Holiday rentals in Robe

The best Australian food and drink in Robe

Robe has plenty of options for eating out, mainly along Victoria Street running inland from the beach. The Robe Hotel offers consistently good pub food, with regularly changing specials. Or there are numerous pizza and Asian takeaways for a casual meal at home or in the open air. If you plan on cooking in the kitchen of your holiday letting, look for one of Robe's many farmers' markets for fresh local food, or pick up supplies in the well-stocked supermarkets.

Robe is also known its local beers and wines. Pay a visit to the Robe microbrewery to find out how craft beer is produced before trying a few samples in the bar. A few bottles of your favourite variety make for a great gift or souvenir to take back home. If you're more interested in wine, there are plenty of vineyards in the area which welcome visitors for tasting and talks about the techniques behind producing the highly-rated wines.

Keeping the kids entertained on a trip to Robe

Kids will most probably be quite content to spend long days playing on the beach. But should you want to introduce them to other sights and sounds in the region then there are plenty of options. The Little Dip Conservation Park is two kilometres out of town, and is named after the many small lakes in the area. There's a range of hiking trails, while this is also one of the best places along the coast for rock pooling and exploring the sand dunes.

It's also well worth making the hour's drive inland to the world famous Naracoorte Caves, South Australia's only World Heritage site. The caves are particularly noted for their fossils, so book a guided tour to learn more about how the fossils were formed, and why they are still being studied today. If your kids are adventurous, then look into the adventure caving experience, suitable for those over the age of nine. All equipment and training is included in the price.

Days out in Robe – more than just beaches

The beaches are the main attraction of Robe, with several just a short drive away. The most popular beach is Town Beach, a 300m stretch of golden sand running from Robe Hotel to Robe Point. During peak periods, this beach is patrolled by lifeguards and has a dedicated surfing zone. Slightly further along the coast, but still easily accessed, are Factory Bay, Hooper and Karratta beaches. If you want to have a beach pretty much to yourself, drive north to the much larger Long Beach. The sand stretches for 10.5km and if you have a 4 wheel drive vehicle, you can drive along the beach to find the perfect spot.

It's not all about the beaches in Robe though - also worth a visit is the Customs House Museum. This tiny former Customs House is packed with artefacts and information relating to the thousands of immigrants who passed through the town on their way to make a new life in Australia. Kids will enjoy the shipwreck section, and the volunteer guides are happy to answer any questions you have about Robe's history. One of the best spots to watch the sunset, meanwhile, is at the Cape Dombey Obelisk, close to town and offering great sea views in all directions.

Family friendly beer festival in Robe

Robe hosts South Australia's premier beer festival every October, and it's a family friendly affair. Bringing together both home brewers and local craft breweries, this lively and welcoming event also features free kids' entertainment, live music and a barbecue.

Just up the coast at Cape Jaffa, there's an annual Seafood and Wine Festival held each January, with opportunities to taste fine dishes using the freshest of ingredients. Kids can let their competitive streak run wild in the sandcastle building competition, and there's also live entertainment.

Every May, the towns of Penola and Coonawarra jointly host a vibrant arts festival, with live performances, children's art workshops, music, poetry and much more. Most events are free to attend, or carry a small entry charge.