The season may be changing and cooling down, but there’s always a destination and reasons to visit South Australia in autumn.

Our Mediterranean climate will mean more chance of rainfall, and the days will gradually get cooler but there’ll still be plenty of sunny days to come. The average temperatures for this time of year are nights around 12 degrees and days around 23 degrees, so quite pleasant for touring and getting out and about.

Here are my picks of destinations to visit in South Australia in autumn ~ March to May, and some ideas for planning getaways for the school holidays coming up.

Adelaide Hills

You can’t go past the Adelaide Hills for autumn colour and cosy village feels. Head to places like Hahndorf, Stirling, Woodside, Gumeracha and Lobethal for spectacular autumn leaf action, shopping, dining and places of interest. Make sure to visit a hills pub, try the Uraidla Hotel for something out of the ordinary, and pick up some seasonal produce from roadside stalls. The Mt Lofty Botanic Garden is perfect for a family day out, and make sure to visit a few of the hills wineries for distant rolling hills views.

Our Favourite stay is at the : Hahndorf Holiday and Caravan Park

Fleurieu Peninsula

The coastal waters get a little wilder and the whales begin to arrive along the coast at Middleton and Goolwa. There are great weekend markets and places to go for brisk walks to see wildlife, and then afterwards, cosy places to dine out of the wind, some with spectacular water views. Some of the best walking trails are the Harbourmasters walk at Port Elliot, Myponga Reservoir and Granite Island.

Best family activity: Whale watching

Barossa Valley

Another great spot to notice autumn changes with grapevines turning colour and it’s a perfect time to try a quintessential Barossa Shiraz. Stay in Tanunda for a short stroll from the caravan park to the main shopping strip where you’ll find lots of interesting shops to browse and cellar doors to try without having to drive anywhere.

Nuriootpa is another top spot with the caravan park providing fire pits for you to sit around and enjoy with the company of friends while sipping on a nice Barossa drop and eating some market bought goodies. There’s lots of space for kids to run and play and while in the Barossa, keep an eye out for friendly wildlife, kangaroos and possums in particular.

Tips: how to experience the Barossa like a local

Riverland

Perfect for quiet getaways where you can find spots for free or very low cost to park a van, right on the river. Bring your own fire brazier and slow down to river time, fishing and just enjoying the ambience, birdlife and watching the river flow. Look for some colourful art around the river towns of Renmark and Berri and you’ll also find some exceptional riverfront places to dine.

Don’t miss 23^rd Street Distillery in Renmark for gin tastings and the Woolshed brewery at Wilkadene.
There are some great riverside walks to take and lots of paddle wheeler and river trade history to uncover.

Flinders Ranges

The Flinders in autumn is ideal with the cooler weather making hiking a lot easier to handle. Station stays are a top idea with more space and freedom than a caravan park and the ability to have a nice campfire and try your hand at cooking over coals in the evenings. The Flinders should start greening up with a little autumn rain hopefully and during the school holidays, some of the stations cater specifically for kids, with activities and animal encounters to keep them busy.

Adelaide City

Don’t forget to head to the city in autumn with the Adelaide Botanic Garden another perfect place to feel the change in the air. All of the city public institutions have new exhibitions to see including the art gallery, museum, State Library and of course MOD (Museum of Discovery). The best part is that these are all on the one city strip ~ North Terrace and they are free to see, except in the case of special touring exhibtions.

These are just a few of my favourites for autumn touring and school holiday destinations to discover in SA.

Enjoy!

Glenys