Discovery directory: things to see and do in the Clare Valley
Less than 2 hours from Adelaide lies the picturesque Clare Valley where you can experience gourmet food, boutique wine experiences and stunning scenery. Clare is where the wheat meets the vines in a unique wine region, with vineyards mixed with rolling paddocks in a true foodie paradise. But as locals to the area, we know there is more to see and do in Clare than just sip vino and watch wheat grow. Here are our top picks for a great few days in Clare.
Hire a bike from the park reception and hit the iconic Riesling Trail to experience the country side a different way. Meander along the trail and stop off for food, cellar doors and be sure to soak up the epic scenery along the way.
Just 8 mins from the park you can make your way to the first stop along your ride at Sevenhill Cellars. After you’ve tasted the range look down in the underground cellar where you will feel like you’ve stepped into a French vineyard. Grab a cheese platter from the cellar door and relax on the grass area as you sip some of your recently purchased drops.
Along the Riesling Trail, 9 mins from the park, you can stop in at Mr Mick’s Cellar Door and Kitchen for lunch. With delicious wines made from grapes grown in the region and a selection of tapas plates to indulge in - you’ll be well fuelled to continue your riding exploration.
As recent winners of the 2020 Halliday Wine Companion Winery of the Year, Jim Barry is a must visit on your Clare experience. Jim Barry Wines produce all of their own fruit from 10 locations in the Clare Valley and are a proud family owned and operated winery. Drop by the cellar door and taste their internationally acclaimed range of Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, while taking in the picturesque views of the Clare Valley.
If you’re travelling with little ones they will love the Clare Valley Model Trains at Lakeside Miniature Railway. A railway over a km long that features bridges, twists, turns and even a tunnel in a picturesque setting. Watching the sheer joy on the kids’ faces as they toot toot their way around the track will put a smile on anyone’s face.
Right next to the park is the Clare Valley Wine, Food and Tourism Centre who host the locals favourite Friday night drinks! Each week between 5 and 7pm they showcase a local winery with $5 glasses and complimentary tasting of the regions local produce which is well worth a drop in. (NB: these drinks are temporarily cancelled but the team hope to stratr them again in Jan/Feb 2021!)
Lose yourself when you visit the cute town of Mintaro and explore the Mintaro Maze. This living hedge creation is made up of over 800 conifers and has enough twists and turns to stump the shrewdest explorer.
Ready to book your next getaway? Stay at Discovery Parks - Clare
