Great value rentals from Australia's most trusted campervan hire providers
Are you planning a campervan trip to Adelaide, or are you living there and want to explore your own backyard for your next holiday? Either way, you can experience a great South Australian road trip in a campervan or motorhome, and now is a good time to plan your campervan holiday. If you’re interested in a longer campervan holiday in Australia, Adelaide is a the perfect base for a drive west to Perth or north to Alice Springs.
Known as the “City of Churches,” Adelaide is a remarkable place to explore. You can start by visiting its magnificent churches including Saint Peter’s Cathedral and Saint Francis Xavier’s Cathedral. Some attractions are best visited at a specific time, but most like the Adelaide Zoo, Adelaide Botanic Garden and South Australian Museum can be enjoyed any time of the year.
Adelaide Caravan Park is approximately two kilometres from the Adelaide’s CBD at 46 Richmond Street. Facilities include a swimming pool, playground, barbecue area and open spaces to relax and play—it is also a pet-friendly establishment. The park offers a wide range of accommodation options that include “Shady Sites,” which are ideal for campervans.
West Beach Parks is one of the most popular parks in South Australia for locals and tourists alike and offers two properties, the BIG4 Holiday Park and The Retreat at West Beach Parks, with the former ideal for caravans. It is an award-winning site offering a wide range of accommodation with facilities including a heated pool, go-karts, play equipment, a gym and a games room.
Brighton Beachfront Holiday Park is at 4 Burnham Road in Kingston Park, just 17 kilometres from downtown Adelaide. The park is convenient to the Southern Wine District, Brighton Jetty, the historical Kingston House and a number of shopping centres. It has four types of campervan sites from beachfront spots to grass and slab powered locations, and camping is also available.
Brownhill Creek Tourist Park can be found at 60 Brown Hill Creek Road in Mitcham, around seven kilometres from central Adelaide. It is a family-friendly site, with facilities that include WiFi, tennis courts, a swimming pool and a central dump and sullage point. Pets are allowed at the manager’s discretion.
Marion Holiday Park lies around twelve kilometres from the centre of the city of Adelaide, at 323 Sturt Road, in Bedford Park. Facilities include a 45m lagoon swimming pool, waterpark, indoor heated pool, playground, games room and an indoor tennis court. The park offers a range of unit-style accommodation along with three types of sites designed for caravans.
Adelaide Central Market can be found between Grote and Gouger Street in Adelaide. Central Market encompasses over eighty stalls, offering the finest, affordable, locally-produced foods such as fruit, vegetables, meat, seafood, pastries, gourmet cheeses and confectionery. The market is not always open so be sure to check the venue's opening times so you do not miss out.
Adelaide Hills form part the mountain range called Mount Lofty Ranges on the eastern side of the city. It is one of the first areas in South Australia that was occupied by European immigrants. Driving through the hills is highly popular with both tourists and locals. Adelaide Hills' sought after attractions include the abundant flora and fauna, the Cleland Conservation Park, Heysen Trail, Mawson Trail and Waterfall Gully.
Chinatown Adelaide sits in between the Couger and Grote Streets in Adelaide. Features of Chinatown include its interesting Chinese Arch, a large number of Chinese restaurants and some great cultural shops.
Glenelg has a beautiful beach, a number of leisure and recreation facilities, shopping areas and the finest accommodation. It is a popular beachside suburb near Anzac Road and is very popular among visitors.
Gorge Wildlife Park covers over fourteen acres of land along Redden Drive and Cudlee Creek. It is a gorgeous location with abundant flora and fauna. The park is one of the best places in the country to see exotic and native Australian wildlife such as dingos, echidnas, fruit bats, kangaroos, koalas and wallabies.
Haigh's Chocolate Factory is located at 154 Greenhill Road, Parkside, Adelaide. It is a small chocolate factory that sells high-quality chocolates. It was founded by Alfred E. Haigh in 1915 and primarily serves Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. The venue offers 15 to 20 minutes guided factory tours free of charge. Be sure to make a reservation a day or two earlier.
Migration Museum is situated at 82 Kintore Avenue, Adelaide. It was opened in 1986 and highlights the colourful history of immigration and settlement in Australia. Entry is free, but donations are highly appreciated.
Montefiore Hill lies to the north of Adelaide. It is the site where the Surveyor-General Colonel William Light was able to decide that the area he can see from the top of Montefiore Hill was the perfect place to establish the city of Adelaide. The picturesque views from the top of the hill are popular among visitors.
On hiring a campervan in Adelaide
Unlike when hiring a rental car, people tend to book a campervan a bit further in advance, and there are a few reasons for this.
When you’re hiring a campervan, you’re not simply hiring something with four wheels to buzz around a city for a few days, instead you’re hiring a vehicle that you could well be living in for days, weeks, or even months. As such, people tend to have far more specific needs — some may require a certain number of berths, perhaps an onboard kitchen, or more comfortable living space. All this means that doing your research to find the right campervan for you can pay off handsomely — but it also means that supply is more limited. When supply is limited, it is a good idea to book as far in advance as possible so that you know that the campervan you need will be waiting for you when you arrive.
With this in mind, while it isn’t unusual for people to book a hire car the day before they need it, with campervans, people often book their vehicle months in advance. So our advice to you is if you’re planning to rent a campervan, start researching today, and when you find the right campervan for you, book it!
One more point, another way campervan rentals differ from regular cars, is that bookings are not instant. Once you make a campervan booking it will need to be approved by the provider. Yet another reason not to leave your campervan rental until you’re sitting in the airport boarding lounge.
If you’re new to campervans and not sure where to start, please give our campervans for beginners page a read as it explains many of the basics you’ll need to know to make an informed decision.
We could start off by telling you that a typical customer hiring a campervan in Adelaide tends to look at campervans with two or four berths (including a toilet and shower). This isn’t really all that helpful though, as they type of campervan you should hire in Adelaide depends very much on the type of campervan you — rather than a typical customer — needs. Consider the following questions:
How big is your travel group? What is your budget? What facilities do you need — or not need? Where are you planning to go? How long for? Knowing the answers to these questions — and plenty more — is the best way to make sure the campervan you hire in Adelaide is the right one for you.
Solo travellers or couples might find a compact campervan to be more than enough, while families — especially those with young kids — or larger groups might prefer a more spacious motorhome with multiple sleeping areas.
Next, consider the facilities you need and the facilities you want. These might sound the same, but they are very different! Basic campervans often include a bed and simple cooking gear, while more luxurious options feature kitchens, bathrooms, and comfortable bedding. For example, if you’re planning on camping, perhaps paying the extra for comfortable beds isn’t really necessary, but if you’re not even packing a tent, then the extra expense required to get more comfortable beds might be a smart choice.
Where you’re going also matters. If you’re planning to just potter around Adelaide and its immediate surrounds, then you could probably get away with a standard campervan. That said, if you’re planning to drive from Adelaide to Adelaide — or Perth — something more spacious would be a sound investment.
Think about your budget, as campervans vary in cost depending on size, amenities, and rental duration, and while shortening the length of your trip might bring different options within your budget, spending more to get a bigger van may mean you’ll spend even less on hotels. Either way, do the math!
In conclusion, when you’re booking a campervan for pickup from Adelaide, it pays to be honest when considering what you need versus what you want, along with what fits with your budget and overall travel plans. It’s the best way to maximise your chance of getting the perfect campervan for you.
For most rental caravan providers, the minimum age to rent a campervan is the same as for car rentals — 21 years of age. Depending on the campervan rental supplier, those under 21 may only be able to rent certain vehicles. Double check with the campervan rental provider to see what their specific requirements are.
In most cases, you won’t need to present a special type of licence to rent a campervan — you’ll only be asked to present your standard and valid full Australian driving licence. Keep in mind that a probationary, learner permit, or provisional licence are not accepted for campervan hire. If your licence is in a language other than English, you’ll need to provide an International Driving Permit in conjunction with your valid licence. If you’re unsure as to whether your licence will be accepted, you should contact your prospective campervan provider prior to booking.
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