South Australia is blessed with stunning family friendly beaches, and scattered around the metro and regional areas of Adelaide are beaches you can drive on! An iconic South Australian family day out, taking the car onto the beach for a day (and filling the car with sandy feet on the way out) is one of our favourite things to do on a hot Adelaide day. We are blessed as one of only two states where beach driving is unregulated, so respecting the environment and reducing our impact on local wildlife is important for this to remain an activity our kids can enjoy well into the future.
Most local councils will have rules specific to their beaches and rules for driving. Not all beaches are suitable for all vehicles and some will be 4×4 access only. Conditions will vary dramatically so before heading out, check local council, tide and weather guides for conditions that may impact your day out. Aim to drive at low tide and allow enough time to return before the turn of the tide. For up to the minute weather forecasts, jump on the Bureau of Meteorology page and for daily fire warnings, the CFS will have you covered.
So pack up the car and check our list of beaches you can drive on around metro Adelaide and regional SA
Moana Beach
Only 45 minutes from Adelaide’s CBD, the closest of Onkaparinga Council’s big 4 driving beaches, Moana is accessed at the ramp next to the Moana Surf Life Saving Club, at the southern end of the Moana Esplanade. Incredibly busy around public holiday times, if people aren’t your thing, perhaps pop further south to Sellicks or Silver Sands, but the atmosphere on the big summer holidays like New Years and Australia Day is quite incredible! Cost of $12 for non-onkaparinga residents and with a 10kph speed limit here, you can access the Onkaparinga Beaches from 5:30am til midnight during summer. More at the Onkaparinga Council page.
Aldinga Beach
With Moana these are generally the busier of the Onkaparinga drive on beaches, and again can get rather hectic on the busy summer days and public holidays. Jump on the beach here at the ramp on the lower esplanade (car park and toilets here too which is very handy), with the usual Onkaparinga fees and rules also applying. Get council updates here.
Goolwa Beach
A stunning run along the Sir Richard Peninsula, start at the Goolwa Surf Lifesaving Club on the end of Beach Road at Goolwa. The speed limit here is 40kph and it may be 4×4 accessible only in various conditions, but for the most part this is a relatively easy stretch. Be mindful drivin on the sand dunes is illegal. Jump on the Alexandrina Council page for up to date info.
Yorke Peninsula
With some of the state’s most beautiful beaches and of course the Innes National Park, Yorke Peninsula has some stunning locations to explore, including plenty of core-memory building beach drives. Check out the Yorke Peninsula Council for up to date information on beach access to their driveable beaches below;
Flaherty Beach
Parsons Beach
Pondalowie Bay
Mostly 4×4 access only, check local conditions at the time of your trip and prepare accordingly.
Limestone Coast
The beautiful stretch of our state encompassing the trip down to Mount Gambier, some spectacular beaches in this region are accessible by (primarily 4×4) vehicles. The most famous of these is Long Beach at Robe, a family friendly beach that offers fairly gentle surf usually and 12km of beautiful beach driving scenery.
Check out the Limestone Coast Council for more on beach access and council updates to the below driveable beaches;
Long Beach Robe
Little Dip Conservation Park
Coorong National Park (pictured)
image credit: Escape the Daily
Sellicks Beach
Beautiful Sellicks Beach, overlooking the cliffs of the Deep South and with seemingly endless kilometres of pristine sand, is a magical spot right on our door step. $12 vehicl entry fees (for non council residents) and a 10kph speed limit await here, with low tide giving a massive beach space for play and driving. Onkaparinga Council page has all the current info you need.
Silver Sands
A nudge north from Sellicks, Silver Sands is simply stunning….and just quietly this is one of our favourites. Generally quiet and with plenty of space, it is accessible for most vehicles most of the time (as are all the Onkaparinga Council beaches), there is nothing quite like a day at Silver Sands with the sun hitting the cliffs. A few blocked off zones exist here which are accessed via permits, which can be applied for on the Onkaparinga Council page.
Eyre Peninsula
A decent trek from Adelaide in the state’s far west, an Eyre trip should be on every South Aussie’s bucket list. This is true 4×4 country so don’t attempt it in your trusty Camry, but for those 4×4 equipped, the scenery here is so special. The local council out at Lower Eyre is your source for local access and updates. Check out the below drive access beaches when planning your Eyre Peninsula trip;
Lincoln National Park
Coffin Bay National Park
Scotts Beach
Emu Bay Kangaroo Island
One of Australia’s best beaches, and only 15 minutes from Kingscote over on KI, Emy Bay is generally accessible by all vehicle types. Jump on the Kangaroo Island Council site for beach access news and be wary during the summer months of the weather and bushfire risks on the island.
North Beach Wallaroo
North Beach at Wallaroo is a must stop on your trip at the top of the leg. Flat and spacious, it has always been accessible by cars whenever we have been up, but check Copper Coast Council for up to date info here. The North Beach Cafe at the boat ramp makes for a fantastic family friendly stop too we might add.
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