Our 4 night getaway to Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Kangaroo Island. It’s been on my radar for years now, but we’ve been putting it off. I visited when I was little, but to be honest, I don’t remember any of it! So it was really lovely for us all to explore somewhere completely new.

In summary, K.I is absolutely amazing. The landscape is incredible. The community is resilient and welcoming. We stayed at Vivonne Bay in an Airbnb. It had everything we needed and was a lovely place to base ourselves.

There is so much to see and do, especially for families, that we didn’t even scratch the surface of my long list of things to see and do.

Here were some of our favourite things to do on the island, where we stayed and how we got around.

Getting there

We got around on Kangaroo Island by using our own car. We drove to Cape Jervis and got on a late morning ferry, with the trip over taking about an hour. The day we went the trip was a bit rough, so be mindful of taking sea sick tablets or Ginger if you need it. Be sure to book well in advance if you plan on going over as particular time slots always seem to book out. We drive a small SUV and found it perfect to explore the island. We also saw smaller cars driving around with no issues.

Home base

We booked our accomodation, Southside, through Airbnb. It was a short walk to Vivonne Bay beach and the river, and was perfectly equip for families. We found it had everything we needed, the only down fall was there was no aircon (it had fans but in 30 degrees it was very warm). It also had a wood fire, perfect for winter.

The deck was beautiful to eat on at dinner and Netflix meant we had something to watch once Raven went to bed. I’d be more than happy to stay there again.

Vivonne Bay

Vivonne Bay is a tiny town with not a lot happening, but that’s the charm of it. They have a General Store, which are famous for their Whiting Burgers (we didn’t manage to snag one as they had all sold out), but we hear they are great! The general store also has limited food basics and supplies and a small selection of wine and beer.

If you are staying for a few days, I definitely recommend going to Kingscote after getting off the Ferry and doing a food shop for your stay. We made the mistake of not going initially and underestimated how much driving we would be doing.

Vivonne Bay is right between Seal Bay and Flinders Chase National Park, so perfect for exploring. We didn’t swim at Vivonne Bay itself as the water didn’t seem safe for young people, and we are not the strongest of swimmers.

If you are passing through Penneshaw, be sure to pop into Millie Maes Pantry. They do fabulous coffee, juices, brunch and lunch. We stopped in quickly before we got on the ferry but will make a point of spending a hour there for lunch next time!

Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery

The distillery has a gift shop, combined with small café that serves delicious cakes, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and light meals. We opted for a slice of their Kangaroo Island Honey Cheesecake, coffee and milkshakes. The cheesecake was divine and so light- we could have polished off a few more slices. Theres also a big outdoor play area for the kids, aswell as their resident emus to gawk at.

Seal Bay

Seal Bay is exactly that- seals laying on the sand in a bay. The scenery is beautiful, there are breathtaking views and the sea lions are gorgeous. We even spotted one coming in from under the platform we were standing on. You are charged an entry fee to get in, where you walk down the ramp and onto a platform that overlooks the beach. If you want to go on the beach itself with the seals it’s a more expensive entry fee, but you go down a different boardwalk.

Vivonne Bay General Store

Home of the famous whiting burger- they obviously sold so fast that when we went to buy one they were sold out, so we had to get a shark burger. The shark burger was also delicious, so we are itching to get back for the whiting. We also tried their hotdog with the lot and Beef burger when we were there which both got the thumbs up. The general store also stocks a small range of supplies, other deep fried food and a range of local wine and beers. If you are staying in the area, make sure you do a decent shop at Kingscote as they are only a small place with limited supplies for a large area.

Emu Bay Lavender Farm

One of the highlights of our trip. If scones the size of your head, delicious ice-cream and big brunches are your thing than put it on the list. We tried their iconic Lavender and Blueberry ice-cream which was delicious (and beautiful), alongside their scones and coffees. Make sure you browse the inside, where you can take home their Lavender Jelly amongst a variety of other lavender and local products.

False Cape Wines

If you are looking for a big, beautiful, indoor/outdoor winery that is very family friendly, then head to False Cape. There’s a cubby house, sand pit, chalk board, basketball court and resident farm animals for the kids. The food is just as lovely, our picks being the pies, cheese board and kids cheese platter (that was VERY impressive). The perfect winery for everyone.

Cliffords Honey Farm

Known for their famous honey ice-cream- hot tip, buy more than one tub. The honey farm is quaint and full of charm, with a working bee hive on display, plenty of delicious honey based products and even honey beer. Take it from us, it’s worth buying!

We sat outside and had a beer and icecream, raven played in the sandpit and cubby house and we got a photo in their Bee photo board. It was a lovely way to spend the afternoon.

Stokes Bay

An absolute must visit when in KI. Wander along the trail that goes between massive rocks and through little caves, to find yourself at a crystal clear lagoon and beautiful beach. Little rockpools form around the lagoon, making it the perfect place to explore and look for fish. Bring your snorkel, sunscreen and a picnic and make a day of it (remembering the gaps between the rocks to get there are quite small, making beach buggys not ideal!). If you are wanting to order takeaway, head to the Rockpool Café, where you’ll find amazing fish and chips. We conveniently forgot to bring lunch and it was great.

Remarkable rocks/Admirals Arch

A visit to KI wouldn’t be complete without visiting these two KI icons. Remarkable rocks is exactly that- remarkable. I was blown away by the sheer size of the formations and how incredible the view is. The boardwalk has been rebuilt since the fires in 2019, and loads of new growth is coming through, making for a really diverse landscape.

Admirals Arch is another favourite of ours- the boardwalk is slightly difficult, with a few stairs down to the arch itself. When we went there were 2 week old seal pups putting on a show, aswell as a stack of very active seals. The Arch is just like the postcards and is really beautiful. If I had to choose between Seal Bay and the Arch I would pick the arch- seals are more active, they are still close up and it’s cheaper.

Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park

Not just for the little kids- KI is for the adults too. I think Trev and I had more fun than Raven. A small but lovely wildlife park, filled with a range of animals, from kangaroos, koalas and snakes to meercats and fairy penguins. We got to get right up to and pat the koalas, watch the fairy penguins be fed and feed the Wallabys. So much cheaper than the zoo and a more intimate experience, and worth every cent.

The Deck On The Wharf Cafe, American River

Yummy food with a view of the river. We went on a very hot day and sat outside (bad idea as it was very hot!), but the setting was lovely and the food was great. We ate a burger of the day and their hotdog which was a very generous portion and delicious.

Emu Bay

We only spent a short time at Emu Bay, but it’s an absolute pearla of a place and we could easily stay there. The water was perfect for little ones, you can drive on the sand and there’s even a little caravan, Mini De Lights, where you can sit and have a alco/non alco beverage, get icecream or something to snack on. We can’t wait to come back here and spend some more time.