Adelaide: Things To Do

There's a lot of historical architecture to be found in Adelaide's CBD, and what better introduction to the city than by taking a wander around and getting to know the layout. The northern half of the city centre is the part you want to focus on. North Terrace has the grand buildings, university and museums (see below). Just south of here is Rundle Street (see below), which is the main high street in the city. Then heading south, down the spine of the city, King William Street, you will come to the GPO building, Treasury building and Victoria Square, which is the geographical heart of Adelaide. Walking tours are available.

The main high street in Adelaide has three distinctive parts. The centre part is pedestrianised as Rundle Street Mall and this is where you can find all the chain shops, the Adelaide Arcade (see below) and some photogenic sculptures. East of here, Rundle Street turns into a haven of boutique shop, cafe's, chocolate shops, restaurants and bars. West of the mall section, the street name changes to Hindley street, and you will find it be grittier and characterised by it's mixture of bars and takeaway food options.

Adelaide's botanic gardens are one of the best in Australia. There are several different areas of the garden to explore, including the a rose garden, cactus and succulent garden, and a wetland. The highlights are the four buildings of the palm house, the waterlily house, the museum of economic botany and, the absolute highlight (pictured), the bicentennial conservatory. This structure from 1989 is a single span tropical glasshouse with a raised walkway meandering through it that is sure to make the short walk from the CBD worthwhile.

Near to the geographical heart of Adelaide, the cities main market is a decent size (over 70 traders) and well appointed from a tourists point of view. It has good collection of shops and food options, with lots of gourmet food to sample alongside the fresh produce.

This quaint tourist orientated village on the outskirts of Adelaide is a little slice of Germany in Australia. Originally inhabited by German immigrants, it features charming architecture, a country lifestyle and plenty of shops and restaurants to keep you occupied for a nice half day trip. Try some bratwurst, chocolate, beer or shopping for locally made artisan products (toys, jewellery, leather, cheese etc). You can also check out the nearby wineries, play min-golf, visit Beerenberg farm, go to the children's farm, or visit a distillery. Located in the Adelaide Hills, a public bus can take you directly there is around 1hr, whilst driving will be about 30 minutes.

The Barossa Valley is arguably Australia's most prominent wine region and you will find many household vineyard names (e.g. Jacob's creek). Visit for a day or more and you can have some fun exploring all the different wineries (80+ cellar doors) and the many side attractions. You will find plenty of food options to accompany the drinks, often in the delightful surroundings of the vineyards and gourmet in style. Other attractions include Hot Air Ballooning, Mini-golf, a farmers market, Segway tours, a blacksmiths shop and museum, a lavender farm, the whispering wall dam, art and antique galleries, a few towns to explore and much more. Get there by driving for an hour, or take a tour.

Elder Park, and the adjoining riverside parks, form a place that is a great vantage point to get a sense of Adelaide and enjoy the atmosphere of this green and pleasant city. It lays on the northern edge of the CBD as part of the parklands, just a 10min walk from North Terrace. To the west of Elder park is the contemporary River Torrens footbridge, opened in 2014, that is now the centerpiece of the riverbank precinct. Aside from enjoying a nice stroll, you could take a river cruise, hire a paddle boat, take a kayak tour or check out the rotunda.

This state museum is the highlight of North Terrace, the museum filled street across the northern end of the CBD, and it houses the usual assortment of taxidermy, Aboriginal cultural artefacts, and megaforna skeletons. It has a few different things thrown in that you might not expect, like the giant quid housed in an old lift shaft, a small ancient Egyptian collection, a polar collection and a pacific collection. There is usually one or more temporary exhibits too (fees may be applicable), plus a cafe and a shop.

Also on North Terrace, South Australia's state art gallery is housed in a grand 19th century building and houses a collection of traditional and contemporary Australian, Asian and International art. Mediums include paintings, sculptures, drawings, photography, ceramics, glass and more. Temporary exhibits may have a fee applicable. There is a shop and restaurant on site.

The eastern edge of Adelaide is fringed by the Adelaide hills. Here you will find a days worth (or more) of attractions and things to do that are well worth your time. The highlights include Hahndorf, the big rocking horse, and the Mt Lofty summit viewpoint (see above for all three). There are more historic villages to discover, food and wineries, Mt Lofty botanic garden, the 'Southern Encounter' steam train day trip, the National Motor Museum, Melba's chocolate factory, Beerenberg farm, Brayfield Park Lavender farm, the sculpture trail, hiking, cycling, a Saturday farmer's market, and three different wildlife parks (see below). Explore on a tour or hire a car for the day.

Adelaide zoo is conveniently located next to the CBD and is famous for being the home of Australia's only Panda's (which may be leaving soon). It's a relatively compact zoo, has a bit of history to it and, in addition to the Panda's, you will find Giraffe's, sea lions, tapir, Orangutan, Tigers, Lions and much more. Talks and feedings take place throughout the day, many different animal experiences are available at an extra charge, and there are a few cafe's to eat at. To get there, just walk for 10min north of North Terrace.

Glenelg is Adelaide's main beachside suburb. It's quieter than you might expect, compared to other state capitals, but it's beach is lovely, there's plenty of sand to stroll along or lounge upon, and a few distractions to be explored like the jetty, the Beachhouse (with water slides, children's rides, arcades, etc), the Bay Discovery Centre, Glenelg Air Raid shelter, or some tour options - a Segway tour or Temptation Sailing, who offer swimming with wild dolphins or twilight cruises. You can get to Glenlg by riding one of the few tram routes in Adelaide, which terminates right next to the Mosley square and the beach.

Adelaide's "other" wine region is south of the city and a worthy second to the Barossa and has over 80 vineyards with food being a big focus too. Head won here for a day or more and you can explore the wineries, eat some gourmet food and enjoy the atmosphere. There is the 8km long Shiraz trail you may want to walk or cycle, visit the farmers market, or paddle along the Onkaparinga river in a kayak. As you are heading south, you may want to continue beyond McLaren Vale to take a wider tour of the Fleurieu Peninsula, or head to Kangaroo Island (see below). To reach the area, drive south for 45min or take a guided tour.

This peninsula lies 1hr south of Adelaide and features beaches, natural attractions and tourist towns. If you go on a day trip driving yourself, or on a tour, the first area you come across is McLaren Vale (see above). From there, explore the stunning coastline, including the Port Willunga beach caves, or head to the collection of towns on the south coast. Victor Harbour has the most to do - The Whale centre, the horse drawn tramway, Granite Island, and Urimbirra Wildlife Park. Port Elliot has Horseshoe Bay and a bakery, whilst Goolwa is on the Murray river. The Cockle steam train runs between Victor Harbour and Goolwa. Click the link to find more.

There are many day tours and activities you can do from Adelaide. Many places in this guide can be explored on a tour - Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Murray River, and Fleurieu Peninsula. In the city are walking tours, a chocolate tour, eco caddy tour, peddi cab tour, segway tour, bike tour, food tours, the Treasury and Tunnels tour, Cemetery tour, Victims and Villains tour, and a market tour. On the water, you can go sailing, paddle boating, fly boarding, ship wreck kayaking, or looking for dolphins. Out in nature, you could try rock climbing. See the Tips section below for link to all these tours and activities, and many more.

An hour or so drive from Adelaide, through the Adelaide hills, will bring you to the Murray river region. Here you can get yourself on a river cruise to sample the delight that is slowly meandering along this famous stretch of water on a beautiful paddle steamer. Lunch cruises are popular. If you have the time, consider a multi-day cruise. Mannum or Murray Bridge are the towns to look for a cruise from. For lunchtime cruises, try Proud Mary or Captain Proud.

One day only on Kangaroo island may seem like a bit of a push to some, but if that's all the time you have, a long day visiting under your own guidance or on a tour is possible, if only to see the highlights. Those highlights are: Flinders Chase National Park; Seal Bay; Admirals Arch; seeing wild native animals; sandboarding; the lavender farm; wild dolphin swimming; Remarkable Rocks; and more.
Getting there requires a 100km+ drive and an expensive 45min ferry ($200 for a car, $100 per passenger).

This fantastic museum is billed as a futuristic museum of discovery. It features changing interactive exhibitions that aim to inspire young adults about science and technology by bringing together researchers, students, industry and the public. There are seven different gallery spaces and cafe. A feature is 'Science on a Sphere', an entire room that displays planetary data on a sphere that is surrounded by interactive touchscreens.

Port Adelaide is full of history and great place to explore to discover street art and heritage buildings. The attraction highlights are the Railway museum and Maritime museum (see below), the fisherman's wharf market (open Sunday's), and the Pirate Life Brewery. Other things to do are; the aviation museum; dolphin sanctuary kayak tours; ghost tours; Historical society museum; take a river cruise; or do a self guided walking tour. There are plenty of pubs, cafes and restaurants around the area to discover too. Take a train to get there from the CBD in around 30min.

Out in the Adelaide Hills is this epic "big thing". Taking the Aussie tradition of building things big, this one is particularly impressive as you can actually climb up it. The biggest rocking horse in the world of course has a tiny version next to it that you can sit on. Behind the big rocking horse is a wooden toy factory and shop, a cafe, and a small wildlife park. There is no public transport to the site, but there may be some Adelaide Hills tours that go here. Otherwise, it's a 45min car drive.

Still in the Adelaide Hills, but directly east of the CBD, this park is another great place to get outside and explore. It's only 10km from the city centre, but you will find gorges, woodland and waterfalls that will make you feel like you are much further away. The First Falls walk is 3.6km long and classed as 'easy'. Driving there is easiest but you can take a bus and walk in from the edge.

Haigh's chocolate is made in Adelaide and they have a small but worthwhile visitor centre just south of the CBD and parklands. Pop in and you can put your name down for a factory tour, which consists of a look through glass windows at the process of the chocolates being made, a guide explaining it all and the company's history, followed by some delicious free samples. They have a shop there too which has the added bonus of it selling factory seconds at a discount rate. Tours only run on selected days, so check their website.

Adelaide's unique CBD design has it surrounded by a continuous ring of parkland. The main highlights have already been mentioned above - Adelaide Zoo, Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Oval - but there are a few other attractions. The Himeji garden is a small Japanese garden, built as a gift from Adelaide's sister city of Himeji. Veale gardens are tranquil. The Treeclimb attraction is typical of various tree climbing attractions around the country, but this one is notable for being so close to a city centre. All three are located south of the CBD. If you are into supercars, the Adelaide Park Circuit is in the eastern section. There are a few decent children's playgrounds too.

This CBD located centre offers has a 'wine discovery journey' with interactive displays for you to explore all about the making of wine, a massive open air wine cellar (with 18,000 bottles), wine tasting with sommeliers, a restaurant and guided tours. It is housed in a contemporary building worth checking out for the architecture alone. Located next to the botanic gardens, it is only a short walk from the CBD.

Opened in 1885, this historic shopping arcade is located on Rundle Street Mall and is typical in providing plenty of boutique shops and a beautiful interior. There is also a small fountain outside the entrance.

Adelaide's Chinatown is small, mainly just along one street. It is directly next to the Central Market, right in the geographical centre of Adelaide, so pop have a look around at the many food and shopping options, and the architecture.

The Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute is a museum dedicated to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders art and culture. Come through and check out the galleries and the shop, or look out for one of the many events that include; films; performances; workshops; talks; and cultural presentations.

Located near all the other museums on North Terrace, this museum tells the fascinating story of migration to South Australia, which is distinctive in that it was not settled for convict reasons. Entry is free, but there may be some temporary exhibits that require a paid ticket.

Norwood is a popular and trendy inner city suburb, that is worth a visit to wander around and explore the boutique shops and delicious cafe food. Head here if you want to find a good brunch or Italian food. Located 3km directly east of the CBD, you can take a long walk via the parklands or catch a bus that takes around 20 minutes to get there.

Another institution along North Terrace, the state library is split across three adjoining buildings, each with their own particular history and style. The Mortlock Chamber (pictured) is the highlight, and you can see the collections located in displays inside here and on the treasures wall in the contemporary part of the building. Also located in the building is the Centre For Democracy (see below) and RSASA art exhibition (also below). They have a gift shop too.

Popeye River Cruises have a 45minute sightseeing cruise that departs from Elder park which can also be done as a 'Devonshire Tea' cruise. It includes a commentary from a tour guide about the history of the city and will take you across the short stretch of river from Adelaide Gaol to the west, over to Adelaide Zoo to the east. You can disembark at the zoo if you are visiting there or want to walk back to the city via the botanic gardens.

Adelaide's second zoo is a safari park, who's massive size makes it distinct from the small city zoo. An hour drive east of the city will bring you to the largest safari experience outside of Africa. There is a loop that safari buses follow allowing you to travel through open range enclosures and hop on / hop off at various points. There are also many walking tracks to enjoy. Monarto has over 50 species on exhibit, including Rhino, Giraffe, Chimpanzee, Zebra, Hyena and Lion - the lions can be experienced up close with the special Lions 360 encounter, where you are in the cage and the lions all around and above you. Many other animal encounters are also available.

Aimed at rivalling Sydney's and Brisbane's bridge climbs, this "roof climb" tracks across the top of Adelaide's main sporting arena - the Adelaide Oval. The stadium is ideally situated just north of the CBD, so you get some great 360 degree views over the city as you walk across the metal gantries. You can generally choose to climb during the day, at twilight, or at night; or you may want something a bit different and climb to do some yoga, or climb during a cricket match. It's a fun experience, just don't expect to be too high in terms of the views. One of the most exciting parts is where you can hang out over the edge (see image).

Adelaide's rather unique city layout that involves it's parklands fully encircling the CBD stretch to having this contiguous park wrapping around an affluent suburb to the north of the CBD - this is North Adelaide. Here you will find: heritage buildings, including St Peter's Cathedral (see below); a couple of shopping and dining streets; David Roche Foundation (see below); and the Adelaide Oval (see below). It can be nice to visit this suburb just to wander the streets and look at the old houses, imagining what it was like in the early days of the city. Get there with a 10min bus ride or a 2km walk.

Out in Port Adelaide is this museum for all things train related. You will find many locomotives on display from across the countries different rail networks, a model railway, displays and even a miniature railway that loops around the edge of the site. It is located in a heritage listed 1870's goods shed and is fun for families or anyone vaguely interested in trains. The museum also operates a short narrow gauge railway nearby along the coastline between Semaphore and Fort Glanville, which runs on Sunday's and school holidays ($10 rides). Various tours and events can also be enjoyed - check their website for listings. You can get to Port Adelaide with a 25min train ride.

Semaphore is a delightful beachside area that is perfect for a sunny day by the sea. A golden sand beach stretches along the coast either side of the historic pier and sand dunes keep a nice gap between the beach and the city to make you feel a bit more away from it all. Behind the dunes are a few attractions: a historic carousel; Fort Glanville (see below); a narrow gauge railway (see the national railway museum for details); a long coastal park; a waterslide complex; mini golf; and a few minor landmarks like the timeball tower. Use the bus or a train+15min walk to get there from the CBD.

In the Adelaide Hills there are two wildlife parks to visit - Cleland Wildlife Park; and Gorge Wildlife Park - they each have the usual array of Australian animals on display, but Gorge have a few extras like monkeys and meerkats. The state owned Cleland offer the opportunity to hold a koala ($33 extra, photo included) or feed kangaroos and have an array of other experiences available such as night walks or holding reptiles. Gorge also have koala holding ($10 extra), kangaroo feeding and other experiences available. Which one is better? Cleland is perhaps better quality, it's bigger and it's closer to the city but it is more expensive.

South Australia's oldest national park lies just beyond the south eastern edge of the city, in the Adelaide Hills. It only takes around 25 minutes to get there and it's full of walking trails that get you into some undisturbed bushland. It does also include a few man-made attractions, notably Old Government House (see below). It's a good place to try and spot wild koala's, and other native wildlife, including echidna and kangaroo. There are lots of biking trails too. Driving there is easiest, but there is a vehicle entry fee. Belair has a train station too which may be useful if you're up for a hike.

This unusual geological feature is within the Hallett Cove Conservation Park, 1hr on the train south west of the CBD. The Sugarloaf, and other areas of the park, can be explored on foot along easy to walk trails.

As the Adelaide Hills fringe along the eastern edge of the city, there are several lookout points that you can visit to get a great overview of the city and landscape, right across to the ocean. They are particular worthwhile visiting at sunset. The most accessible, and most popular one, is Mount Lofty summit. Up here you will find a visitor centre and gift shop, a cafe, and walking and cycling trails. To access Mt Lofty, you can take a bus from the CBD or drive up (parking fees apply). Adelaide Hills Tours may make a stop here too.

Within part of the State Library (see above) on North Terrace is this small exhibition about the people and ideas that shaped democracy in South Australia. It includes displays, treasures from the collection and interactive elements that help you explore what democracy is.

As a part of the University of South Australia, "Samstag presents a changing exhibitions program of contemporary visual art, and art of the past that has relevance for us today. The program is intended to be of broad interest and educational value to a wide public community."

This coastal walk follows a 6km long pedestrian and cycle trail from Glenelg to Seacliff. You will walk alongside the beach the whole way (or on the beach if you prefer), past Brighton pier, through sand dunes, and past a few kiosks and hotels. Allow an hour and half of walking. Glenelg is a well known place to visit in it's own right (see above). Seacliff has a train station and Glenelg a tram stop, so it's easy to make a loop back to the city. Spinaway Bike hire terminals are available at both ends, if you prefer to ride.

Out in Port Adelaide is this aviation museum, dedicated to all things airborne. Inside the hangars you will find 26 aircraft on display alongside a large array of equipment and information, including on the RAAF. Aircraft include a Spitfire, a Douglas Dakota, fighter jets and helicopters.

This museum tells maritime history stories through various exhibits. Located in two 1850's bond stores, you will find a small ship inside that you can explore, lots of different displays, a cafe and a shop. Not too far north of the museum, you can find three different historical vessels moored on the wharf.

This house museum is a heritage home and adjoining wing that houses an extensive collection of European decorative art showcased in elaborately furnished rooms and including furniture, ceramics, clocks and more. The wing museum can be visited during opening hours whilst the heritage house side, Fermoy House, can be viewed on a guided tour only. It is located in North Adelaide (see above), a 20min walk or short bus ride from the CBD.

Carrick Hill is a beautiful historic house located in landscaped grounds and looking like a building that's been transported from Europe. You can visit to explore the house, with it's period furniture, and it's art collection, then stroll through the well maintained grounds. There is a cafe and shop on site and guided tours are available. To get to the house, you can take a bus and a short walk or drive just 15min from the CBD.

The JamFactory is a collection of studios, galleries and shops. You can watch glass blowing demonstrations, visit an exhibition or take guided tour, and of course purchase some handmade products.

This beachside suburb is notable for the family attractions available. These include the West Beach Adventure (pictured), which is a massive climbing attraction; The Big Wedgie, a collection of giant inflatable water slides ; and West Beach mini golf. Harbour town outlet shopping is also nearby.

This now closed and historic gaol can be visited and toured to discover the stories that came out of the building's 150 year history. Elements of the gaol to explore include: Cell 18, an art installation that brings the gaol stories to life; the mugshot exhibition; the archaeological dig site; and the museum. Various ghost and crime tours are available, usually after closing hours.