SA’s ultimate family-friendly aquatic activities

By Samuel Smith
Published: Monday, February 4, 2019

Round up the family and beat the heat with South Australia’s top 7 aquatic activities, from swimming with sea lions to BBQ boat tours.

1. Adventure Kayaking SA dolphin sanctuary and ships graveyard tour, Adelaide

Discover 2 of Adelaide’s hidden gems on an Adventure Kayaking Dolphin Sanctuary and Ships Graveyard Tour. Gear up at Garden Island, then cut through glassy waters in your kayak. Navigate tunnels made from spindly branches while keeping your eyes peeled for flippered friends. Paddle through the mangroves and pass the carcasses of abandoned vessels, laid to rest in the shallows from 1909 to 1945.

RAA members save 10% when booking a tour with Adventure Kayaking.

Adventure Kayaking.

2. Adventure Bay Charters swim with sea lions tour, Eyre Peninsula

Swimming with South Australia’s puppies of the sea off the coast of Port Lincoln is a once-in-a-lifetime family experience. Adventure Bay Charters will take you out to where the wild things are, get you wetsuited, then let you loose in the crystal-clear waters of Seal Cove. Here, friendly Australian sea lions will bound right up to you, splashing, playing and racing you through gentle, lapping waves.

Sea lion swimming with Adventure Bay Charters, Eyre Peninsula.

3. Oceanic Victor in-sea aquarium, Fleurieu Peninsula

Just off the coast of Victor Harbor – one of South Australia’s most popular seaside towns – lies Oceanic Victor: an aquatic experience like no other. The fun starts on Granite Island, where you and the family will board a luxury catamaran and sail out to Oceanic Victor’s epic in-sea aquarium. Here, you’ll squeeze into wetsuits, then take a dive with a plethora of fish including lightning-fast Southern Bluefin Tuna, affectionately known to locals as the Ferraris of the sea.

Oceanic Victor, just off the coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula.

4. Surf & Sun surfing lessons, various locations

With quality sand and sea at our fingertips, surfing is something every South Aussie should try at least once. Whether you’re 5 or 50, in Moana or Middleton, Surf & Sun surf lessons specialise in family surf coaching in a huge range of locations. Regardless of your experience level, South Australian State Surfing Champion Gary Haworth and his team will have you riding like a pro at Middleton, Moana or Goolwa – take your pick.

RAA members save 10% when booking a Surf & Sun Family Pack Surf Lesson.

Surfing at popular Middleton Beach.

5. BBQ Buoys, Adelaide

Chill and grill on Adelaide’s River Torrens with BBQ Buoys: self-drive donut-shaped boats, complete with central BBQs, seating for 10 and giant sun umbrellas. Spend the morning at Adelaide’s Central Market, selecting your favourite lunchtime treats, then head to Adelaide Riverbank, where you’ll jump aboard and putter down the River Torrens.

RAA members save when booking a BBQ Buoy.

BBQ Buoys on Adelaide's River Torrens. Image: RAA

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