Discover South Australia’s best beaches this summer!

From pris­tine sandy shores to rugged coastal trails, nation­al parks offer more than just a beach day. They’re a haven for fam­i­lies who love to swim, surf, and soak up the sun, while also cater­ing to the adven­tur­ous spir­its keen on coastal walks and wildlife spotting.

Uncov­er the per­fect blend of relax­ation and adven­ture at our 5 top beach destinations.

1. Yorke Penin­su­la: Dhil­ba Guu­ran­da-Innes Nation­al Park

Dis­cov­er your next fam­i­ly adven­ture Dhil­ba Guu­ran­da-Innes Nation­al Park on the Yorke Penin­su­la. This park is a beach lover’s dream, offer­ing a vari­ety of activ­i­ties that cater to every mem­ber of the family. 

Fan­cy a bit of fish­ing? Browns Beach is your go-to spot for catch­ing salmon, while the Sten­house Bay jet­ty offers a chance to reel in mul­let, tom­my ruffs, squid, and even snook and snapper. 

For the surf­ing enthu­si­asts, Pon­dalowie Bay and Chi­na­mans pro­vide more of a chal­leng­ing expe­ri­ence. If explor­ing is more your style, take a walk to Ethel Beach and explore the his­toric Ethel ship­wreck remains, giv­ing you a glimpse into the mar­itime his­to­ry of 1904. And when it’s time to rest, the park has you cov­ered with a range of accom­mo­da­tions from beach camp­grounds to the quaint her­itage cot­tages at Inneston. 

Top tip: Hear from Ranger in Charge Mark Davi­son to find out what you can expect at Innes.

2. Eyre Penin­su­la: Lin­coln Nation­al Park 

Enjoy the per­fect get­away at Lin­coln Nation­al Park on the Eyre Penin­su­la. This park is a trea­sure trove of activ­i­ties per­fect for those seek­ing a mix of relax­ation and adventure. 

Start your jour­ney at Spald­ing Cove, a stun­ning shal­low bay at the park’s north­ern end with shel­tered waters ide­al for a leisure­ly swim. Plus the camp­ground is right on the beach, giv­ing you a mil­lion-dol­lar-view and a per­fect spot to swim.

For the fish­ing enthu­si­asts, Sep­tem­ber Beach and Fisherman’s Rock are your go-to spots for catch­ing salmon. And if you’re in search of a serene escape, the Mem­o­ry Cove Wilder­ness Pro­tec­tion Area is a hid­den gem. With its breath­tak­ing views and tran­quil camp­ing spots, it’s no sur­prise its pre­vi­ous­ly been named one of the world’s top beach­es! Its lim­it­ed access ensures a peace­ful and pris­tine experience. 

Top tip: Make the most of your stay by incor­po­rat­ing some of Park Ranger Elly’s must-do activities.

3. Fleurieu Penin­su­la: Deep Creek Nation­al Park — 

Deep Creek Nation­al Park, nes­tled on the south­ern coast of the Fleurieu Penin­su­la near Cape Jervis is a pop­u­lar for a week­end camp­ing get­away with­out a long dri­ve from the city. 

The park fea­tures six unique camp­grounds, each offer­ing a dif­fer­ent mix of facil­i­ties and activ­i­ties, so it suits every camp­ing style. While you’re there, don’t for­get to explore the west­ern side of the park. Head to the Cob­bler Hill pic­nic area and embark on a scenic walk to the pic­turesque Blow­hole Beach. This beach is a haven of crys­tal-clear waters and stun­ning land­scapes, promis­ing a mem­o­rable visit. 

The jour­ney to Blow­hole Beach is an adven­ture in itself, offer­ing spec­tac­u­lar views of Kan­ga­roo Island and the chance to spot local wildlife, includ­ing kan­ga­roos. To reach this seclud­ed cove, start at the Cob­bler Hill car park and fol­low the 1.5km trail down the hill. You might find your­self shar­ing the beach with kayak­ers, fish­er­men, and even kan­ga­roos. The trek back up is steep, so take your time and enjoy fre­quent stops to admire the scenic beau­ty on your way back.

4. Kan­ga­roo Island: Lash­mar Con­ser­va­tion Park

Kan­ga­roo Island might be famous for Seal Bay and Flinders Chase Nation­al Park, but don’t for­get to vis­it Lash­mar Con­ser­va­tion Park where Antecham­ber Bay awaits with its post­card-per­fect scenery. This fam­i­ly-friend­ly des­ti­na­tion boasts a stun­ning 4 km long beach with soft, white sand and crys­tal-clear turquoise waters, mak­ing it an idyl­lic spot for swim­ming, beach­comb­ing, and leisure­ly walks. 

As you explore, keep an eye out for the nests of hood­ed plovers, and help pro­tect these pre­cious birds by stay­ing below the high tide line. The Chap­man Riv­er, mean­der­ing through the south­ern part of the park, cre­ates a serene back­drop for kayak­ing and fish­ing for bream. For those look­ing to extend their stay, the park offers two camp­grounds nes­tled along the river­bank, shad­ed by melaleu­ca trees, per­fect for a peace­ful camp­ing experience.

5. Lime­stone Coast: Canun­da Nation­al Park

Canun­da Nation­al Park stretch­es an impres­sive 40 km from Southend to Car­pen­ter Rocks along the Lime­stone Coast. This expan­sive park, known for its long sandy stretch­es, rugged cliffs, and tow­er­ing dunes, is a favourite among 4‑wheel dri­ve enthu­si­asts, fish­ing fans, and surfers of all ages. 

Take the fam­i­ly on the Cape Buf­fon Walk for breath­tak­ing coastal views, enjoy snor­kel­ing in the Canun­da Sanc­tu­ary Zone, or expe­ri­ence the thrill of surf-fish­ing for salmon and mul­loway. With six camp­grounds, there’s plen­ty of space for every­one, but be sure to book ear­ly for a cov­et­ed spot next to the Cape Banks light­house dur­ing busy seasons. 

Find out how to enjoy a day at the beach safe­ly and help pre­vent acci­dents or injuries with tips from Healthdi­rect and Surf Life Sav­ing Aus­tralia.