First of all – we probably need to explain what Pedal Prix is (for those who haven’t had kids at school over the last 25 years). Put simply, it’s an international race of an unusual style of bike, named a ‘velomobile’. The Australian Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) Super Series (or Pedal Prix), is the annual championship where hundreds of people of all ages, come together to ride these mobiles in a closed-circuit around the riverfront Sturt Reserve for up to 24 hours! It’s the largest of any kind in the world, and attracts teams from all over Australia, and overseas.

Phew… there it is.

Now if you’re planning a trip to Murray Bridge for the Australian International Pedal Prix on 21-22 September, then we think you should do more than just watch these velomobiles go round and round.

Families from across the country flock to our region every year to take part in the event, so let’s start with things for them first.

Our backyard is filled with family fun to extend your visit (long after the race has finished), scroll down for five of our best recommendations.

On your way to Pedal Prix from Adelaide, you’ll drive past the Monarto Safari Park turnoff on the South Eastern Freeway. We highly recommend turning in here for a daring animal encounter with lions, giraffes, rhinos and more.

Monarto Safari Park is the largest safari park outside of Africa. It’s also home to the world’s tallest living land animals.

Your family can take part in the Giraffe Safari and feed them their favourite snack… carrots. They’ll stretch down their long necks and curl their tongues to gently take it right from your hands. Otherwise, if you’re up for something else unique, try the Lions 360 experience or Land of the Lemurs tour (there’s something for everyone!).

After you fall in love with the park, it’s worth keeping in mind that they offer family memberships that grant you free access to a string of zoos across the country. It pays for itself after 3 visits, so it’s great value for money.

You might be staying at the award-winning Bridgeport Hotel for the weekend, rooms book up in the blink of an eye for Pedal Prix (understandably so, it boasts incredible views of the Sturt Reserve action and is a 10-minute walk away from the event).

But, if you didn’t get the memo, don’t stress because the Bridgeport is also home to a fantastic restaurant where you can experience the grandeur of the $44 million building and try out local produce in their seasonal menu.

If you book in advance, you might be able to snag a table on the Terrace. This is the perfect spot to sit alfresco with a sensational meal, overlooking the water and historic twin bridges (a train might even go past!).

And it’s not just us who recommend this sport – the hotel was named as one of the ‘Top 10 Country Pubs in South Australia’ by the Advertiser just last month, so come see what the hype’s about.

After the madness of Pedal Prix, you might be looking to dial down the pace a little. Nothing says relaxation quite like a river shack, where you can spend the days kicking back with a glass of wine while the kids play cricket on the front lawn, or head out for a kayak.

River Shack Rentals has a range of properties that span from Wellington at the edge of the Coorong, all the way up river towards Swan Reach, hosting from 2-16 people. The choice is yours really!

We recommend teaming up with another family and going as a big group, that way the kids can entertain themselves, and you get to share the property cost.

One of our favourites is 17 Pellaring Lane, located just outside of Mannum. This six-bedroom property sleeps 13, and has a beautiful outdoor entertainment area where you can sit and supervise the kids from.

You’ll also enjoy your own private jetty, perfect for kayaking, swimming, or mooring the speedboat if you’ve got one.

During your stay, make sure to visit the Mannum Dock Museum for a quick history lesson in the area’s paddle steamer history. You might even feel inspired to step aboard the historic PS Marion (located in Mannum) or Captain Proud (located in Murray Bridge) for a quick cruise along the river. For a different (and free) kind of river trip, hop aboard one of the Mannum ferries – the only dual ferries operating across the busy river ‘intersection’ in South Australia.

If you’re amped to race at Pedal Prix, just wait until you test out the international racing circuit at Shell V-Power Motorsport Park. They were even named as the best Motorsport facility in the world in 2019.

If you’re 14 years or older, strap into the passenger seat of a V8 and go for a spin around the track. For some friendly rivalry, take the family over to the Kartdrome for a race. Kids under 14 will sit as a passenger in your tandem cart, so they’ll get to kit up in helmets and feel the adrenaline rush (reaching speeds of 70km/h). For the older kids, they can race on their own – so make sure you bring the whole crew along.

There’s even a Big4 Holiday Park on site, so you can cruise your caravan into the holiday park and pull into a drive through (and grassy) powered site – that’s right, no reversing needed.

Located conveniently next to toilets, showers, and the kids playground, your kids will live their best life (in full view of your supervision). They’ll spend their time on the BMX Pump Track, basketball court, mini golf, bush walking trails – or playing air hockey, foosball, table tennis and arcade games in the rec room.

There’s plenty of action to enjoy in our region – so stay and explore during your Pedal Prix visit!