Santos Tour Down Under 2027 by Campervan
Every January, the world's best cyclists roll out of Adelaide to open the UCI WorldTour season — and 2027 is shaping up to be the biggest edition yet. For the first time in the race's history, the men's and women's pelotons will race the same course, on the same day, over the same distance, across South Australia's coast, hills and wine country. If you've ever wanted to watch elite racing roadside with a glass of Barossa shiraz in hand, this is the year.
A campervan is genuinely the smartest way to do it. You skip the accommodation scramble (Adelaide books out fast in race week), you can chase two or three stages without ever checking out of anywhere, and you've always got a fridge, a bed and a bathroom within reach of the finish line. This itinerary bases you in and around Adelaide for seven days, picking up and dropping off at the same depot — no long-distance driving required, just short hops to the action.
Quick Facts: 2027 SANTOS TOUR DOWN UNDER
- Dates: 16–24 January 2027 (nine-day festival; men's race Tue 19 – Sun 24 Jan, women's race Fri 22 – Sun 24 Jan)
- What's new: the first WorldTour race ever to run men's and women's stages on the same course, same day, same distance
- Regions: Adelaide CBD, Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, Fleurieu Peninsula and the metropolitan coast (Henley Beach, Glenelg, Christies Beach)
- Festival hub: City of Adelaide Tour Village, Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga — free entry, every day of the event
- School holidays: falls entirely within SA's summer break (Term 1 doesn't start until 27 January), and most other states are still on holidays too
Pick up your campervan in Adelaide the day before the racing kicks off, then base yourself between a riverside park close to the city and a beachfront park near the coastal stages. Total driving across the week is under 350km — this is a trip built around parking up and enjoying the festival, not clocking kilometres.
Three bases cover this whole itinerary — a riverside or beachfront park in Adelaide, a Barossa park for stage two, and a beachfront park at Victor Harbor for stage four. All are holiday parks with powered sites suited to campervans, and all take bookings well ahead of race week.
One of the best things about basing yourself in Adelaide for race week is that you genuinely don't need to drive every day. The city is small, flat and built around a walkable one-square-mile grid — leave the van parked at camp and let public transport and a hire bike do the work.
Free trams across the city
- The Adelaide city tram is free between the South Terrace stop and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre/Botanic Gardens/Festival Plaza — that's effectively one free ride across the entire CBD
- At the other end of the line, the tram is also free along Jetty Road, Glenelg between the Brighton Road stop and Moseley Square — handy if you're staying near the coast and want to explore Glenelg's beachfront on foot
- Ride the whole way between the city and Glenelg (about 30 minutes) and you'll pay a standard metroCARD fare for the middle section — still one of the easiest, most scenic trips in Adelaide
- The free 99C City Connector bus loops the CBD and North Adelaide every 15–30 minutes, handy for covering ground between the Tour Village, Adelaide Oval and North Terrace on a hot afternoon
Trains and buses to the coast
- For Henley Beach, catch the Grange line train from Adelaide Station (around 20 minutes) — it's a short walk or connecting bus on to the beachfront from Grange Station
- A direct bus service also runs from the city to the Henley Beach/Seaview Road area in a similar time — check the Adelaide Metro journey planner on the day for the best connection
- Grab a metroCARD Visitor Pass for unlimited travel over a few days if you're planning several trips into town — far simpler than working out individual fares each time
Hire a bike to reach the viewing spots
- Adelaide is a genuinely bike-friendly city with dedicated paths linking the CBD to the beaches — several operators will deliver a road, gravel or e-bike straight to your holiday park, fitted and ready to go
- Automated hire terminals are dotted around Adelaide, Glenelg, Brighton, West Beach, McLaren Vale and Victor Harbor — useful for a quick one-way ride to a viewing spot without booking ahead
- A free community bike-loan scheme also operates from a handful of locations around the city (helmet and lock included) — a low-cost option for a family day exploring the Riverbank and city parklands
- Riding is a great way to beat race-day road closures and parking squeezes near the finish lines — you'll often get closer to the action on two wheels than four
Travelling with kids
The 2027 event sits entirely within South Australia's summer holidays, and most other states are still on their break too, so there's no need to pull the kids out of school for this one. January in Adelaide runs hot, so plan roadside viewing around shade and water, use the free family zones at the Tour Village (under-16s must be with a parent or guardian in the fenced areas), and build in that one lighter day — the coastal stage starts double as beach mornings, which the kids will rate just as highly as the racing.
Ready to follow the peloton?
Book your campervan with DriveNow and pick up in Adelaide, ready for the 2027 Santos Tour Down Under. We'll help you build an itinerary around the stages that matter most to you.
Browse Adelaide CampervansOfficial Race DetailsWhen you road-trip in Australia don't forget to pay your respects to the traditional custodians of the land on which you travel, their elders past, present and emerging. The natural environment of Australia is fragile and should be left as you found it — take only photos and leave only footprints.
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Image credit: Tourism South Australia, Tourism Australia
