What to see and do on your drive from Melbourne to Adelaide

The most direct route from Melbourne to Adelaide takes just over eight hours and will see you travel through scenic farmland, across the Murray River and through the rolling Adelaide Hills. Easily achievable in one day, we suggest grabbing a coffee and heading off early, so you can be checked into your Adelaide City hotel by dinner and ready to taste-test one of Australia’s best restaurants. 

This route, that will see you following the western freeway inland from Melbourne, takes you through historical towns such as Ararat and Horsham, before crossing over to South Australia at Bordertown. Murray Bridge will be your last major stop before rolling into Adelaide, completing your 728-kilometre road trip to Adelaide.

Have more time and keen for glorious sights? You’ll want to take the scenic route that will have you zigzagging through the countryside and hugging the coastline. South Australia is both vineyard country and coastal paradise with fine dining, cosy café strips, idyllic coastal retreats and spectacular wildlife spotting. What are you waiting for?

All visitors are encouraged to plan ahead to stay up to date on the latest traffic updates including road closures, road works and planned events via the South Australian Government website. 

Got a booking at one of Adelaide’s best restaurants to make? We get it – you don’t have time to waste and the sights, sounds and flavours of our boutique capital are calling your name! Starting in Melbourne, this route will see you jet across Victoria before officially entering South Australia via Bordertown. Make a pit stop in Keith where you can grab a classic country pie or stroll through the local community market.

Got time to spare? There’s no better place than Tailem Bend’s The Bend Motorsport Park – where you can drop in for a hot lap. Or, for the passenger princess, get someone else to do the driving when you visit Monarto Safari Park and join a Safari Tour (available on Saturdays). Alternatively, take your rest stop at German Village, Hahndorf, for a quick browse through boutique shops and galleries in heritage buildings, before arriving in Adelaide. 

Journey through our lush wine country, discover crater lakes, roam along postcard-worthy beaches and cast off to an island paradise on the ultimate road trip to Adelaide.

Pack the car, get the road trip playlist ready. It's a definite adventure from Melbourne to Adelaide. The Southern Ocean Drive is a minefield of natural wonders that you'll find in Mount Gambier or the Limestone Coast, and there are plenty of famous wine regions like Coonawarra and McLaren Vale to pick up your next award-winning wine. For a stretch and refresh on the way, you can even have a quick ocean dip at gorgeous seaside towns like Robe.

Coonawarra

Stop off for a night or more at the Coonawarra wine region where you can glamp in bell tents and treat yourself to some world-class wines. With more than 24 cellar doors to visit, there’s plenty to taste, including Brand’s Laira, Hollick Winery and Restaurant, Wynns Coonawarra Estate and Rymill Coonawarra. Drop into the Tasting Room at Mayura Station, where you can pair a local drop with scrumptious 100% full-blood wagyu beef.

Adventure seekers or those with families may prefer the Naracoorte Caves, a sanctuary where the echoes of lions, kangaroos and Tasmanian tigers - now preserved as fossils - whisper tales of an ancient South Australia. 

Limestone Coast

As the countryside fades in your review mirror, you’ll find the chic town of Robe nestled along the Limestone Coast. The main street is dotted with cosmopolitan cafes and glam galleries, making it a great place to spend a few nights. Are you daydreaming about long stretches of white sandy beach from the comfort of your desk chair? Well, make it reality when you head to Long Beach. Don’t forget to sample South Australia’s best seafood, particularly Robe’s famed crayfish. The Pelican Shed offers coastal-style accommodation at its best, and after a night stay, you’ll be fresh to stroll along the beautiful Obelisk Coastal Trail, passing Robe’s historic old gaol ruins, jetty and marina. Beer fans can celebrate reaching their 10,000 steps for the day with a local brew at Robe Town Brewery.

Coorong River

Continue along the coastal road through to the Coorong National Park – one of the most jaw-dropping and diverse natural wonders Australia has to offer. Here, you can boat, kayak, fish and camp – the Coorong is a playground for nature lovers. Nearby town Goolwa offers all of your creature comforts, as well as the Goolwa  Wharf Precinct, where you can jump on a boat cruise for a leisurely way to take in the environment. Detouring back inland, breeze through more picturesque vineyards from Langhorne Creek, before travelling back south-west towards Victor Harbor. Along the way, pop into the famous Port Elliot Bakery, where the ‘Donut of the Month’ awaits to tantalise your taste buds next to chic beachside cottages.

Victor Harbor

Victor Harbor lies just beyond Port Elliot. Indulge in spectacular surf beaches and diving spots or take a horse-drawn tram to see Granite Island, home to our little colony of penguins and a way station for many other seabirds. Take in great views from The Bluff – the perfect vantage point to whale watch in winter!

McLaren Vale

Last, but not least on the itinerary, is McLaren Vale. You won’t want to miss the iconic d’Arenberg Cube, an architectural wonder inspired by the Rubik’s Cube boasting five stories of tactile wine, food and art experiences, including a Salvador Dali exhibition.

This region also has 70 cellar doors if you’d like to sip your way towards Adelaide (as a passenger, of course!), with well-known names like Coriole, The Currant Shed or Maxwell Wines all calling the Vale home. Many cellars provide wine, dine and stay options. Wander into an amazing lunch or dinner with views overlooking the vines and menus bursting with farm-fresh, sustainable produce. Alternatively, enjoy the relaxed (yet sophisticated) dining experience at the Star of Greece in Port Willunga, where you can catch a glorious sunset over the ocean from the comfort of your table.