The invention of the babymoon is something that I’m not mad about. Nor should you be if you’re interested in some perfect, albeit far-too-brief solitude before the bottles and nappy tabs, bits and boobs.
The concept of a babymoon is an interesting one. It’s a relatively new movement, having sprung to life in about the 1990s. And for those unaccustomed, or on the precipice of a child entering the world, it’s high time you familiarised yourself with the infant version of a honeymoon. That’s what it is: it’s a holiday from dishwashers and alarms, oven temperatures and laptop chargers, whether you have children already at home or not. And it is worth every penny. Plus if you do have other mouths at home, you won’t get it for the next 18 years until they move out. Not to talk a big game.
In search of the perfect babymoon destination, one state looks to proffer the ideal escape. Great food? A must. Sunny, bucolic scenes? Please. Easy-to-access location that you can putter along to with ease? We’re begging! Cue South Australia.
Photo: Scarlett Keddie
Last month, I was laden with the task, at 29-weeks pregnant, of road testing a babymoon in the wine state, specifically the McLaren Vale. Here’s what I did, and what you should do, too.
Why babymoon in the McLaren Vale?
The country’s ‘greenest’ wine region had always been on My List but had just sat there. Home to the country’s biggest bevy of sustainable and biodynamic vineyards, as a destination it sat a bit neglected in the ‘I’ll get there’ part of my brain, waiting to be sipped and plundered. When deciding on where to go for a babymoon, it has to be said that a wine region doesn’t really ring ‘perfect match’ bells. But on further examination – and experience – I realised that there’s so much more to the area beyond booze.
Firstly, the food is incredible. It makes sense – no?- that great wine comes with excellent food. South Australians are known for long lunches, shared meals and the welcoming of outsiders. Each of the producer and grower stops on my itinerary paid tribute to that. More on the specifics below, but if you’re a bit of a tooth, then this is the farm-to-plate place.
Travel-sized beauty minis that’ll make your holiday luggage instantly lighter
There’s an easy going nature to the area, too. Everyone is friendly, and everything is accessible. It just screams ease. So much so, that you’ll feel as if you’ve been there before. And when you’re due to descend into an intense time of, let’s be frank, un-ease, you’ll relish the slow, spacey pace. All you have to do is dodge the odd crawling EV on the back roads, and work out where to eat and sip next. Leave the mountain hikes for another year. Trust.
Lastly, it’s beautiful. There’s something to be said for immersing your eyes in a place that won’t make them sore. The vale is home to 80 wineries and cellar doors and if you cast your mind to wine regions you’ve visited before, they’re unanimously scenic. If you’re an aesthete then there’s your answer.
Eat: Salopian Inn
A must if you’re taking the plunge is Karena Armstrong’s Salopian Inn. It’s a bit like a greenhouse – with a newly raked and bountiful vegetable garden out the front – and, true to local form, it’s the ideal relaxed long lunch spot.
The Inn focuses on simple, flavoursome food. It’s not overly fancy, but it delivers on taste. Seasonal fruit and vegetables, locally sourced dairy, sustainably farmed meat and – of course – regional wine. It’s down to earth with that warm hum of home cooking and the added layer of I-definitely-couldn’t-make-this-myself awe.
Standout dishes? Slippery, fat Salopian dumplings packed with Spencer Gulf prawn, Coorong wild carp with spring onion, pickled ginger, coriander and soy, doused in rice wine vinegar and roasted chilli dressing. Also outstanding: the golden, juicy Nomad Farm’s roasted and confit chicken with Romanesco tomato, capsicum and basil salad. The ideal balance of fat and salt, acidic and buttery.
Photo: Scarlett Keddie
Sip: Alpha Box and Dice
So you’re barred from enjoying the local wine but that doesn’t mean you can’t a) stop and still admire the wares and b) opt for some non-alc versions. Alpha Box and Dice offers both.
A winery that’s embarking on creating an ‘alphabet of wine’, this smaller scale set up heroes smaller batch makers who incorporate minimal intervention practices and vegan-friendly methods.
This is a relaxed, casual port, and I, in fact, discovered a new favourite tipple here – NON. This brand boasts wine that’s not wine, but makes you feel as if you are. All of the good things.
Their ‘3’ blend is superb – Japanese yuzu, Valencia oranges, Sri Lankan cinnamon, Murray River salt, organic cane sugar, verjus and filtered water.
Photo: Scarlett Keddie
Notable mention also goes to ‘1’ – whole raspberries, chamomile, Murray River salt, cane sugar and verjus. It’s some kind of mixology meets food flavour profiling meets art. And ‘2’. So all, really.
Who needs traditional wine? And hangovers!
Sit: Dandelion Vineyards
For an afternoon picnic that feels still and uncluttered, the team at Dandelion Vineyards know what you’re after. Picture a picnic blanket on the green lawn in front of a cellar door, with the striped and lined valley – and D’Arenberg Cube – stretching ahead.
Dandelion is run by a Hungarian family and the traditional oven-warm, croissant-style filo pastry packed with feta was a standout. Can you picture that on a bluebird day? Eating a warm, homemade pastry while looking out at a valley? As good as you can imagine.
Supplement with some zingier pickled vegetables, local sheep’s milk cheese and homemade artichoke dip. There’s a food theme here.
Photo: Scarlett Keddie
See: Silver Sands Beach Club
On the coast, you need to visit the seaside stop of Silver Sands Beach Club on Aldinga Beach. With a deceptive almost party club name, this is anything but. Instead, it’s calm. Swallows dart about at dusk and the sunset is picture-perfect. You’re in a tiny town, you know it, and that’s the magic. Simple and unspoiled.
The food is exceptional. Think crispy, non-oil-drenched whiting in a bucket with fresh lemon and zippy aioli, accompanied by an Aperol-esque mocktail. Ahead lies what could be an Aussie version of the southern English coast – rolling hills bend down into the sea. It feels like you’ve outsmarted the hordes – not just today, but in life – as you sit, crunch and sip.
Photo: Scarlett Keddie
Sleep: Rare Earth Retreats
Rest your full belly – in more ways than one – in the ideal sustainable spot: Rare Earth Retreats.
Careful design, loads of browns and ochres, and a nature-first luxury approach sums up this eco retreat. Powered entirely by the sun, this is an off-grid set up that has all of the comforts you want and none of the WIFI you think you need.
This is a family-run business and the care is in the detail. There’s something about brown paper-wrapped rectangles of locally made butter, market-procured milk in small glass bottles and all of the valley ingredients to make a neat serving of bolognese, including a glass water vase of basil, that ups the gratitude ante. Sip with the NON wine that you purchased earlier.
Afterwards, fill up the egg-shaped freestanding tub on the deck and soak within metres of the vines.
What month do you go on a babymoon?
This is completely up to you. Bear in mind logistics at home, your energy levels and availability of your chosen destination.
If the world is your oyster, it’s probably advisable to go in your second trimester when you have the most energy following morning sickness in trimester one, and before your due date looms in the last tri.
What does going on a babymoon mean?
Going on a babymoon means soaking up the last few moments before your new baby arrives. It’s your last no-nappy hurrah, and similar to your honeymoon, and all about laying low and relaxing.
If you have children at home, all the more reason to ensure you’re stress-free and zen before the new arrival.
Is 7 months too late for a babymoon?
As long as you have clearance from your doctor to travel – whether that be by road, rail or air – you’re generally OK to go at most times of your pregnancy, bar the final month or so.
We recommend packing your bags in the second trimester.
What trimester is best for a babymoon?
Generally speaking the second trimester is likely your best bet as you’ll have shrugged off the nausea from morning sickness, and are well in front of your due date.
