Best Things To Do In Adelaide | Australian Traveller

Blessed with an abundance of natural beauty, world-class cultural attractions and gastronomic delights, South Australia’s easy to navigate capital is fun, friendly and full of unforgettable adventures to suit every taste.

Ringed by sandy beaches and world-class wine regions, the South Australian capital is easy to fall in love with. But you don’t need to leave the city to enjoy the best that Adelaide has to offer. You can visit one of the world’s great food markets, learn about the region’s Indigenous history and see an Australian icon being made – all in a single day. And if you visit during one of the many annual festivals, the party continues well into the night.

Here’s everything you need to know about the best things to do in Adelaide.

1. Taste the world at the Adelaide Central Market

For more than 150 years, home cooks, chefs and tourists alike have flocked to the Adelaide Central Market, where more than 70 traders hawk fresh produce and cook up tasty treats from across the globe.

the fresh produce section at the Adelaide Central Market — Shop your way through the fresh produce section. (Image: Lewis Potter)

Whether you’re searching for Middle Eastern spices or Italian smallgoods, fresh Coffin Bay oysters or perfectly spiced empanadas, you’ll find what you’re looking for here.

a colourful mural at a dining spot in the Adelaide Central Market — Adelaide Central Market is popular for its vibrant food and art scene. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Download a free audio tour narrated by local food personalities Adam Liaw and Katie Spain to learn more about the colourful characters who have helped shape this gourmand’s paradise, or simply follow your nose and see where it leads you.

a stack of cheese at The Smelly Cheese Co., Adelaide Central Market — Pop by The Smelly Cheese Co. for artisanal cheeses. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

2. Catch a festival

Visit during February or March and it’s easy to see why Adelaideans call this the “festival season". The City’s East End transforms as temporary outdoor hubs spring up in the parklands and the world’s second largest fringe festival turns the entire city into a roving carnival with hundreds of performances every night.

coloured powder being thrown at the crowd during the WOMADelaide festival — Enjoy the vibrancy of the WOMADelaide festival. (Image: Grant Hancock)

At the same time, the city’s larger theatres (and sometimes the beaches and quarries) host acclaimed opera, theatre and dance works brought over by the Adelaide Festival, while Botanic Park rings out with a dizzying mix of samba, Ethio-jazz and throat singing during the joyful WOMADelaide festival.

crowds of people watching a concert at the WOMADelaide festival — Catch musical performances at the WOMADelaide festival. (Image: Jack Fenby)

But even outside of this time, a packed calendar ensures you’ll always find something happening in the Festival City , from the dazzling winter lights of Illuminate Adelaide to the cross-cultural collaborations of OzAsia and glammed-up burlesque performances in the Cabaret Festival. All you need to do is bring an adventurous spirit and join the party.

a light display at Illuminate Adelaide — Illuminate Adelaide is festooned with lights. (Image: Tourism Australia / South Australian Tourism Commission)

3. See Adelaide through Kaurna eyes

Long before the arrival of Europeans, the land on which Adelaide (Tarntanya) now sits was the home of the Kaurna people. Many of their most sacred sites have been built over, but the traditions associated with these places have been kept alive and Kaurna-owned-and-operated Southern Cultural Immersion invites visitors into this rich world.

a group walking along the beach during the Southern Cultural Immersion tour in Adelaide — Join a Southern Cultural Immersion tour. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Guests can explore the significance of native plants and learn traditional weaving techniques, or join the one-hour Adelaide City Cultural Tour that examines the history of Kaurna yerta (Kaurna country) from pre-invasion times through to the present day, delving into the significance of some of the most important sites and inviting visitors to see the city through a Kaurna lens.

the Southern Cultural Immersion cultural tour — Immerse yourself in the rich culture of the Kaurna people through a Southern Cultural Immersion tour. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

4. Take a tour of a chocolate factory

If you grew up dreaming of following Willy Wonka around his candy-coloured wonderland, there’s good news and bad news. Sadly those rivers of chocolate and everlasting gobstoppers remain firmly in the world of fiction. But on a more positive note, you can enjoy a free tour of the Haigh’s Chocolates factory in Adelaide’s inner south every day from Monday to Saturday.

chocolate flowing at Haigh’s Chocolates, Adelaide — Get your sweet tooth fix at the Haigh’s Chocolate factory. (Image: Haigh’s Chocolates)

Now onto its fourth generation, Australia’s most venerable family-owned chocolate maker still specialises in artisanal handcrafted treats and each twenty-minute tour explains how they transform ethically sourced cocoa beans into more than 250 mouthwatering products.

chocolates being offered at Haigh’s Chocolates, Adelaide — Get your hands on sweet treats. (Image: Tourism Australia / South Australia Tourism Commission)

Then it’s onto the production line where visitors can watch chocolates being made before indulging in a tasting and searching for bargain price seconds at the expansive onsite store.

the chocolate-making process at Haigh’s Chocolates, Adelaide — Learn about the chocolate-making process. (Image: Tourism Australia / South Australia Tourism Commission)

5. Lose yourself in a park where nature meets art and fine dining

Visitors to Adelaide are never far from a green space thanks to the Adelaide Park Lands that encircle the city. But if you want to really lose yourself in the trees, head to the Adelaide Botanic Garden on the northeastern edge of the CBD. Along with towering Moreton Bay Figs, pungent corpse flowers and ancient Wollemi pines, you’ll find greenhouses nurturing palms, cacti and giant Amazonian water lilies. If you get hungry, the 51-hectare grounds include one of Australia’s most acclaimed dining spots in Restaurant Botanic (along with some more casual options), while arty types will love the large-scale exhibitions like the showcase of famed glass artist Dale Chihuly’s eye-popping glass sculptures .

two women walking under a lavender tunnel at Adelaide Botanic Garden — Lose yourself along the purple tunnel at the Adelaide Botanic Garden. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

6. Go on a wine tour with a difference

Boasting three acclaimed wine regions within an hour of the CBD, it’s no wonder that Adelaide is one of only 12 Great Wine Capitals in the world. But you can embark on a glorious vinous journey without ever leaving the CBD thanks to the incredible collection at the National Wine Centre .

the National Wine Centre in Adelaide — Visit the National Wine Centre for a serious wine education. (Image: National Wine Centre of Australia)

All 65 of Australia’s wine regions are represented in the vast open cellar, and sommelier-led masterclasses allow you to explore the collection by varietal or region. Or you can learn about the people, places and grapes that have shaped our wine industry on a self-guided tour, then conduct some hands-on research at the Wined Bar’s array of Enomatic machines that allow you to taste 120 different wines.

visitors touring around the National Wine Centre — Explore the Australian wine collection by varietal or region at the National Wine Centre. (Image: Tourism Australia / South Australian Tourism Commission)

7. Indulge in a little pampering

Self-care can take many forms, and just about every one of them is covered at Davaar House . An oasis of calm on the southeastern fringes of the city, this beautifully restored three-story mansion has been transformed into a wellness centre offering everything from stress-relieving massages to an infrared Pilates capsule and a hyperbaric chamber.

a woman undergoing a massage treatment at Davaar House, Adelaide — Spare some pamper time for yourself at Davaar House.

Book one of the sensory deprivation float tanks and you’ll feel the weight slipping from your shoulders as time drifts away, while the yoga and meditation sessions have a maximum of 8 participants to preserve the intimate atmosphere. If you can’t decide, you can even combine a range of treatments on the indulgent 5-hour retreat day. And when you’re done, the ground-floor coffee shop is the perfect spot to grab a berry smoothie or avo toast before venturing back out into the city.

a couple standing in robes at Davaar House, Adelaide — You deserve a little pampering.

8. Walk away with the ultimate souvenir

A factory tour might seem like an unusual inclusion on a list of fun things to do in Adelaide, but the R.M. Williams site in Adelaide’s north is no ordinary production facility. The iconic Australian brand’s signature Craftsman boots are still assembled in largely the same way they were when Reginald Murray first learned to make them in 1932.

visitors browsing through the boots on display at R.M. Williams — Browse through the boots on display at R.M. Williams. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Every single boot goes through more than 80 separate processes as it is transformed from a single piece of leather into a wearable work of art, and you can follow that entire journey if you visit on a half-day tour . Then it’s time to grab some morning tea and learn about the brand’s rich history before visiting Reginald Murray’s original Percy Street workshop where you’ll be fitted with the ultimate souvenir – your own pair of R.M.s to keep.

a look inside the R.M. Williams site in Adelaide — The R.M. Williams site in Adelaide’s north is no ordinary production facility. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

9. Get your culture fix at one of Adelaide’s museums and galleries

It would take weeks to visit all of Adelaide’s incredible museums and galleries, but a short stroll along the cultural boulevard of North Terrace is enough to take in some of the city’s artistic highlights. In fact, in the space of just a few hundred metres you can travel all around the globe (and beyond).

the front facade of the Art Gallery of South Australia — Step into the contemporary Art Gallery of South Australia. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

First, fall under the spell of the pharaohs in the Ancient Egypt gallery at the South Australian Museum, then marvel at the Art Gallery of South Australia’s unrivalled collection of traditional and contemporary Indigenous art before venturing to the surface of Mars at the Australian Space Discovery Centre.

a look inside the Art Gallery of South Australia — Wander through the various exhibitions. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

10. Say cheers to a local icon

Through depressions and world wars, heat waves and floods, there has been one constant for Adelaideans. After 162 years and six generations, you can still find Coopers on tap at the corner pub. The recent explosion of craft beers has only increased the brand’s popularity, and Australia’s largest independent brewery is now inviting visitors to peek behind the scenes at the brand new $70-million-dollar visitor centre in Regency Park.

a look inside Coopers brewery in Adelaide — Find Coopers on tap at the corner pub. (Image: Studio Nine Architects)

Budding home brewers can take a deep dive into every aspect of the production process or sample the finished product in the tasting room, while the onsite microbrewery is busy making a range of exclusive experimental brews.

the Coopers brewery in Regency Park, Adelaide — Peek behind the scenes at the brand new visitor centre in Regency Park.

If you want to make a day out of it, the adjacent restaurant specialises in South American and Mediterranean flavours specially designed to match the Coopers range (and sometimes incorporates the beers into the dishes).

the restaurant adjacent to Coopers brewery in Adelaide — Dine at the adjacent restaurant.

11. Shop and dine at Rundle Mall

In 1976, when the opening ribbon was cut at Rundle Mall , the then Premier Don Dunstan (who initially green-lit the project) arrived on horse and cart. Ten thousand people lined the streets, toasting champagne to a new era in Adelaide retail.

people strolling along the streets of Rundle Mall, Adelaide — Head to Rundle Mall for all things retail. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Over 40 years later, Rundle Mall remains the home of shopping, dining and entertainment in Adelaide, with over 24 million people a year visiting the car-free shopping strip.

the Haigh's Chocolates original retail store at Rundle Mall — Haigh’s original retail store is located at the corner of Rundle Mall and King William Street. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

It hosts over 700 retailers and 300 services, combining leading retail brands, a huge selection of things to eat and drink with rich history, prominent landmarks and a steady stream of vibrant buskers.

people buying French delicacies at Les Deux Coqs in Rundle Mall — Indulge in French delicacies at Les Deux Coqs in Rundle Mall. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

12. Visit one of the beautiful beaches

Adelaide has so much food, culture, art and wine to offer, that many forget it’s also home to some A+ beaches.

sunset at The Moseley Beach Club, Glenelg Beach — Have a sundowner at the Moseley Beach Club on Glenelg Beach. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Family-friendly Glenelg Beach is one of the most popular and is accessible via tram from the city to Moseley Square. Henley Beach is a high-end option, with the surrounding restaurants, cafes and shops catering to the luxury traveller.

a dog running on Glenelg Beach — Go frolicking with your dog at Glenelg Beach. (Image: Josh Geelen Photographer)

For history buffs, Semaphore Beach is surrounded by Art Deco architecture. Be sure to check out the iconic 1920s Palais bathing pavilion while you’re there.

Adelaide beaches — Sunsets at Semaphore Beach are breathtaking. (Image:

13. Explore Morialta Conservation Park

You’ll find Morialta Conservation Park just 10 km north-east of Adelaide city centre.

a cave hole at the Morialta Conservation Park — Morialta Conservation Park is home to stunning rock formations. (Image: Joel Durbridge)

The park is home to three striking waterfalls, all linked by three hiking trails ready to be explored at your leisure. If you’d like to tick off all three, the 7.5km hike will take about four hours.

a kid standing in front of a waterfall at Morialta Conservation Park — See one of the striking waterfalls at Morialta Conservation Park. (Image: Megan Crabb)

Kids will love the brand new Mukanthi nature play space, or the chance to climb the Birds Nest, discover an Aboriginal fire pit at Frog Island, find the secret tunnel at Great Snake, and reach the peak at Eagles Perch.

a woman standing at a cave entrance in Morialta Conservation Park — Outdoor lovers will enjoy exploring the natural gorges around Morialta Conservation Park. (Image: Megan Crabb)

Morialta is also one of the state’s most popular spots for rock climbing, with options that vary in difficulty for both beginners and experts.

a woman rock climbing at Morialta Conservation Park — Conquer the rock climb and abseil tour with Earth Adventure. (Image: Tourism Australia / South Australian Tourism Commission)

Need somewhere to stay? Check out our accommodation guide.

This remote corner of Australia is one of the world’s last frontiers. This is how to see it properly.

Vast, rugged and deeply spiritual, the Kimberley coast in Australia’s North West feels a world away from everyday Australia – and there are countless ways to explore it. But if you want to reach ancient rock art, hidden gorges and lonely waterfalls, it has to be by boat. Whether you’re aboard a nimble expedition vessel or a luxury yacht with all the trimmings, exploring by the water brings exclusive experiences, shows unique views and makes travel easier than any other mode. And that’s just the beginning of Australia’s North West cruises.

The True North Adventure Cruise in between sandstone cliffs. — Adventure starts where the road ends.

1. Discover Broome, and beyond

Explore your launchpad before you set sail: Broome. Here camels and their riders stride along the 22 kilometres of powdery Cable Beach at sunset. That’s just the start.

At Gantheaume Point, red pindan cliffs plunge into the turquoise sea, whose low tide uncovers fossilised dinosaur footprints. Broome’s pearling history runs deep. Japanese, Chinese, Malay and Aboriginal divers once worked these waters, and their legacy lives on in boutiques where South Sea pearls still shine.

If the moon’s right, you may catch the Staircase to the Moon over Roebuck Bay. Or simply kick back with a cold beverage and a film under the stars at Sun Pictures , screening since 1916.

Ride a camel along Cable Beach as the sun sinks into the Indian Ocean, casting golden light across the sand and sea. — Ride a camel along Cable Beach. (Image: Nick Dunn)

2. Unmatched access to The Kimberley

Once you’re onboard, expect a backstage pass to some of the most isolated places on Earth. No roads. No ports. No phone reception.

At Horizontal Falls/ Garaanngaddim, 10-metre tides surge through twin gorges like a natural waterpark ride that’ll make your palms sweat. Then there’s Montgomery Reef/ Yowjab: a giant living platform of coral and seagrass, where the sea pulls back to reveal waterfalls, sea turtles and ospreys.

Up north, King George Falls/ Oomari rage 80 metres down red cliffs. Zodiac boats often nudge in closer so you can feel the spray on your sun-warmed cheeks. You might even fly in to reach Mitchell Falls/ Punamii-unpuu, a four-tiered cascade where you can swim in freshwater pools above the drop.

Come spring, some itineraries veer west to Rowley Shoals: an atoll chain of white sand and reef walls. Then it’s up the winding Prince Regent River to King Cascade/ Maamboolbadda, tumbling over rock terraces, and into a Zodiac to view the Gwion Gwion rock art, whose slender, ochre-painted figures are older than the pyramids.

A cruise drifts beneath King George Falls, where sheer sandstone cliffs frame the thunderous plunge into turquoise waters. — Get closer to the Kimberley than ever before.

3. Taste the Kimberley with onboard hospitality

You might spend your days clambering over slippery rocks or charging past waterfalls. But when you’re back on the water, it’s a different story. Meals are chef-prepared and regionally inspired: grilled barramundi, pearl meat sashimi, mango tarts, and bush tomato chutney. One night it’s barefoot beach barbecues with your shipmates; the next, alfresco dining on the ship.

Small expedition ships each have their own personality, but many carry just 12 to 36 guests, making being out on the water a whole other experience. You might sink into a spa on the foredeck or sip coffee in a lounge while watching crocodiles cruise by. It’s choose-your-own-relaxation, Kimberley style.

4. Expert-led excursions through the Kimberley

These voyages are led by people who know the Kimberley like the back of their sunburnt hand. Attenborough-esque naturalists might gently tap your shoulder to point out rare birds or tell the story beneath a slab of rock. Historians can explain exactly how that rusted World War II relic came to rest here.

If your ship has a helipad, you might chopper straight to a waterfall-fed swimming hole. If not, you’ll still be hopping ashore for that wet landing at a secret creek.

Then come the evenings: songlines shared by Traditional Owners under the stars, or astronomy sessions that link what’s overhead with what’s underfoot and what’s within.

A small group glides through Kimberley’s rugged coastline by boat, passing ancient cliffs. — Explore with naturalists and historians by your side.

5. Relax in luxurious lodgings

Just because you’re off-grid doesn’t mean you have to rough it. These Kimberley vessels are small in size, but mighty in luxury. True North’s ships come with their own helicopters and a no-sea-days policy, so you’re always in the thick of it. Try the luxurious offerings from Ocean Dream Charters for exploration in style. Kimberley Quest offers a fast boat for easy, off-ship adventures. On the larger end of the scale, Coral Expeditions has open-deck bars and curated wine cellars. And then there’s Ponant’s luxury yachts – sleek and incredibly stylish French sailing yachts.

A helicopter soars above the sea, with a sleek cruise ship gliding in the distance. — See the Kimberley from sky to shore.

6. The adventure continues with pre- and post-cruise experiences

You’ve already come this far – so, why not go further? Broome makes it easy to ease in before you board, or wind down when your voyage ends, and there is no reason to stop there.

Head an hour and a half south to Eco Beach to stay off-grid and off the clock. Join a Yawuru guide for a mangrove walk or ocean forage. Dive even deeper into Broome’s pearling past at Willie Creek or Cygnet Bay, where divers and craftspeople still pull the seawater-slicked gems from the deep.

If you’re still craving adventure, it’s time to go further. Soar over the Buccaneer Archipelago, or detour inland with a 4WD trip along the Gibb River Road. Book a scenic flight over the Bungle Bungles. Or – because you never know when you’ll be back – do all three.

aerial of people walking on eco beach in the kimberley western australia — Stay off grid at Eco Beach. (Image: Tourism WA)

Find out more about your trip to Australia’s North West at australiasnorthwest.com .

13 of the best things to do in Adelaide for every budget