Why stay in the Adelaide Hills?
Finding that special place where you can go and relax is always like finding treasure, won’t you say? MacStays Woodside Homestead is one such place and it is widely known for its location in Woodside as the place to stay. It is roughly a 35-minute drive from Adelaide via the southern freeway. If you are looking for a Holiday Home, Barristers Block accommodation, luxury accommodation, wedding accommodation, self-contained accommodation or short-term accommodation Adelaide, you will realise that MacStays is the place to be.
The question many people may ask is what’s so special about Adelaide Hills? The answer is that there are many reasons. They may also ask what makes Adelaide Hills a main attraction for South Australia and what makes it as unforgettable as others say it is. This article has been written primarily with you in mind and it has been written specifically to give you the answers to these questions, all in an effort to show you exactly why you should, ‘Relax, Unwind, and Stay’ at MacStays Woodside Homestead in the Adelaide Hills.

The Beauty Behind the Adelaide Hills
It is so easy to fall in love with the Adelaide Hills and the four different seasons bring new reason to visit the Adelaide Hills region. With so much to do and explore, amazing food, wine and let’s not forget the beautiful wildlife you can enjoy the best of both worlds, explore the Adelaide Hills and unwind from the busy city life. Treat yourself to luxury accommodation, enjoy a fabulous meal and try an array of wines, all produced locally when you stay in Adelaide Hills.
Being bright and fresh in spring, lazy and long in summer and autumn brings colourful and glorious leaves so that you can take the rugs out and snuggle with someone special in front of a cosy fire in winter. Now doesn’t that sound romantic? Surely you can see now why the best place to do that is at MacStays Woodside Homestead where you can witness beauty at its purest and at its fullest.

Woodside, Adelaide Hills
The quiet town of Woodside is only a 35-minute drive from Adelaide via the South Eastern Freeway. Woodside gives you plenty to explore and you can do that through wine tours and the horse races. Chocolate lovers can also look forward to visiting the Melbas Chocolate factory and wine lovers can also savour the opportunity to experience the four wineries surrounding the town of Woodside – Barristers Block, Bird in Hand, Artwines, and Petaluma Wineries.
All of these are key reasons why Woodside Homestead has offered accommodation for anyone who wants to stay in the Adelaide Hills. Whether it is short term accommodation, self-contained accommodation, wedding accommodation or luxury accommodation you can rest assured that at Woodside Homestead we have you covered.

Wineries & Breweries in the Adelaide Hills
Barristers Block
For tantalising wood fired pizzas, good wine, and a family friendly atmosphere, Barristers Block is the place to go. It is family owned and operated so you can spend the day lazing under the trees and enjoying the picturesque scenery. Kids will surely be occupied by the animal sanctuary which houses some cute deer, friendly geese, and a number of other cute and cuddlier animals we all love.
Weddings seem to be very popular for this winery so whether you are the bride, groom or just a guest be sure to check out the Barristers Block Accommodation.
Bird in Hand
Enjoy a nice, relaxing afternoon taking in the scenery with some fine wine and good music at Bird in Hand. If the music isn’t quite your pace, head into The Gallery and enjoy their collection of fine art, for an “inspired dining experience”. Enter the cellar door and delight in their carefully selected museum pieces, roam the original barrel hall, or unwind in the courtyard overlooking the vines. No matter your choice, Bird in Hand will be sure to bring out your creative side!
Art wines
With a passion and drive to produce new-emerging (alternative) varieties of wine, Art Wine is sure to have something to suit every palate. Taste their vast selection of award-winning wines in the ideal ambience overlooking the charming vineyard. Have a picnic with the kids in the garden, or relax in the heated sunroom on cooler days. A visit to Art Wine would be a perfect way to spend a lazy afternoon.




Petaluma Winery
Petaluma Winery started out in 1976 with one simple belief that with the right grape varieties and distinguished vineyards they could create the best tasting wines in the Adelaide Hills. Petaluma is built up from three regions: Adelaide Hills – home of Petaluma winery and cellar door; Clare Valley – home to Riesling country and Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling country; lastly, Coonawarra – where Petaluma sources its Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from. If this doesn’t entice you then maybe their famous Croser Sparkling Wine will. Croser’s Sparkling Wine you will be pleased to learn is crafted according to traditional sparkling wine techniques and years of hard work and dedication to get every bottle perfect.
Wolf Blass Gallery & Museum
The Wolf Blass Gallery and Museum is home to Mr. Wolf’s private collection of trophies and artefacts. In 2018 a new architectural design and make over brought this space to life. Historically located in the 1912 State Bank building in the main street of Handndolf, it’s sure to be a memorable experience.
The Cooperage is where you can explore old cooperage tools, barrels and artefacts. All these items are used by a cooper to make the wooden wine barrels which are needed for the processes of wine making.
Enjoy a nice brewed beverage from the 7-metre bar, wrapped in pressed copper located at ‘Wolfies Horse Bar’. Also seize the opportunity to try out the menu which incorporates local Adelaide Hills produce, while you peruse Mr. Wolf’s extensive racing successes.
Then there is ‘The Deck’ located at the back of the building. The veranda and lawns offer tranquillity and peace, with beautiful gum trees and a cute little path leading you to a bubbling creek. The Deck has plenty of seating options, undercover or at one of the tables, under an umbrella or on a rug, giving you the perfect opportunity to choose your own spot!
Mismatch Brewing Co.
Do you like a nice craft beer? Then Mismatch Brewing is the place to visit. Mismatch is all about passionately brewing beer all from high quality natural ingredients.
When you visit their cellar door soak up the unique setting feel, while enjoying a nice meal, topping it off with a great tasting crafted beer. Mismatch Brewing also hosts several events in Adelaide Hills and has all the function facilities and amenities that are required for that special event you may need to plan for.
Oakbank Racecourse
Do you love a day at the races? Then there is no better place to be than the Oakbank Racecourse!
Every Easter thousands love to dress their best, showcasing their beautiful, elegant outfits at the Oakbank Races for one of the biggest Carnivals for horse racing in South Australia. This year Oakbank introduced the Melba’s Kidzone making the races a family friendly weekend, with lots of great free activities for all children including a giant Easter egg hunt every hour on Easter Sunday and Monday.
The Oakbank Carnival shows their support to the local producers and wineries, by giving visitors the opportunity to sample all that the Adelaide Hills have to offer.
Oakbank Racecourse also has the facilities to cater for any type of function from Weddings right through to Business meetings. It’s not just all about the races at Oakbank!

What’s on in the Adelaide Hills?
Tour Down Under
The Tour Down Under is one of the most popular races for cyclists from all over the world. People from all over Australia make their way to South Australia to see this race. Running for a total of 11 days there is plenty to do and see along the way as it is the home to the largest Festival of Cycling in the southern hemisphere, it’s not all about the bikes! Hosting street parties with live music, rides for kids and adults through the Subaru Breakaway Series.
Winter Reds Festival
The Winter Reds Festival is normally held every year towards the end of July where you can experience the warmth of the Adelaide Hills with cosy fires, warm reds, and joyful celebration. There is so much happening throughout the Winter Reds weekend so why not make the most of all the festivities and stay in the Adelaide Hills for the whole weekend!




Spring Garden Festival at Mount Pleasant
The Spring Garden Festival is held in the first month of spring, bringing the little town of Mount Pleasant alive for the day. See the broad variety of plant and garden wares, look around at the diverse range of stallholders, participate in workshops, and most of all enjoy the food and entertainment Mount Pleasant has to offer.
Bay to Birdwood
The Bay to Birdwood is one of the biggest motoring events for vintage and classic cars in the world. Every year you can see the history of motor vehicles starting from West Beach Parks, driving the whole way to the Birdwood Motor Museum where you can then explore the museum, filled with hundreds of vintage cars made many many years ago.
Attractions in the Adelaide Hills
The Big Rocking Horse.
The Big Rocking Horse was opened back in 1973 in the small township of Gumeracha, starting with just a wooden toy factory. It is now a place where you can go feed and see wildlife animals, enjoy a nice meal in the café, and climb to the top of the Big Rocking Horse. This place is also known as one of the great tourist attractions in the Adelaide Hills. A great family fun filled day out can be had at the Big Rocking Horse.
Challenge Hill.
Woodhouse Activity Centre has been managed by scouts SA for over 60 years. You will be sure to wear out the kids after a day full of activities at Challenge Hill.
Crawl, climb, swing and slide your way around 30+ obstacles on Challenge Hill.
Whizz down 2 fast and furious tube slides or try out the 9 ‘hole’ disc golf – It’s still golf but with the added challenge of playing with a frisbee instead of a golf stick. As an added bonus Challenge Hill provides “drop and go” day excursions during the school holidays, boot camps, and also caters for birthday parties.
Melba’s Chocolate Factory.
Who doesn’t love chocolate!
Melba’s Chocolate factory situated in Woodside, Adelaide Hills is where the old Australian chocolate and confectionary is made. There are 6 processes which all have their very own room and can be viewed by the public. The Chocolate Room, Depositing Room, Packing Room, Panning Room, Toffee Room and the Cooling Tunnel.
Find out all about chocolate and confectionary making from the friendly staff, all the while resisting the urge the constant aroma of sweet making gives. Now doesn’t that sound simply irresistible?




Gorge Wildlife Park.
Gorge Wildlife Park situated in Cudlee Creek is the place to go if you want to cuddle that cute and cuddly koala. Opened in 1965 Gorge wildlife park offers an up close and personal experience with Australia’s most favourite Native Animals. With a range of activities around the park exploring Gorge Wildlife Park is a day that you will never forget.
Lobethal Christmas Light Expedition.
Lobethal is the town to visit at Christmas, with the whole town lit up with fantastic Christmas light displays from the 8th of December straight through to the 29th of December. This has been a tradition done by the local community of Lobethal for over 60 years, with festivals and special events slowly being added in, during the Christmas period.
Conclusion
These are just some of the things that the Adelaide Hills have to offer. Certainly now you can see why you need more than just a day to experience everything there is to do. There’s so much to do and so much to see that one day simply is not enough.
MacStays Woodside Homestead offers you a range of accommodation needs.
If you need wedding accommodation in Adelaide, a holiday home in Adelaide or even self-contained accommodation in Adelaide, Shetland Cottage and Studio is most certainly the place to stay!
