Andrew ‘Cosi’ Costello joins Explore SA each Wednesday to share his holiday inspirations and latest tips on exploring South Australia with friends and family.

Each week Cosi will suggest a selection of beautiful landscapes to visit, events to get involved in and fantastic activities to enjoy.

Back 20 years ago caravan parks were exactly that, a place to park your caravan. Nowadays they offer so much more in South Australia. This is why you see a lot of them moving towards calling themselves ‘Holiday Parks’ or ‘Tourist Parks’.

So what’s different and why should you choose a holiday in such a park? It has only been since I started filming South Aussie with Cosi that my eyes have been opened up to how much these places offer.  Here are just some of my favourites.

Clare Discovery Holiday Park is set on an extensive property with some 700 gum trees. It has playgrounds and a swimming pool, which you may expect these days, but a short walk over a bridge and you’re met with a mini fauna park where you can feed emus and kangaroos. The park offers a range of new cabins that vary in size and price, and are perfect as you just rock up in the car, unpack, and it’s your new home away from home. The location of this place makes it so popular; it’s only a stone’s throw from some of the region’s best wineries and the super popular Riesling Trail. Keep your eye out for the annual winter bonfire they have. It is safely run by the Country Fire Service and is a great weekend away.

BIG 4 Renmark Riverfront Holiday Park, located right on the Murray River in the Riverland, is another favourite of mine. I have fond memories of this place, sitting on the river bank with my then three year old catching her first fish, albeit a carp, but still so much fun. From the water, you see rows of cabins with a massive play area, basketball courts, jumping pillow, spa and swimming pool located behind. The park is also just putting the finishing touches on an expensive water park that guests can use all day. That’s the benefit of holiday parks, once you’re in that boom gate there is really very little reason or need to leave, except for all the other fantastic regional experiences on offer.

Head to the Limestone Coast and you’ll find beautiful Robe. I took the family and filmed the Robe Discovery Holiday Park about six months ago, and we all had a ball. One of the highlights here was the disco held within the park for all the kids aged three to 12. How cool is that! The kids were entertained by a DJ with giveaways and sing-alongs. Then the next day they had a visit from the local CFS allowing all the kids to have turn using the fireman’s hose. To top it off, that night the park held a screening of Ice Age in their outdoor cinema. All of these activities are inclusive if you are a guest and run during all the busy times of the year including school holidays.

Travelling to holiday parks can be addictive, it’s also very easy to find one you love and continue to go back again and again for years. I think that’s great but don’t forget to try something new. Trying a new holiday destination or park might be the best decision you ever made.

For more information see southaustralia.com