Located just a one hour drive out of the city of Adelaide is one of the primary reasons visitors come to South Australia: the Barossa Valley! Although there is much more to see and experience in the state, the Barossa is a great place to start, especially for wine lovers!
Stay: Kingsford Homestead
My partner and I were eager to spend our time in the Barossa Valley at leisure – relaxing and unwinding as an escape from city life. We checked ourselves into Kingsford Homestead for two nights, which was the filming location for McLeod’s Daughters, one of the most successful tv shows in Australian history. The homestead itself is much like a retreat – complete with an outdoor swimming pool, daily hosted breakfast and those incredible farm views!
Things to Do
The Barossa Valley comprises of a number of small towns to explore, so be prepared for plenty of driving between your points of interest! A rental car is essential to get around the Barossa, as you will need at least a few days here to explore at length. We packed a lot into our two-night stay, however, would have loved an extra day or two to explore!
Vineyards
Of course, the key point of interest in the Barossa centres around vineyards as this region is known around the world for producing excellent wines! As someone who doesn’t tend to drink often, I found myself sampling and tasting at every stop we made – it was a lot of fun and quite the education!
Vineyards I would recommend visiting include 1847 Chateau Yaldara, Bethany Wines, Chateau Tanunda Estate and Seppeltsfield Winery… however, the list could go on!
From the Air
After seeing so many iconic photographs of hot air balloons floating over the Barossa at first light, one of my first plans was to experience this ourselves! Unfortunately the weather did not agree, however, we were able to make an alternative booking with a scenic flight over the Barossa with Barossa Helicopters.
Lunch at Maggie Beer’s Farm
Food & Wine
The food we devoured throughout this trip was among some of the finest cuisine I have experienced the world over – it was that good! Often we found ourselves eating more than our stomachs allowed, but after so much great food we just couldn’t say no! The dining experiences I would highly recommend include:
Hentley Farm – An absolute must for my fellow gastronomes out there! Visit at lunch or dinner for their famous degustation menu that features quirky flavour combinations and matching wines.
Maggie Beer’s Farm – A great little spot for a light lunch and a chance to shop the entire Maggie Beer range (yes, this is actually Maggie’s farm!)
Off the Grid – Another great low key option with some of the best coffee going around!
When to Go
While I’m sure visiting the Barossa Valley would be idyllic at any time of year, I can highly recommend an autumn visit as the summer crowds have slowed and you have the added beauty of changing colours in the trees. To make the most of the Barossa I would recommend a minimum of 3 nights, or else you’ll end up like us, already planning our next visit!
Hahndorf – Australia’s first German settlement
“Bush Bath” at Kingsford Homestead
World of Wanderlust visited South Australia with the South Australian Tourism Commission. All opinions, recommendations and photos are my own!