Given Adelaide sprawls out to the coast of South Australia, there are plenty of beach getaways and day trips for families to choose from.
Is it a metropolitan vibe you’re after, complete with a latte for the grown-ups and a browse through nearby boutiques? Or do you like the sound of sleepy seaside villages and sunset sandcastle-building? Take your pick!
To get you started, we’ve listed our favourite beaches in the South Australian capital below. Each adds a dose of sun and sand to your Adelaide family holiday – which will you choose? Then again, you might want to visit them all!
1. Glenelg Beach
You’ve probably heard of this one before. The popular metropolitan beach of Glenelg is easily accessible by tram from the city. Jump off at Moseley Square and you can practically dive straight in to the water.
Take a dip, then play a bit of beach cricket, touch footy or volleyball on the sand. Refuel in a café along Jetty Road, and laugh yourselves dizzy on the waterslides, merry-go-rounds and dodgem cars of The Beachouse amusement park.
2. Brighton Beach
Another busy Adelaide beach, Brighton also has a Jetty Road precinct where boutiques brim with clothes, jewellery, furniture and homewares. Walk along the jetty and cast out a line to see if you can catch dinner. If you aren’t feeling lucky, follow the boardwalk around to Seacliff instead.
3. Moana Beach
No, we’re not talking about the singing and sailing Polynesian princess, although you will feel like you’re in a tropical paradise on South Australia’s Moana Beach. Join the ranks of surfers and Stand Up Paddleboarders on the waves, or chow down on a picnic lunch in the shade of the huge Norfolk pines.
Bring your puppies to the off-leash section at the northern end of the beach. A heads up – this one is a lot further out of Adelaide than the others. Forty kilometres, to be exact.
4. Port Noarlunga Beach
The 45-minute drive to this marine haven, where Onkaparinga River meets the sea, is worth it. The surrounding reef shelters Port Noarlunga Beach so that the conditions are ideal for tiny tots wanting a waddle in calmer waters. Older kids can follow a boardwalk out to the reef and go snorkelling.
5. Semaphore Beach
The long, sandy beach at Semaphore, enclosed by sand dunes, is awesome for exploring. Fish off the pier, check out the art deco architecture along the foreshore, and grab a bite in the Palais, an original 1920s bathing pavilion. The icing on the cake is the ferris wheel, 1920’s carousel, waterslide and Time Ball tower.
More great family beaches near Adelaide
We also love Christies Beach, Second Valley, Normanville and Henley Beach, which is a mere 10 kilometres from the CBD and packed with food and retail outlets. Grab your bike and cycle along Seaview Road with an Adelaide city to sea bike tour for an unforgettable day out.
Read More
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- 20 best beach holiday destinations around Australia
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