South Australia doesn’t muck around when it comes to road trips. Within a few hours’ drive of Adelaide you’ve got coastal highways, food-and-wine loops, national parks, river towns and outback-leaning landscapes that feel a world away from the city.
Whether you’re planning a short escape or a long summer holiday, the right route and the right car can turn ‘just a drive’ into something you’ll remember for years.
That’s where Karmo comes in. Instead of locking yourself into a lease or purchase, subscribe to one that suits your trip such an SUV for coastal and country highways, a zippy hatch for wine regions, or something comfortable for longer stretches and keep it for exactly as long as you need.
Use this guide to map out your next South Australian road trip, then line up the wheels to match.
Most of these drives can start from Adelaide, where you can choose from a wide range of Karmo vehicles.
1. Epicurean Way: Wine, food and rolling hills
Drive time from Adelaide: ~40 minutes to McLaren Vale
Ideal trip length: 3–5 days
Best for: Wine lovers, foodies, couples, relaxed groups
If your ideal road trip is more about long lunches than long drives, the Epicurean Way is your route. This circular food-and-wine loop stitches together four iconic regions: McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, Barossa and Clare Valley into one big tasting plate.
Expect vineyards as far as the eye can see, heritage towns, cellar doors ranging from tiny family-run spots to big-name estates, and more cheese boards than is strictly reasonable. Seasonal events around vintage and harvest time are when the regions really come alive
Trip highlights:
- Cellar-door hopping in McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills, mixing big names with tucked-away family wineries
- Iconic Barossa stops such as Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop and historic estates like Seppeltsfield or Jacob’s Creek
- Clare Valley’s quieter country charm of smaller towns, stone buildings and long, open views, is also home to the stunning pink lake, Lake Bumbunga
Karmo recommendation:
Paulmara Estates “a gorgeous boutique & well-renowned winery in the Barossa” is highly recommended by Shenelle, our SA State Manager.
Car tip: Distances here are relatively short; you’re hopping from town to town rather than doing huge highway stints. A small hatch or EV is perfect: easy to park at cellar doors, comfortable on country roads, and efficient for all the stop-start exploring.
2. Southern Ocean Drive: Limestone coastlines and island detours
Drive time from Adelaide: ~5 hours to Mount Gambier via the national highway A8
Ideal trip length: 5-10 days
Best for: Coastal explorers, photographers, families, road-trip purists
If you’re after a longer adventure, the Southern Ocean Drive is the kind of trip that earns ‘once in a lifetime’status. Starting from Adelaide it takes you to where Victoria’s Great Ocean Road finishes and runs you through the Fleurieu Peninsula,Kangaroo Island, Coorong and the Limestone Coast, with a looping towards wine country.
Think quiet beaches, volcanic lakes, wetlands, wildlife reserves, clifftops and small towns where time moves a bit slower.
Trip highlights:
- Nearby Fleurieu is great for coastal views and great food
- A few days on Kangaroo Island for up close encounters with the local seal population, sand dunes, rock formations and ridiculously good beaches
- The vivid Blue Lake and the sunken garden at Umpherston Sinkhole in Mount Gambier
- The long, wild stretch of the Coorong National Park and its wetlands, with a refreshing stop in Robe for a relaxed atmosphere.
- A little stop in the inland Naracoorte wine region to fill your boot.
Karmo recommendation:
Quad biking on Kangaroo Island, says Shenelle, our SA State Manager, “for something a bit different, that takes you off the beaten track”.
Car tip: This is a big, mixed-terrain road trip. Choose a comfortable family SUV or 4×4 with decent ground clearance, good storage and cruise control, something that handles both highways and smaller regional roads with ease.
3. Coastal Way – Yorke Peninsula: Beaches, fishing and classic holiday towns
Drive time from Adelaide: 1.5-2 hours to Port Wakefield
Ideal trip length: 3-5 days
Best for: Families, fishing fans, campers, relaxed summer breaks
If your ideal holiday looks like long beaches, jetty walks, fishing and small coastal towns, the Coastal Way on the Yorke Peninsula is your zone. This loop tracks more than 700 km of coastline, usually broken into manageable sections between Port Wakefield, Edithburgh, Marion Bay, Moonta Bay and Port Broughton.
It’s the sort of drive where you throw the rods, towels and bikes in the back and see how much salty air you can pack into a few days.
Trip highlights:
- Beach time and jetty fishing at towns like Port Hughes, Moonta Bay and Stansbury
- Sampling oysters and local seafood straight from the source
- Exploring part of Walk the Yorke, a 500 km walking and cycling trail that hugs the coast
- Day trips into Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park near Marion Bay for lighthouses, shipwrecks and quiet coves.
Karmo Recommendation:
The “best bakery on Yorke Peninsula” Port Elliot Bakery says Kallen (our Adelaide hub concierge) – worth a stop for a coffee and a donut!
Car tip: This drive is practically built for a small or mid-size or family SUV; space for rods, bikes and esky in the back, but still easy to park at jetties, bakeries and small-town supermarkets.
4. Eyre Peninsula: Seafood frontier and ocean adventures
Drive time from Adelaide: ~7 hours to Port Lincoln (allow more with stops)
Ideal trip length: 4-7+ days
Best for: Ocean lovers, adventure seekers, seafood fans
The Eyre Peninsula is South Australia’s ‘Seafood Frontier’, a region known for white-sand beaches, rugged coastline, marine life and, yes, some seriously good eating. From Whyalla and Port Lincoln through to Coffin Bay, Streaky Bay and the Head of Bight, it’s packed with experiences you don’t get on your average coastal drive.
You’ll find shark cage diving, sea lion and dolphin encounters, oyster farms, surf breaks and remote beaches where the sand squeaks under your feet.
Trip highlights:
- Swimming with sharks off Port Lincoln is a bucket list experience
- Oyster farm tours and tastings at Coffin Bay
- The pink hues of Lake MacDonnell and the surf at Cactus Beach
- National parks, coastal walks and lookouts are dotted all along the peninsula
- Silo art, inland at Kimba or along the coast at Tumby Bay for some added colour!
Car tip: Distances are longer and towns are spread out, so comfort and range matter. A touring-friendly 4×4 SUV with good fuel economy, space for gear and a solid spare-tyre setup will make the whole peninsula feel more relaxed to explore.
5. The Mighty Murray Way: River towns and starry nights
Drive time from Adelaide: 2.5-3 hours to Renmark
Ideal trip length: 5-7 days
Best for: Slow travellers, families, history buffs, nature lovers
The Mighty Murray Way follows one of the world’s longest rivers from Renmark to Goolwa, passing historic towns, riverfront campgrounds, wetlands and vineyards along the way. It’s less about rushing from A to B and more about drifting between river communities, pulling over whenever something catches your eye.
You’ll find houseboats, paddle steamers, dark-sky reserves and conservation parks that showcase First Nations history and the natural life of the Murray.
Trip highlights:
- Historic stops like Wilkadene Station and a drink at the Woolshed Brewery
- Canoe, kayak or paddle-steamer trips to see the river from the water
- Birdlife and wetlands around Lake Bonney and nearby nature reserves
- Star-gazing in Australia’s first International Dark Sky Reserve, where thousands of stars are visible on clear nights
- A final stretch towards Goolwa and the river mouth, with beaches and coastal scenery
Car tip: This is a relaxed, mostly sealed-road journey. A comfortable small hatch or SUV with good visibility and air-con is all you need, bonus points if you pick something with a decent sound system for the long, straight river roads.
Choosing the right car for your South Australia road trip
A beautiful route is only half of a good road trip. The other half is driving something that actually fits how you travel.
With Karmo you can:
- Choose a vehicle that matches your route – SUV for coastal and country highways, hatch or EV for shorter winery loops
- Keep it for the summer and for all of your adventures
- Avoid the long-term commitment and hassle of buying or traditional leasing
- Swap into a different style of car later if your plans change
Whether you’re chasing waves on the Eyre Peninsula, hopping between cellar doors on the Epicurean Way, or following the Murray from town to town, there’s a South Australian road trip for every style of traveller and a Karmo that fits it.
Book the time off, choose your route, and then browse cars available in Adelaide to find a subscription that makes the journey just as memorable as the destination.
Please remember: Driving times and conditions can change with seasonal weather, public holidays and roadworks, so it’s always worth checking current advice and giving yourself more time than the map suggests.
