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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16 places
Bristow Smith Reserve
A riverside nature playground with a wooden boat
Goolwa's premier riverside park features an award-winning nature playspace built around a 10-metre restored wooden fishing boat, right on the Murray River with BBQs, shelters and a shallow swimming beach.
Carrickalinga Beach
A wide white-sand beach north of Normanville
A wide, flat, white-sand beach stretching 3km along the Gulf St Vincent north of Normanville - safe for swimming, excellent for beach walks and one of the Fleurieu's best family beaches.
Carrickalinga Lookout
A clifftop lookout on Forktree Road above Carrickalinga with sweeping views over the bay, the Sellicks Hills and the Gulf St Vincent coast.
Coast to Vines Rail Trail
Thirty-seven flat kilometres from sea to slate
A 37-kilometre sealed rail trail along the old Willunga railway corridor, running from Marino on the coast through the McLaren Vale vineyards and ending on the edge of historic Willunga township.
Encounter Bikeway
30km sealed cycling and walking path
A mostly flat 30km sealed path running along the Encounter Coast between Victor Harbor and Goolwa - perfect for families, casual walkers and cyclists.
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 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.
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.
Kleinigs Hill Lookout
A clifftop lookout above Victor Harbor offering one of the best elevated views over Encounter Bay, Granite Island and the western coastline.
Middleton Beach
The Fleurieu learn-to-surf beach
A long, gently-shelving sand beach between Port Elliot and Goolwa, widely regarded as the best learn-to-surf beach on the Fleurieu Peninsula.
Myponga Reservoir Reserve
Walking, kayaking and fishing at a SA Water reservoir
A 250-hectare SA Water reservoir opened to the public for walking, kayaking, fishing and picnics, with a spectacular lookout over the dam wall and spillway.
Soldiers Memorial Gardens
Riverside park at the heart of Strathalbyn
A beautiful riverside park at the centre of Strathalbyn, following the River Angas through the heritage town with lawns, ponds, picnic tables and the town's war memorial.
Strathalbyn Historic Town
South Australia's Scottish heritage town
One of the prettiest towns in Australia: a riverside heritage town settled by Scottish pioneers in 1839, with over 30 heritage-listed buildings and a reputation as the state's antiques capital.
Strathalbyn Sunday Market
A monthly antiques, collectables and craft market on the lawns of Lions Park, third Sunday of every month - one of the longest-running country markets on the Fleurieu.
Yankalilla Craft & Produce Market
A small monthly craft and produce market at the historic Agricultural Hall, third Saturday of every month, with local growers, makers and bakers.
Family Activities in Fleurieu Peninsula - frequently asked questions
What is the Fleurieu Peninsula best known for as a family destination?
The signature family day out is at Victor Harbor, where a Clydesdale horse pulls the heritage tram across the 630-metre causeway to Granite Island - the only horse-drawn tram of its kind running year-round in the Southern Hemisphere. The other classic is the Cockle Train, a heritage steam and rail service that runs along the coast between Goolwa, Port Elliot and Victor Harbor on one of Australia's oldest railway lines.
Which beaches are best for families with young children?
Horseshoe Bay at Port Elliot is a sheltered, crescent-shaped bay with calm water, a grassy foreshore and cafes right behind the sand, making it ideal for easy beach days. Carrickalinga and Normanville on the western coast also offer calm, shallow turquoise water and soft sand, with Carrickalinga's rock pools popular for little ones to explore safely.
Where can kids get up close to animals on the Fleurieu?
Urimbirra Wildlife Park, about five minutes from Victor Harbor in Hindmarsh Valley, is an open-range park home to kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, emus, wombats and dingoes. It is open daily, animal feed is available on site, and there are scheduled koala and snake-handling experiences, plus free barbecues and picnic areas for a family lunch.
Do you need to book the tram and the Cockle Train, and what days do they run?
The Victor Harbor horse-drawn tram runs to Granite Island every day of the year, with tickets bought on the day. The Cockle Train operates on a heritage timetable - typically Sundays, Wednesdays, school holidays and daily through the summer holiday season - so check the SteamRanger timetable before you go; tickets can be purchased on the day at the Goolwa, Port Elliot or Victor Harbor station offices.
Is winter still a good time for a family trip to the Fleurieu?
Yes - winter is whale season, when southern right whales gather close to the Encounter Coast off Victor Harbor, generally from May to October with the best viewing from June through September. The South Australian Whale Centre in the heart of Victor Harbor has interactive exhibits for kids, and June's Winter Whale Fest brings family events along the coast, so the colder months are far from quiet.