Things to do in Adelaide

More about Adelaide

Adelaide’s a city that doesn’t go around boasting. But that doesn’t mean it’s not got something to say. We’re talking about one of the world’s biggest arts festivals, lane after lane of hidden bars serving up Barossa shiraz, and the country’s oldest food market still humming with life. One minute you’re watching a street performer on Rundle Mall, the next you’re climbing a stadium roof for that city-wide view. Whether you’re here for a weekend or wandering through on a road trip, Adelaide’s ready.

Unique Adelaide things you can’t do anywhere else

• Adelaide Oval RoofClimb: Not your average stadium tour. Strap in, scale the roofline and lean out 50 metres above the pitch.
• McLaren Vale and The Cube Experience: A wine region with a wild side. Start with gin at Beresford, settle in for a long Italian lunch at Chalk Hill, then lose yourself in the artistic d’Arenberg Cube.
• Full-Day Tour: Wine, Hills and Coast: Hit the Adelaide trifecta: beach, bush and booze. From Glenelg’s breezy shoreline to Hahndorf’s German bakeries and McLaren Vale reds, this loop wraps up Adelaide’s best flavours and views in one ride.
• Adelaide Central Market: A true local love affair. A swirl of smells, stories and stalls dishing up kangaroo pastrami, Singapore chilli crab and SA’s best coffee under one historic roof.
• Laneway bars and boutique booze: Move over Melbourne - Adelaide’s best bars are hidden in plain sight. Peel back the laneways to find rooftop wine dens and gin joints in prohibition-style haunts.
• Barossa Valley Wine Safari: Roll into the Barossa where the vines are old, the barrels deep and the tastings full of heart. It’s not just about the shiraz - there’s plenty of produce to devour here too.

Best Adelaide attractions to see

• Adelaide Zoo: Home to giant pandas, tree kangaroos and a few thousand other locals. Set in lush gardens, it’s wild and walkable, but still only a short skip from the CBD.
• River Torrens: Stroll along the river banks, hop aboard a scenic cruise or hire a BBQ boat for a proper Aussie experience.
• Waterfall Gully and Mount Lofty: Part hike, part wildlife safari. Climb through gumtree gullies to hilltop views and keep an eye out for koalas. Just after the rain? You’ll see plenty in the way of waterfalls.
• Glenelg Beach and Jetty: Glenelg’s got enough ice cream shops to start a tasting tour. So, hop on the tram, grab yourself a cone, and settle in for sunset. 
• Churches: If you’re into architecture, check out Adelaide’s many historic churches - some dating back almost 200 years. 

Best Adelaide day trips and tours

• Adelaide Hills and Hahndorf Tour: Stone pubs, cold beer and strudel for days. Cruise through vineyards, then wander Australia’s oldest German village.
• Victor Harbor and Southern Highlights: Think cliff walks, ocean spray and a horse-drawn tram to Granite Island. Add seasonal whale spotting and it’s a proper breath of fresh Fleurieu air.
• Adelaide City Highlights Tour: Perfect if you’re short on time or just want the inside scoop on the SA capital. Tick off its historic icons, enormous gardens and Federation-era architecture.
• Murray River Highlights Tour: Expect paddle steamers, pelicans and big sky country. Gliding past old river towns is a classic way to soak up South Aussie life.

Free things to do in Adelaide

• Art Gallery of South Australia: Nearly 45,000 works and zero entry fee. From colonial-era oil paintings to bold new installations, it’s the kind of place that is perfect for those baking days or rainy winter afternoons.
• Adelaide Fringe and Festival: Each summer, the city explodes in what locals call ‘Mad March’. Think flash mobs, park gigs, and street theatre during the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest arts festival. While there are ticketed events, there’s also plenty of free things to do during Fringe, too.
• Illuminate Adelaide (July): In winter, Adelaide begins to glow. Light shows spill onto buildings, laneways pulse with sound art, and the whole city becomes a walk-through wonderland after dark. (It gives Sydney’s Vivid a real run for its money.)
• South Australian Museum: Big on bones and culture. See megafauna fossils, meteorites, and one of the world’s top Aboriginal artefact collections. Educational, sure. But also just really cool.
• Stroll North Terrace cultural precinct: Stately sandstone, leafy lawns, and serious history. Wander between galleries, libraries and the uni. Adelaide’s brainy strip is made for slow strolls and people-watching.

Budgeting for things to do in Adelaide

Adelaide’s a treat without the price sting. Markets, beaches and galleries are all free, while day tours start around AU$85. A classic wine, hills and coast loop comes in under AU$130, while luxe day trips to McLaren Vale with long lunches and tastings sit closer to AU$215. Going big? Multi-day adventures to Melbourne via the Great Ocean Road can hit AU$700. But with plenty of budget-friendly finds, it’s easy to mix free finds with the odd splurge.