American River Camping Ground

Kangaroo Island


Shady, council-run camping by the lagoon, with fire pits, showers, toilets and a nifty BBQ hut. Pay via self-registration; no bookings.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Kangaroo Island attractions

1. US Schooner Independence

0.34 MILES

In a big tin boatshed near the American River jetty, the timber ribs of the new US Schooner Independence are slowly starting to resemble a hull. A…

2. Island Beach

1.85 MILES

Loong beach between Penneshaw and American River, backed by rows of fancy beach houses. Go for a wander and see what's washed in on the tide.

3. Browns Beach

4.87 MILES

A lovely protected beach, around 14km southwest of Penneshaw en route to American River and Kingscote. Good for a quick dip.

4. Flour Cask Bay

7.98 MILES

Down a well-maintained dirt road south of American River, this remote beach is just the spot for a little soul-searching, a breezy paddle in the brine or…

5. Penneshaw Maritime & Folk Museum

10.04 MILES

Inside a 1922 stone school house, this salty museum displays artefacts from local shipwrecks and early white settlement (check out those girthsome…

6. Kangaroo Island Farmers Market

10.44 MILES

Has baked goods, chutneys, seafood, olive oil, honey, eggs, cheese, yoghurt and of course wine and dodgy buskers (including, once, a certain Lonely Planet…

7. Frenchman's Rock

10.72 MILES

When intrepid French explorer Nicholas Baudin surveyed the KI coast in 1803, he came ashore at what's now Penneshaw for a look around. He left his mark:…

8. Hope Cottage Museum

12.08 MILES

Built on the hill in 1859, this cottage is now a fastidiously maintained National Trust museum decked out in period style, with a reconstructed Masonic…