Robe

[gort]

Hi Guys.

 

Will be visiting SA early next year, thought we might travel down to Robe, what's it like?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Blossom]

It's ok for a quick stop. In my opinion it is very over rated.

[xzibit]

It's a nice quiet town. You wouldn't want to spend more than a couple of days there, but it's a lovely place to visit.

 

Don't know how it is overrated. Just don't expect a huge city. It's a small town. But we've spent a couple of weekends there and loved it.

[gort]

it will be only for a day or maybe two, so might try it.

 

thanks.

[Anne B]

Robe is a lovely spot, very peaceful and quiet, the water is turquoise blue, the coastline down towards Beachport is very scenic. Like most of country SA, the town is very low-key, although when we were there last January it was full of holidaymakers, many from Victoria. Long Beach is very long, you can drive on it, the water, although colder than Adelaide, is crystal clear and there are no stones or rocks underfoot. You can get surfing lessons on the beach. There are a few nice coffee shops in the main drag and the fish and chip ship is excellent. We stayed at the Discovery caravan park (camping) and it was really crowded, felt we were living in a refugee camp! There is another caravan park by a lake but when we were there the lake smelled revolting so I wouldn't recommend it. We were booked for a week but left a day early, I think we had had enough of camping and the nights were pretty cold. No balmy evenings, but on the plus side no mozzies. Probably best to stay in a motel or a nice beach front holiday home (of which there are plenty).

[Blossom]

I've stayed at the place next to the lake a couple of times and it didn't smell either of them.

The second time I stayed in a cabin which was lovely.

[Guest jorose]

Quiet....very quiet. Last Feb was our second visit after a 5 year absence and expected there to be some progress but were surprised at how quiet it was. We ended up using it as a base to visit other places such as Naracoorte & its caves, Mount Gambier, Penola etc etc. Suppose it depends what you want from a break but for us it was a little too quiet ad if we went that way on again would just use it as a stopover to somewhere. Each to there own and it may suit others but not us.

[Lazy Cow]

We used to go every year, during the summer holidays, and it was great!

 

We stayed at two of the three campsites ( Sea Vu and Long Beach) but preferred Long Beach because it had a bouncy pillow, small pool and was next to the loveliest beach. In our experience it could get quite noisy due to the televisions, games of cricket, music...general living noises. It didn't bother us as we all had kids but I think if I went now, I would choose somewhere that hated families lol!

 

For our kids it worked well. They were able to roam, swim, fish, surf, play cricket with random kids, cycle...everything kids love. Unless you were my daughter, in which case it was simply a place to read whilst the adults laughed and relaxed.

 

We used to 4x4 there too. Oh and we loved the cafes, bookshop, and arty places! Good times

 

The journey is a drag, even in a convoy, but I did like the annual stop at the cafe at Kingston - home of the Big Lobster! And if the journey hasn't worn you out then, as Jorose pointed out, there are nice places to visit.

 

LC

[likesshopping]

I really like Robe, we will be going down there again between xmas til new year for the 3rd year running. We stay at the BIG 4 Campsite which is greatly equipped for families - situated opposite the beach and a nice 20 min coastal walk into the town, also has an indoor swimming pool for when the weather isn't too good (but been bloomin hot the last couple of years)

 

The town itself is small and has a nice relaxed beachy feel - You gotta try and out the fab ice-cream shop on the high street - its very quirky with loads and loads of fabulous different ice cream creations. They have a cinema there, its tiny and honestly felt like you were sitting in someone's lounge - but I love that sort of different stuff!

 

Very relaxing place to go and I love the homeware shops that they have there - I always bring something back for our home.

 

Definite a place to visit!

 

Sarah x

[sidestep]

If you're after "getting away from it all" then it would suit nicely. Quiet with a capital Q. There's a selection of places to eat but don't expect anything gourmet. Couple of pubs & cafe's, a couple of dozen or so shops most of which won't sell anything you want plus a bottlo. Don't think I missed much.

 

Good for a couple of days away. Can't see how people go for a week or more but each to their own I guess.

[soo_the_panda]

My partner's family have a beach house in Robe so we head down every couple of months. For us it's the perfect 'getting away from it all' destination. Not sure how it could be overrated - it's just a lovely little fishing village/holiday town. I emphasize the little!

 

We love Robe for the tranquility, beautiful beaches (great for swimming and we love Long Beach, which you can drive on), visiting the 5 or 6 wineries around Cape Jaffa and Mount Benson (a 15 min drive from Robe back towards Adelaide), taking a day trip to the wineries in Penola and the Coonawarra (an hour's drive from Robe), fish and chips at the beach, amazing seafood (Robe is a lobster fishing area). There are also beaches where you can snorkel, spear fish and surf. There are also enough shops to potter around in on the main street for a couple of hours - half a dozen nice gifty/jewellery shops selling cute things for your house, a few clothes shops, an art gallery and the most lovely bookshop/cafe I've ever been to.

 

I can understand that if you're just looking for a weekend away on the beach then you could well drive down to eg Rapid Bay, Second Valley, Normanville etc and save the much longer journey to Robe (takes us 3.5 hours from Glenelg plus stopping time for a wee/coffee/stretch the legs in Meningie)and we mainly go as we are lucky enough to have a house to use there.

 

I think Robe is a great stop on the way to the great ocean road/grampians etc - lovely spot to spend 2 or 3 nights and do not very much at all. Just dont' go expecting a big bustling town with loads on!

[Guest Team 'W']

We stayed in a house called Unwind on Mcfarlane it was great , not a great deal to do with teenagers but if you love seafood go to the SAILS restaurant in the main street...TO DIE FOR !! But book ,dont just turn up ... It was ok for us for a few days ,but ye each to their own ..