The Fleurieu offers some of the best food, wine, wildlife and events in the state. Ranging from sandy beaches, recreational activities, cliff-scapes and sheltered coves offer year round activities that include:
1….. Hire a bicycle and tour the wineries… it’s very french inspired!
Oxygen Cycles: Hire quality bicycles Mountain Bike, Tandem Bikes, bikes with baskets and more.
- $5 per hour, with $15 minimum (up to three hours)
- $40 for 30-hour hire (Hire in morning, return next evening)
- Tandems $10 per hour, $20 minimum
- Helmets and baskets are included.
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2….. Award winning indulgent chocolate is always delightful!
Bracegirdle’s house of fine chocolate:
Enjoy the new fantastic full menu at McLaren Vale. It includes restaurant style meals served in a relaxed cosy atmosphere that is truly Bracegirdles. All Bracegirdles baristas have undergone extensive training to make our range of drinks. We use our own exclusive blend of coffee that is roasted weekly for Bracegirdles by a boutique roaster in Melbourne. It is a round full bodied blend that is not bitter or sharp and has notes of caramel and chocolate. We also have different single origin varieties to try on a regular basis.
Address: 190 Main Road McLaren Vale T: 08 8323 8558
Opening hours:
Mon 8am-5pm
Tues 8am-5pm
Wed 8am-5pm
Thurs 8am-5pm
Fri 8am-10pm
Sat 8am-10pm
Sun 8am-5pm
View Map
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3….. Stroll through the pristine Wetlands Ecotrail
Wetlands Ecotrail is owned by the Gemtree family in collaboration with Greening Australia decided to preserve a 10 hectare section within the vineyard. Originally it was a degraded creek line littered with rubbish from past farming use and feral weeds, Gemtree partnered with Greening Australia to develop the site and planted over 50,000 natives. The site is now a biodiverse wetland and a haven for native birds, plants and animals.
Sustainable Cellar Door:
167 Elliott Road, McLaren Flat, SA 5171
P. (08) 8383 0802
E. cellardoor@gemtreewines.com
Open:
Seven Days: 10am – 5pm
Closed:
Good Friday and Christmas Day.
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4….. Have a beer with Duncan!
Our passion for brewing came from our passion for drinking good beer, and we’ve put a lot of “research” into drinking good beer.
Brewery: 194 Sand Road, McLaren Vale, South Australia 5171 – View Map
Tel: 0409 676 542
Opening Times : 7 days – 11am to 5.30pm (Closed Christmas Day, Good Friday and Sea & Vines)
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5….. Be amazed at the Maxwell Maze
The Maxwell Maze is a conifer maze that is now in the final phase of development. While visitors to the Winery (and especially children) would like to meander through… we do ask that visitors minimise their impact on the still-growing maze. Please check with cellar door staff on the current condition of the maze before entering.
A terrific time to visit is during vintage (Feb/Mar/Apr – particularly March), when you may have the opportunity to see a working winery, plus watch and smell the fermenting red grapes as they’re transformed into brand new wines…
Cellar Door is open daily, 10am to 5pm
(except Good Friday, Christmas Day & New Year’s Day).
Maxwell Wines, Corner of Olivers & Chalk Hill Roads, McLaren Vale SA 5171
Telephone: +61 8 8323 8200
See website for further details
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6….. Get back with nature at the naturalist beach
Maslin Beach is for the clothing challenged and get an all over tan using olive oil.
Dress code: Sunnies, hat and shoes.
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7….. Stroll the quaint Willunga Village
Willunga village is a quaint, vibrant, historic and heritage rich town offering exceptional quality of life in a ubiquitous food region.
Heritage: Old Courthouse & police station, churches, relics, slate quarry & Waverley Park.
Markets:
- The Willunga Farmers market: Corner Main Rd and St Peter’s Tce, Willunga SA 5172. Web
- Willunga Quarry Market: Cnr Aldings Road & McLaren Vale-Willunga Road, Willunga SA 5172. Web
- The Artisans Market: Old Show Hall, 2 Main Street, Willunga SA 5172. Web
- Well-being Market.
Recreation: Willunga recreation park & Port Willunga beach.
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8….. Cheese and wine are the perfect match!
Kangarilla Creamery
Established in 2012, Kangarilla Creamery is located in the heart of McLaren Vale, a unique pocket of coastal land famed for its wines, produce and being the gateway to South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula.
Set amongst a diverse collection of local wine producers and artists we form part of a unique collaboration of like-minded people looking to showcase the beauty and capabilities of our region. All of our cheeses are made and matured on site and are available to be purchased directly from the creamery.
Where: mclaren vale winemakers, 200 chalk hill rd, mclaren vale
south australia
See more information at website
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9….. Think outside the jar
The Spice Girlz are a popular brand amongst locals and are known as the Girlz who can’t sing… but boy they can cook (and dance at times)! The evidence is in the jar.
Business originally started in 2001 with the cultivating and selling of fresh herbs, including chillies, supplying local restaurants and cafes. Nowadays the range of products can be found in many leading gourmet food stores throughout Australia including SA Foodlands & IGA or at the Spice Girlz store every Saturday morning between 8am and 12:30pm at the Victor Harbor Farmers Markets (Grosvenor Gardens, Torrens St, Victor Harbor SA 5211).
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10…. See the South Coast by air… from the sea to the vines!
South Coast Helicopter tour: From their Strathalbyn Base departing to the West on climb to over fly the Kuitpo Forrest. After taking in the rolling hills of the Mount Lofty Ranges the McLaren Vale wine region gently emerges from the shadows of the Willunga Hills and stretches all the way down to the golden beaches of Gulf Saint Vincent. Plus much more…
- Flight duration: 33 mins
- Cost $330 per person (Min 2 people)
To book this flight or any other flight click here. You will be able to choose to book or seek further information from this contact section.
See more information at Website
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11. Indulge in the food of the region
Our partners, Fleurieu Food, have a wonderful list of places to eat
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12. Explore the wineries of McLaren Vale
Thanks to the James Halliday, wine companion follow this link
Here are a list of the names:
- 2 Mates ****
- Aldinga Bay Winery
- Ambush Hill ***
- Amicus
- Andrew Garrett
- Arakoon ****
- Aramis Vineyards
- Battle of Bosworth
- Bekkers *****
- Bellevue Estate
- Bent Creek ****
- Beresford Estates *****
- Beresford Wines ****
- Blown Away
- Bondar Wines *****
- Brash Higgins *****
- Braydun Hill Vineyard ***
- Brick Kiln ****
- Brini Estate Wines ****
- Brookman Wines
- Burton Premium Wines
- Cape Barren Wines ****
- Cascabel
- Chalk Hill
- Chapel Hill *****
- Charlatan Wines
- Clarendon Hills *****
- Classic McLaren Wines
- Coates Wines *****
- Colville Estate
- Conte Estate Wines ****
- Cooter Cooter ****
- Coriole *****
- cradle of hills ****
- Curtis Family Vineyards ****
- Dandelion Vineyards *****
- d’Arenberg *****
- De Lisio Wines
- Dennis
- Di Fabio Estate *****
- Doc Adams ****
- Dodgy Brothers ****
- DogRidge Wine Company ****
- DOWIE DOOLE ****
- Ducks in a Row Winemakers *****
- Dyson Wines
- Ekhidna *****
- Fern Hill Estate ***
- Five Geese *****
- Foggo Wines
- Fox Creek Wines *****
- Geddes Wines ***
- Gemtree Wines *****
- Geoff Merrill Wines *****
- Gilligan
- Grancari Estate Wines
- Green Road Wines ***
- Halifax Wines
- Hancock Hancock ****
- Hardys *****
- Haselgrove Wines *****
- Hastwell Lightfoot ****
- Hawkers Gate
- Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard *****
- Hills View Vineyards
- Hither Yon ****
- Hoffmann’s
- Hugh Hamilton Wines *****
- Hugo ****
- Ingoldby ****
- Inkwell ****
- J &J Wines ****
- James Haselgrove Wines
- Kangarilla Road Vineyard *****
- Kay Brothers Amery Vineyards *****
- Kimber Wines
- KJB Wine Group ****
- Koltz
- La Curio
- Lavina Wines
- Lazy Ballerina
- Linda Domas Wines
- Lino Ramble ****
- Little Creek Wines ****
- Lloyd Brothers *****
- Long Yarn Wines
- Lost Buoy Wines ****
- Maglieri of McLaren Vale ***
- Marienberg | Fern Hill Estate
- Marius Wines
- Maxwell Wines *****
- McLaren Ridge Estate
- McLaren Vale III Associates ****
- Middlebrook Estate
- Minnow Creek ****
- Mitolo Wines *****
- Morgan Simpson ***
- Mr Riggs Wine Company *****
- Nardone Baker Wines
- Nashwauk
- Neighbours Vineyards
- Noogoora ***
- Noon Winery
- Old Oval Estate ****
- Oliverhill
- Olivers Taranga Vineyards *****
- Paxton *****
- Pende Valde
- Penny’s Hill *****
- Pertaringa *****
- Pirramimma *****
- Possums Vineyard *****
- Potters Clay Vineyards
- Primo Estate *****
- Renards Folly ****
- Richard Hamilton ****
- Rockbare | Mojo ****
- Rosemount Estate *****
- Rudderless *****
- Rusty Mutt *****
- S.C.Pannell Wines *****
- Sabella Vineyards
- Samuel’s Gorge *****
- Saunders Springs Vineyard
- Scarpantoni Estate
- Semprevino
- Serafino Wines *****
- Settlement Wines
- Shingleback *****
- Shirvington *****
- Shottesbrooke *****
- Simon Hackett
- Skin Deep Wines
- Southpaw Vineyard
- Springs Hill Vineyard
- St Brioc Wines
- Sylvan Springs
- Tapestry
- Tatachilla *****
- The Old Faithful Estate
- The Wine Doctor
- Thomas Vineyard Estate
- Thorpe Wines
- Three Dark Horses
- Tilly Devine Wines
- Tinlins
- Tintara *****
- Torresan Estate
- Ulithorne
- Vasarelli Wines
- Vigna Bottin
- Vinrock
- Walter Clappis Wine Co
- Wayne Thomas Wines
- WayWood Wines *****
- Willunga 100 Wines
- Willunga Creek Wines
- Wirilda Creek
- Wirra Wirra *****
- Woodstock *****
- Yangarra Estate Vineyard *****
- Zerella Wines *****
- Zonte’s Footstep
Other links:
- McLaren Vale Grape Wine Tourism Association
- The Top 10 Things to Do in McLaren Vale – TripAdvisor
- McLaren Vale & Fleurieu Visitor Information Centre – City of Onkaparinga
- Fleurieu Peninsula: South Australia, Culture, Lifestyle, Adventure
- McLaren Vale, Australia – Tourism Australia
**** All pricing listed is correct at time of publishing and is supplied as an information guide only. Information is not binding and needs to be verified with the provider. 13/9/16