These campsites near Adelaide will have you sorted for a weekend getaway, while leaving you with enough fuel to get to work in the city on Monday morning.

 

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Camping near Adelaide is one of the beauties of South Australia. Not only can you drive around without sitting tirelessly in bumper-to-bumper traffic, but within half an hour you can be out of the city, soaking up the outdoors. Drive a little further and you’re at some of the best-designated campgrounds in the state.

Read more: Remember to leave no trace

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1. Newland Head Conservation Park

Address: Waitpinga SA 5211
Distance from Adelaide: 93.6km
Hours to drive from Adelaide: 1 hour 25 minutes
Cost: $20 per vehicle

Tucked away in the dunes of some of the south coast’s most beautiful stretches of beach is Waitpinga Campground. The short walk through the dunes takes you down to the beach for a surf, or if beach fishing is your more your style you can have a crack at reeling in some salmon. The equally beautiful Parsons Beach is a short drive from the camp.

There’s a handful of other bush walks nearby with the Coastal Cliffs Loop Hike starting and finishing at the campground. It takes you along the edge of the monster cliff tops and makes up a popular section of the Heysen Trail.

Although no fires are allowed in the park, the campground does have a communal barbecue, there are toilets and a hut with picnic tables. All sites are unpowered and mostly suited to tents and swags. Just remember to book and pay online before you go.

 

5 Camping Getaways Near Adelaide Jack Brookes, campsite, van, campfire, astrophotography, stars

2. Rapid Bay Campground

Address: Rapid Bay, South Australia, 5204
Distance from Adelaide: 105km
Time to drive from Adelaide: 1 hour 40 minutes
Cost: $9 per person

The ‘beach at your doorstep’ phrase is often exaggerated but at Rapid Bay, the grass of the camping reserve meets the sand of the beach, so we’re going to run with it. This camping reserve has flushing toilets, electric BBQs, and a playground. You’re pretty much glamping in amongst the towering cliffs of the Fleurieu Coast.

The calm beach is unpatrolled, but home to some beautiful clear blue water for swimming, and the long jetty makes for a popular fishing spot. If you’re more adventurous, Second Valley is only 10 minutes up the road and has an equally epic coastline with rad snorkelling and cliff-jumping spots.

More information on the camp can be found on the Yankalilla Council Website.

 

5 Camping Getaways Near Adelaide Jack Brookes, coastline, fields, ocean, photographer

3. Chooklaroo Campground

Address: B34, Kuitpo, South Australia, 5172
Distance from Adelaide: 49.5km
Time to drive from Adelaide: 48 minutes 
Cost: $5 per adult, $2 per child

The forest can make a perfect place for a bush escape. It’s also the closest place on this list where you can get out of the city and beside a campfire. The Chooklaroo Campground has 23 sites where you can drive in and set up your weekend’s home amongst the gumtrees. There are also firepits, drop-dunnies, and picnic tables. If camping’s not your style, there’s some huts nestled in the forest too.

The handful of bushwalks tour you through the forest or if you’re up for more adrenaline there are plenty of mountain bike trails to tackle.

The campsite is self-registration and closed to camping from 1 December through to 31 March. More about that and self-registration here.

 

5 Camping Getaways Near Adelaide Jack Brookes, campsite, van, campfire, forest

Nearby Accommodation

4. Deep Creek Conservation Park

Address: Deep Creek, South Australia, 5204
Distance from Adelaide: 102.5 km
Time to drive from Adelaide: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cost: $9-$26.50

If you want to see the rolling hills of the Fleurieu Peninsula meet its beautiful coastline and sleep amongst it all, then an hour-and-a-half road trip to Deep Creek Conservation Park is well worth your while.

Blowhole Beach and its beautiful clear water is nestled at the bottom of the park. You can either take the 4WD track down or hike the steep walk. With the right swell, it makes for a tucked-away surf spot, otherwise, you can fish off the rocks with views of Kangaroo Island on the horizon.

Read more: Wild Swimming Safety Tips

For bushwalking, there are 15 marked walks starting at 1.5km and ranging right through to 11km. You’d be insanely unlucky to not see a kangaroo here, with many hanging out on the hills leading to the beach. The same area provides vantage points for whale watching between mid-May and late-October, so throw the binoculars in.

If you’re keen to ditch the car and head bush for the night with what’s on your back, there’s a hikers’ campground by Eagle Waterhole. Cobbler Hill Campground is closest to the beach but if you prefer to have a bit more room, check out Trig Campground. Most are drive-in spots and have long-drop dunnies. You can compare and book online.

 

5 Camping Getaways Near Adelaide Jack Brookes, coastline, fields, ocean

5. Yorke Peninsula

Distance from Adelaide: 190km
Time to drive from Adelaide: 2 hours, 10 minutes
Cost: $10-25 per site

If you’re up for more of a drive then the Yorke Peninsula is your ultimate escape. This one steers away from our title a little bit, but it’s hard to talk about Adelaide’s weekend getaways without mentioning the Yorke Peninsula. Although, eating into your precious weekend escape with time in a car seat, look at it as quality over quantity — or maybe chuck a sicky.

The peninsula is home to over 19 bush campsites, with even more tucked in at Innes National Park. You’ll find some of South Australia’s most pristine beaches and are bound to find one all to yourself. The peninsula is home to many popular surfing and fishing spots, as well as plenty of bushwalking.

 

6. Para Wirra Conservation Park

Address: Pink Gum Track, Yattalunga, South Australia, 5114
Distance from Adelaide: 43km
Time to drive from Adelaide: 1 hour
Cost: $25 campsite fee + $13 vehicle entry fee

Located on the edge of the Para Wirra Conservation Park, the Wirra Campground is a great spot if you’re passing through Adelaide and looking for accommodation to keep the budget in check – or as a convenient escape from the city for a weekend.

With 19 different sites, the campground has the capacity to accommodate everyone from tent campers to those in caravans. Note that on top of the $25 campsite fee, there’s also a $13 vehicle entry fee.

The campground has all the basic facilities you’d typically expect – toilets, BBQs, and park tables, plus a basic camp kitchen. Provided they remain on their leash, dogs are also welcome at the Wirra Campground. Water at the campground is not treated so you will either need to bring your own or be prepared to purify it.

Read more: Different Methods of Treating and Purifying Water

 

7. Onkaparinga River National Park

Address: Blewitt Springs, South Australia, 5171
Distance from Adelaide: 35km
Time to drive from Adelaide: 45 minutes
Cost: $36

Located in Onkaparinga River National Park, Pink Gum Campground has 11 sites that are accessible by 2WD, suitable for tents, camp trailers, and caravans. Dogs are not allowed.

A great feature of this site is the close proximity to a number of nearby hiking trails which will take you to rockpools, Onka­paringa Gorge, and cliff tops. Enjoy a day enjoying the natural beauty of the area before returning to camp to relax by the campfire. Shared-use trails also provide opportunities for MTBing and horse riding.

Toilets, BBQs, and park tables are available for use.

 

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What are you waiting for?

Still wrestling with excuses to not get outside? Check out our editor’s guide to tackling the barriers or let your hiking kit double as car camping gear. As soon as 5:00pm Friday comes around you’ll be ready to shoot off.

Any other Adelaide camp spots that you’d prefer for a weekend escape? Let me know in the comments!

FAQs Camping Near Adelaide

What beaches are suitable for camping in South Australia?

There are over 140 drive-in beach campsites in South Australia. From the Fleurieu Peninsula to Kangaroo Island to the Limestone Coast, there’s a campsite with your name on it. To find the beach campsite for you, consider the options above, check out these dog-friendly campsites, or visit the Parks SA website for more information.

Where can you camp for free in South Australia?

There are plenty of free camping opportunities in South Australia, including some close to Adelaide. A great little spot is the Swamp Hen Reserve – a little over an hour from Adelaide – situated on the banks of the Murray River. It’s got toilets and BBQ facilities but is also within walking distance of a general store.

Can you camp along the Nullarbor?

Yes, you can! There are plenty of camping opportunities available along the Nullabor with options for everyone from tent campers to those in caravans.

Can you sleep in a camper van on a public road?

The rules about sleeping in your vehicle, aka boondocking, are a little fuzzy, and we don’t recommend doing anything that’s against the law. However, while technically illegal in most states, in South Australia you should be fine to sleep in your vehicle on public roads.

Want more great places to explore in South Australia?

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