6-day road trip in the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale 

By Alexis Buxton-Collins

Crossed by winding roads and dotted with charming cellar doors, the hills hugging the Adelaide plains in South Australia are tailor-made for road tripping. Explore this enchanting landscape of mixed farmland, where mist rises from hidden valleys and wineries operate out of century-old stone cottages. Then descend to an idyllic valley where grapes thrive in the salt-laden air carried up from cliff-lined beaches.

Day 1: Adelaide to Adelaide Hills and Woodside

• Drive time: under an hour

From the centre of Adelaide, a gentle 45-minute drive takes you through the north-eastern suburbs before you ascend into the verdant Adelaide Hills. Stop in at Gumeracha, where Applewood Distillery produces gin that celebrates the unique flavours and aromas of native botanicals from all over Australia. 

If the views of cherry, fig and apple orchards have given you an appetite, duck around the corner to the Green Shed where fresh local produce is piled high. Then follow the winding road to Bird In Hand winery at Woodside. This gorgeous cellar door, located on the site of a former gold mine, hosts regular rock concerts and fashion events. Still, the aromatic whites and outstanding cool-climate shiraz are good reasons to visit any day of the year. 

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Day 2: Woodside to Crafers 

• Drive time: about 30 minutes

Spend your second day ambling between some of the historic townships typical of the region, including Uraidla and Crafers. First, sample some fare from the breakfast hamper at Vigneron Villa, but save space for the heavenly cheeses from nearby Woodside Cheese Wrights. Garnishes of edible flowers and herbs turn soft goat’s milk cheeses into works of art. Drive for 20 minutes from Woodside to the quirky Uraidla Hotel, or visit the neighbouring café, which also houses a bakery and brewery. 

Nearby Ashton Hills Vineyard pioneered Australian pinot noir and still produces elegant cool-climate drops at its cosy cellar door. Drive a further 10 minutes to explore the impeccably manicured Mount Lofty Botanic Garden in Crafers, before climbing to Mount Lofty’s summit. From the lookout, you can see the surrounding hills and valleys as well as the entire city of Adelaide and the sparkling Gulf St Vincent beyond. 

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Day 3: Crafers to Macclesfield

• Drive time: under an hour

Set out in the morning from Crafers to visit the twin towns of Stirling and Aldgate, both full of proud local businesses like the dog-friendly Fred Eatery. Here, indulgent breakfasts featuring pork belly, chilli caramel omelettes and thick-cut French toast draw crowds from the city. 

Drive through a chequerboard of mixed farmland dotted with elegant stone structures to the cellar door at The Lane. Savour the complex minerality of the classic white styles and intense fruit flavours of the reds before creating your own blend to take home. Then appreciate aromas of a different kind on a guided tour of the nearby Jurlique farm. Specially bred Jurlique rose petals are among the four tonnes of sustainable, biodynamic flowers and herbs grown each year for the brand’s skincare products. 

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Day 4: Macclesfield to Carrickalinga

• Drive time: about an hour

Start the day drinking in the views from the lookout at Longview just outside Macclesfield, where you can see all the way to the spectacular wetlands area of the Coorong and the Southern Ocean beyond. Then, head in the other direction to the pine plantations of the Kuitpo Forest Reserve, which you can explore on the half-day Tinjella Circuit. This sub-region champions elegant, low-alcohol wines that suit the cool, wet climate.  

Leave the pines behind as you descend into McLaren Vale and continue down the Fleurieu Peninsula, a land of rolling hills and hidden sea coves that many artists call home. Myponga’s Smiling Samoyed brewery is home to an adorable dog and a dark ale that is regularly named South Australia’s best. Ten minutes later, you’ll find yourself in the quiet seaside village of Carrickalinga.

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Day 5: Carrickalinga to McLaren Vale

• Drive time: under an hour

Head up the coast back towards the famed McLaren Vale, taking the meandering Reservoir Road for spectacular views over Myponga Reservoir and the surrounding hills. Continue to d’Arenberg Cube, where you’ll find an exhibition of Salvador Dali’s work and a modern tasting room.

Head through McLaren Vale town to the Salopian Inn, housed in a 170-year-old homestead. Chef Karena Armstrong is a champion of local food producers, who are all equally passionate about her fresh Asian-influenced menu. At nearby Gemtree Wines you can learn about biodynamic principles, then stroll the onsite wetlands where owners Mike and Melissa Brown have planted more than 50,000 native plants to the delight of the local wildlife. 

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Day 6: McLaren Vale to Adelaide

• Drive time: about an hour

Every Saturday from 8 am–12.30 pm the Willunga Farmer’s Market in McLaren Vale draws crowds from all over the Fleurieu Peninsula and Adelaide suburbs for its fresh produce. Local charcuterie makers Little Acre’s legendary toasties are worth lining up for. 

Before you head back towards the city, squeeze in one last detour to the ocean. Drive 15 minutes from Willunga until you hit the coast and you’ll find one of South Australia’s most picturesque beaches at Port Willunga. Old fishermen’s caves dug into the sandstone cliffs are a great spot to escape the sun, and the skeleton of the old jetty is a favourite for photographers. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, dine in at the Star of Greece on the clifftop or order takeaway fish and chips before taking the 45-minute drive back to Adelaide.