Victor Harbor : Top 10 Things To Do

If you’re looking for great suggestions of what makes this coastal town so popular, here is our list of Top 10 exciting things to do in Victor Harbor:

Surfing lessons

Victor Harbor is the centre of the surf zone known as the ‘South Coast’ to Adelaide and local surfers. Some of the popular surf beaches are Middleton, Parsons and Goolwa – you can also join a fun surf lessons Middleton or Goolwa with Surf & Sun.

The Encounter Bikeway

If pedal power is your preferred mode of transport, hire a bike at Middleton and cycle to Victor Harbor along the Encounter Bikeway.

The bikeway follows the coastline, and has a range of riding distances so its perfect for casual cycle trips with all of the family.

Old Port Victor Heritage Walking Trail

Stop into the Victor Harbor Visitor Information Centre for a copy of the ‘Old Port Victor Heritage Walking Trail’.

The trail follows a route that highlights many of the town’s historical buildings such as the first post office (now an art gallery and studio) and the first hotel in the district (Fountain Inn First Inn).

Whale watching

Victor Harbor was previously a whaling town, but today whaling-related activities are all about tourism and conservation.

Between June – September, Southern Right whales visit the waters near Victor Harbor to calve and mate. It’s a magical experience to see whales at sea, so don’t miss the chance to join one of our whale watching boat tours.

On land, The South Australian Whale Centre in the town has information and interactive displays so you can learn more about these graceful creatures.

Urimbirra Wildlife Park

Located in the Hindmarsh Valley, this wildlife park is an excellent place to see all the iconic Australian animals.

You can feed kangaroos, look at crocodiles, hold koalas, and peer into the enclosures of reptiles, wombats, dingos, and echidnas.

A good family-friendly attraction, the park is just 5 minutes from Victor Harbor and you’ll easily spend a half-day or more here enjoying the picnic areas, farm animal petting area and walk-through aviaries.

Victor Harbor Winery

South Australia is known for outstanding wines, and the area around Victor Harbor enjoys a gentle maritime climate with long dry summers resulting in premium cool climate wines.

Located just 8 kilometres from Victor Harbor, visiting Victor Harbor Winery is a must – try their artisan goats cheese before sampling a glass or two of local wine.

Granite Island

Supremely popular, ride the horse-drawn tram to Granite Island (or you can walk across the causeway).

Decades earlier, penguins were prolific at Granite Island but the numbers have dwindled significantly and now your best chance at a sighting is at the island’s Penguin Marine and Environmental Centre where you can glimpse a peek of penguins in artificial burrows.

Walking enthusiasts will enjoy following the Kaiki walking track with ocean views.

Steam Ranger Heritage Railway

Travel on the oldest rail route in Australia between Port Elliot and Goolwa on the Steam Ranger Heritage Railway that follows the coastal cliffs for wide-reaching views of the Fleurieu Peninsula.

The train is known as the ‘Cockle Train’, because the locals would take a horse-drawn train to Goolwa to collect cockles from the sandy beaches.

The whole routing travels between Goolwa and Victor Harbor (via Port Elliot and Middleton) so take your camera for some incredible photos!

Greenhills Adventure Park

Perfect for everyone in the family, Greenhills Adventure Park is a thrill-seeking, action-packed way to spend an afternoon.

Activities include mini-golf, aqua boats, go-karts, a climbing wall, archery, canoes, water slides, flying foxes, a maze, and a tractor drawn mini train so there’s plenty of things to do to burn off excess energy, entertain and enthral all ages.

Golf

Fancy a round or two? Head to the 18-hole course at McCracken Country Club. Designed by golf architect Tony Cashmore, you can play a round as you wish, or tee off then bunk down with a ‘Golf + Stay’ package.