South Australia | Adelaide to Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park Road Trip Itinerary

Travel through South Australia from Adelaide to the Yorke Peninsula along the picturesque Australian coastline

Day 1: Adelaide to Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park – via Yorke Peninsula’s east coast

Distance: 285 km
Driving Time: 3 hours 15 minutes

Collect your Apollo camper in Adelaide, stock up on groceries and coastal snacks, then head north-west towards the Yorke Peninsula. It’s an easy first day, with plenty of excuses to jump out, walk a jetty or pick up something fresh from the ocean.

Stops on the way

• Ardrossan: Around 1 hr 45 min from Adelaide, this cliff-top town is known for its towering red clay cliffs and blue swimmer crabs when they’re in season. Drop into the jetty or lookouts for a first big coastal view.

• Port Vincent: A sheltered seaside village that’s perfect for a leg stretch, a swim in calm water or a quick kayak if the weather’s settled.

• Stansbury: Stronghold of fresh oysters – call into a local supplier or kiosk to grab a dozen for later. With luck, you might spot dolphins cruising just offshore.

• Edithburgh: Take a dip in the tidal rock pool or wander the foreshore before pushing on towards the national park.

From Edithburgh, continue to Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park at the tip of the peninsula. Once you’ve checked in and set up camp, you can catch sunset over the Southern Ocean or simply enjoy the quiet.

Things to do 

• Call into the park visitor information (or check online in advance) to get the latest on walk conditions, surf safety and any closures.

• Take a short walk to a nearby lookout or beach from your chosen campground and get a feel for just how wild this coastline is!

Where to stay

Camping must be pre-booked via Parks SA sites fill quickly on weekends and holidays.

Good options for campervans include:

• Stenhouse Bay Campground – 2WD accessible, 27 marked sites, long-drop toilets and BBQs, suitable for caravans, camper trailers and campervans.

• Pondalowie Bay Campground – near popular surf and fishing spots, suitable for vans and trailers, with basic facilities.

Day 2: Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park – culture & coast

Distance: local driving only

With the highway behind you, today is about stories and the coastline.

Things to do 

• Join an Aboriginal Cultural Tours experience (if operating on your dates), led by Narungga guides. You will hear Dreaming stories, learn how people have lived with this landscape for thousands of years, and see familiar places through a different lens.

• Spend time at one or two key lookouts or short walks suggested by your guide or the park notes – this is a good day to keep the schedule loose so you can soak it all in.

• Back at camp, enjoy a simple dinner and some stargazing – skies out here can be impressively dark on clear nights.

Where to stay

Second night at your chosen Innes National Park campground (e.g. Stenhouse Bay or Pondalowie), or swap to another pre-booked site if you want a change of scenery within the park.

Day 3: Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park – walks, lighthouses & the Ethel shipwreck

Distance: Local driving only

Today you can get to know more corners of the park. There’s a good mix of short strolls and longer trails, so you can build a day that suits your energy levels.

Things to do

• Choose a short walk or two – there are easy 30-minute options, as well as longer half-day trails if you want more of a workout. Keep an eye out for kangaroos, emus and birdlife along the way.

• Drive to one of the lighthouses (such as Cape Spencer) for Southern Ocean views and a sense of why this coastline has seen so many shipwrecks.

• Visit the Ethel shipwreck and nearby beaches like Ethel or Dolphin Beach – they’re classic Innes spots, especially in softer morning or late-afternoon light.

Where To Stay

A third night at your Innes NP campground, or move to another pre-booked campground (for example, Shell Beach Campground if you want a small, sheltered spot close to the water).

Image: SATC Media Gallery

Day 4: Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park to Marion Bay – easy move, beach town feel

Distance: 7 km
Travel time: 7 min

Pack up camp at a relaxed pace – there’s no rush today. A short drive brings you out of the park to Marion Bay, a small coastal town with a sheltered swimming beach on one side and surf on the other.

Things to do

• Wander along the Marion Bay jetty or beach, and take a dip if the conditions are safe.

• Try your luck with a bit of fishing from the beach, rocks or jetty – or just enjoy watching others haul in dinner.

• If you want a night off cooking, book a table at the Marion Bay Tavern for local seafood, wood-fired pizzas and Yorke Peninsula wine.

Where to stay

Marion Bay Caravan Park has powered sites, modern amenities, a camp kitchen and playground, set among native bushland but only a short walk to the beach. It’s a very handy base if you want easy access back into the national park the next morning!

Day 5 - Marion Bay to Adelaide via Moonta and Moonta Bay

Distance: 290 km

Driving Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

Start your drive back towards Adelaide, but give yourself time to explore Moonta and Moonta Bay on the way.

Stop on the way

Moonta Mines Museum: Located in the former Moonta Mines Model School (built in 1878), the museum dives into the story of Cornish miners who worked the local copper mines from the 1860s to the early 1900s.

Moonta & Moonta Bay:

• Grab one of the town’s famous Cornish pasties from a local bakery, a nod to its mining past.

• If you’re still chasing beach time, head to Moonta Bay for swimming, fishing and jetty walks, and, if you’re not on a tight schedule, you could stay an extra night to enjoy the sunset over Spencer Gulf.

From Moonta, it’s a straightforward run back to Adelaide. Return your Apollo campervan, or, if you’ve got extra time up your sleeve, spend a night in the city or nearby before continuing your travels.

FAQs and quick answers

1. Do I need a 4WD for Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park?
   Not for this itinerary. The main roads into Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park and to the larger campgrounds (like Stenhouse Bay and Pondalowie) are accessible in a 2WD campervan in normal dry conditions.

2. Do I need to book campsites in advance?
   Yes. Camping inside Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park must be booked online in advance via Parks SA, and popular dates (weekends, school holidays and long weekends) can sell out well ahead. We also recommend pre-booking Marion Bay Caravan Park, especially in holiday periods.

3. When is the best time to drive the Coastal Way?
   The Coastal Way can be enjoyed most of the year, but many travellers prefer spring and autumn for their mild days, good walking weather, and fishing. Summer can be beautiful but hotter and busier, so you’ll want to plan for heat, sun protection and earlier starts for walks.

4. Is this an itinerary suitable for first-time campervan travellers?
   Yes. This Coastal Way route uses sealed highways and well-used regional roads, along with relatively short driving days (mostly around 3–3.5 hours). We’ve also included established campgrounds with facilities suited to campervans and motorhomes, so you can have a stress-free trip. The main things to watch are wildlife on the roads, especially at dawn, dusk and at night, and wind & surf conditions on coastal walks and lookouts – always respect safety signage.

Ready to plan your Coastal Way campervan holiday? 

From cliff-top lookouts at Ardrossan and calm bays at Port Vincent, to tidal pools in Edithburgh, long beach walks and cultural stories in Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, and the heritage streets of Moonta, this 5-day Coastal Way itinerary gives you a neat slice of the Yorke Peninsula without ever feeling rushed. 
Hire an Apollo campervan in Adelaide, pre-book your Innes National Park campgrounds and a spot at Marion Bay Caravan Park, and then let the Coastal Way do what it does best – string together simple coastal days where the biggest decisions are which jetty to walk and which beach to visit next.