Sandwiched between the hills and the wide expanse of its beaches, the accessible and underrated Adelaide is full to the brim with world-class attractions, festivals and food.

Visit one of the world’s best indoor food markets, learn about the region’s Indigenous history, and pick your own piece of South Australian produce. Align a stay during the many annual festivals and take a day trip out to one of the state’s famed wine regions. Here’s our guide to the best things to do in Adelaide.

In short

If you only do one thing in Adelaide, head to the historic and globally renowned Central Market to discover the world-class produce being grown in South Australia and have a taste of its famed food scene.

1. It’s the Festival State for a reason

Adelaide truly does live up to its tagline, with something on nearly every month to entertain. The year kicks off with a festival of cycling with the Tour Down Under before shifting into full festival mode from February through March, when the Adelaide Festival and the world’s second-largest fringe festival arrive simultaneously. The East End transforms as temporary tents and food trucks spring up in the parklands, and the city turns into a roving carnival.

Come April, the Botanic Gardens play host to WOMADelaide, four days of world music, dance and food that reliably ranks among the country’s great outdoor events. Winter brings a different kind of spectacle with the Cabaret Festival over the June long weekend and Illuminate Adelaide lighting up the city after dark.

The second half of the year is no quieter. OzAsia and the Lucky Dumpling Market at Elder Park celebrates the city’s deep connections with Asia, while in November, the East End hosts the Cheese Fest – proof that Adelaide knows how to eat and drink its way through a calendar year.

2. Taste the world at Adelaide’s markets

The best indoor food market is here in Adelaide. For more than 150 years, stalls and cafes have been selling their wares to locals and tourists at the Adelaide Central Market.

Discover the market’s history and the unique offerings with a guided tour, or simply wander up and down the aisles, stopping in at Barossa Fine Foods, the Smelly Cheese Shop or one of the seafood bars now popping up. We also love to grab a quick old-school pasta or minestrone from Lucia’s Pizza and Spaghetti Bar and make a pitstop at the old lollyshop.

For even more local produce, the Adelaide Farmers Market on every Sunday at the Adelaide Showgrounds is a sprawling showcase of the state’s finest fruit, vegetables, baked goods, meat and more. Get there early before the chicken pies go at Poh Ling Yeow’s Jamface (add Madeleines, apricot slices and other mouth-watering sweets).

3. See Adelaide through Kaurna eyes

Adelaide (Tarntanya – translating to ‘place of the male red kangaroo’) is the home of the Kaurna people. Discover the world’s oldest living culture through Aboriginal-guided tours like those with Bookabee. Their Aboriginal guides share creation stories passed down through generations to connect to the area’s history, traditions, and beauty of Country. Take a cultural tour at the museum or discover the traditional uses of native plants for bush food, medicine, and tools at the Botanic Garden.

To explore on your own, there are several walks around the city that wind through significant sites and which honour prominent Kaurna Elders. Gladys Elphick Park / Narnungga (translating to ‘native pine place’ in Kaurna) honours the life and work of Gladys Elphick (1904–1988), a prominent Kaurna Elder and known as a strong advocate for Kaurna women.

4. Escape to nature within city limits

Famed for the green parklands that ring Adelaide’s CBD, the Botanic Garden is a sprawling 51-hectare sanctuary on the city’s northeastern edge – conveniently located at the end of the tram line.

The grounds take in an impressive range of environments: the Australian Native Garden, a Dahlia garden, wetlands, and the International Rose Garden with more than 350 cultivars. Glasshouses nurture palms, cacti and giant Amazonian water lilies, with the standout being the Bicentennial Conservatory – the largest single-span conservatory in the Southern Hemisphere.Keep an eye out for the pungent Titan Arum – the infamous corpse flower when it decides to make its rare and memorable appearance.

Pack a picnic and find a patch of shade beneath the great Moreton Bay Figs, browse the art installations that appear throughout the grounds, or stock up on seeds at the Diggers Club Garden Shop. For something indulgent, dine at Restaurant Botanic or the more casual Botanic Lodge.

5. Discover the state’s history and culture

A stroll along North Terrace covers an extraordinary amount of cultural ground in a surprisingly short distance. Start at the city’s innovation hub of Lot 14 with the Australian Space Discovery Centre before falling under the spell of the pharaohs in the Ancient Egypt gallery at the South Australian Museum. Then head to the Art Gallery of South Australia, home to one of the country’s finest collections of traditional and contemporary Indigenous art. Further along in the city’s biomedical precinct, MOD (the Museum of Discovery) sits at the intersection of science, art and innovation with thought-provoking exhibitions designed to challenge how we see the world.

Away from this main strip, the Immigration Museum in the city’s historic former Customs House tells the deeply human stories of the people who travelled from every corner of the world to make South Australia home.

6. Cross the river to O’Connell Street

Across the River Torrens, North Adelaide’s main shopping strip delivers a genuine smorgasbord of options. More than 200 boutique shops line the precinct, offering everything from clothing and luxury furnishings to homewares, while a strong line-up of dining spots and pubs – including the Kentish, the Queens Head and the Archer – give plenty of reasons to linger.

A new reason to head north though is the arrival of Mercato – the Italian deli and bar that has expanded into its new home on O’Connell Street. Originally founded in 1972, the family-owned business started life as a supplier of imported Italian staples.

Come in the morning for an authentic Italian espresso and a house-made pastry, return at lunch for classic Italian fare, or visit for aperitivo hour – a ritual we’ve adopted. The kitchen runs through to dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

As for the deli itself: it’s wise to budget some extra time and probably an extra bag. The shelves are stocked with quality Italian produce – fresh pasta, cheese, smallgoods, chocolate and more.

7. Visit one of the beautiful city beaches

Adelaide has the best city beaches – long stretches of sand that never get busy and calm, shallow waters perfect for a leisurely dip.

Henley Beach has become a drawcard thanks to its cafes and mix of dining options like Henley Surf Life Saving Club, HNLY Restaurant Bar, Cheeky Greek for a kebab and ice cream at Bottega Gelateria. A lovely way to spend a morning is scoring a seat by the window at Joe’s Henley Beach for breakfast and a side of sea views.

The most accessible from Adelaide are Grange, Semaphore and Largs along the train line, or Glenelg thanks to the tram that stops right at the beach edge. Jetty Road is full of shops of every variety, and in summer, head to the Sunset Markets or grab a pew at the Moseley Beach Club.

8. Adelaide Oval

Home to one of the most beautiful sporting venues in the country, the Adelaide Oval precinct is a vibrant hub of sport, culture and entertainment.

Nestled on the banks of the River Torrens with the Adelaide Hills as a backdrop, Adelaide Oval is arguably the most picturesque stadium in Australia – and there’s far more to it than what happens on the field.

Whether it’s joining the crowds streaming across the footbridge on AFL game day, climbing the roof for a bird’s eye view during a Test match, or simply exploring the precinct on a quiet afternoon, the Oval and its surrounds offer something for everyone. Connect it all with a stroll through Elder Park and the city’s Festival Centre, and you have one of the best sporting and cultural precincts any Australian city has to offer.

9. Go wild

Adelaide Zoo’s pandas are a genuine drawcard being the only ones in Australia. The large purpose-built enclosure is home to two pandas Xing Qiu and Yi Lan, and there’s always a crowd gathered hoping to catch a glimpse. Housed in the Adelaide Botanic Garden, the zoo is the right size to see most things in one trip. Stop to watch the bird show on the main lawns, meet some quokkas and see the seals being fed.

For something extra wild, head out of Adelaide up through the hills and onto the plains where Monarto Safari Park has gone up a notch with the opening of Monarto Safari Resort – combining the thrill of seeing these magnificent animals with world-class hospitality. There are 78 premium rooms and suites plus 20 luxury safari tents – perfect for watching the animals gathering at the waterhole or the sun setting over the plains. For the ultimate experience, choose from a Dawn Wildlife Safari or Sunset Wildlife Safari to get up close to the animals, or simply enjoy general admission to the park during a stay.

Dining is taken care of at Kutjera Restaurant and Bar, showcasing contemporary Australian cuisine made with locally sourced South Australian produce.

10. Pick your own in the Adelaide Hills

The fertile soils and more consistent rainfall make the Adelaide Hills an abundant producer of fruit and vegetables – and best of all, there are ample opportunities to pick your own. We love to head to Beerenberg on a summer’s day for a box of plump and juicy strawberries followed by scones in the expanded café and a browse of the multitude of jams, sauces and relishes on offer in the store. It doesn’t stop there – over Christmas, cherries are ripe to pick at a number of small orchards, with Jauma offering a cellar door experience to follow a harvest.

The cooler months are best for the hill’s pears and applies with varieties including Pink Lady and Sundowners available at Lenswood Pick Your Own. For a break from picking fruit, pop into Lenswood Cider Co for the state’s only cider cellar door.

If that’s not enough – the Adelaide Hills Truffle Company offers a different experience for those wanting to get up nice and early to wander through the mist in search of the prized black fungi.

11. Head to McLaren Vale

Adelaide’s famed wine regions are within reach with a day trip from the city, including the McLaren Vale which has more than 80 cellar doors on offer for every wine lover – from family-friendly cellar doors to boutique tastings.

About an hour’s drive from the city, this wine region has long been at the forefront of cultivating southern Mediterranean varietals that thrive in its warm, coastal climate and each cellar door offers something different for visitors.

If there’s only time to visit one winery make it the picturesque Down the Rabbit Hole for its versatility – family-friendly, casual meals, restaurant and of course, the wine. An Instagram favourite, with its vast green spaces, flower beds and even a pastel-blue double-decker bus for wine tasting. But the food and wine here are just as impressive. Laze on the grass with grazing boards brimming with brie, cured meats, and local olives, or enjoy homemade wood-fired pizzas, while the kids explore the gardens and maybe meet a resident cat or two.

Planning a trip to Adelaide? Check out more of our recommendations here:

Best pubs in Adelaide | Best walks in Adelaide| Top annual festivals in Adelaide| Accommodation in Adelaide for every budget | Best beaches in Adelaide