’s ever-evolving roster of dining experiences.

If you can put your fork down long enough, you’ll absolutely want time to explore Adelaide’s creative side. This progressive, arts-loving city earned South Australia its ‘Festival State’ name, boasting the world’s largest cabaret festival, the world’s second largest Fringe festival after Edinburgh, plus major celebrations showcasing sports, arts, culture, and of course, food and wine! The Mediterranean climate and flat, easy to navigate streets also make Adelaide a friendly city for walkers and bikers, surrounded by lush parklands and green spaces.

Plan a trip to Adelaide.

You mentioned wine? Tell me more about this wine.

You may already be familiar with South Australia’s most celebrated export: wine. To stay in the Barossa Valley is to immerse yourself in the spiritual heart of South Australian winemaking, home to some of the world’s oldest continuously producing vines—many dating back to the 1840s. Barossa Valley Shiraz (also known as Syrah) takes centre stage, but Rhône varieties such as Grenache and Mataro flourish here as well. On the white wine front, Riesling, Semillon and Chardonnay are equally at home.

Despite the international acclaim of Barossa wines, much of the region remains proudly local. Many wineries are still family owned and operated, including Yalumba, the largest family-run winery in Australia. While cellar doors are plentiful, one of the most rewarding ways to experience the Barossa is on a private tour focused on boutique, small-batch tastings. These intimate experiences take you behind the tasting bench and face to face with the winemakers themselves. For those keen to tick off the icons, guides can also curate itineraries that include big names like Penfolds, Jacob’s Creek and Wolf Blass—all within an hour’s drive of Adelaide.

While the Barossa is South Australia’s most renowned wine region, it’s only the beginning. Just 30 minutes south of Adelaide, McLaren Vale is celebrated for its expressive Grenache and the local favourite GSM blend. Travel north to the Clare Valley for Australia’s benchmark Rieslings, or head east to the Adelaide Hills for cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc. Wherever your journey takes you, a leisurely lunch featuring locally sourced produce and artisanal charcuterie is the perfect companion to a day among the vines.

Destination Specialist Tip

“Take a small group or private winery tour with a local expert. They can customize an itinerary that includes lesser-known wineries as well as your favourites, a wonderful lunch stop and lots of amazing scenery. Be prepared for many wonderful wine tastings and perhaps try your skills a cooking school.” – Janette, Goway South Pacific.

Plan a South Australia food and wine vacation.

Hop over to Kangaroo Island for natural treasures

Kangaroo Island stands apart as one of South Australia’s most extraordinary natural destinations. Just a 30-minute flight from Adelaide, it feels a world away—remote, elemental an deeply connected to nature. Yes, you’ll find wineries, farm gates selling direct to visitors, and fabulous accommodation options. But the island’s true draw is its extraordinary concentration of native Australian wildlife.

Kangaroos, wallabies, possums, goannas, echidnas and koalas are frequent sights, while the lucky few may spot the elusive platypus. The island is also home to numerous species of native bats and turtles, rewarding visitors who take the time to look closely. Much of this wildlife is protected within Kangaroo Island’s expansive national parks, with Flinders Chase National Park at the western tip among the most celebrated in the country. Here, the sculptural Remarkable Rocks, Admiral’s Arch and Cape du Couedic form a dramatic backdrop to encounters with nature. More than 260 bird species fill the skies, while seals and sea lions lounge along the coast (so abundant here they have become the island’s unofficial stars). Bottlenose dolphins are commonly seen offshore, and while whale sightings are less predictable, they are an unforgettable bonus when they occur.

There is no wrong time to visit Kangaroo Island. Summer (December to February) brings fur seal breeding season, with dramatic beachside displays viewed safely from boardwalks. In autumn (March to May), black cockatoos return to nest. Winter (June to August), despite brisk Southern Ocean winds, is one of the best times for wildlife encounters. Southern Right Whales migrate past the coast, black swans gather in wetlands, while kangaroo and wallaby joeys emerge from their pouches. Spring (September to November) ushers in the Shearwater Migration, when hundreds of thousands of birds soar above the waves, alongside the blooming of Kangaroo Island’s native orchids.

Destination Specialist tip

“Book a tour, as the excellent guides on Kangaroo Island will help you spot that Koala high in a tree or the spiky echidnas peeking out from the bush. Seeing a group of Kangaroos gathering on the grass outside of my window one morning was a highlight of my trip Downunder.” – Janette, Goway South Pacific.

Plan a trip to Kangaroo Island.

Outback beauty under a South Australian sun

South Australia is the country’s driest state, home to some of Australia’s most arresting desert and Outback landscapes. One of the most memorable ways to experience them is aboard The Ghan, the legendary rail journey that travels north through Alice Springs to Darwin in the Northern Territory. Along the way, step off the train at dawn to watch the desert sky quietly ignite with colour as you enjoy an Outback breakfast in the tiny town of Marla. Continue on to the otherworldly Breakaways Reserve, or explore Coober Pedy—South Australia’s remarkable opal mining town, famed for its underground homes carved into the earth to escape the desert heat.

Further south, Ikara–Flinders Ranges National Park is another Outback highlight, with Wilpena Pound standing as its most iconic natural feature. Located around a half-day’s drive north of Adelaide, this vast, natural amphitheatre of mountains and valleys is ideal for walking and exploration, and makes a compelling addition to a longer South Australian journey. Arrive in time for a nightly Welcome to Country ceremony, where Adnyamathanha guides share stories of the Dreaming and explain their enduring connection to this ancient landscape. The region is also rich in Indigenous rock art, including the powerful site of Yura Malka—a sacred canyon that can only be visited with a Yura guide, offering rare insight into the area’s cultural history and significance. For those who prefer a gentler pace, scenic flights provide a breathtaking aerial perspective, while the 29-kilometre (18-mile) Moralana Scenic Road delivers sweeping views from the comfort of your rental car.

Plan a trip to the South Australia Outback.

There’s a lot of Australia in South Australia

South Australia offers a complete Australian adventure within a single state, yet it remains relatively undiscovered by many international travellers. As a result, its iconic attractions feel far less “touristy” than elsewhere. While it’s easy to include a quick taste of Adelaide or Kangaroo Island as part of a longer Australia itinerary, South Australia stands on its own, offering everything that makes the country special. 

Start with at least 2 days in Adelaide, then take a rental car or join a guided tour to explore further. Head north to the state’s Outback wonders, or south to Kangaroo Island. If time allows, venture out to the Limestone Coast, home to boutique wineries, the striking Blue Lake of Mount Gambier, and unique prehistoric treasures like the Naracoorte Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site celebrated for its exceptional fossil record and geological significance.