By Michael D’Angelo and Meenakshi Iyer
Widely known as the City of Churches, Adelaide today is filled with rich heritage, local flavour, enthralling events, and festivals such as the Adelaide Fringe and WOMADelaide. From the gorgeous landscape to bountiful local markets, these are the top ten things to check off your bucket list in Adelaide.
February and March are the busiest months in Adelaide’s social calendar. Numerous events including marquee festivals such as the Adelaide Fringe, Adelaide Festival, and Womadelaide take place around this time of the year. It's little wonder this time of the year is also known as 'Mad March'.
As part of Adelaide Fringe, more than 1,000 shows across theatre, art, and music are performed at multiple venues across the city over a month. Adelaide Fringe is the biggest arts festival in Australia and the largest Fringe Festival outside of the iconic Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
The best of Adelaide Fringe in 2022 includes Arcadia, a Bohemian Cabaret; Classical Mystery Tour, a 15-piece orchestra that pays tribute to the legendary British band Beatles and Sky Song; a drone show to be held in McLaren Vale, a wine region situated 40 minutes from the city.
Fringe is one of the best times to visit Adelaide and soak in the city’s history, culture, sights, sounds, and more. While you’re here plan your stay in Adelaide with our well-curated tours and experiences.
Kangaroo Island or KI as the locals like to call it is a beautiful island situated south of Adelaide. Known for its pristine beaches, native bushland, wildlife, Kangaroo Island is the perfect way to get away from the city’s hustle and bustle. With over 500kms of coastline, Kangaroo Island is the third-largest island off the coast of Australia.
Kangaroo Island is the perfect destination for a weekend getaway. However, if a day is all you’ve got, our popular One Day Kangaroo Island Experience is the best way to explore the island. It includes a guided beach walk amongst a colony of rare Australian sea lions at Seal Bay, a visit to the popular Flinders Chase National Park, a pit stop at Admirals Arch to admire the spectacular rock archway, and kangaroo and koala viewing at the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park.
If you have more than a day, check out our multi-day packages here.
Forget the supermarkets, Adelaide Central Market is full of fresh daily produce from the store holders. It's where you can buy fruits, vegetables, and other delicious treats that come directly from South Australian farmers and producers. The market has grown in its 150-year history to include over 80 stalls and has become the heart and soul of the city (especially since Adelaide is so focused on good food).
Stop by for breakfast or lunch and enjoy the hustle and bustle of this colourful celebration of food. The market also focuses on regional produce, so you'll find some of the best produce from Kangaroo Island, the Murraylands, and the Barossa Valley for sale here. The market is open Tuesday through to Saturday.
When in Adelaide, we recommend joining our Adelaide City Highlights half-day tour and then spending the afternoon tasting your way through the Central Market.
Nestled in the heart of Adelaide's Botanic Gardens, the National Wine Centre is a unique experience. It is a must-do on your trip to Adelaide. If you're pressed for time and can't visit all the beautiful wine regions, then a quick stop at the National Wine Centre will give you a taste of the best South Australian wine. Here you can experience the winemaking process, from the beginning through to the bottling with the interactive Wine Discovery Journey.
With over 120 of Australia's most diverse wines, it is also the largest tasting room in the country. You can visit the National Wine Centre as part of our Adelaide City Highlights half-day tour.
Hahndorf is a beautiful German town situated 30 minutes from Adelaide. It is known for its German-style pubs, modern cafes, winery cellar doors, gin distilleries, bakeries, and so much more. As part of our Adelaide Hills and Hahndorf Experience tour, you can go from spending an afternoon at the iconic German Arms Hotel or Hahndorf Inn to tasting delicious cheeses at Udder Delights or going back to being a child at the many old-fashioned lolly shops. You will also make a pit stop at Beerenberg Farm Shop, where you can indulge in some retail therapy and buy flavourful fresh fruit products.
It may not be as tall as Mount Everest, but the Adelaide Oval RoofClimb Tour certainly has the thrill and spectacular views to take you on an exciting and heart-thumping adventure.
Regarded as one of the most picturesque sporting grounds in the world, this unique experience will take you to new heights and you'll discover the most scenic views of Adelaide here. You can even choose to do the roof climb during evening sporting events - can you just imagine the roar of 50,000 fans from under your feet. This experience is one of the best things to do in Adelaide at night.
No, thankfully this Popeye Tour does not involve eating a can of spinach, but it does involve a sightseeing cruise along the Torrens River, overlooking the scenic riverbank precinct.
The Popeye Cruise tours are a heritage icon that began in 1935 and it has stayed in the same family all this time. It's somewhat of an icon in Adelaide as the tours have continued to evolve and modernise - plus it's a beautiful way to see this part of the city. The boat attracts plenty of onlookers, so be prepared to flex your muscles.
Make your way down south of Adelaide to the McLaren Vale wine region to explore the impressive structure of The Cube. Here you'll be treated to an experience that will excite the senses.
You'll love the Alternate Realities Museum, a virtual fermenter, and the wine sensory room, as well as the other tactile experiences over 5 levels. Stop for a wine tasting at the top and enjoy the impressive views of the region.
TIP: Make sure you book your travel with us and we'll take care of everything from bookings, two-course lunch, and a guided tour of the region on our McLaren Vale and The Cube Experience day tour.
Located just 20 minutes from Adelaide, this nature retreat is home to over 130 species of Australian wildlife. Here you can feed kangaroos, hold a koala and discover native wildlife. We recommend opting for our Cleland Wildlife Park Experience. It includes a pit stop at Mount Lofty to soak in the city views, a koala close-up experience, and even a gift voucher for the Cleland Gift Shop.
A visit to South Australia is incomplete without a trip to the rolling vineyards of Barossa Valley. This award-winning wine region is home to over 40 grape varieties. It is also known for Australia’s most unique varietal style – Barossa Shiraz. Savour some of the best of Australian varietals at Pindarie Wines, on our Barossa Food and Wine Experience tour. You can also indulge in some of the local produce at Maggie Beer's Farmshop.
