There’s a specific kind of ease that comes with traveling through South Australia - the sort where the welcome is as unforced as the landscape. Whether you’re leaning into the quiet of the vines in the hills or finding a salt-crusted lookout on the coast, the best experiences here are the ones where you can just show up, pull up a chair and be yourself.
Planning should feel just as steady. You might find yourself out in the scrub with Untamed Escapes, where the focus is simply on connecting you with the wilder parts of the state, or taking a slower, hosted pace through the Limestone Coast with Coonawarra Experiences.
For everything in between - like finding a genuinely good coffee (and a good vibe to match) - we’ve pulled together our favourite food, stays and places to get around below, so you can spend less time logistics-checking and more time in the moment.
South Australia is also home to the Welcome with Pride accreditation, celebrating businesses that are committed to creating inclusive and welcoming experiences for LGBTIQ+ travellers.
When your own home is a work of art, it takes a lot to lure you away. Swapping a sanctuary for a suitcase doesn’t come easily - but for partners in life and design, Josh and Matt found that reason in South Australia.
They discovered the simple pleasures that make a trip feel genuinely generous: a cold glass of sparkling on arrival, sun-drenched lunches by the water and the quiet magic of birdwatching from an outdoor bath.
They’ve pulled together a guide of the places that stayed with them, sharing how a certain space - or a whole city - can shift the way you feel.
“I can’t believe it happened, but we found a venue more eccentric than our own home!”
— Josh & Matt
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Standing on Kaurna Country, the South Australian Tourism Commission recognises the uniquely diverse Aboriginal communities across the state.
We value the knowledge Aboriginal people hold of Country and culture and are committed to growing genuine relationships with Traditional Custodians.
We will continue our journey of reconciliation and support Aboriginal tourism operators and communities to tell their own stories and share their culture with the world.
Kaurna Yartangka yuwanthi, South Australian Tourism Commisionriu tampinthi wiwurra Yaitya Miyurna kuma parnaku Pirkurna Kanthipartu‑arra.
Ngadiu yurikaityanthi, Yaitya Miyurnaku ngutu yartaku kuma Tapa‑Purruna. Ngadlu nilputa tika‑apirringutha Yaitya. Yarta‑Mathanyarna‑ityangka.
Ngadluku tapa nguyanguya murititya ngadlu muinmurningutha. Ngadlu karrpatha Yaitya Miyurna Mikarri‑apipinarna kuma Pirkurna, parnakunta pirrkurna kuma parnaku Tapa‑Purruna yungkurringutha, marngu‑ityangka.
