Top Five Places to Go in South Australia

The major cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, along with the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, get most of the attention when planning a vacation to Australia, but the southern side has quite a bit to offer. Don't make a trip without checking out everything South Australia has to offer, from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island.

Adelaide
The city of Adelaide is not only the capital of South, it's a place worth planning to stay a few days. Adelaide is easy to get around with trams and buses, though much of it is walkable. You will find plenty of shopping and an abundance of restaurants, earning the city a reputation as a foodies' dream.

Stop at the Adelaide Central Market for fresh meat, fruits and vegetables. Gouger Street is the center of Chinatown and puts you at the start of restaurants also representing Japanese, Malaysian, Vietnamese and Asian Fusion. Take a walk down Rundle and Hutt Streets and you will find everything from bistros to more ethnic dining like Sosta Argentinean Kitchen. Before you leave Adelaide, stop at Cocolat (they have an airport location if you miss the one in the city). It's a chocolate lovers dream with every cocoa treat imaginable, including gelato, cakes, candies, waffles, crepes and even martinis.

Barossa
It will only take you an hour by car to get from downtown Adelaide to one of the best known wine regions in Australia. Barossa is the home of rolling hills and a diverse landscape that produces plenty of flavorful grapes. It's also a land of small villages and large farms, giving it a local culinary mecca. Have dinner at 1918 Bistro to taste it all with the locals.

At the center of the Barossa wine country is Jacob's Creek Heritage Vineyard, where you can easily spend an entire day. Tour the winery and then enjoy the Visitor Centre to learn more about the company's history. Then you can do some tasting at the bar before enjoying a gourmet lunch while you overlook the valley Burn off some of those calories with a nature walk, and a trip to the Heritage House, right near the company's kangaroos and wallabies. Then take a ride to Chateau Tanunda, where you can taste a variety of wine in their castle.

Kangaroo Island
A visit to South Australia is not complete without a trip to Kangaroo Island. The beaches will amaze you, but there's even more to do here than enjoy the blue waters, where you can swim, fish, boat, surf, scuba dive and snorkel, and it's only a 20 minute flight or a one hour ferry ride away from the mainland.

You are welcome to explore this 100 mile island on your own, but the one thing it doesn't have is modern paved roads. Exceptional Kangaroo Island is your choice for any type of tour you'd like here, whether it's finding the koalas (in trees throughout the island), wine and spirit tasting, or the best field to spot kangaroos. This island deserves much more than a day trip. You will find a number of small motels in Kingscote, but venture to the western side of the island you will find a few more interesting choices, such as Kangaroo Island Wilderness Retreat and Southern Ocean Lodge.

McLaren Vale
If you don't have a chance to explore the entire Fleurieu Peninsula, at least make it to McLaren Vale. This area is full of rich soil with the close proximity to the water producing wonderful Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. It will be hard to leave the beautiful waters of Maslin Beach and its black dolphins, golf courses and trails with waterfalls, but the wine will be well worth.

Nearly 80 wineries call McLaren Vale home. Among them, don't miss Patagni Wines, Lloyd Brothers (where they also have olive trees and alpacas) and Red Heads Studio, where you can taste selections from a number of different wineries. Go downtown to check out the Piazza and have lunch at Vaserelli's Italian Restaurant where the pasta is fresh and delicious. Wine Diva Tours cannot only take you around McLaren Vale, but they can put you up in one of the well-appointed 3 Divas Cottages.

Adelaide Hills
Just a half hour outside of the city that bears its name, Adelaide Hills is a world away. Enjoy the lush landscape along the drive to this area filled with wine'"and marsupials. You will find plenty of koalas to cuddle at Gorge Wildlife Park, Cleland Wildlife Park and Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary, all in the Adelaide Hills. A Taste of South Australia is a tour company that can offer you a great experience as they know the ins and outs of the area.

It's not unusual to find a winery that has a chocolate pairing available, but it's hard to find one that has a whole menu full. Hahnoff takes wine and chocolate pairing to a new level, finding a unique chocolate that matches each one of their wines. Enjoy the Belgium dark chocolate with lavender and Sauvignon Blanc, after you learn everything you need to know about this popular, antioxidant filled candy.

Getting There
It's easy to get to South Australia. Adelaide is a major airline hub with direct flights from the United States and New Zealand, as well as most Australian cities. You can also take the Great Southern Railroad, or take your own scenic three hour drive to Adelaide from Melbourne.