National Park | Adelaide for Kids – The Ultimate Family Guide

Best “Themed” Playgrounds in Adelaide

Adelaide is home to some amazing playgrounds, but sometimes, your kids may have a really intense love for a very specific theme. Most kids do at some point, whether it be dinosaurs, pirates, trains or just wanting to run around and get so damn dirty that you think you may get arrested for stealing sand. Whatever your kid is into, we have scoured the archives and compiled a list of some of Adelaide’s Best Themed Playgrounds for you to...

Mount Lofty Family Friendly Hike

Lets just be straight up here. Climbing Mt Lofty isn’t fun. It may have been sort of fun when you were 20, but now that you are old enough to injure yourself if you sneeze too hard, we need family orientated fitness that isn’t going to end up with some sort of surgery. Thankfully Mt Lofty-Lite is here, so you can get the fancy insta photo at the top with only half the exercise! Brilliant! Steub Trail (named after the Cleland...

Belair National Park

Find it at: Upper Sturt Road, Belair Belair National Park is a set within beautiful natural bushland and features loads of picnic areas, tennis courts and an range of walking trails. It is an ideal place to get your kids outdoors and active. The park is home to some of the Adelaide Hills significant heritage attractions, including Old Government House and the State Flora Nursery. Situated in the Mount Lofty Ranges, it remains one of the few...

An Innes Itinerary

Dhilba Guuranda – Innes National Park is our favourite places to visit in South Australia so we’ve come up with a few Innes Itinerary ideas in case you’re planning a school holiday visit So, where is Innes you ask? Innes National Park is located on the Yorke Peninsula, around 3.5 hours from Adelaide. You’ll more than likely head North out of Adelaide to Port Wakefield, turn left and drive past Ardrossan, Minlaton,...

Mount Remarkable National Park

A bit about Mount Remarkable National Park A 4 hour drive from Adelaide, Mount Remarkable National Park is an ideal place to take the family.There’s lots of diverse wildlife and campgrounds with good facilities. The park is a popular destination for bush walking, with trails for all ages and abilities and camping too! The mild temperatures from April to October are the most comfortable for walking. It’s also the best time of year to see...

Lincoln National Park

Find it at: Port Lincoln This park is not in the local Adelaide neighbourhood but if you’re nearby in the area it’s worth the trip, actually even if you’re not in the area and need a trip away then put Lincoln National Park on your bucket list ! Lincoln National Park is the place to be for the start of summer because this park is all things Summer! The weather is warm, and usually dry and therefore great for camping and ideal...

Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary and International Bird Sanctuary National Park

Find it at: Garden Island, SA Nature Play SA and National Parks SA have joined together to provide a range of fun & free events to be held at various National Parks around South Australia. Each month will feature a new park to discover, and the Park of the Month for November is Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary and International Bird Sanctuary National Park. So tell me more…. The Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary is one of the delights you would...

Flinders Chase National Park

Flinders Chase National Park is located 110km west of Kingscote, on Kangaroo Island. Follow the Playford and West End Highways or the South Coast Road. You will find an array of experiences to enjoy with the family, including lookouts, bushwalks, camping, wildlife spotting and whale watching. Five amazing experiences at this park: 1. On a clear night find somewhere around your campsite to watch the night sky for shooting stars and spot...

Camping Katarapko (Murray River National Park)

Murray River National Park is divided into three separate areas: Katarapko (Winkie), Lyrup Flats (Lyrup) and Bulyong Island (Renmark). Katarapko is also divided into three sections Lock 4 section, Eckert’s Creek section and Katarapko Creek section (not far from Berri). Each section has a separate entrance so you’ll need to make sure you know which section you want to visit before you enter. Katarapko Creek flows through the park and is a great...

Morialta Mukanthi Conservation Park Playground

Find it at: Morialta Conservation Park, Woodforde The eagle has landed at Morialta Playground… in a 7 metre tall nest – and your kids can climb it! Yep, the Morialta Conservation Park playground is AWESOME! Best suited to kids aged 5-15years, it is great to see a play area perfect for older families. With over 100 car parks and walking trails to guide you, it makes a visit to the park even easier to navigate for families. The...

Glenthorne National Park Adventure Playground

Glenthorne Nature Play Space Find it at: Majors Road, O’Halloran Hill The multi-million dollar nature play space, forming part of SA’s newest national park, Glenthorne National Park opened in 2022 and the nature playground has it all, some of the wonderful playground features include; Multiple slides (including a HUGE tube slide tower Swings galore Inclusive inground roundabout Pram friendly paths Freestyle nature play (think build...

Family Bushwalking Adventures in Adelaide

Hiking with kids can be a bit hit & miss, can’t it? Will you take a wrong turn & end up miles away from where the car is parked? Will your toddler find a stick that they INSIST on carrying the whole way? Will that “short stroll” turn into a 9 hour epic adventure? Will your teenager complain the entire time that their legs are hurting? (Yes.) We’ve done the kms for you & walked ahead to find the best family...

Coffin Bay National Park

Looking for a family-friendly adventure that combines stunning landscapes, wildlife encounters, and plenty of space for the kids to explore? Coffin Bay National Park, on South Australia’s breathtaking Eyre Peninsula, ticks all the boxes. Whether it’s 4WDing, spotting kangaroos, bushwalking, splashing in crystal-clear waters, or sliding down massive sand dunes, this natural wonderland has something to delight every member of the family....

Cobbler Creek West Reserve and Playground

Find it at: Samuel Court, Greenwith The 2024 upgrade to this suburban playground comes equipped with some quality equipment on a smaller scale, but with climbing challenges for the older kids. It includes; Basket style swing Traditional swing Hand glide (small flying fox) Monkey bars Slide Rocker There are plenty of scenic walks to explore within the Cobbler Creek Recreation Park. Explore this beautiful area...

Deep Creek Conservation Park

A bit about Deep Creek… This park is a perfect destination for a day trip or weekend getaway. Five campgrounds are dotted throughout the park with four of them accessible by 2WD vehicles. The other campground is ‘hike-in’ only and situated on the Heysen trail, making it an ideal environment for a family adventure. Deep Creek Conservation Park is the largest portion of remaining natural vegetation on the Fleurieu...

Hope Valley Reservoir Playground

Find it at: Hope Valley, SA Fantastic news with the announcement that from December 13 2020, we will be able to walk, cycle and explore Hope Valley Reservoir for the first time in 150 years (give or take a year or two). Construction is about to commence, with first cab off the rank being a network of walking and cycling trails which will take you from the reservoir and link with existing paths alongside the O-Bahn busway. The fabulous new...

Mt Bold Reservoir

Find it at: Mt Bold Reservoir Exciting news with Mt Bold opened for land-based recreational activities. The opening sees a 12km+ trail network established for hiking, running and walking, a new lookout and viewing platform with views across the dam wall and Mount Lofty Ranges, and a new car park, toilets and facilities for picnicking.Unlocking access to the southern section of the reserve enables the new trails to connect with the Kidman and...

O’Halloran Hill Recreation Park and Playground

Find it at: Majors Road, O’Halloran Hill A great spot for a family walk, bike ride, picnic or even better just a good old fashioned ADVENTURE. While there are no formal walking tracks, it’s very easy to follow the numerous fire access tracks located in the park. Please be aware that these tracks are shared with bikes, horses, dogs (on leash) and walkers so make sure your kids know to stay aware and look up! There’s lots of...

Ikara-Flinders Ranges

Find it at: Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park Get back to nature with one of South Australia’s key nature spots.. Ikara-Flinders Ranges. *Cover image by Department of Environment & Water So tell me more…. This park is home to the iconic Wilpena Pound, rugged mountain landscapes and peaceful tree lined gorges. The park is rich with wildlife and is a photographers dream with breathtaking views around every corner. There is so...

Myponga Reservoir Reserve

Find it at: South Road, Myponga Attention Nature Lovers! The Myponga Reservoir is open to the general public for all sorts of land based and on water outdoor, recreational and nature based activities! Around an hours drive from Adelaide CBD you can walk, run or cycle around bushland tracks with water views, enjoy picnics, take in the stunning scenery and animal watching at lookouts and viewing platforms and so much more. KayakingOn-water access...

Coorong National Park

Where is Coorong National Park? Located about a 2 hour drive south-east of Adelaide, Coorong National Park protects a wetland of international importance. It is where Australia’s largest river system, the Murray-Darling flows out to the Southern Ocean and is home to over 200 species of birds as well as many migratory birds that arrive each summer. When is the best time to visit? The weather is mostly warm and dry during summer and autumn – it’s...

Para Wirra Conservation Park

Para Wirra is the last of the Adelaide parks to have the upgrades completed; new camp ground, Gawler View picnic area and nature play forest. The park has free vehicle entry for all of May so it’s a great time for families to visit. There are over 100 species of birds living in the park, including the cheeky emus you’ll see patrolling the picnic grounds. You can see kangaroos grazing at dawn and dusk, and on a warm day bearded dragons and...