7 Of the Best Free Things To Do In Adelaide City

How to see the best of the Festival City without spending a dollar.

Adelaide’s meticulously planned city centre is easy to navigate, especially with the free City Connector bus and tram that link the major attractions. And with a little planning, it’s possible to visit many of the city’s best sights without opening your wallet. Here are the best free things to do in Adelaide city.

1. Taste the local produce at Adelaide Central Market

Adelaide’s culinary landscape has come forward in leaps and bounds over the last decade, but if you can’t afford a seat at the ultra-fancy restaurants you can still visit the scene’s beating heart for free. With over 70 traders the undercover Adelaide Central Market has everything from karkalla kimchi to espresso-rubbed Italian cheese. Visit on a Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday and you’ll find the hall filled with colour and the clamour of voices as fruit and veg vendors hawk their wares to busy shoppers, and many of them have free samples for the curious.

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

If you still have room afterwards, head to the family-owned Haigh’s Chocolates on the CBD’s southern outskirts to learn how they make their premium chocolates. They’ll take you through the entire production process from starting with ethically farmed cocoa beans to finished product, with a few tastings along the way.

Chocolate freckles being made at Haigh's Chocolates in Adelaide — Pop in for the daily tastings at Haigh’s Chocolates. (Image: Tourism Australia / South Australia Tourism Commission)

2. Visit old (and new) cultural hubs

The grand South Australian Museum houses the largest collection of Aboriginal artefacts in the world, with over 3000 items on display alongside a broad range of natural and cultural history exhibits. It sits on cultural boulevard North Terrace, flanked by the State Library (home to the stunning mid-Victorian Mortlock Wing) and Art Gallery of South Australia , which has a broad collection of historical and contemporary art and the permanent exhibitions at all three are free.

Mortlock Wing inside the South Australian State Library — The State Library is home to the stunning mid-Victorian Mortlock Wing. (Image: Jake Wundersitz)

A short walk away, Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute draws its name from the Kaurna name for Adelaide (Tarndanyangga). Australia’s oldest Aboriginal-owned and managed multi-arts centre, it hosts regular exhibitions and events while the APY Gallery on Light Square provides a city home for artists from remote APY communities to work and exhibit.

Tandayaculturalcentre — Tandanya is Australia’s oldest Aboriginal-owned and managed multi-arts centre

3. Visit Adelaide’s best beaches

With more than 30 kilometres of continuous coastline, Adelaide has no shortage of great beaches. Glenelg is the most easily accessible thanks to a regular tram service and has plenty of sand for sunbathing or volleyball. But head slightly further afield and you’ll find some breathtakingly beautiful spots that are far less crowded.

Aerial shot of the Moseley Beach Club at sunset, Glenelg Beach — Sip cocktails in Glenelg at Moseley Beach Club. (Image: Hayley Hays Photography)

Watch the sun setting over the ocean with a cocktail in hand at Henley’s Seamore (granted, not free but the views are priceless) or enjoy the white sandy beach and gentle swell of Brighton, where George the sea lion is an occasional visitor. Further south, Port Noarlunga has a reef close to the jetty that’s perfect for snorkelling and you can float downstream beneath rugged sandstone cliffs at the nearby Onkaparinga river mouth.

Drink overlooking Henleys Beach at Seamores — The drinks aren’t free but the views are priceless from Seamore at Henley Beach. (Image: Duy Dash)

4. Check out Port Adelaide

Forecasting the revitalisation of Port Adelaide is something of a state sport in South Australia, but a range of new openings in the past few years means that the dockside area is finally emerging from its decades-long slumber.

Pirate Life ’s huge new brewery and taphouse provides a focal point, just as Little Creatures’ venue does in Fremantle, and within a few minutes’ walk you’ll find locally run art galleries and mural-covered walls courtesy of the annual Wonderwalls Festival . Walk along the Port River and you’ll pass through the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary , where you might spot the only wild city-dwelling dolphins in the world.

Woman admires a mural in Port Adelaide Wonderwalls Festival — Locate the mural-covered walls courtesy of the annual Wonderwalls Festival in Port Adelaide. (Image: Jimmy C)

5. Attend an iconic Adelaide festival

South Australia didn’t earn the nickname ‘the festival state’ by accident. Things reach a peak in February and ‘Mad March’ when the Fringe and Adelaide Festival bring massive outdoor pop-up venues and hundreds of shows each night. Adelaide Writers’ Week and WOMADelaide also fall in this manic period but the calendar is full of events year-round.

Views of a stage at WOMADelaide — Arrive for festival season and soak up the atmosphere and range of free and paid events. (Image: WOMADelaide)

Food and drink festivals Tasting Australia and Beer & BBQ Festival celebrate local and international culinary heroes, while sporting fans are catered to with events like the Tour Down Under . These are joined by a stacked roster of cultural festivals including OzAsia , Tarnanthi , Feast and the Adelaide Film Festival , guitar and cabaret festivals (plus Cabaret Fringe ).

6. Check out Adelaide’s music scene

Walk down Rundle Street during the Fringe festival and there’s a good chance a desperate young performer will be handing out free tickets to avoid the embarrassment of an empty house. But you can catch gigs for free year-round in the UNESCO City Of Music. Billy Bob’s BBQ Jam is a local institution, a long-running open mic night every Monday at the much-loved Grace Emily Hotel that draws local legends and touring acts alike (Marlon Williams played an unofficial set there recently). The similarly old-school Exeter Hotel on Rundle Street has live music most nights, and afternoon gigs in the beer garden on weekends.

7. Hike Adelaide’s trails

Adelaide is a city literally surrounded by parks – the CBD is completely encompassed by the heritage-listed Park Lands. With over 750 hectares, there are plenty of green spaces to explore, but venture a little further and you can get an even better view along one of Adelaide’s many hikes.

Mount Lofty Summit is a popular drive (or weekend cycle) and offers sweeping views over the Adelaide plains and the Gulf of St Vincent. It’s also accessible by bus, and the nearby cool-climate Mount Lofty Botanic Garden is full of trails worth exploring (especially in autumn when the trees begin to change colour).

Waterfall Gully in Mount Lofty — Waterfall Gully delivers a healthy dose of nature. (Image: Ben Goodes)

The steep 3.9-kilometre (one-way) trail to the aptly named Waterfall Gully is the state’s most popular walk for a reason, but for an equally beautiful (and less crowded) walk with city views, try the 5.8-kilometre Sugarloaf Circuit from Chambers Gully, where there’s a good chance koalas and kangaroos will outnumber walkers.

From thundering waterfalls to ancient Indigenous art, Kimberley’s raw beauty will take your breath away.

Wild, pristine, and shaped by nature, the Kimberley Coast is one of Australia’s most spectacular landscapes. A remote and rugged frontier that remains a bucket list destination for many travellers. Its most breathtaking attractions – including Montgomery Reef, King George Falls and Horizontal Falls – are accessible only by sea or air, making a guided expedition cruise aboard Silversea’s luxury expedition ship, Silver Cloud, the ideal way to explore it.

From its intricate intertidal zones to ancient rock art, extreme tides and rare wildlife found nowhere else in Australia – or the world – this journey offers an unparalleled exploration of one of Earth’s last true wildernesses.

Why Silversea?

Silversea offers a 10-day expedition departing Broome, or an extended 16-day expedition voyage from Indonesia, including landings on the hidden gems of Palopo Sulawesi and Komodo. Accompanied by expert guides and specialists in marine biology, history and geology, guests gain a deeper understanding of the Kimberley’s dramatic landscapes, rich cultural heritage and extraordinary biodiversity.

Silversea offers one of the experiential travel industry’s leading crew-to-guest ratios. Along with all-suite accommodation (80 per cent with private verandah), 24-hour butler service, a swimming pool and four dining options. Silver Cloud also has an experienced crew of multilingual expedition guides and specialists in marine biology, history and geology to enhance your Kimberley Experience.

silversea cruise ship pool deck — Take a dip in the pool deck.

1. Koolama Bay

Before visitors see King George Falls, they hear them – a growing rumble in the distance, steady and foreboding as the Zodiac glides through the gorge, the sound echoing off sheer rock formations. At 80 meters tall, the twin cascades carve through the red cliffs, churning the waters below in a spectacular finale – but Koolama Bay holds secrets beyond its striking scenery.

Named after a ship that beached here following an aerial attack by Japanese bombers in World War II, the bay may seem desolate, yet it teems with life. With Silversea’s expert guides on their 10-day Kimberley itinerary, guests gain a sharper eye for its hidden wonders – rock wallabies darting across the cliffs, crocodiles lurking among dense green mangroves, and high above, the silhouette of a bird of prey circling the sky.

King George Falls at koolama bay excursion on Silversea Kimberley Cruise — Take a shore excursion to see King George Falls.

2. Freshwater Cove / Wijingarra Butt Butt

Connect with Country on a wet landing at Freshwater Cove, also known as Wijingarra Butt Butt. Considered one of the most special experiences on both the 16-day and 10-day Kimberley cruises, Silversea guests are welcomed by the traditional Indigenous custodians of the land, painted with traditional ochre, and invited to take part in a smoking ceremony.

Located on the mainland near Montgomery Reef, Wijingarra Butt Butt holds deep cultural significance to the local Indigenous community. Here, rock formations along the shore represent spiritual ancestors, and guests are guided to a nearby rock overhang filled with ancient art, where traditional owners share the stories and meaning behind these sacred paintings.

welcome to country on freshwater cove during silversea kimberley cruise — Take part in a smoking ceremony. (Image: Tim Faircloth)

3. Vansittart Bay (Jar Island)

Modern history, ancient culture and mystery converge in Vansittart Bay, which is also known as Jar Island. Here, the first thing to catch the eye is the dented, silver fuselage of a World War II-era C-53 plane – a striking relic of the past. Yet, the true cultural treasures lie just a short hike away where two distinct styles of Indigenous rock art – Gwion Gwion and Wandjina – can be found.

The Wandjina figures, deeply connected to Indigenous traditions, stand in stark contrast to the enigmatic Gwion Gwion (Bradshaw) paintings, which date back more than 12,000 years. Significantly different in form and style, the two different styles create a striking juxtaposition, offering a rare glimpse into the region’s rich and complex past.

aerial view of Vansittart Bay, See it in you Silversea Kimberley Cruise. — Explore ancient Gwion Gwion rock art at Vansittart Bay. (Image: Janelle Lugge)

4. Horizontal Falls

Part illusion, part natural phenomenon, the Kimberley’s much-lauded Horizontal Falls aren’t a waterfall, but a tidal and geographic spectacle that visitors have to see to comprehend. Known as Garaanngaddim, the phenomenon occurs when seawater rushes through two narrow gaps- one just twenty metres wide, and the other seven metres in width, between the escarpments of Talbot Bay.

With each tidal shift, the force of the water creates whirlpools, furious currents and the illusion of a horizontal cascade as thousands of gallons of water are pushed and pulled in through the gap every six hours with relentless movement, making this one of the Kimberley ’s most mesmerising natural wonders.

Horizontal Falls are described as "One of the greatest wonders of the natural world". They are formed from a break in-between the McLarty Ranges reaching up to 25m in width. The natural phenomenon is created as seawater builds up faster on one side of the gaps than the other, creating a waterfall up to 5m high on a King tide. — Watch whirlpools and furious currents collide. (Image: Janelle Lugge)

5. Montgomery Reef

As the tide turns in Montgomery Reef, magic happens. With the Kimberley’s legendary tides varying up to ten metres, at low tide the submerged reef almost appears to rise from the depths: exposing up to four metres of the sandstone reef.

The impact is otherworldly: as the water drains, waterfalls cascade on either side of the channel, turtles left exposed scramble and dive, and fish leap in search of sanctuary in shallow pools. Meanwhile, the dinner bell rings for the migratory seabirds dugongs, reef sharks and dolphins that scavenge and feast in the area.

Using zodiacs, guests cruise through one of the world’s most significant inshore reef systems navigated by experienced guides, exploring the most intricate and fascinating parts of a 300-square-kilometre-wide biodiversity hotspot.

aerial view of boat going along Montgomery Reef — Witness seabirds, dolphins and reef sharks on the hunt.

6. Mitchell Falls by Helicopter

Experiencing the Kimberley by sea allows you to feel the power of the tides, but travelling by helicopter reveals the sandstone tapestry of the Kimberley, a landscape geologists believe is over 1.8 billion years old.

One of Silversea’s most popular optional excursions , guests who opt to fly into the interior from the onboard helipad soar up above the rust-coloured landscape of the Mitchell plateau, taking in one of Australia’s most scenic waterfalls: Mitchell Falls, a series of four emerald-coloured pools gently cascades into each other, before plunging down to the river below.

Seeing the landscape from above reveals a landscape weaved and shaped by the power of the freshwater wet season, juxtaposed to the constant lapping of the relentless and powerful tide on the coast.

aerial view of mitchell falls on silversea helicopter excursion — See emerald pools cascade into the river below. (Image: Tim Faircloth)

7. Indigenous Art Caves, Wandjina Art

The Kimberley Region of Western Australia is home to some of the most striking and significant

Indigenous rock art in Australia. Dotted throughout the landscape are caves, cliffs and rock overhangs depicting the striking, ethereal image of Wandjina, the rainmaker spirit and creation being central to many of the Dreamtime stories in this region.

Some of the paintings are regularly repainted by traditional custodians, while others are believed to be over 4,000 years old. Each artwork serves as both a cultural record and a living connection to the past, offering a rare opportunity to engage with the enduring traditions of the Kimberley’s Indigenous communities.

Freshwater Cover Rock Art the kimberleys — Walk among cultural records preserved in stone. (Image: Tim Faircloth)

See the best of this incredible part of the world on a Silversea Kimberley cruise. Book your 10- or extended 16-day expedition voyage at silversea.com

7 free things to do in Adelaide