Hi friends!! If you’re about to embark on the ultimate road trip from Adelaide to Darwin / or the other way around, you’ve come to the right place!
This 3,000 km adventure is definitely worth the journey through (a lot!) of desert, some stunning natural wonders and quirky outback towns – there really isn’t anywhere like these parts of Australia!
When we took off on the journey we weren’t sure what the coffee, pubs and accommodation would be like along the way – but it was me and my dad and an unpredictable time of the year for weather – so we opted to stay in Accommodation rather than camping. Camping update might come closer to the dry!!
Obviously we already knew there would be plenty to see – as for the coffee / food / beer stops? We were pleasantly surprised… Most of the roadhouses even had multiple alternative milks!
We’re going to take you through our favourite Attractions, Coffee, Beer Stops and Accommodation stops for the drive – we did it in 5 days, which was fairly easy driving with a big last day. Enjoy!
Day 1 – 300KM
ADELAIDE > MELROSE
📸 SEE: Take the scenic route through the Clare Valley and the start of the Flinders Ranges. Make sure to stop for a quick photo op with the Explorers Way sign!!
(We got coffee before we left for the day on day 1, so after an easy drive to kick off the trip, end the day with a refreshing beer at the Melrose Hotel before settling in for the night.)
🏠 STAY: The Green Truck at the North Star Hotel in Melrose. This accommodation was COOL. It’s an old Army truck with a cabin on the back – 10/10 for quirkiness.
Day 2 – 600KM
MELROSE > COOBER PEDY
📸 SEE: Detour slightly into the old Space Base / current RAAF base at Woomera
☕️ COFFEE: Fuel up with a great coffee from Archers Table in Port Augusta, you’ll find it if you turn first left, just over the bridge as you head through town!
🍻 BEER: When you reach Glendambo, stop for a well-deserved beer. We learnt some fascinating history in this bar – it was built like a shearing shed during a tourist boom in the 80’s. It’s a bit older and dustier now – but the Side Baa and Front Baa kept us very entertained… and I’m pretty sure the red dust disco ball could tell some stories.
🏠 STAY: The Underground Hotel. There’s heaps of underground accommodation in Coober Pedy, but we were big fans of this one! There are only a few rooms, they’re simple – but absolutely spotless! And as a point of difference, they’ve painted a few of the rock walls bright colours for a bit of fun which made for great photos. It is slightly out of town, but has undercover parking, and great view for the sunset.
Day 3 – 691KM
COOBER PEDY > ALICE SPRINGS
📸 SEE: Spend the morning exploring Coober Pedy before you hit the road, it’s honestly like nowhere else on earth. We saw a sign saying Labyrinth on the way in, and followed it… and embarked on a walk around the Coober Pedy well-being labyrinth before we hit the road – you have to complete the whole thing in silence! Look out for all the opal mines, the dog fence, and the NT border sign on this leg of the drive too!
☕️ COFFEE: The Down Under Café & Gallery is open early, does a good coffee, and has an Aboriginal art gallery under the café.
🍻 BEER: Loved the Kulgera Pub, one of the many pubs attached to servos on the Stuart Highway! It’s very unassuming from the outside, but inside gives big Daly Waters vibes, and serves Alice Springs Brewing Co beer which was a nice touch!
🏠 STAY: To change it up we stayed at the Hilton Hotel in Alice Springs for super comfortable beds, secure parking, the cookie on arrival (if you know, you know)… okay fine it was mostly because we wanted to go to Hanuman!
Day 4 – 669KM
ALICE SPRINGS > RENNER SPRINGS
📸 SEE: Pull into Aileron to see the famous Indigenous statues up close, and then definitely go for a walk around Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles). The Devils Marbles Hotel does a fantastic fresh salad wrap which is sometimes hard to come by in the desert – Local’s tip!!
☕️ COFFEE: The Goods in Alice Springs is definitely where all the cool kids & locals go, and you can see why when you taste the coffee!
🍻 BEER: Barrow Creek was the standout beer stop for this leg – We had a couple of beers with Johnno the barman, but it’s up for sale, so pull in and say g’day soon if you get the chance!
🏠 STAY: End the day by staying at Renner Springs, a popular stop for travellers on this route – the rooms are very basic but comfortable – and order the bangers and mash, it’s GREAT!
Day 5 – 825KM
RENNER SPRINGS > DARWIN
📸 SEE: Check out the free Larrimah history museum. If the water level permits, take a dip in the Mataranka Hot Springs, and call into Katherine Gorge.
☕️ COFFEE: We were at the Daly Waters pub too early for beer (imagine our surprise) so we actually discovered that they do a pretty good coffee too!
🍻 BEER: Pull into the now famous Larrimah Pink Panther hotel (don’t ask the new owners about the podcast 😂) where you can now get your own beers out of the fridge – but you do still have to pay for them!)
🏠 STAY: In Darwin!
We hope you enjoyed our top picks for a road trip from Adelaide to Darwin! Remember to stay safe on the road, take plenty of breaks, and make the most of this incredible journey. Cheers!