World Famous Road Trips Just Across The Ditch

As New Zealanders gear up to travel quarantine-free to parts of Australia, we know wide open spaces and self-drive experiences will be high on the priority list.

Road tripping is the perfect way to see parts of Australia that you otherwise might miss – these iconic road trips easily rival their international counterparts.

With the lure of the open road in mind, the South Australian Tourism Commission has put together a list of five iconic road trips for when trans-Tasman travel is open for the region.

Extend the Great Ocean Road along South Australia’s Southern Ocean Drive

Drawn to the epic coastal scenery along the Great Ocean Road? Why not delve a little deeper and instead of looping back to Melbourne, carry on along South Australia’s Southern Ocean Drive towards Adelaide.

An extra 2 – 4 days on your itinerary will enable you to discover world famous wine regions, quaint coastal villages brimming with local seafood and breath-taking beaches. Add on a few extra days and catch the ferry across to Kangaroo Island before ending your journey in Adelaide.

Instead of Route 66 in USA go for the Explorer’s Way

The historic significance of Route 66 in the United States can’t be denied – but South Australia’s Explorer’s Way goes way back, 800 million years to be exact.

Begin your journey with a 90 minute drive from Adelaide to the Clare Valley and then start making your 3000km road trip up to Darwin. This roadie will take you through the red landscapes of the Flinders Ranges, the natural amphitheatre of Wilpena Pound, the underground settlement of Coober Pedy and an outback oasis under the stars.

Alsace Wine Route, France, versus Epicurean Way

Swap out the most famous wine route in France for the Epicurean Way in South Australia, which offers all the European-style villages and wine-producing towns you’d see on the Alsace Wine Route anyway.

Start your roadie at McLaren Vale, just a 40-minute drive from Adelaide. Along the way why not stop at the quirky cellar doors in the Fleurieu Peninsula, have a cocktail at the infamous d’Arenberg Cube or spend a few days wining and dining at Sidewood Estate, Golding Wines, Lot 100, or Mount Lofty Ranges Vineyard in the Adelaide Hills.

From there, follow the Epicurean Way signs towards the Barossa, Australia’s most famous wine region and end your journey in the Clare Valley, sipping on local Riesling or cycling the famed Riesling Trail.

Swap the Pacific Coast Highway, USA, for the Seafood Frontier

Despite being one of the most well-known drives, the Pacific Coast Highway is no match for South Australia’s Seafood Frontier roadie. Journey along the rugged and windswept Southern Ocean coastline from Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula to Head of Bight. Start off at Whyalla, just a 50-minute flight or a 4-hour drive from Adelaide.

This roadie offers incredible food, wildlife encounters and natural beauty at every corner of the 1,200km trip and you won’t have to deal with the traffic or busloads of tourists ruining your shot. Why not make a pit stop at Baird Bay for a refreshing dip with playful sea lions and dolphins in the crystal-clear Eyre Peninsula waters, or taste oysters straight from the ocean at Streaky Bay.

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