Your guide to the freshest experiences Adelaide has to offer

Vibrant and innovative, Adelaide is Australia’s most underrated capital city.

Adelaide is thriving. Having long ago shaken off its identity as the city of churches, it’s rebuilt its image as a culinary epicentre, and, thanks to its vibrant festival scene, has emerged as a cultural powerhouse, Quest Apartment Hotels Adelaide provide the perfect base to explore from.

Take another look at vibrant Adelaide. (Image: Jimmy C)

A sophisticated series of wine regions are a short drive away, and an eclectic, diverse live music scene has seen the city named a UNESCO City of Music. Whether it’s taking out the award for best fine dining restaurant or best meat pie, Adelaide remains refreshingly unpretentious and welcoming to visitors.

Book into Quest for insider tips from local owners.

Adelaide accommodations

Quest Apartment Hotels offers four properties in and around Adelaide. The 117-room Quest on Franklin is in a convenient location just one block from Adelaide Central Market in the heart of the CBD, and features studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments. A short walk away and just a stroll from the Veale Gardens and Victoria Square you’ll find Quest King William South, made up of 104 rooms.

Make use of a BBQ terrace and a gym at Quest Mawson Lakes.

To be by the water, check into Quest Port Adelaide, which offers 104 apartments with comfy king beds. For those after a quieter stay outside the city, Quest Mawson Lakes is located north of the CBD near the University of South Australia STEM campus, featuring 66 rooms, a BBQ terrace and a gym.

Check into Quest Port Adelaide.

Adelaide’s best suburbs

Affectionately known as the “20-minute city”, Adelaide’s CBD is the most underrated capital in Australia. Designed in a compact grid and surrounded by parks, the CBD has a strong cultural and culinary pedigree. Even better, your Quest Apartment Hotels accommodation of choice is well poised as a home base from which to explore the city.

Wander through contemporary pieces at the Art Gallery of South Australia. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Don’t miss a visit to the South Australian Museum, home to a spectacular collection of South Pacific artefacts, and be challenged by the contemporary pieces at the Art Gallery of South Australia. Indulge in the thriving bar and restaurant scene between Leigh and Peel Streets, or if you’re lucky, secure a booking at the 2023 Australian Restaurant of the Year, Restaurant Botanic.

The South Australian Museum is perfect for all ages. (Image: Megan Crabb)

With a rich maritime history, the requisite grit of a port town and the inevitable cool factor as the area gentrifies and redevelops, Port Adelaide is also worth exploring. Grab a map from the Port Adelaide Visitor Information Centre to explore the incredible works of street art painted across warehouses, take a cruise to see the resident wild dolphins and enjoy the vibrant nightlife.

Enjoy the ‘cool factor’ with a stay at Quest Port Adelaide.

Lastly, head to the north of Adelaide to discover Mawson Lakes. It’s home to the Adelaide Planetarium, which is located on the University of South Australia STEM campus, just a short walk from Quest Mawson Lakes. While you’re in the area, take in a round of golf, walk around the lake or explore the Dry Creek trails, which pass a number of historical buildings that date back to settlement times.

Book well in advance for a table at Restaurant Botanic. (Image: Jonathan van der Knaap)

Best places to eat in Adelaide

Adelaide is one of the best foodie destinations in Australia, and there’s always something new to try. On King William Street, the newly opened late-night basement brasserie La Louisiane brings French flavour and live music to the CBD. And don’t miss a trip to Adelaide Central Market – along with being the heart of the city’s food scene, it remains open while it undergoes a $400 million redevelopment, with great dining still available from market favourites like Lucia’s Pizza and Spaghetti Bar.

Stock up at Adelaide Central Market to create a feast in your Quest accommodation. (Image: Lewis Potter)

In Port Adelaide, the Port Admiral Hotel has reopened with a brand new allergy-friendly menu, while the up-and-coming port city also boasts a creative drinks scene: Second Shot Espresso Bar operates as a coffee shop by day and an espresso martini bar at night. For award-winning fare, wander further afield to Banana Boogie Bakery in the suburb of Bel Air. It’s home to not only the best meat pie but also the best sausage roll in Australia in 2023.

Try a strawberry treat at nearby Beerenberg Farm.

Best things to do around Adelaide

Head up to the Adelaide Hills to take in the view from Mt Lofty Summit, where a substantial population of koalas often snack on eucalyptus in the trees. Epicureans can visit over 50 cellar doors, craft breweries and small-batch distilleries in the area; many include their own restaurants like newly opened The Terrace at Cobb’s Hill Estate Winery in Oakbank, which boasts a three-metre grill and wood-fired oven.

Pop into the famous d’Arenberg Cube cellar door and gallery. (Image: Louise Edebone)

For a little culture, don’t miss the German-influenced village of Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills; during the summer months, try picking strawberries at nearby Beerenberg Farm. Closer to the coast, explore McLaren Vale, home to the famous d’Arenberg Cube cellar door and gallery.

Discover the best views of Adelaide at Mt Lofty Summit. (Image: Adam Bruzzone)

For more suggestions, check in with your Quest Apartment Hotels hosts – they’re all locally owned and operated, so your hosts will be the best guides to Adelaide.

Best day trips from Adelaide

A four-hour drive to the Eyre Peninsula, Whyalla is a mix of aquatic beauty and heavy industry and an incredible seafood mecca too. Opened in late 2020, the circular jetty at Whyalla Foreshore – the only one of its kind in the southern hemisphere – has emerged as a big local attraction.

Stay the night at Quest Whyalla.

But it’s what lies beneath that has South Australians flocking in droves; from May to August, Whyalla is the gathering point for the Australian giant cuttlefish, which are drawn to these waters to breed each winter. Wind down in one of the 56 serviced apartments at Quest Whyalla before hitting the spectacular beaches the area is known for.

Swim with Australian giant cuttlefish. (Image: Carl Charter)

Discover more Quest Apartment Hotels stays in South Australia at questapartments.com.au.