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.
Read our guide to family activities ↓Browse family activities by area
Map shows the 24 places on this page.
Fleurieu Fishing Charters
View →Offshore fishing charters from Wirrina Cove Marina with 30+ years of local experience - two vessels carrying up to 16 passengers, snapper, whiting and tuna grounds.
Fleurieu Food & Wine Cooking School
View →Hands-on cooking classes at McLaren Vale wineries - pasta, cheese, spice masterclasses and native food, suited to beginners and confident cooks.
Fleurieu Yoga
View →A boutique yoga studio in Aldinga village with a full weekly schedule of hatha, vinyasa, yin and pilates classes.
FoodBuilder Bread Class
View →A 4-hour hands-on bread-making class in McLaren Vale - take home a sourdough starter and fresh-baked loaves, with wine and light lunch included.
Fork in the Road Wines
View →A relaxed bring-your-own-picnic-style cellar door on the heritage cricket oval site at Sand Road, McLaren Vale.
Forktree Brewing
View →A converted shearing shed brewery on a working family farm, with panoramic ocean views over Carrickalinga to Cape Jervis - one of the most scenic brewery destinations on the Peninsula.
G T Fisher Train Playground
View →A renovated nature playground on the Victor Harbor foreshore featuring its iconic decommissioned steam locomotive - a much-loved family stop.
Gilbert's Motor Museum
View →Classic cars and motoring memorabilia
A family-run motor museum in the heart of Strathalbyn housing a rotating collection of classic cars, motoring memorabilia and vintage advertising.
Glacier Rock (Selwyn Rock)
View →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
View →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 Precinct
View →A State Heritage Area covering 19 historic sites along the Goolwa wharf - paddle steamer, railway, goods sheds, hotels and Little Scotland - the best-preserved 19th-century river port in Australia.
Goolwa Wharf Rotary Market
View →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.
Granite Island
View →Victor Harbor's penguin-island
A small rocky island off the Victor Harbor foreshore, home to a little penguin colony and accessed by the iconic horse-drawn tram causeway.
Harvest the Fleurieu
View →A family strawberry farm on the Victor Harbor Road with a pick-your-own patch (October-May), a market hall of local produce and an on-site cafe.
Helivista
View →Scenic helicopter flights over McLaren Vale - 30-minute scenic loops, wine flights to remote cellar doors and lunch flight packages.
Horseshoe Bay
View →Port Elliot's sheltered family cove
A near-perfect horseshoe of sandy beach framed by sandstone headlands at Port Elliot, one of the safest swimming beaches on the Encounter Coast.
Ingalalla Falls
View →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.
Jungle in Willunga
View →A small tropical jungle boardwalk experience on Willunga's main road with an animal hunt, climbing web and Fairy Fern Garden - $5 entry, perfect for younger kids.
Kingosurfing
View →A Goolwa-based surf school running lessons across the Fleurieu - Goolwa Beach, Middleton, Port Elliot and Victor Harbor - run by experienced surf coach Kingo with private and group options year-round.
Kleinigs Hill Lookout
View →A clifftop lookout above Victor Harbor offering one of the best elevated views over Encounter Bay, Granite Island and the western coastline.
Kool Tours (Mark Koolmatrie)
View →Hall-of-Fame Ngarrindjeri cultural tours led by elder Mark Koolmatrie - Coorong cruises, dune walks, smoke ceremonies and Nurrunderi Creation Story storytelling.
Kuitpo Forest
View →A working pine and native forest with trails, picnic spots and treetop adventure
A 3,600-hectare ForestrySA reserve of softwood plantations and remnant native bushland in the South Mount Lofty Ranges, criss-crossed by walking, mountain bike and horse trails 45 minutes from Adelaide.
Magpie Springs Paint and Sip
View →Three-hour beginner paint-and-sip art classes with artist Kerry Mart at Magpie Springs gallery and vineyard in the Willunga hinterland - wine included.
McCarthy's Orchard Cellar Door
View →A family-friendly McLaren Flat cellar door where kids meet a pony, donkeys and free-range chickens while parents taste wine and cider in the orchard.
About family activities in Fleurieu Peninsula
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.
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.