Top minimoon destinations near Adelaide in South Australia

Wondering what a minimoon is, and why you would want to take one? ABIA explain, and share our list of the best minimoon destinations near Adelaide, including the Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, Flinders Ranges and Kangaroo Island in South Australia.

Southern Ocean Lodge | Kangaroo Island, SA | Image South Australian Tourism Commission

It’s a well-know fact that wedding planning can get hectic. There are venues to book, flowers, photographers and entertainers to choose, cakes and catering to taste, guests to invite and a celebrant and wedding dress to select. So, it makes sense that many couples are opting for a minimoon, either to take a break from the preparations to recharge and reconnect in the lead-up to the big day, or to relax and reflect immediately after it. ABIA’s wedding expert and travel writer Tanya Bywater explores the increasing popularity of this wedding trend and some of the best minimoon destinations for a couple’s retreat near Adelaide and across South Australia.

Sequoia Lodge | Adelaide Hills, SA

Exactly what is a minimoon?

A short romantic break, known as a minimoon or mini-honeymoon, is an intimate couples’ getaway, intended to give engaged duos a break from the wedding planning phase, or provide newlyweds an opportunity to recover from the excitement post wedding.

A minimoon tends to last from two to five days, takes place fairly close to the couple’s home or wedding destination — to minimise travel and simplify coordination — and involves a luxury stay or unique location that marks the significance of the occasion and maximises the escape experience.

The Louise | Barossa Valley, SA | Image George Apostolidis

Minimoon verses Honeymoon

A minimoon is essentially a micro-honeymoon, so the main difference comes down to timing, but minimoons differ from honeymoons in terms of distance and scheduling too. Travel time is typically kept to a minimum and relaxation prioritised to ensure a chance for some downtime before, or after, the emotional intensity of the big day.

Of course, many couples opt for both a minimoon and a honeymoon, so there’s no need to choose one over the other.

The Vineyard Retreat | McLaren Vale, SA

Why should we take a minimoon?

Busy lifestyles and tight budgets are just a few of the many practical reasons why minimoons are trending. Here are some of the reasons a minimoon might make sense for you.

• Weddings often mean taking leave from work, and if you can’t afford to take much more a minimoon might provide an indulgent alternative, or precursor, to a longer honeymoon.
• Both honeymoons and weddings can be expensive, so if you need more time to save for your dream honeymoon destination, a minimoon might offer the perfect interim solution.
• A beach honeymoon, skiing honeymoon or romantic European summer honeymoon will need to take ‘season’ into consideration, so you might want to take a minimoon while you wait.
• You might enjoy your ‘proper’ honeymoon more if you wait until the excitement of the wedding day has faded, so if you’d prefer to extend the celebration, a minimoon might be the perfect short-term way to transition into married life and mark the importance of the occasion.

Kingsford the Barossa | Barossa Valley, SA

Minimoon destinations near Adelaide

Sequoia Lodge

Adelaide Hills, South Australia

Couples can almost instantly exchange a dancefloor full of wedding guests with the quiet company of kangaroos, wallabies and Australia’s largest koala population by venturing a 20 minute drive up the hill from Adelaide to Sequoia Lodge at Mount Lofty Estate.

Carved into the Adelaide Hills and nestled amid Cleland National Park and the region’s Botanic Garden, the sublime adults-only sanctuary comprises 14 carefully-considered suites. Each combines a king-size bed set beneath a moon-view window, a sunken lounge with gas-fireplace and a private balcony affording panoramic views over the Piccadilly Valley beneath. The valley can be viewed from the stonewalled courtyard too, adjacent to which a double shower and freestanding bathtub complete the luxury layout.

Outside, three thermal pools and an infinity pool offer a choice of water therapy, the Estate’s gym, tennis courts, guided nature walks and morning yoga sessions satisfy active types, and the onsite Gatekeeper’s Day Spa, signature Sequoia experiences and nearby wineries provide abundant options for couples seeking to indulge or explore further.

Images courtesy Sequoia Lodge

Southern Ocean Lodge

Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Kangaroo Island’s iconic Southern Ocean Lodge rose from the ashes after being razed by bushfires in 2020, and its new incarnation embraces both the coveted clifftop footprint and unassuming elegance of its acclaimed predecessor, offering an unparalleled blend of indulgent solitude and wild adventure.

A complimentary airport shuttle is on hand to whisk minimooners to the Lodge’s 25 palatial suites, which hover above the limestone coastline, commanding gasp-inducing panoramas of the untamed oceanic expanse extending southward to Antarctica. The rooms combine textural native timber panelling and locally-sourced limestone with an organic coastal-inspired colour palette, and each spacious sanctuary includes a king-size bed, walk-in-robe, private terrace, sunken fireside lounging zone and a freestanding bath, rain shower and double vanity in the ensuite, as standard.

The likes of private plunge pools and larger, flexible accommodation configurations are also available, and the Island’s artisan produce, and the spoils of the greater South Australian region, are showcased within the gourmet breakfasts, lunches, evening snacks, four-course dinners and premium beverages covered within the all-inclusive packages. A selection of guided experiences are complimentary too, and couples seeking more can retreat to the onsite Southern Spa, take a dip in the heated infinity pool, explore the renowned food and flora of the Island or help themselves to a tipple by the suspended fireplace in the communal Great Room.

Images George Apostolidis

Kingsford the Barossa

Barossa Valley, South Australia

With notable collections of Penfolds Grange and Henschke Hill of Grace and a vast assortment of champagnes in its underground wine vaults, it’s easy to understand why Kingsford the Barossa attracts wine-loving couples.

Beyond its cellars though, the original 1856 sandstone homestead has plenty more to offer, with a selection of eight luxury suites, an intimate cottage retreat and a wing of modern valley-view spaces available to minimooners desirous of quite escape.

The Homestead Signature Suite, our pick within the main residence, features a king-size four-poster bed, marble ensuite with twin rain showers, a fireplace and French doors opening to the rural landscape, the Stonemason’s Cottage offers similar excess within a separate residence, while contemporary Valley View Suites combine private plunge pools and verandas facing east to capture morning sunrise vistas.

A secluded bush bath, in-room spa treatments, kegel bahn bowling and guided tours of those wine cellars are among the exclusive experiences offered to guests, who also enjoy access to the property’s heated saltwater pool, Fotheringham Library and elegant Orleana restaurant.

Images courtesy Kingsford the Barossa

Eos by SkyCity 

Adelaide, South Australia

Stepney Studios

Couples looking for a lively pre- or post-wedding escape may discover their ideal minimoon within the high-end accommodation annex of Adelaide’s central casino, drinking, dining and entertainment precinct at Eos by SkyCity. The inner-city venue merges the convenience of its location with carefully-curated in-room comforts, which extend from complimentary movies and wi-fi to the latest tech, an above-and-beyond pillow menu, on-call cocktail mixologists and beds so good they’re available for purchase.   

Doting duos can take their pick of rooms, suites or villas with cityscapes, rolling hills or River Torrens vistas, ride the elevator to the heated swimming pool and spa, cedarwood sauna and eucalyptus steam room on the Leisure Deck, sample the spoils of the Eos Spa menu or dress up and step out into the SkyCity social scene.

Plus, for a little extra romance, the Ever After Eos package blends all of the above with champagne, breakfast, late-checkout and Ecuadorian red roses.

Images Sam Noonan

The Vineyard Retreat

McLaren Vale, South Australia

From modern sleek to country chic, the diverse range of luxe accommodations offered by The Vineyard Retreat cater to minimooners of all style persuasions, less than an hour’s drive south of Adelaide in the spectacular McLaren Vale.

On the working vineyard itself, six boutique self-contained retreats feature names suggestive of their décor — Cadoles Avalon and Sierra, The Highland, The Ardmore, The Strand and The Manhattan — and proffer the likes of king-size beds, silky Egyptian-cotton sheets, seasonal fireplaces and vast windows overlooking rows of grape vines.

While nearby, in the hamlet of McLaren Flat, a further two guesthouses afford easy access to nearby cellar doors, restaurants and breweries within walking distance.

A complimentary mini bar and locally-sourced breakfast provisions and included with all stays and a host of local experiences come recommended by the owners.  

Images courtesy The Vineyard Retreat

The Louise

Barossa Valley, South Australia

For a minimoon that calls for calm, nearly-weds or newlyweds need look no further than The Louise in the beautiful Barossa Valley.

Here they’ll find spacious suites — many replete with cosy open fires — lavender and rosemary-fringed walkways, private sun-dappled courtyards and rolling vineyard vistas.

Included in each stay are gourmet breakfasts, snacks, pre-dinner drinks and nightly dining at onsite Appellation restaurant — which highlights the gastronomic delights for which the region is renowned — and the property provides an ideal base for those looking to embark on their own epicurean explorations.

Couples can also choose to breakfast with kangaroos, seek out surrounding cellar doors, art galleries and nature walks, frequent the fitness centre and sauna, or simply watch the sun disappear beyond the vines from the quiet of the wet-edge lap pool.

Images George Apostolidis

Arkaba Homestead

Flinders Ranges, South Australia

Randy Larcombe

For nature-loving couples in pursuit of adventure on their minimoon, Arkaba Conservancy offers a rare and rugged romantic experience from the comfort of a remote 1850’s farmhouse.

At the heart of the former sheep station, and beneath a quintessential corrugated-iron roof, Arkaba Homestead delivers a rural oasis of serenity and abundance. In each of only four ensuited guest rooms premium mattresses are dressed with sumptuous linens, cosy overstuffed armchairs and cushions abound and wide verandahs open to views of the surrounding rust-coloured mountains.

Minimooners may prefer the slightly-removed Coachman’s Cottage, which offers the same level of understated luxury just beyond the main house, but throughout all seasons are accounted for with wood fires, air-conditioning, fans and a refreshing infinity pool set within the property’s vast outback expanse.

The region’s acclaimed food and wine are highlighted on the all-inclusive menus, and twice-daily outback safaris are included too. They take in the 60,000 geographically-diverse acres of the privately-owned conservancy — including Ikara (Wilpena Pound) — accompanied by expert field guides to point out the native wildlife that thrives is this wilderness local.  

Randy Larcombe

Randy Larcombe

Luke Hanson

Le Mas

Barossa Valley, South Australia

Minimooners seeking a slice of Southern France without passports can simply wave good-bye to wedding prep or guests then follow the rows of grenache vines, that frame the gravel drive leading to Le Mas, and realise it within the Barossa Valley, just an hour’s drive from the centre of Adelaide.

From the imported antique furnishings and European fittings to the pétanque court and carefully-curated candles and cuisine, almost every element of this meticulously-renovated 19th Century homestead is intended to please Provençal tastes — it’s only the backdrop of striking white ghost gums that hint at the geographical reality.

The boutique hotel’s setting — neighbouring the likes of St Hugo, Jacob’s Creek and St Hallett wineries — adds to its appeal and connoisseurs can appraise any of the renowned restaurants and 90 cellar doors located within the internationally-acclaimed wine region — astride complimentary e-bikes if so inclined. Alternatively, more reclusive duos can slip into the heated mineral swimming pool, settle into the leather sofas of the Napoleon library, sample authentic French fare onsite at The Orangerie and sip on the estate’s signature wines or gin, without venturing too far from their choice of four sumptuously-appointed suites.  

Images courtesy Le Mas

To expore more popular mini-honeymoon spots around Australia, check out these minimoon ideas and locations in New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. 

For couples marrying in or around Adelaide, ABIA's list of South Australian wedding vendors offers the perfect starting point for wedding planning. In fact, as one of Australia's most trusted wedding planning platforms ABIA presents more than 600,000 reviews, provided by recently-married couples to assist anyone planning a wedding anywhere in Australia. The ABIA Directory helps couples research wedding services and wedding vendors located across the country, including ceremony and reception venues, celebrants, photographers, caterers, decorators, florists, planners and coordinators, transport providers, hair stylists, make-up artists, videographers, cake designers,  live music and even dance teachers and photo booth hire. Couples can also check out the latest wedding inspiration and ideas within the ABIA webite, which shares informative articles on topics from finding the perfect wedding dress and sustainable wedding suggestions to gift ideas, destination wedding venues, multi-day wedding planning and links to the best honeymoon destinations in Australia. There's even an online wedding registry, to manage guest contributions to a holiday or experience in place of a traditional wedding gift.