The non-negotiables
Four stops carry a family trip. Lock them in first and build the rest around them.
- Seal Bay guided beach tour. Sea lions a few metres away, a ranger doing the talking, and the boardwalk back-up if the beach is too much.
- Hanson Bay koala walk. Easy creek-line track, koalas in the gum trees, takes about 45 minutes at kid pace.
- Raptor Domain flying display. The most kid-engaging 45 minutes on the island.
- Stokes Bay swim. Walk through the rock tunnel, swim in calm sheltered water, find tiny crabs in the rock pools.
Where to base yourselves
Stay in Kingscote, Emu Bay or American River. All three keep your daily drives under 45 minutes one way to the major attractions, and all three put dinner within 15 minutes of where the kids will be sleeping.
Avoid the western end with young children unless you have 5-plus nights and are committed to splitting your stay. The 1-hour-45 drive to Flinders Chase is brutal with a tired 4-year-old in the back.
How to shape the days
One big thing in the morning, beach or pool after lunch, dinner near the bed. Repeat for the length of the trip. This is the format that works on KI and it is boring to write and brilliant to live.
Pick mornings for wildlife because most native animals are most active dawn to mid-morning. Pick afternoons for swimming because the wind tends to drop and the kids can burn off whatever the morning did not.
Driving safely with kids
Be parked up at your stay by sunset. Animal strikes spike at dusk and dawn, and the gravel roads are particularly bad. If you have a last activity that runs late, drive back on the sealed road (Hog Bay Road or Playford Highway) even if it adds 15 minutes.
Keep snacks, a head-torch each, and a soft cooler in the boot. The distances between food stops are longer than parents expect.
What to skip
Skip wineries unless you have older teens. Skip the longer Flinders Chase walks. Skip night-time anything outside your accommodation. Skip the temptation to add a fourth wildlife stop in a day because the kids will not remember the fourth one.
Build slack into the plan. The best KI family trips tend to have one fewer activity than the parents originally booked.