14 Best Things To Do In The Adelaide Hills

Start here for the best things to do in the Adelaide hills that go beyond wine tasting.

Of course, you’re going to be spending a sizeable measure of time in the undulating Adelaide Hills sipping wine. We have that itinerary covered for you here, and dining, too. But there are plenty of other things you really should do on a visit to this beautiful region.

From strawberry-picking to ice-cream-licking, and bike-riding to summit-hiking, you’ll find plenty of extra-curricular activities to complement your viticultural pursuits. It’s worth adding an extra day or two just to ensure you can adopt a leisurely pace to explore more. Here are 14 of the best things to do in the Adelaide Hills.

1. Beerenberg Farm

An Adelaide Hills institution, Beerenberg is a must-visit on your tour of the region. The family name may be familiar from supermarket shelves across the country, but here you’ll discover the provenance of flavour that makes Beerenberg’s jams, sauces and marinades so delicious.

a mother with her kids strawberry picking at the Beerenberg Farm — Strawberry picking is a fun family activity. (Image: Tourism Australia / South Australian Tourism Commission)

In strawberry season (November to April), head to the Hahndorf farm to pick your own basket of berries from the patch or pop in any time to enjoy breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea at the farm cafe and shop.

the cafe and shop inside Beerenberg Farm — Shop the delicious array of jams. (Image: Beerenberg Farm)

Kids won’t leave without a visit to The Dairy, the farm’s ice creamery, where waffles, thickshakes and homemade gelati will hit the insatiable sweet spot head-on.

a herd of cows at Beerenberg Farm — See cows and goats at the small farm. (Image: We Are Komodo and Daisy Hofstetter)

2. Sticky Rice Cooking School

Fire up the wok and expand your signature dish repertoire with some culinary tuition at Sticky Rice Cooking School . This well-run Adelaide Hills favourite has been honing the skills of home chefs since 2008, plumping up their pad Thai, fine-tuning their dumpling-folding technique and crisping up their pork belly.

a cooking class at Sticky Rice Cooking School — Join a culinary class covering Spanish and Middle Eastern cuisines. (Image: Sticky Rice Cooking School)

It’s mostly Asian-style menus here, from Japanese to Malaysian and Thai, but you’ll also find classes covering Spanish and Middle Eastern. If you’re too full from your own masterful creations, stay onsite at one of the three beautiful, Asian-inspired villas.

cooking an Asian-style dish in a pan at Sticky Rice Cooking School — Master Asian-style dishes. (Image: Adelaide Hills Wine Region)

3. Cycle the Hills

Take to two wheels for a fun way to wind through the Adelaide Hills. Bike About guides culinarily inclined cyclists on a tour of Hahndorf and her surrounds, stopping at local wine and food producers along the way.

a group of women exploring Shaw + Smith, Adelaide Hills — Stop by Shaw + Smith to try their signature wines. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

The five-hour outing sees you pedal to Beerenberg to pick strawberries, into Udder Delights to sample cheese, and onto Shaw + Smith to sip their award-winning wines.

food dipped into cheese at Udder Delights — Sample irresistable cheese at Udder Delights. (Image: Udder Delights)

While some effort is involved, it’s relatively minimal given you’re issued with an e-bike for the journey – allowing you to enjoy the breeze on your face as you woosh past the stunning countryside.

4. Cleland Wildlife Park

Furred and fluffy locals hang about at Cleland Wildlife Park wowing visitors with their adorable cuddliness.

a koala resting on a branch at Cleland Wildlife Park — Cuddle cute koalas at Cleland Wildlife Park. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Most animals here live in a natural habitat but are quite accustomed to fawning parkgoers and will often willingly accept pats and feed and pose for the occasional photo.

kangaroos at Cleland Wildlife Park — Spot kangaroos in their natural habitat. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

While koalas are the headliners, you may also spot kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, potoroos, dingoes, native birds, reptiles and even the shy echidna. Stay tuned for the soon-to-open educational hub, Koala Loft, where visitors can interact with koalas and learn about their conservation.

a yellow-footed rock wallaby at Cleland Wildlife Park — You can also see yellow-footed rock wallabies. (Image: Greg Snell)

5. Ambleside Distillers

Even the most devout oenophiles need to cleanse their palate every now and then. Break up a wine-focused excursion with a visit to the Ambleside Distillery to try their selection of botanically infused gins.

the exterior of Ambleside Distillers, Adelaide Hills — Amble through Ambleside Distillers. (Image: Tourism Australia / South Australia Tourism Commission)

Their spirited collection includes seasonal releases, such as mandarin gin made from South Australian citrus and the blossom gin crafted with strawberries from Beerenberg and rose from Jurlique, as well as their core range infused with local and native ingredients.

a bartender mixing drinks at Ambleside Distillers — Sample their world-class gin tipples. (Image: Tourism Australia / South Australia Tourism Commission)

Try a selection with a gin flight at the distillery or sip one (or more) of their refreshing gin cocktails. If the sun is shining, find a spot on the lawn and temper your tasting with some nibbles or a toastie.

friends enjoying a gin and wine tasting session at Ambleside Distillers, Adelaide Hills — Gather a few mates for a gin-tasting session. (Image: Tourism Australia / South Australia Tourism Commission)

6. Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens

To see how the cool-climate garden grows in the Adelaide Hills, carve out a little time from your rigorous wine-tasting schedule to wander the beautiful Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens .

an aerial view of Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens — Be surrounded by a tapestry of foliage. (Image: Tourism Australia / South Australian Tourism Commission)

Meandering over 97 hectares and planted with different gardens and gullies – including a fragrant rose garden – it’s the prettiest place for a stroll in any season.

Along your walk, you’ll encounter a collection of sculptures, many by celebrated artist Greg Johns, as well as the Noel Lothian Viewing Platform, which spoils visitors with a pretty tapestry of foliage.

7. Wander through Hahndorf

It won’t take you long to discern something of a Bavarian theme in this charming Adelaide Hills town. Established in 1839, Hahndorf is Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement and this identity has been cleverly parlayed into a tourist drawcard. But apart from the toppings for your bratwurst, there’s nothing all that cheesy about Hahndorf.

friends exploring the Grunthal Brewery in Hahndorf — Explore the historic Grunthal Brewery in Hahndorf. (Image: Tourism Australia / South Australia Tourism Commission)

While there are a handful of German pubs, eateries and themed shops, it’s also just an adorable tree-lined town with historic buildings and a vaguely European vibe. Here you’ll also find the craft Grunthal Brewery , the chic Waldon’s General Store , and a stylish Spanish restaurant, Comida , among other finds.

friends enjoying at Grunthal Brewery in Hahndorf — Catch up over a cold pint at Grunthal Brewery. (Image: Tourism Australia / South Australia Tourism Commission)

8. The Stirling Market

If you happen to arrive in the Hills on the weekend of this long-established monthly market, you’ll have struck artisan gold. The Stirling Market is a collective of makers and creators with a bit of everything on offer to tempt any type of shopper. Peruse stalls selling plants, handicrafts, local honey, produce, toys, books, antiques and ceramics. There’s also hot food and coffee and live entertainment lending a convivial atmosphere to this community event.

9. Hike to the Mounty Lofty Summit

All the fine wining and dining done in the Adelaide Hills may call for a counterbalance of physical activity. The 7.8-kilometre return Waterfall Gully to Mount Lofty summit hike is a good way to offset indulgence given it’s an uphill climb. The steep hike is graded as ‘hard’, but should take no more than three hours up and back.

the Waterfall Gully near Mt Lofty summit — Walk from Waterfall Gully to Mount Lofty Summit. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

However, at the top, you will find The Summit Café and Function Centre , where you may feel like rewarding yourself with an Aperol spritz and delaying your descent or calling for a pick-up.

the Waterfall Gully in Adelaide Hills — Reach the summit for more rewarding views. (Image: Ben Goode)

10. Browse Antiques

Country towns are often a goldmine for bygone bric-a-brac and the Adelaide Hills antique trade is no different. Scattered about is a collection of stores selling found and foraged objects with a certain rustic and rusted charm to delight the Antiques Roadshow set. Check out The Warehouse at Woodside , Hahdorf’s Grass Roots Vintage and Hahndorf Antiques and Collectibles , as well as Ambleside Antiques and the weekends-only The Local Produce Shop & Farmer’s Daughter , among others dotted about.

a couple browsing through antique items at The Warehouse at Woodside — Step into The Warehouse at Woodside for all things antique. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

11. Woodside Cheese Wrights cellar door

This artisan cheesemaker has been separating their curds and whey since 1994. The Woodside Cheese Wrights range includes cow and goat milk varieties made using local milk from surrounding dairies, so you’ll be able to taste the distinct terroir of the region. Their chevre is a cult product but swing by the Woodside cellar door to taste a number of deliciously creamy concoctions. Best enjoyed with a crusty loaf of bread and a crisp, Adelaide Hills white, of course.

a cheese offering at Woodside Cheese Wrights cellar door — Taste creamy delights at Woodside Cheese Wrights. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

12. Pull into roadside stalls

The fecund Adelaide Hills may be best known for its proliferation of grapes, but these hills are also alive with all manner of tempting produce. While you’ll find plenty on restaurant menus around the region, you can also collect your own provisions from the many roadside stalls and farm gates dotted from Verdun to Balhannah and Piccadilly to Uraidla. Particularly good if you’re staying in accommodation equipped with a kitchen. If you’re visiting in the summer months, you’ll find yourself amid a cherry fest. Find the plump, sweet fruit sold at stalls or you even pick your own. This guide will show you the way.

13. Jurlique Farm tour

For 35 years, Jurlique has been hydrating hands and other body parts using naturally grown botanicals from their Adelaide Hills farm. For skincare fanatics or anyone who enjoys a stroll around a beautiful garden, add a tour of this B-Corp Certified company to your itinerary. The 90-minute tour will take you behind the scenes of this beloved Australian skincare brand, while explaining the nature and science that goes into their products. If you’d rather go skin-deeper, opt for the eight-hour tour that includes an afternoon in the Jurlique Spa.

14. Eat, drink and be merry

Of course, the top-tier reason for visiting the Adelaide Hills is to savour the area’s incredible wineries and complementary restaurants. While there are far too many to list here if you’d like to hit the vines, read our top picks here. And for booking in those gastronomic adventures, these are the best restaurants in the Adelaide Hills.

al fresco dining at Pike and Joyce Lenswood — Dine al fresco at Pike and Joyce. (Image: Adelaide Hills Wine Region/South Australian Tourism Commission)

Need somewhere to rest your head? Choose from one of the best accommodations in Adelaide Hills.

From cabins to canvas, craft distillers to destination dining, Heathcote locals reveal their eco-savvy passions in ways that resonate with those seeking to travel lightly.

Heathcote , on traditional Taungurung Country in Central Victoria, is synonymous with its garnet-hued shiraz, but wine isn’t the only string to its bow. The town itself is sprinkled with heritage buildings from the gold rush era, and beyond that a growing collection of sustainable gastronomy and eco-friendly escapes. Nearby Bendigo, one of only 65 cities in the world recognised as a UNESCO Creative City and Region of Gastronomy, plates up an astonishing calibre of produce, wine and food for its size. Increasingly the entire region is taking up the challenge, though Heathcote in particular shines with its focus on sustainability.

Pink Cliffs GeologicalReserve — The dramatic landscape of Heathcote’s Pink Cliffs Geological Reserve. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Goodfrey)

The eco-stays bringing sustainability to Heathcote

Yellow BoxWood’s safari-style tents — Yellow Box Wood’s safari-style tents are nestled on 40 hectares of bushland. (Image: Emily Goodfrey)

Andee and Lisa Davidson spent years working in southern Africa before settling in Heathcote. “We had a vision of how this could be,” explains Andee. “We wanted a retreat, but one that was off-grid and environmentally sustainable.” Now, at Yellow Box Wood , two luxury safari-style tents are at the heart of 40 hectares of rolling hills and native bush, with kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas, goanna and birdlife aplenty. It’s all solar-powered, wood for the fire is mainly fallen timber, and water is collected on the carport roof. No lack of creature comforts though – en suite with rain shower, espresso coffee maker, comfy seating, wood-burning fire all set to go. There’s also a solar-heated, mineral salt pool in a bush setting, walking tracks, and even a mini bush golf course. On my visit, I put the vision to the test. Cocooned in the plush four-poster bed I can glimpse the stars, while the heater casts a golden glow on the canvas. In the morning, I wake to a blush-pink sunrise, kangaroos feeding and a soundtrack of magpies.

If a tent is not your style, Stephen and Cally Trompp’s carbon-neutral Mt Ida Eco Cabin might entice with its generous deck and farmland views. Inside the cabin, corrugated iron walls as rusty as a shearing shed, gleaming (recycled) floorboards, timber truss ceiling (crafted by Stephen), wood-fired heater and an old-school turntable with a pile of vinyls to spin. It’s fun, and a little boho. “Everything is recycled. The cabin takes maximum advantage of the sun in winter. It’s all solar-powered. Don’t panic, though,” says Stephen, “you can still charge your phone and get 4G reception!” Settle into an Adirondack chair on the deck or pedal off on a mountain bike to suss out the wineries.

A taste of Spain in Central Victoria

Another person with a vision is Evan Pritchard at his Three Dams Estate where the wines reflect his deep love of Spain and of Spanish-style grapes, such as tempranillo. Afternoons in the ‘wine shed’ or cantina are matched with music (flamenco is a favourite), Spanish bites from tapas to paella (with Evan on the pans!) and views to Mount Alexander. Sustainability is also a passion. “You don’t need to buy anything. We decided to be off-grid from the start, but it is a lifestyle change,” he says. “You need to think about it and be careful.” Everything here is recycled, reassembled, refurbished. Evan has an electric car (with solar-powered charger), solar-power for the winery, and even a jaunty little electric tractor/forklift. “I love the idea of all the things you can do using the sun.” Sipping a crisp rosado (a Spanish rosé) with Evan in the sunshine, I couldn’t agree more.

The vineyard redefining sustainable winemaking

Silver Spoon winery — The Silverspoon Estate winery is completely off-grid. (Image: Graham Hosking)

On the other side of Heathcote, Silver Spoon Estate demonstrates sustainability on a more extensive scale. Tracie and Peter Young’s winery, cellar door, award-winning restaurant and their own house are all solar-powered and off the grid. Sustainability is intrinsic to everything they do. The property sprawls across 100 hectares, with 20 hectares under vine – shiraz, viognier, grenache, tempranillo. As the climate has changed, so too has the approach. These are dry-grown vineyards. “We prune for drought. That means lower yields but more intense flavours,” says Peter. The fine-dining restaurant offers sweeping views, a wood-burning fire and a deck for languid lunches. Head chef Ben Hong sources regional, sustainable ingredients and weaves estate wines into the menu – think crispy wild mushroom arancini, viognier-infused chicken breast.

Silver Spoon’s award-winning restaurant.

Heathcote’s other hidden gems

Not all local wineries have a cellar door, but I find local treasures at the Heathcote Wine Hub , a petite 1855 timber church in the main street, lovingly returned to life by Karen Robertson and Carey Moncrieff. “Carey is a scrounger,” says Karen. “He doesn’t throw a single thing away.” He does, however, craft things into something quite special. Heritage floors, light-filtering lancet windows and shelves of regional wines create the perfect ambience for wine tasting. Or order a glass and linger over a cheese platter.

Heathcote is not all wine, of course. Nathan Wheat and partner Vanessa Curtis run Envy Distilling with a committed sustainable ethic – and a serious love of gin. Their small-batch distillery produces grape-based gin, and soon brandy. Distilled water is reused in an ingenious cooling system. All waste is treated on site. They buy excess wine from winemakers to distil and buy recycled barrels. “Distilling with the sun,” as Nathan says. Each Envy gin has its own story. Spicy, award-winning The Dry, is designed to capture the region’s dry, rugged nature. Pull up a stool at the bar (reclaimed timbers and tiles, of course), order a Gin Flight, or kick back with a cocktail and let Nathan share his eco journey.

Envy gins — Sample gins at small-batch distillery Envy.

A traveller’s checklist

Getting there

It’s less than two hours’ drive from Melbourne. The scenic route we take goes past Sunbury, then along a splendid country road through Romsey and the magic, boulder-strewn landscape of Lancefield. Watch for kangaroos on the road!

Staying there

Go off-grid in style at Yellow Box Wood for glamping or try Mt Ida Eco Cabin for a couple’s weekend hideaway.

Eating there

French dishes at Chauncy — Award-winning French restaurant Chauncy.

At award-winning Chauncy , French chef Louis Naepels and sommelier wife Tess Murray have created a tiny, elegant pocket of rural France. Meticulously restored 1850s sandstone building, sun-drenched dining room, impeccable service, a menu suffused with local flavours and thoughtful wine pairings.

Fodder is both cafe and social hub. Chef Mo Pun and sister Lalita serve classic Aussie breakfast-to-lunch fare, though their Nepalese heritage sneaks through.

Playing there

Sanguine Estate ’s cellar door and terrace overlook bucolic vineyards. Its award-winning, dry-grown wines include the distinctive D’Orsa Blanc dessert wine, reflecting the family’s Swiss-Italian heritage. Order a charcuterie board and stay a while. Keep it carbon neutral by cycling some (or all) of the 50-kilometre O’Keefe Rail Trail to Bendigo.

At Bridgeward Grove , learn about the property’s Old Mission Grove heritage olive trees, do a sommelier olive oil tasting, and stock up on sustainably grown olives and oil. Explore the unique landscape, wildflowers and wildlife of pink cliffs geological reserve.

14 of the best things to do in the Adelaide Hills