Destination overview

Located on the Torrens River and surrounded to the east by the Mt Lofty Ranges and to the west by the Gulf St Vincent, Adelaide prides itself on its live music and arts scene, historic building heritage and central location to one of Australia's best-known wine growing regions, the Barossa Valley.

With a population of slightly more than one million, Adelaide is the ‘20 minute city’. The airport is only seven kilometres from the centre of the city and the Adelaide Hills and major beaches are less than half an hour away by car.

When Colonel Light founded Adelaide in 1836, he had a simple plan - a city centre of one square mile and lots of open space. He laid out the streets in a grid, surrounded by a ring of what are now State Heritage listed parklands.

Adelaide has a diverse cultural mix that guarantees sensational food. And, it lays claim to being the wine capital of Australia, with numerous regions on its doorstep. There’s the Barossa Valley, Coonawarra and the Clare Valley. The Adelaide Hills also has some stunning whites, then there’s McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

The Adelaide Botanic Gardens are a short stroll from the city and one of the 29 parks that make up Adelaide’s famous parklands. Next door is the Adelaide Zoo. The Art Gallery of South Australia, Migration Museum, South Australian Museum and the State Library of South Australia are all along North Terrace.

The Adelaide Festival Centre is Adelaide’s arts’ heart. Overlooking Elder Park on the banks of the picturesque River Torrens, it’s a perfect place to feed the ducks, row a boat, walk or cycle the Linear Park Trail. Adelaide Oval is across the river and when sporting events are on, particularly the cricket in summer, you’ll hear the roar of the crowd from one of Australia’s most magnificent sporting venues.

Gouger Street is one of Adelaide’s bustling restaurant strips, with a huge range of eateries to choose from. There’s plenty more on offer in Rundle Street, and in fact, there are many pubs and more than 100 restaurants in Adelaide city alone.

Among the rare fossils at the South Australian Museum is a four-storey giant squid. You won’t believe it until you see it. The world’s biggest display of Australian Aboriginal artefacts sits in the museum’s Aboriginal culture gallery. Also, you can celebrate diverse culture at the Migration Museum. It tells stories about the people and communities that shaped South Australia.

Historic Port Adelaide
The Maritime Museum at Port Adelaide has Australia’s oldest collection of nautical treasure, with some of it dating back to the 1870s.

The National Railway Museum has giant steam engines to climb on and an old steam train to ride. And at the South Australian Aviation Museum you can see an historic World War Two Spitfire plane and other restored aircraft.

Beyond Adelaide city
A tram ride to Glenelg, South Australia’s major beachside precinct, is an Adelaide institution. The refurbished Adelaide Entertainment Centre is at the other end of the line. It’s located at Hindmarsh, about 10 minutes north of Adelaide city.

Only five minutes east from the city you will find The Parade at Norwood, which is bursting with cosmopolitan cafés and restaurants. Relive our colonial past with an Old Adelaide Gaol Ghost Tour or visit heritage Port Adelaide for museums, river cruises and to see the famous dolphin sanctuary.

Adelaide City Beaches
Adelaide's beaches stretch from North Haven to Sellicks Beach in the south. Most beaches are less than 30 minutes from the city. Catch the tram from the city to historic Glenelg, the major tourist beach. It's just 12 kilometres from the city centre.

While in Glenelg, you can browse the shops, cafés, restaurants and bars on Jetty Road and at Holdfast Marina, Moseley Square and along the jetty. Or, you may choose to picnic on the grass under the pine trees.

Popular Brighton Beach is right next door. It has an art deco feel, jetty, cafés and restaurants. To the south, walk along the cliffs and trails, while enjoying the spectacular views of the city. Travel north from Glenelg and make your way to West Beach. Surrounded by parklands and a golf course, this sailing beach is perfect for kayaking.

Restaurants and bars grace the Henley Beach foreshore and grassy square. This is another family-friendly beach, with gentle waves, a jetty and esplanade. Walk 20 minutes north from Henley jetty and you’ll be at Grange Beach.

Northern beaches
Two kilometres of grassy sand dunes give Semaphore a very different feel to the other suburban beaches. Beautifully preserved seafront history and Semaphore Road’s café strip create a vibrant mix for visitors.  One of Adelaide’s safest beaches is North Haven, with its boat marina and man-made breakwaters.

Southern beaches
At the southern end of the metropolitan coast, the Mount Lofty Ranges meet the sea at Sellicks Beach - a suburban, surfing beach framed by steep cliffs. There are more cliffs at gorgeous Port Willunga which neighbours the scenic golden sands of Aldinga Beach.

Adelaide Hills
Barely 30 minutes from Adelaide’s city centre and 45 minutes from the airport, experience a change of pace in the Adelaide Hills. It stretches from the Barossa Valley in the north, to Kuitpo Forest in the south.

It's hard to imagine a better way to spend a relaxing afternoon than cruising through the Adelaide Hills and sampling some of the region's legendary produce along the way. You will also encounter a menagerie of animals, and can make a day of it in wonderful places like Cleland Wildlife Park and the Hahndorf Farm Barn.

If you’re looking for a relaxing driving holiday, the countryside is as pretty as a picture and dotted with quaint villages and bustling towns. With some of Australia’s best cool-climate wines, the Adelaide Hills’ food and produce comes straight from nature’s top shelf.

You will also find walking trails, three major shopping precincts, Australia’s oldest German settlement, Hahndorf, and the garden village of Stirling.

Perfectly located, the Barossa and the Fleurieu Peninsula are all within an hour’s drive of the Adelaide Hills.  With more than 60 wineries, acclaimed locally grown food and produce, indulge your appetite in the Adelaide Hills. As one of Australia’s best cool climate wine regions, there’s a cellar door around every corner.

Barossa
Home to some of the world’s most lauded vineyards, the Barossa is about an hour north of Adelaide. It’s one of Australia’s most famous wine regions. You’ll find Jacob’s Creek, Wolf Blass and Penfolds wines here, along with boutique wineries, great bakeries and country pubs.

Lying between rolling hills to the east and sandy beaches to the west, Adelaide’s beauty is its accessibility. A holiday here will be one that you won’t soon forget.