7 Stress-Free South Australia Towns For A Weekend Retreat
The drive out of Adelaide takes barely an hour before the noise drops away in towns like Normanville and Strathalbyn. South Australia keeps its best weekends small. A cellar door in the Coonawarra pours Cabernet from terra rossa soil down the road. A jetty at Normanville stretches into water where dolphins surface most mornings. Hahndorf still serves German beer in pubs older than the state itself. These seven towns are built for two slow days and an easy way home.
Hahndorf
Hahndorf is an easy 30-minute drive from Adelaide, making it ideal for a weekend break. This German-inspired town in the Adelaide Hills draws visitors with its heritage architecture and artisanal restaurants. Visitors can get into the weekend mood at The Hahndorf Old Mill Hotel or the Hahndorf Inn, where they will find steins of beer and hearty German food. The hotel also offers 3-star facilities within the historic building, with rooms featuring climate control, en-suite bathrooms, and period decor. With accommodation sorted, visitors can start exploring the rest of Hahndorf. The German specialty stores on Main Street sell gourmet food, Bavarian ornaments, and handmade leather goods. In and around Hahndorf, there are also several wineries to explore, including the Hahndorf Hill Winery, which comes with views across the vineyards, and The Lane Vineyard, which includes a tasting room and an on-site restaurant. Other things to do include picking strawberries at Beerenberg Farm (in summer) and seeing Sir Hans Heysen's landscape paintings at The Cedars.
Robe
Lazy weekends also beckon in Robe, a quiet coastal town located 90 minutes from Mount Gambier. Like most seaside towns, Robe shines during the summer, with Town Beach being a firm favorite for swimming out to the pontoon or relaxing on the warm sand. Long Beach is excellent for surfing, and visitors can even drive their car right onto the beach. Those who like beaches with rocks and shelter from the wind can head to Hooper Beach for snorkeling and stand-up paddleboarding. The Aloha Highview Hotel offers four-star accommodation and the ideal base for visitors to explore both the town and its surroundings. Those who prefer more upscale accommodation can book a room at the Robe Marina, which comes with beach access. From here, visitors can plan their weekends, which can include strolling the heritage trails, fishing on the beach, and walking the Coastal Track to the Obelisk. Most people walk to the Obelisk just before the sun sets, so they can watch the sky turn a fiery orange. Those who prefer to soak up as much of the outdoors as they can in 48 hours can opt to camp at Little Dip Conservation Park, just outside Robe. The park offers several campgrounds, with some providing beach access and others offering easy access to the coastal dunes and walking tracks.
Penola
Penola, a country town in the southeast of the state, is around 50 kilometers from Mount Gambier and 388 kilometers from Adelaide. The town sits in the Coonawarra wine region, where the terra rossa soil draws growers from across the country, and the wine culture is strong. Those coming for the weekend can book a two-day stay at the Alexander Cameron Suites in Church Street, near several wineries and cafes. The Coonawarra wine strip, just eight minutes away, offers more than 20 cellars that operate out of historic buildings and pour highly regarded Cabernet Sauvignon. Visitors who want to explore more than just wine tastings can head to the Mary MacKillop Penola Center to see the historic exhibits, as well as the old Schoolhouse and the Petticoat Lane historic cottages. These buildings sit in the oldest residential area of the town, dating to the 1850s. Those interested in the arts can also take some time out of their Penola weekend to walk the Penola Coonawarra Arts Trail, which includes murals and sculptures throughout the area.
Melrose
Melrose offers a mountain town experience just three hours north of Adelaide. This town is the oldest in the Flinders Ranges and was once called 'Mount Remarkable.' Today, Melrose is the gateway to Mount Remarkable National Park, where visitors will find gorges and ancient mountain peaks. Experienced hikers can tackle the summit trail to the actual Mount Remarkable for even wider views across the ranges. They might even spot a kangaroo or two on their way up. In the town itself, visitors can go rustic with a stay at the North Star Hotel, or enjoy a cellar door with three local wineries at Mount Remarkable Hotel Motel. From this base, it is easy to go out and see the rest of Melrose, including the 1862 Melrose Courthouse and the ruins of the Mount Remarkable Flour Mill. Mountain bikers should make a note to visit Melrose during June so they can catch the Melrose Fat Tyre Festival. The festival encourages mountain bikers and locals to mingle to the tune of live music while feasting on great food and embarking on night rides.
Burra
In Burra, just under 2 hours from Adelaide, visitors will feel like royalty who have been given the 'key to the city.' The key in this case is the town's Heritage Passport, which allows access to 11 different historic sites. After leaving their luggage in their own Paxton Square Cottage (hotel), visitors can take their passports and head to the Redruth Gaol and the Dugouts. The dugouts were miners' homes and were caves these miners carved by hand along Burra Creek. Burra was once a flourishing mining town, as evidenced by these dugouts, and the Burra Monster Mine is still one of the most popular attractions. For its first decade the mine was the largest metal mine in the country, and it was instrumental in helping South Australia avoid financial ruin. Aside from the mining attractions, visitors can stop by the Red Banks Conservation Park to see the red earth gorges and look for fossils. Wildlife enthusiasts will be happy to know that the park abounds in animals too, and they can spend their weekend keeping their eyes peeled for echidnas, wombats, and kangaroos.
Strathalbyn
People looking to escape Adelaide for a weekend can take the one-hour trip to Strathalbyn, the unofficial antique capital of South Australia. Upon arrival, they can book in at the Victoria Hotel, where they can enjoy a free breakfast every day before going antique hunting. The Antique Bazaar is on High Street and is hugely popular with people looking for collectibles and antique furniture. All In Good Time Antiques specializes in all types of quirky decor items, including enamel signs and so-called kitchenalia. Other things to do over a weekend in Strathalbyn are visit Carriage of Occasion, where horse-drawn carriages can be booked for just about any occasion. The Strathalbyn Market is filled with stalls that offer homemade snacks, fresh fruits and vegetables, and crafts that are hard to find elsewhere. Those who just want to relax and watch the world go by for a bit can stroll the Angas River Walk and have a picnic on the river banks.
Normanville
Normanville is also around an hour away from Adelaide and offers the ideal seaside break for harried travelers. This coastal town, which lies along the Fleurieu Peninsula, is home to Normanville Beach, where visitors can stroll on the jetty or take long walks on the soft sand. The Normanville Foreshore hosts SUP tours for those who want to learn how to paddle. After a day on the beach, visitors can stop by Aqua Blue Kiosk & Restaurant for a seafood meal. Those who want to explore some more before having dinner can partake in a vintage bike tour that will take them through Normanville and Carrickalinga. The bike paths travel along scenic lookouts, and there is always the chance of spotting a dolphin along the way. Bike tours also make it easy to reach Carrickalinga Beach, where the water is shallow and clear, perfect for snorkeling. Afterwards, visitors can retire to the Lady Bay Resort right next to Normanville, where there are well-appointed rooms, spa suites, and views of the sea. Those who prefer staying in town can book a stay at BIG4 Normanville Jetty Holiday Park, which is close to wineries and the beach.
Leave Your Troubles Behind In South Australia's Stress-Free Towns
A weekend getaway is not about rushing from one tourist spot to the next. In South Australia, several stress-free small towns afford you the time to breathe and relax. There is nothing to worry about and you can leave your troubles far behind as you stroll through historic streets, window-shopping for antiques or gazing out at the ocean while enjoying a picnic. In this part of Australia, relaxation is as easy as a glass of wine in one hand and a snack in the other, while considering where to go and what to see next. Each of these towns sits within a few hours of home, which leaves the weekend itself for slowing down rather than the road.
