When you go on an SA holiday, there are two must-dos: relax in comfort and experience things you wouldn’t normally in everyday life. It’s these experiences that make for great memories and Instagram photos.
This is why we all need RAA SA Holiday Experiences — they do the hard work for us! You can book a holiday with all accommodation and experiences included, OR for the more independent Adeladies, build your own perfect getaway, then pick and choose what you’d like to do. At Adelady, we prefer the work being done for us, so we road-tested one of the coolest RAA SA Holiday Experiences around and headed for the beautiful Barossa.
We did ALL of this in one weekend and you couldn’t wipe the smiles off our faces the entire time!
RAA SA HOLIDAY EXPERIENCES ITINERARY
Destination: Barossa
ACCOMMODATION
Novotel Barossa, you sweet peach! The staff, the food, the accommodation, even the pillows are all on point. Not to mention the stunning views that surround the hotel.
The brand-new restaurant is only a few weeks old and it’s safe to say, we rolled out of there with big smiles and full bellies. We wrapped our tongues around the chilli crab, home-made prawn pasta, salads and fries, followed by a tasting plate of the most divine desserts. It was all kinds of delicious!
The thing I adore most about the restaurant, is that all produce is local. Everything we ate was farmed, grown or made in the Barossa.
Novotel Barossa is a only short drive from all your favourite wineries and experiences, but when you’re there, you feel so far away from home.
Experience #1
Daredevils and unco people unite — that was me and Lauren. We also proved that ANYONE can ride a Segway.
I’ve wanted to ride one of these babies since they were first invented, 17 years ago. And I can confirm that they are even more fun in real life.
Segway Sensation at Seppeltsfield is da bomb. What better way to see our stunning Barossa, than on a two-wheeler that you don’t even have to pedal!
We had terrible weather for our tour. The skies opened up, including a bit of hail against our delicate faces. Even with frozen fingers, it was so much fun — I actually laughed so hard I nearly wet myself!
And don’t fret if you’re unco. There’s a full training session before the tour and they won’t start until everyone is roaring and ready to go. You’re in the best hands. Every rider is set up with a headset, so you can get the full experience and history of Seppeltsfield, while you’re zooming along at turbo speed (no faster than 20km/h) and taking in the amazing vines surrounding you.
The tour eventually winds down with delicious cheese platter. You’ll be smiling all the way home!
EXPERIENCE #2
The Seppeltsfield Taste Your Birth Year
This was possibly the coolest history lesson ever and not just because it ended with a round of port shots.
Sam, our tour guide, was awesome. We learnt about the Seppelt family and history of the region. My jaw is still on the ground after hearing that Mrs Seppelt had nine children… ouch!
You get the full tour and background of Seppeltsfield before heading upstairs to the tasting room. This room is filled with hundreds of 500-litre barrels of port.
The Seppeltsfield Taste Your Birth Year experience offers the rare opportunity to try your own birth year vintage Tawny, directly from the barrel. They even went as far back as my birthday in 1981 — I’m such a dinosaur. Jokes aside, they actually go back as far as 1878 and every year since.
The Seppelts’ son, Benno, decided to create the Centennial Cellar. He barrelled 500 litres of port and gave strict instructions not to open it for 100 years. How unselfish is that! Now, we get to enjoy it. So every year, three to four barrels are put aside and won’t be opened for another 10 decades. This means that individual years can be selected for birthdays, special milestones or celebrations. Mind you, bottles can be rather pricey.
I was ready for a siesta after one shot!
EXPERIENCE # 3
Well, this was equally as fun as it was delicious! And so educational, too. I felt like a fully-qualified wine connoisseur. Almost.
This experience is like no other. It kicks off with a two-course lunch at Jacob’s Creek Visitor Centre, including a Barossa-themed platter, loaded with local produce.
After an amazing lunch, you’re led into a full sensory experience overlooking the divine Jacob’s Creek vines.
For the next hour, it’s all about you, your taste buds and wine. Our guide, Daniel, was so fantastic. He paired a variety of wines with a platter of delicious Barossa produce.
Who knew a strawberry, dipped in pepper, could change the way a Shiraz tasted? Or how a slice of Brie could make a pomegranate jelly pop? Or, if you chew on a mint leaf while blocking your nose, you actually can’t taste anything until you unblock it? Your nose makes up 90% of your taste, so without a sense of smell, your love for delicious food is screwed!
As someone who knows absolutely nothing about wine, this was so interesting and Daniel made it ridiculously fun at the same time!
Warning: It’s easy to lose track of how much you’ve had to drink — so sipping water during the experience definitely helps.
If you love wine and pairing it with the right foods to bring out the best flavours, you’ll adore this experience! Why not take what you learn and show off to your wine-loving friends, over a dinner party at home?
EXPERIENCE # 4
:: Barossa Butcher, Baker, Winemaker Trail
A self-guided food tour has to be the best way to explore the Barossa. All you need is a car and a buddy (you’re given a map, a freezie bag, a cheese knife and board, wine glasses, a voucher booklet and a map) and boom, you’re on your way!
The aim of Barossa Butcher, Baker, Winemaker Trail: to use your vouchers and collect enough food and wine for the perfect platter. Did I mention that we love platters? You get a number of destinations to choose from, to make your platter as big or as small as you’d like. We opted for the first option. Pfft why wouldn’t you? The BIGGER the better!
Once we collected the map and vouchers, we headed to the Apex Bakery for delicious rolls, Maggie Beer’s Farm for her quince paste, Barossa Valley Cheese Company for cheese (we may have spent a week’s wage on extra cheese and crackers), and then we headed to Thorne Clarke Wines for a great bottle of Sand Piper Pinot Gris. There, on their divine lawn overlooking the vines, we planted our bums on the grass and picnicked like a boss. It was bliss!
The booklet is filled with voucher goodness that you can use over a 12-month period. This is actually the perfect gift for a girls’ weekend, engagement pressie, wedding pressie, birthday or just because.
So, there you go! Eating, drinking and riding through vineyards is the best way to REALLY experience the Barossa! Head over here to check out more Barossa SA Holiday packages!
Hayley xx
RAA has just launched SA Holiday Experiences so you can explore your own backyard in style! They’ve done all the hard work for you, so you can book a holiday with just a few clicks of a button. Simply pick your destination and they’ll show you the packages to choose from. Go on, have a sneaky peak now and then have a great holiday!
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