Best summer holiday activities

Everyone must experience the sweetness of fruit so fresh it’s still warm from basking in the summer sun. Fruit picking is a quintessential summer holiday activity in the Adelaide Hills whether it be cherries, strawberries or figs. The experience is one for the whole family and is a great way to teach children where produce comes from and how it makes its way from the orchard to supermarket shelves. Beerenberg Farm at Hahndorf is the go-to spot for strawberry picking during the season, which runs from November to April. For cherry picking, a great resource is the Fruit Producers SA’s Fresh Fruit App which will allow you to locate the nearest ‘pick your own’ experiences and shed door sales. Fig season kicks off a bit later – from February running to April. Willabrand orchard at Glen Ewin Estate at Houghton is the main player for fig picking, home to 12,000 fig trees as well as dining and picnic options that make for a great family day out.

Take the family to cool off at the recently opened Summit Aquatic and Leisure Centre at Mt Barker. The new indoor centre showcases a number of facilities, including a 25-metre lap pool and a learn-to-swim area that has a water play space with water sprays, fountains and waterfalls. Swimmers who prefer an outdoor environment can visit the Adelaide Hills War Memorial Swimming Centre at Woodside. The three swimming pools – the toddler, mid-sized and 25-metre pools – are surrounded by lawns where swimmers can relax with an icy pole or bucket of hot chips. A new splash park featuring a dumper bucket, water cannons, ground and arch sprays and more opened at the centre in November and is ideal for younger children.

Get the kids off the screens and into the native bushland at Woodhouse Adventure Park at Piccadilly. Families wanting to explore the park can purchase a day pass, which will allow unlimited access to the adventure activities including obstacle courses, rock climbing, a giant maze, disc golf (frisbee), a big tube slide and hiking trails. Day camps are also available in the school holidays for kids aged five to 12. These School Holidays Unplugged programs are supervised by park staff and themed differently each weekday, designed to keep kids active, entertained and screen-free. Kids are guaranteed a good night’s sleep after a day spent making new friends and many memories.

Every festive season for the past 60 years homes and businesses in Lobethal’s town centre have been illuminated in twinkling fairy lights and Christmas displays. The Lights of Lobethal Festival is the largest community Christmas light display in the Southern Hemisphere. Thousands of people are drawn to the town to witness the magic and enjoy the festivities, including live music and food stalls along the main street, market stalls in Centennial Hall, as well as carol and orchestral performances and a live nativity play. Hop in the car and make your way along the Christmas lights route to the dozens of individual homes and businesses draped in festive lights, or park the car somewhere and enjoy a stroll along the main street and down a couple of side roads.
The festival runs from 12 to 22 December.

Dining out with children is made much easier when the venue caters for the littlies, not just food-wise but the environment too. Thankfully, the Adelaide Hills is brimming with pubs, cafes and cellar doors that are family-friendly. Sidewood Estate at Hahndorf allows adults to indulge in a glass or two of wine and some nibbles while the kids enjoy the nature playground or large grassed area. If a pub meal is on the cards, the Bridgewater Inn is a great option with a kids menu offering all the classics (schnitzel, chicken nuggets, burgers, bolognese and pizza). If the weather allows, the pavilion and beer garden is the perfect summer dining spot, overlooking Cox Creek. Once tummies are full, head to the playground next door complete with swings, a slippery slide, a flying fox, climbing ropes and frames and rocker seats.

There’s nothing quite like the smell of fresh pine needles to evoke cherished memories of Christmas. The Adelaide Hills is home to a handful of Christmas tree farms where visitors can bring home a freshly cut pine tree to mark the festive season. The Christmas Tree Farm at Chandlers Hill is the oldest Christmas tree farm in the State, allowing visitors to wander through the forest and select their own tree, as well as meet the farm animals, step inside Santa’s Cottage to catch up with the big man in red, and explore the gift shop for decorations and treasures. Search online to see which Christmas tree farm is closest to you and be sure to check opening hours and stock levels as some require pre-orders.