A Vacay to Remember: Maximizing Your Visit to Adelaide
- How many days should you spend in Adelaide?
- When to Visit Adelaide
- Where to Stay in Adelaide
- Eos by Skycity
- Nala Cabin
- The Vineyard Mclaren Vale Retreat
- Glenelg Pier Hotel
- Pavilion at Lenswood
- Where to Eat and Drink in Adelaide
- Abbots and Kinney
- Pippo
- Peter Rabbit
- Shobosho
- Osteria Oggi
- Africola
- The Unley
- The Crown and Anchor
- Harry’s Bar
- What to Do/See in Adelaide
- Shopping, Shopping, and More Shopping
- Stop and smell the flowers—literally
- Be a daredevil
- Be delighted by the city lights
- Be gleeful at Glenelg
- Feel The Beachouse’s bliss
- See the city’s underwater utopias
- Frolick in a forest
- Experience the highs of hiking
- Roam the wine regions
- FAQs about Visiting Adelaide
The City of Adelaide’s numerous tourist sites and activities can confuse travelers. “How long should we stay?” “When to visit?” and “What to do?” are the common questions troubling those who plan to visit our spectacular city.
Thankfully, we’re here to help you! We’ve visited and tried several of Adelaide’s tourist spots and activities so we can answer all of your vacation questions.
How many days should you spend in Adelaide?
We recommend staying in Adelaide for at least 3 days. By opting to stay for this long, you’ll get adequate time to explore the city’s best tourist spots such as Adelaide’s city center, coastlines, and wine region.
3 days will also provide you with enough time to do activities such as shopping, restaurant or pub-hopping, and nature exploration.
When to Visit Adelaide
Adelaide’s climate is relatively cooler compared to other Australian cities. This means that whatever the season is, there’s always something fun to visit or try.
If you love warm to temperate weather, autumn (March to May) or spring (September to November) is the best time to visit Adelaide.
For those who prefer a hotter temperature, summer (December to February) is the best time to visit Adelaide.
The best spots you should visit during these seasons are parklands, vineyards, and beaches.
Adelaide is also fantastic for people who enjoy winter (June, July, and August). With multiple winter festivals and seasonal ice rinks, Adelaide’s a winter dreamland.
If you visit during winter, we suggest going to Illuminate Adelaide or Adelaide Hills’ Winter Reds Festival.
Where to Stay in Adelaide
Escapades are better if you stay at first-class accommodations. In Adelaide, you’ll find several of these.
From luxurious hotels to modern cabins, here are our team’s choices for the best places to stay in Adelaide.
Eos by Skycity
Located in the city center, Eos by Skycity is a luxurious hotel surrounded by gardens. This accommodation boasts large rooms with open-air balconies fantastic for sightseeing and photo ops.
Our favorite feature of Eos by Skycity is its Leisure Deck facility. This spot makes the hotel not just a place to stay but also a tourist attraction by itself.
The Leisure Deck has an award-winning pool illuminated by neon lights. It also has an open bar that serves cocktails.
Nala Cabin
If you think staying at a city hotel is cliche, you should go straight to the heart of the Kuitpo Forest. There, you’ll find the Nala Cabin which is a modernized cabin with high-tech amenities.
Despite having a contemporary design, the Nala Cabin still feels like a respite from the modern world. It’s surrounded by tall trees where animals like bandicoots and birds nestle.
When we stayed here, we saw some kangaroos and koalas too!
The Vineyard Mclaren Vale Retreat
The Vineyard Mclaren Vale Retreat is a private and idyllic paradise. It’s a first-grade accommodation surrounded by sweeping views of vineyards and gardens.
Our favorite room here is the Cadole Avalon. It’s a sleek and quiet room with glass walls and a private deck.
We enjoyed this room so much because of its proximity to the jacuzzi. Additionally, this guestroom also offers a direct view of sunrise at a vineyard.
Glenelg Pier Hotel
The Glenelg Pier Hotel is a highly-rated accommodation located at Glenelg Beach’s coastline.
With vast balconies and private decks, this hotel’s premium rooms provide remarkable views of the captivating Glenelg Beach.
Additionally, this hotel’s bar is very peaceful and refreshing, especially during sunset.
Pavilion at Lenswood
This self-contained and sumptuous accommodation is one of Adelaide’s hidden gems.
Pavilion at Lenswood is just a 30-minute drive from the city center yet it somewhat feels like an untouched tropical paradise.
The rooms here are intimate and romantic.
With old-fashioned stone fireplaces and outdoor Japanese hot tubs facing lush plantations, this one will elevate your vacation experience.
Where to Eat and Drink in Adelaide
You can’t enjoy your stay in Adelaide with an empty stomach. Plus, the food and drinks of the city’s premium dining and drinking spots are straight fire!
Unbuckle your belts and prepare to feast for here are Adelaide’s best cafes, pubs, and restaurants!
Abbots and Kinney
If you’re looking for sunlit and laid-back spots to brighten up your morning, head to Abbots and Kinney.
The quirkily-named pastries and slow-roasted coffee they serve are simply chef’s kiss. The staff here is also friendly.
Whenever we are at Abbots and Kinney, they always cater to all our needs with bright smiles on their faces.
Pippo
Eating breakfast at Pippo is a terrific experience. Pippo’s food and drinks are always fresh, and the cafe is located in a quiet spot.
This sunny cafe with light pink walls exudes warm and positive energy too.
The coffee here is a classic, and their seasonal menu provides tasty and very healthy delicacies.
Peter Rabbit
Fur parents can also take their pals for a sunny stroll toward Adelaide’s pet-friendly cafes.
We always bring ours to the ever-charming Peter Rabbit.
Petter Rabbit’s alfresco zone is adorned with plants and flowers. This is our fave spot in this cafe because of its shadiness and fresh air.
Petter Rabbit’s menu consists of heavy hitters like smoky avocado, duck ragu, and a variety of croissants. For drinks, the cafe serves different beers, wines, and, of course, coffee.
Shobosho
If your tummy’s searching for a dash of elegance and authenticity, you must try Shobosho’s oriental masterpieces.
The food preparation here follows the traditional yakitori technique of Japan.
This style of cooking results in smoky and savory dishes tuna tataki and pork pot stickers.
Osteria Oggi
Osteria Oggi’s decadent Italian dishes fit for a king might also be right up your alley!
With a menu full of pasta varieties and grilled meat, this restaurant’s food will leave you satisfied. The service here is also one of the best.
Whenever we dine at Osteria Oggi, we buy their perfectly-blended sweet and sour house wines too. Pairing their superb food with their high-class wine is something worth trying!
Africola
The fan-fave Africola will add flair to your Adelaide dining experience.
This restaurant’s African-themed dishes are seasoned with the continent’s best and rarest spices!
For us, Africola’s energy is unmatched too. The music never stops here, and the walls painted with sharp hues of green, gold, and red also give this place an upbeat vibe.
The Unley
The Unley is one of Adelaide’s best pubs that will make your vacation happier. With affordable happy hour promos and special cocktails, this pub is a must-try drinking spot.
What we usually order here are the gin fizz and purple rain cocktails. We love these drinks because of their perfect blend of bitter, sweet, and fruity flavors.
The Crown and Anchor
Also known as “The Cranker,” this classic drinking spot is Adelaide’s rock ‘n roll pub. With non-stop music and a bustling game room, The Crown and Anchor overflows with vigor and fun!
The tap beers they serve here are malty with a hint of earthy flavors. There are heavier variants, but we suggest going for the ones with a lighter kick.
Harry’s Bar
Located at the buzzing Grenfell St., Harry’s Bar is the pub perfect for self-reflection and light drinking.
Their imperial pints are our go-to drinks here, but we also suggest their base spirits and house wines.
We always drink at this pub’s open-air balcony and beer garden. These spots provide a splendid view of the dazzling Grenfell St.
What to Do/See in Adelaide
Now that you have an idea of where to stay, eat, and drink, we’ll help you with your main itinerary.
Here are our team’s choices for the best activities to do and the finest places to see while in Adelaide!
Shopping, Shopping, and More Shopping
“Shop ‘til you drop” isn’t just a phrase in Adelaide; it’s a lifestyle! Adelaide’s shopping centers and districts are primed for a good old-fashioned shopping spree.
Rundle Mall and Adelaide Arcade are great for tourists who want the proven-and-tested shopping route. These shopping centers will provide you with vacay essentials such as local food and souvenirs.
But if conventional malls no longer excite you, Adelaide’s famous novelty shops might.
Have You Met Charlie and Mike’s Magic Shop sell quirky and super hilarious goods such as keychains with various kangaroo body parts and bee earrings.
Stop and smell the flowers—literally
We also recommend relaxing in the city center’s most serene spots.
The place where you’d unwind depends on your preference, but to us, the Adelaide Botanic Garden and the Adelaide Park Lands are the best ones.
In the Adelaide Botanic Garden, you can blow off steam by taking a stroll in areas full of rare and breathtaking flowers like the one below!
Our top spot here is the Amazonica Waterlily Garden, especially at night when the unique waterlilies open to catch beetles!
The Adelaide Park Lands, on the one hand, will let you take a breather in vast lush landscapes shaded by Aleppo Pines and Moreton Bay Fig Trees.
Kids might also enjoy the playgrounds found here.
Be a daredevil
Rule number one of vacations: a trip mustn’t be boring. And what better way to beat boredom than by trying something daring?
You can try Adelaide Oval’s RoofClimb and climb the 190-meter-tall football stadium of Adelaide!
The thrill doesn’t end when you reach the top, though, as you can have a dance party at the oval’s peak.
TreeClimb Adelaide’s tree-climbing obstacles and zipline courses are also worth a try.
Whenever we take on the challenges of this spot, the adventurers within us always get unleashed!
Be delighted by the city lights
Before you hit the hay, we suggest taking a stroll along the River Torrens.
We love this area because of its Instagrammable spots and vantage points which provide spectacular views of the city lights. It’s also very peaceful.
If you’re looking for a more energetic nighttime spot, Rundle Street is the one for you. With a night market and an array of pubs, this street is almost sleepless.
Be gleeful at Glenelg
Glenelg’s powdery-white coastlines and stunning sunsets attract tourists from all over the world for a reason. This summer paradise is just outright jaw-dropping.
The crystal-clear shallows here are exceptional spots for swimming and surfing. Glenelg Beach’s fishing spots are also abundant with ocean life.
On our last trip here, we caught a lot of mulloways and breams!
Additionally, the beach has high-quality cafes too. Along this beach’s jetty road are bustling cafes like Zest Cafe and Gallery and Spellman’s Social.
Feel The Beachouse’s bliss
Glenelg’s amusement park, The Beachhouse, is also a great place to visit, especially if you got kids with you.
This amusement park has wet and dry attractions such as amusement rides, water slides, and mini golf!
See the city’s underwater utopias
Adelaide’s snorkeling spots are borderline surreal. From multicolored collar reefs to rare species like the blue devil fish and leafy sea dragon, the city’s underwater utopias are thriving.
There are also several beaches you can choose from if you want to snorkel. For us, the best ones are in Second Valley Reef and Rapid Bay Jetty.
The underwater worlds you’ll see in these two spots are majestic, especially since they both have man-made reef structures.
These structures provide breathtaking sights as well as homes for aquatic animals like pufferfish and seahorses.
Frolick in a forest
If beaching’s not for you, why not spend your day in one of Adelaide’s enticing and peaceful forest reserves?
The Kuitpo Forest Reserve, for example, is a mesmerizing 3,600-hectare area surrounded by radiata pine trees and dense greenery.
The Belair National Park would also be a great choice. Surrounded by healthy trees and inhabited by several animals, this national park is one of Adelaide’s finest tourist sites.
Camping, cycling, and bushwalking are three of the main activities here. The latter is our team’s favorite because of its slower pace.
We feel like you can best experience and see the forests’ best features if you explore on foot.
Experience the highs of hiking
If you take Sheoak Road from the city center, you can reach the awe-inspiring Mouth Lofty in just about 18 minutes.
This 710-meter peak in the Adelaide Hills offers a view of Adelaide like no other.
There are several trails you can take if you want to reach this mountain’s top. For beginners, we recommend the Main St. Crafters trail, as it’s the shortest.
Experienced hikers looking for an extra challenge may take the Waterfall Gully trail. This is the one we always use, and its challenge comes in the form of steeper areas.
No matter what trail you pick, expect to see fantastic views as you ascend toward Mount Lofty’s zenith. Don’t get surprised too if see a lot of koalas and kangaroos along the way!
Roam the wine regions
Adelaide’s wine is world-class. If you want to know how something world-renowned is produced, you can book a trip to the city’s best wine regions.
The Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale are our picks for the best wine regions in South Australia.
The vineyards here look heavenly, so we never run out of amazing scenery to capture whenever we visit.
You may also try their wine-making classes. In these classes, South Australia’s best winemakers will teach you how to blend different types of wine.
The wine you’ll make will even be named after you, and you can take it home as a souvenir (but we know you’ll use it for bragging rights).
