Aldinga is home to one of South Australia’s and the Fleurieu’s premier southern beaches, with a quaint mix of coastal living and village precincts that locals and visitors love. The perfect stop for your summer holiday!
As you travel between Aldinga, Aldinga Township, Aldinga Beach and Port Willunga, you will find an eclectic collection of shops and perfectly positioned cafés and restaurants. The locals are super friendly and love to share what they enjoy and where you should go.
Cool vibes, historic charm and fabulous shopping
A great place to kick off your visit is the original village in Old Coach Road (Aldinga Township) where the area has undergone a renaissance in recent times and is now one of the coolest hangouts down south. It all started with Homegrain Bakery who moved into the area and set up shop with the vision and passion to reinvigorate the area, together with the ethos that a bakery is at the heart of community. Now, just a few years later, as you wander and explore, you are rewarded with fabulous street art, boutiques, cafés, providore, bakery, a brewery, Kickback Brewing and Aldinga pub. Don’t miss Adelaide’s fashion house icon Miss Gladys On Sea. There’s also an Asian restaurant, coffee roaster, and what is possibly the world’s smallest perfume shop at the Blacksmith Hub.
More shopping also awaits at Aldinga Central with a supermarket and specialty shops. Need to check your email? Follow the walkway to the Aldinga Library to access the free Wi-Fi.
Take your car to the beach…literally!
No burning your feet on the path leading to the beach or soft sand, as you can keep on driving! Aldinga Beach is one of only a handful of beaches where you can drive your car right on to the sand - and it doesn’t even need to be a 4WD – just stay on the firmer stuff and watch for the rising tide! Grab a vehicle beach pass for a small fee from the Visitor Centre and make sure you pack the BBQ or a picnic hamper, buckets and spade to make the best sandcastles and the beach cricket set for a fun-filled time at the beach.
The water is ideal for swimming with a patrolled beach, the sand perfect for sandcastles, and if the kids are feeling adventurous, take them exploring in the nearby rock pools. Snorkelers and divers will also love Aldinga Beach with its offshore reef and Aldinga drop off, where the sea plummets 21 metres creating a spectacular underwater cliff. This is one of the most dived sites in South Australia for good reason.
Sea & food
There are some great places to relax, indulge and soak up the sea views. As you travel along the Esplanade, there are some sparkling gems, matching the panoramic vistas. Think Jimmies Takeaway and Pizza, Breeze Café & Bar, Pearl and Star of Greece
Star of Greece is a seaside food icon for South Australia, nestled atop the cliffs at Port Willunga Beach. The sparkling aqua blue water (this is not marketing spin), surrounded by the orange sun drenched cliffs, together with the ruins of the old Port Willunga Jetty makes this one of the most instagrammed spots in the region. And the food matches its surroundings, beautifully presented, delectable dishes featuring the very best local produced fetched from both sea and earth.
Coastal cliff walk
Aldinga is the perfect location to reconnect with nature. Beautiful beach walks with the sand squeaking between your toes, or the Coastal Cliff Walk lets you take in the panoramic vistas on the shared path as you make your way along the coastline.
Don’t miss the Aldinga Scrub Conservation Park, with a short walk on a wooden decking leading to a lookout offering magnificent views of the hills and the coast. Discover the park’s abundant birdlife through the network of well-maintained sandy trails, which will also guide you to unearthing some rare and protected flora including lichens.
Stay and indulge
To take advantage of the infectiously relaxing seaside vibe, Aldinga has one of the best selections of holiday homes and apartments. Picture this, relaxing on your deck or balcony, indulging in a delicious tasting platter full of local produce and cheeses, with a glass of McLaren Vale wine, craft beer or gin in hand (ahhh the choice), watching the sunset over the water – welcome to the good life!
What's Open?
Need to know what’s open in McLaren Vale and Fleurieu Coast? From McLaren Vale wineries, spirit and gin distilleries and craft breweries to coastal dining sensations we have you covered.
To make things easy, we have developed an extensive list just for you, on what’s open each day in Aldinga.
Discover what's open on:
Whether you are looking for breakfast, brunch , lunch, regional platters or dinner, our cafes , restaurants and cellar doors are ready to welcome you.
Don’t worry, we have all your McLaren Vale wine, brewery and distillery experiences covered too. Our McLaren Vale cellar doors, taphouses and distillery cellar doors are waiting to be discovered. Check out our brewery trail too, with some of the best ales around! Don’t believe us, you will just have to try for yourself!
To ensure you have the best experience, we strongly suggest you make a booking with your chosen café, restaurant, brewery, distillery or cellar door.
We look forward to welcoming you to the McLaren Vale and Fleurieu Coast. This is where you will find the good life!
