Family Activities
Big things, mazes and farm fun
The best family activities in Adelaide Hills
Climb a giant rocking horse, get lost in a hedge maze, ride a heritage steam train and feed the animals on a day made for kids.
Read our guide to family activities ↓Browse family activities by area
Map shows the 24 places on this page.
Adelaide Hills Farmers Market $
View →Saturday-morning regional produce market
A long-running Saturday farmers market in Mount Barker, gathering Hills growers, bakers, makers and coffee in one bustling weekly meeting.
Amy Gillett Bikeway
View →A gentle 22km sealed rail trail from Oakbank to Birdwood through Woodside, Charleston and Mount Torrens.
Beerenberg Farm $
View →Six generations of jam-making and seasonal strawberry picking
A famous family farm shop selling jams, sauces and relishes, with seasonal pick-your-own strawberries that make it a family favourite.
Belair National Park $
View →South Australia's first national park - lakes, lawns, heritage buildings and bush trails on the Hills' western rim.
Birdwood Main Street $
View →Historic Torrens-valley village and motor-museum town
The heritage main street of Birdwood in the Torrens Valley, home to the National Motor Museum and a clutch of old stone shopfronts and bakeries.
Carrick Hill $
View →A 1930s English-style estate and garden on the Adelaide-side foothills, with sculpture trails and grand interiors.
Cleland National Park
View →Bushwalking trails linking Mount Lofty, Waterfall Gully and the wildlife park
A web of bushwalking trails through stringybark forest and gullies linking Mount Lofty, Waterfall Gully and the wildlife park.
Cleland Wildlife Park $$
View →Hand-feed kangaroos and meet koalas in the bush
An open-range wildlife park on the slopes of Mount Lofty where you can walk among free-roaming kangaroos and emus and (by booking) hold a koala.
Fox Creek Bike Park
View →South Australia's premier mountain bike park at Cudlee Creek, rebuilt after the 2019 fires with over 50km of trails.
Golding Wines
View →Family cellar door with lawns and a kitchen at Lobethal
A family-owned cellar door near Lobethal with sprawling lawns, a kitchen and estate-grown cool-climate wines, a relaxed and family-friendly stop in the Onkaparinga Valley.
Gorge Wildlife Park
View →Hands-on wildlife park in the Torrens Gorge
A long-established family wildlife park at Cudlee Creek near Gumeracha, home to a large collection of native and exotic animals with hands-on encounters in the Torrens Valley.
Hahndorf Farm Barn $$
View →A hands-on farmyard outside Hahndorf where kids can cuddle, feed and meet everything from lambs to camels.
Howard Vineyard $$
View →A family cellar door and kitchen set among towering gums, big lawns and estate-grown wines near Nairne.
Kuitpo Forest Reserve
View →A 3,600-hectare working forest near Meadows with walking trails, campgrounds and historic huts among the pines.
Laratinga Wetlands
View →Birdlife-rich wetland boardwalks at Mount Barker
A constructed wetland on the edge of Mount Barker with easy looping paths and boardwalks, rich in waterbirds and a relaxed spot for a family walk in the southern Adelaide Hills.
Melba's Chocolate Factory $
View →Watch chocolate made the old-fashioned way
A heritage chocolate factory in Woodside where you can watch traditional chocolate-making through viewing windows and sample the wares.
Morialta Conservation Park $
View →Waterfalls and gorge walks on the city edge
A dramatic gorge park on the western edge of the Hills, famous for its three waterfalls, ridge-top lookouts and family-friendly nature playground.
Mount Lofty Botanic Garden Free
View →Cool-climate gardens that blaze with autumn colour
A spectacular cool-climate botanic garden on the slopes below Mount Lofty, famous for rhododendrons, a tranquil lower lake and dazzling autumn foliage.
Mount Lofty Summit Free
View →The Hills' most famous view over Adelaide
The highest point of the Mount Lofty Ranges, with a panoramic lookout over the Adelaide plains and coast, a visitor centre, cafe and trailheads.
Mylor Oval
View →Village oval in Mylor, next to the Sherry Park playground
Mylor's village oval on Strathalbyn Road, with toilets, off-street parking and dogs allowed off leash. The Sherry Park Reserve playground, bike track and picnic area are next door.
National Motor Museum $$
View →The southern hemisphere's great motoring collection
A sprawling museum partly housed in an 1852 flour mill, displaying hundreds of historic cars, motorcycles and the story of Australian motoring.
Oakbank Racecourse
View →Australia's most famous picnic racecourse, host of the Easter racing carnival since 1876.
South Para Reservoir Reserve
View →A once-locked reservoir near Kersbrook now open for kayaking, shoreline fishing and almost nine kilometres of peninsula trails.
SteamRanger Heritage Railway $$
View →Heritage steam journeys from Mount Barker
A volunteer-run heritage railway running restored steam and diesel services from Mount Barker station on select days, including scenic Hills runs.
About family activities in Adelaide Hills
The Adelaide Hills is made for family days out, with wildlife encounters, big open spaces and quirky landmarks all packed into an easy drive from the city. Kids can get nose-to-nose with native animals, climb a giant rocking horse, ride a steam train and burn off energy on nature playgrounds and gentle trails.
Top of the list is Cleland Wildlife Park, where children can hand-feed free-roaming kangaroos and meet koalas, while the towering Big Rocking Horse at Gumeracha pairs a climb with a small wildlife park (low-cost entry) and a wooden-toy shop. Morialta Conservation Park has a justly popular nature playground beneath its waterfalls, and the Mount Lofty Botanic Garden offers space to roam.
For a change of pace, the National Motor Museum at Birdwood and volunteer-run heritage railways add a dose of history, and the region's farm shops and pick-your-own orchards turn a snack stop into an adventure.
Family Activities in Adelaide Hills - frequently asked questions
What is the Adelaide Hills known for when it comes to family activities?
The Hills is known for native wildlife encounters and quirky big-scale landmarks, all within an easy half-hour drive of Adelaide. The signature day out combines Cleland Wildlife Park near Crafers, where you can feed roaming kangaroos and meet koalas, with The Big Rocking Horse at Gumeracha, the giant climbable horse that towers about 18 metres over its toy factory and free-roaming animal park.
Where can you get up close to native animals and hold a koala in the Adelaide Hills?
Cleland Wildlife Park at Crafers is one of the few places where you can hold a koala (an extra paid experience) and wander among free-roaming kangaroos, emus and wallabies with a bag of feed. For more options, Gorge Wildlife Park at Cudlee Creek runs daily koala holding sessions, while Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary at Mylor is the only place on mainland South Australia where you can spot wild platypus on a guided tour.
Are there hedge mazes and outdoor play spaces for kids in the Adelaide Hills?
Yes. Woodhouse Adventure Park at Piccadilly is the standout, with a giant split-level Labyrinth maze and the Challenge Hill obstacle course set across a large bushland site. The Hills also has plenty of nature playgrounds and gentle trails, including the walking tracks and waterfall lookouts at Morialta Conservation Park.
Do you need to book Adelaide Hills family attractions in advance, and are they open every day?
Many of the big draws like Cleland Wildlife Park, Gorge Wildlife Park and Woodhouse Adventure Park are open daily and you can usually just turn up, though paid extras such as koala holding are best pre-booked. The SteamRanger heritage steam trains from Mount Barker run only on selected days rather than daily, so always check the current timetable and book ahead before you go.
When is the best time of year for a family day out in the Adelaide Hills?
Spring and autumn bring mild weather that is ideal for wildlife parks, mazes and bushwalks, while the school holidays are when SteamRanger and the wildlife sanctuaries tend to add extra tours and activities. If your kids love picking fruit, time a visit for the strawberry season at Beerenberg Family Farm in Hahndorf, where pick-your-own usually runs from around November to April.