McLaren Vale Tours & Experience from Adelaide

McLaren Vale tours from Adelaide head to a wine region on the Fleurieu Peninsula, a 45-minute drive south of the city. The region is known for Shiraz, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon, with newer Sangiovese and Barbera finding fans too, and many cellar doors have hilltop views over the ocean.

Full-day McLaren Vale wine tours with lunch

The McLaren Vale wine tasting and lunch tour runs Tuesday to Sunday, leaving at 9am and returning around 5pm. You get tastings at four cellar doors, lunch with a glass of wine and a scenic drive along the Fleurieu coast beside Gulf St Vincent. Pick-up is from selected Adelaide CBD or Glenelg hotels, and there's a McLaren Vale pick-up too.

The Adelaide Hills, Hahndorf and McLaren Vale tour splits the day between regions. It stops at the d'Arenberg Cube, with entry and a wine tasting, then the Alternate Realities Museum, a two-course German-style lunch in Hahndorf, free time in the village and the Beerenberg Farm Shop. Pick-up is from Adelaide CBD or Glenelg hotels.

McLaren Vale hop-on hop-off wine tours

Trail-hopping lets you build your own day around the cellar doors you like. The northern McLaren Vale hop-on hop-off tour with Adelaide city return leaves Stamford Plaza Adelaide on North Terrace at 10am and is back at 4.50pm, running Thursday to Monday. Plan carefully and you can fit in four wineries.

Already in the region? The local-pickup version of the northern hop-on hop-off tour starts at the McLaren Vale Visitor Information Centre on Main Road at 11am, with buses running between 10am and 4pm. If you want lunch at a winery, book it ahead, because the operator details come with your voucher.

Food, art and wellness days in McLaren Vale

d'Arenberg turns tasting into a half-day. The d'Arenberg wine, food, art and gin tour runs Monday to Friday at 11am and starts with a gin flight, followed by a Dead Arm Distinction tasting of the current release and three back vintages. Lunch is a casual two courses at Sensorial Circus, and a Salvador Dali exhibition is part of the visit.

For a slower pace, the McLaren Vale yoga, wine and art day leaves Adelaide Central Station at 7.15am on select dates. It starts with all-levels yoga in a bushland studio, then browses Willunga Farmers Market, tastes wines at Hither and Yon, has a two-course vineyard lunch and adds a Paint the Music art session.

Choosing a McLaren Vale tour from Adelaide

Pick a small-group day if you want someone else to plan the stops, the hop-on hop-off route if you'd rather set your own pace, and d'Arenberg if one winery with food and art sounds like enough. McLaren Vale sits close enough to the city that every option here is a day trip, from a half-day at d'Arenberg to a 9-hour yoga and wine escape.

Looking at other wine regions? Compare the Barossa Valley tours from Adelaide, or see everything on the Adelaide tours page.

Frequently asked questions

How far is McLaren Vale from Adelaide?

McLaren Vale is a 45-minute drive from Adelaide city, which puts the wine region on the Fleurieu Peninsula within easy day-trip range.

What is McLaren Vale known for?

McLaren Vale is known for Shiraz, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon, with Sangiovese and Barbera also gaining a following, and many of its wineries sit on hilltops with ocean views.

Can you do a McLaren Vale wine tour from Adelaide without driving?

Yes. The McLaren Vale wine tasting and lunch tour picks up from selected Adelaide CBD or Glenelg hotels at around 9am, visits four cellar doors and returns around 5pm, so everyone gets to taste.

How does a McLaren Vale hop-on hop-off tour work?

A McLaren Vale hop-on hop-off tour is a timetabled bus between cellar doors, so you get off at a winery, stay as long as you like and catch a later bus. The northern McLaren Vale tour runs buses between 10am and 4pm and lets you fit in up to four wineries.

Is lunch included on McLaren Vale tours?

On most full-day tours it is. The McLaren Vale wine tasting and lunch tour includes lunch with a glass of wine, the Adelaide Hills, Hahndorf and McLaren Vale tour includes a two-course lunch in Hahndorf, and the d'Arenberg tour includes a two-course lunch at Sensorial Circus. The hop-on hop-off tours leave lunch to you.

A McLaren Vale tour from Adelaide can be a small-group day with lunch, a hop-on hop-off trail or a food and art session at d'Arenberg. Choose the style that fits your day, then book it here.