Adelaide travel blog — The fullest Adelaide travel guide for a great budget trip for first-timers

Coming to Australia, you will surely be attracted by a bustling Sydney, a modern Brisbane, a diverse Melbourne and above all is a Adelaide – The city of tourism. Once considered a sleepy city, Adelaide is undergoing a rapid transformation with small bars, world-class art and music, and the plenty of festivals that make it become a rival of any other Australian city. Explore hidden alleys, the beautiful flora of the Adelaide Botanic Garden, and see the magical sweetness of every street corner, you’ll see how wonderful this city is. Going to Australia without traveling to Adelaide is very regretful. So, what to do and how to plan a budget perfect trip to the city of Adelaide – the ancient coastal city of Australia for the first-time? Let’s check out our adelaide travel blog (Adelaide blog) with the fullest adelaide travel guide (Adelaide visitor guide, Adelaide city guide, Adelaide tourist guide, Adelaide guide) from how to get, best time to come, where to stay, best places to visit and top things to do to find out the answer!

Despite its sizable population, over a million people (1,336,000 in 2020) and covering an area of 3,258 km², Adelaide still makes residents and tourists feel like they have a sky of fresh air to breathe. It is the most environmentally friendly city in Australia. You can borrow bicycles for free, or hop-on the world’s first solar-powered sightseeing bus to take some rounds and watching buildings and green houses. Thanks to the work of Colonel William Light, who designed the proper grid system, spacious boulevards and public areas surrounded by lush parks, a perfect transport system is set up to help you reach any location only within 20 minutes.

Adelaide is the gateway to Australia’s famous wine region – the Barossa valley, just an hour’s drive from the city center. Coming here, you can enjoy local seasonal specialties, products and the best wines in the world.

Adelaide is an Australian tourist city. This is the city of the great Catholic churches. Adelaide is South Australia State’s capital and largest city, the 5th largest in Australia with a population of nearly about 1.4 million.

Adelaide travel blog: Overview of Adelaide

The beautiful city of Adelaide is the central city and the capital of South Australia (SA) state, located right on the banks of the River Torrens. To the south, Adelaide is bordered by the immense Southern Ocean while to the north are rich hills stretching as far as Australia’s red center land. When traveling to Adelaide, you will be attracted by its ancient, friendly beauty and be ecstatic by the perfect combination of the bustling life of a big city and the wild and majestic beauty of mountains and hills that surely no other place in Australia can give you.

Historically, Adelaide is known as the city of the Church due to its new world origin as an incubator of religious freedom, most of the architecture in the inner city has been preserved since colonial times. Much influenced by the prevailing styles prevailing in England at that time, the heritage architecture here resembles many European cities built in the 19th century. Due to its close position to the high-end wine region and the food-growing region, as well as the influx of immigrants from Italy, Greece, Vietnam, China and India create an unique multicultural culinary culture when it comes to Adelaide tourism overview.

Adelaide – One of the most livable city in the world: In addition to being an unparalleled city of Australia, you will surely understand why it is considered the most livable city in the world during your trip to Adelaide. This place is home to quality food from fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and seafood; is home to more restaurants than any other city in Australia, and products here are exported around the world.

Adelaide used to have a completely greenhouse gas-free day in 2016. Nearly half of the energy used here comes from renewable energy, so if you’re traveling to Adelaide, turn lights on, use a cool air conditioner in the house, you don’t need to feel guilty.

In addition, with a relaxed, peaceful and international-standard lifestyle and convenient train, bus and tram public transport system, Adelaide is also a bike-friendly city with a large community of cyclists and world-class cycling events, just listen to it and you will want to make your trip to Adelaide right away.

Adelaide travel blog: When to go?

Adelaide has hot, dry summers and not too cold winters thanks to its location on the southern edge of Australia. The favorable climatic characteristics make Adelaide a year-round destination for travelers. You can visit at anytime of the year.

Adelaide’s summer is a great opportunity for fun activities such as swimming, surfing in the cool seawater. In the fall, the weather here is quite warm, suitable for wandering along the streets of red and yellow fall foliage or sunny valleys and enjoying fresh food and wine in Adelaide.

In winter, there will be a lot of rainfalls in Adelaide, sometimes hail and snow falling on the streets and forests, so you can have fun with snow activities such as skiing, snowboarding.. it will be very interesting. Winter lasts June to August can be a bit cold, so make sure to bring warm clothes. June is also the wettest month of the year. Snow rarely fall in the downtown, with only occasional snowfall in the Mount Lofty and Adelaide Hills.

Spring is the occasion when Adelaide’s fields of wildflowers and garden flowers bloom, so if you coming to Adelaide during this time, you will be able to take amazing photos to show off to your friends.

February and March are considered the best time with pleasant temperatures and less rain. Revealing something special in the city of Adelaide, is that around March, the events and festivals such as the V8 Supercar, the Fringe, the Arts Festival, Writers’ Week, WOMAdelaide and Adelaide Cup (of course) are held. Therefore, it got the name “Crazy March” – the time when the city attracted the most tourists of the year.

Adelaide travel guide: How to get?

There are many airlines flying to Adelaide from international and domestic airports to Adelaide Airport which located about 8km from the city center. It only takes 15 minutes to drive from the airport to the city center, 25 minutes if you use a public bus. Taxis are also a convenient transport option from the airport to your hotel in the city for around A$ 18.

Private Adelaide Airport (ADL) Transfers for Adelaide CBD

In addition, Bus J1 or J2 runing every 30 minutes; The journey takes about 30 minutes with fares from A$ 3.

Adelaide travel blog: Getting around Adelaide

Adelaide has a diverse and convenient public transport network and a wide range of free services. Minibus Adelaide Airport Flyer offers door-to-door transfers to the suburbs and around the city.

You are free to choose a bike from 14 bike stalls for a cycling tour, or take a tram ride between South Terrace and the city west campus of the University of South Australia at North Terrace without spend any cent.

City-Loop buses run 7 days a week. Tindo solar buses take you from the city center to North Adelaide and vice versa with free of charge.

Adelaide travel blog: Where to go and what to do

Victoria Square

Victoria Square is located in the heart of the city center, home to many of the most important state buildings such as the Supreme Court of South Australia, or historic works like the Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide – the place you cannot miss when coming here. You will see the whole life and lifestyle of local people, very worthwhile for you to learn.

Strolling along the North Terrace (Adelaide’s Cultural Avenue)

Visiting the tree-lined boulevard of Adelaide, North Terrace, home to the city’s most important cultural institutions. Housed in one of the most beautiful buildings in Adelaide, the Art Gallery of South Australia has a collection of more than 38,000 artworks of Australia, Europe, North America and Asia. From here, it takes about 20 minutes to reach the Adelaide Botanic Garden, where you can wander among thousands of species of roses, and see three exquisite, impressive greenhouses built in 1877 – Palm House.

If you’re traveling with kids, don’t miss the Adelaide Zoo, home to native Australian wildlife including koalas, Australian sea lions and kangaroos. If you love cricket, join a guided tour of the Adelaide Oval, which will take you to its own inside of the ground. Then, admire the Bradman Collection, a personal collection of a respected Australian man – Sir Donald Bradman Dr.

Adelaide Central Market

You must join thousands of people shopping and enjoying the best of South Australia at the Adelaide Central Market – a very tourist destination in the city of Adelaide. The market was founded in 1869 and is currently the largest, busiest market with a roof and rows of stalls in the northern half of Adelaide.

Being an avid fan of cuisine without visiting this place will be a big regret, as the market sells a variety of items such as vegetables, raw meat, fresh seafood or fashion and accessories, souvenirs… for you to choose from. In particular, the shop owners here are always happy and friendly with visitors. Buy yourself or give your loved ones souvenirs to keep memories of your wonderful trip to Adelaide.

Address: 44-60 Gouger St, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia
Hours: 7AM–5:30PM

Adelaide Himeji Garden

Another calm blue sky located on South Terrace Road will also take visitors away from the hustle and bustle in the central area, the Himeji Garden (a gift from Adelaide’s sister city, Himeji in 1982). Truly worthy of being a wonderland when this traditional Japanese garden is filled with purple phoenix trees, artificial lakes adorned with beautiful lilies. You will be lost in a wonderland with a cool green space.

Address: South Terrace &, Glen Osmond Rd, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia
Hours: 8AM–5:30PM

Relax at the beaches

Glenelg Beach

A perfect place to travel to Adelaide for beach lovers is Glenelg Beach. You can take the 25-minute tram from Rundle Mall to Glenelg, a bustling seaside neighborhood with quaint hotels, outdoor cafes and a white sand beach. This is a quiet and cool place for relaxing, reading, or simply to play with the kids. Alternatively, you can also challenge surfing sports off the coast.

Henley Beach

I saw Glenelg beach seems to be a bit more service oriented, as it is for tourism, while Henley beach is where locals often hang out on weekends to stroll along the coast, or cycling. You can take a tram to Henley Beach or rent a bike in the city center and cycle here, about 20km, through the parks to Henley Beach. This is also one of my favorite place in Adelaide at night. You can enjoy your holiday while walking along the beach to watch the sunset and have fun at the many bars, cafes and dining venues here.

Don’t miss an outdoor dinner at Holdfast Marina or the dining and shopping mall Jetty Road. Continue your journey with an expedition to Port Noarlunga Reef and say goodbye to a day by watching the sunset at Port Willunga.

For more new experiences, you can drive to the south of Adelaide to Semaphore, where you can walk along the coastline, enjoy fish and chips or swim. If you love surfing, you can go to Fleurieu Peninsula, for both proficient people and those who have not had surfing experience.

Adelaide Oval Stadium

Those who love the adventurous and challenging sport of cricket, don’t forget to visit the legendary Adelaide Oval – this is considered as one the most beautiful stadiums in the world with extremely modern architecture with huge domes, hundreds of years old hand-controlled scoreboard.

Address: War Memorial Dr, North Adelaide SA 5006, Australia
Capacity: 53,500
Field size: 167 x 124 metres

Understanding German heritage

Coming to Australia and learn more about the unmistakable German culture must be an enjoyable experience. Head to Hahndorf a contemporary village proud of its German heritage just half an hour from Adelaide, Australia’s oldest residence and boast a surviving German heritage. Just nearby, Cleland Wildlife Park gives you a chance to feed a kangaroo and cuddle a cute koala. Don’t forget to sample the famous chocolate and wine.

Culinary and festive

There are separate tours designed for you to enjoy the rich culinary arts of this place. A Taste of South Australia will take you to meet chefs, winemakers and culinary professionals. There are many different tours to choose from and you can also request a suitable itinerary to combine your culinary exploration with South Australia’s colorful festivals.

City Oasis

The Adelaide Botanic Gardens is one of 29 parks that make up the famous park complex of the city of Adelaide. Right next door is the Adelaide Zoo, home to Wang Wang and Funi, the only panda couple in the southern hemisphere. The 16-hectare botanical garden is filled with native plants, bonsai, ornamental plants and many exotic plants. You can join the free guided walking tour of the “Friends of the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide” group. Tour starts at Schomburgk theater at 10:30 am every day.

Horse carriage riding, tasting lobster

The coastal town of Victor Harbor on the Fleurieu peninsula is worth a visit at least once in a lifetime. A horse-drawn carriage is a popular means of getting around town. Trying and feeling of sitting on a carriage on the raised road and watching the lovely chubby penguins on Granite Island. There are tons of fun options in this beautiful town: Take a SteamRanger train ride or visit the South Australian Whale Centre; Experience the Murray River on a boat house and drop by Coorong National Park along the way. Above all, do not forget to try the famous Coonawarra lobster on the Limestone Coast.

Adelaide Zoo

The appearance of two giant pandas Wang Wang and Funi in 2009 brought an impressive interactive experience for visitors to the zoo. Try Wild Night, a guided night tour with an overnight stay in a tent set up in the zoo’s EnviroDome attic garden.

Adelaide Zoo Ticket

Address: Frome Rd, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia
Opened: May 23, 1883
Hours: 9:30AM–5PM

Adelaide Botanic Garden

Walking in the Adelaide Botanic Garden which is located on the eastern end of North Terrace, a few minutes’ walk from the Rundle Mall. Admission is free and it also offers free walking tours at 10:30 am. It’s best to visit the Botanical Garden on a sunny Sunday to get away from the city hustle a bit.

Address: North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia
Hours: 7:15AM–7PM

Cycling

This is the best way to explore Adelaide and its beautiful parks. Jumping a bike with free of rent and start exploring the city center. There are 10 bike rental spots around the city, where you can get a bicycle for free. Check out their website for more information: http://www.bikesa.asn.au/adelaidefreebikes

Adelaide Hills

Spend a day or two exploring Adelaide Hills, one of Australia’s premier cool climate wineries. Some of the region’s 60 wineries such as Hahndorf Hill, which pioneered in Austrian grape varieties Bläufrankisch, Grüner Veltliner, Zweigelt and St Laurent, or Bird in Hand, are renowned for the award-winning of Shiraz.

If you come here on weekends, don’t miss the Adelaide Hills Farmers Market to enjoy fresh seasonal produce and local produce. You can also easily spend a night here or drive back to the city center for about 30 minutes.

Adelaide’s Sunday Markets

On Sunday mornings, many markets open up in the city of Adelaide. From farm produce markets to vintage fashion markets and antique markets. My favorite Sunday market is Shed Market on Holland Street. I don’t think there is any market like this in all of Australia, because it is a Sunday market dedicated to organic produce. It also has a number of fruit and vegetable stalls, but mostly shops and cafes serve food on site. Indeed, this is absolutely a special place! Try the vegetarian pa-pu-ri dish or the vegetarian pizza, which are really special.

Discover great pubs in Adelaide at night

Adelaide has a few pubs with a very chill atmosphere. Pub Crawl is one of the best places to visit at night in Adelaide. The best neighborhoods for you to find a few pubs are Rundle Street, King William near South Terrace, Flinders Street, Hutt Street. Most pubs have drinks and food for you. Some of them also have live music on fixed days of the week, usually on Thursday, Friday and weekend. Visit Colonist Pub in Norwood, a wonderful place filled with fine art and wall paintings. The highlight of the pub is the ceiling lamp made of stone (it’s a real piece of ice) hanging in the main room. The bar space is also great!

The National Wine Centre of Australia

This is another fun place to visit in Adelaide. If you are on a tight schedule and quite rushed and not enough time to join a culinary tour, head to The National Wine Centre of Australia for useful wine knowledge. They also organize a free wine tasting event called “Uncorked”. The centre is just a 10-minute walk from the Adelaide city center. Please visit their website for more information and event schedule.

Address: Corner of Hackney Rd &, Botanic Rd, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia
Hours: 8AM–5PM

Discover McLaren Vale and Fleurieu Peninsula

I believe the Fleurieu Peninsula is one of the most beautiful and often overlooked in South Australia as well. Just 45 minutes to the south of the city is McLaren Vale, home to many must-visit spots. From Onkaparinga River National Park to undulating beaches in Maslin and Aldinga, to the domestic winery. You can spend an entire weekend day to explore the Fleurieu peninsula or if you don’t want to drive yourself, you can join the W4Drive Food and Wine Tour to discover McLaren and Fleurieu Peninsula, which I joined from several years ago and quite liked it.

Take a bus to Adelaide Hills and visit Stirling and Hahndorf

Another cool thing to do on the weekends is take the 864 bus from the city center to Stirling, which takes only about 30 minutes. Stirling is a beautiful village nestled at the foothills of Adelaide with great places to eat (Organic Market Café) and there is a food market held on Saturday. From here you can continue to take the bus to get to Hahndorf and walk along the main road. Visit some of the strange shops and have a German lunch, like WeissWurst (sausage) at one of the pubs or hotels.

Drive to Mount Lofty to see Adelaide

Mount Lofty is on the way to Stirling. You can add it to your trip to the Adelaide Hills. You will have to rent a car, because there is no public transportation to this area. Mount Lofty is the most vantage point with breathtaking views of the city of Adelaide. And if you come here on Thursday, take advantage of the free guided eco-garden walks. If you love hiking, this is home to beautiful walking trails, running through the Adelaide hills to Cleland and the surrounding area.

Visit Cleland Conservation Park and Monarto Zoo

Here are two wildlife conservation parks in Adelaide, offering an authentic experience for visitors with close-up access to wildlife such as kangaroos, koalas, and many other Australian native animals. Both places are open spaces and natural areas. However, you will have to pay an entrance fee. Please visit their website for more information. Monarto Zoo is an hour’s drive from East Adelaide. Cleland Conservation Park is a 30-minute drive from the city center and is accessible by public transport.

Monarto Zoo Entry Ticket in Adelaide

Spend a day to go to Victor Harbor and Elliot

This is one of the places that you can visit while on route to Kangaroo Island, due to it is located in the Southeast, about 45km from Cape Jervish. You will also need to rent a car and spend a day visiting these two harbours. Both are beautiful coastal villages, great places for surfing, swimming, fishing and whale watching (seasonal). Elliot is smaller than Victor but in my opinion I find it more interesting and less touristy, with shops selling everything from art, crafts, to antiques and local crafts.

If you don’t like driving, this is a day tour from Adelaide.

Adelaide travel blog: What to eat?

Adelaide is famous for its delicious local food and great wine. The mild climate makes it the perfect place to eat throughout the year. In the city is a wonderful combination of bars, restaurants, and cafes. The best streets to eat in Adelaide are Rundle Street, O’Connell Street, Gouger Street and Grote Street – The street that serving Asian cuisine for food lovers. The further Hutt Street, in the eastern part of the city, is also a great place for breakfast and brunch. Not many people know that in Adelaide, you can also eat the Australian fresh oysters and shrimp, they are really delicious! I didn’t like oysters until I tried oysters on the Eyre Peninsula! I highly recommend eating fish in Adelaide and indulging in some of the other delicacies of Australia.

Eat and drink in small alleys

In the city center, small alleys and streets in Adelaide are being transformed with hidden bars and eateries. Along Peel Street, you can enjoy a cup of whiskey at Clever Little Tailor, or some Espresso Martini at La Moka or drop by Cork Wine Café to taste wine or coffee. Hains & Co is a sailor-style bar at down the street.

Enjoy fresh produce at the Adelaide Central Market

Enjoy an abundance of South Australian produce – farm-straight fresh fruit and fresh vegetables, cheese, bacon and seafood at the Adelaide Central Market. For more than 140 years, this covered market has been the central point in Adelaide. Start with coffee at the Espresso Fair and freshly baked pastries at the Dough stall. Sample local cheeses at Say Cheese and hard to find worldwide cheeses at The Smelly Cheese Shop.

Visit Pure Island, which brings together more than 25 wineries from Kangaroo Island with very delicate bottles of gin, oils with various scents, honey and tangy … To explore the market, join an early morning tour Mark Gleeson, during which time you will taste the food and meet the very friendly sales people.

Celsius restaurant and bar

Inspired by his family farm, chef Ayhan Erkoc uses premium meats and heirloom vegetables to create modern cuisines. His daring menu offers beautiful dishes, a harmonious taste and taste.

Adelaide travel guide: Shopping

Walk around the business district of Rundle Mall and Rundle Street. One of the top things to do during the day in Adelaide is sightseeing. Rundle Mall is both a place for you to see items through the window of the booths, shopping and also a place where you watch the crowds of people passby. This is the heart of Adelaide, where the bustle of this city takes over space.

Be sure to visit Adelaide Arcade and one of the most famous chocolate shops in Australia: Haigh’s Chocolates. Continue walking a little further, throhgh the Rundle Street for a quick shopping, drinking coffee, and stop by bars at night to listen to live music and enjoy food at the wonderful restaurants here.

Liza Emanuele

Among the prominent boutiques in the urban fashion area of Adelaide designer Liza Emanuele is her shop call Liza Emanuele Fashion & Bridal Showroom, her sexy dresses specially designed to help women find themselves more glamorous. Emanuele (trained in Milan) is sponsored by Adelaide’s top fashion designers George Gross and Harry Watt (Harry Who).

Address: 147 King William Rd, Hyde Park SA 5061, Australia
Phone: +61 8 8377 7884

Adelaide travel blog: Where to stay?

Below we recommend more best cheap, budget, mid-range and upscale hotels with good ratings and reviews you can refer to.

• Ibis Adelaide, a top rated 4-star hotel with room rates from $70/night (Check rates on Agoda.com or Booking.com).
• Mayfair Hotel, a top rated 5-star hotel with room rates from $151/night (Check rates on Agoda.com or Booking.com).
• Adelaide Meridien Hotel & Apartments, a top rated 4-star hotel with room rates from $74/night (Check rates on Agoda.com or Booking.com).
• Quest On Franklin, a top rated 4-star hotel with room rates from $110/night (Check rates on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

You can find more, check rates, availability & book for hotels in this city on Agoda.com or Booking.com.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Adelaide you can refer to

• Private Adelaide Airport (ADL) Transfers for Adelaide CBD
• {Unp by Op} Adelaide Zoo Entry Ticket and Animal Encounters in Adelaide
• Monarto Zoo Entry Ticket in Adelaide
• Adelaide Zoo Ticket
• Kangaroo Island Day Tour
• Grand Adelaide Tour
• Adelaide City Highlights Half Day Tour
• Skydiving Experience at Lake Alexandrina in Adelaide
• Afternoon Adelaide Highlights Tour
• Kangaroo Island Day Tour from Adelaide
• Adelaide Central Market Discovery Tour

Are you looking for more top things to do in Adelaide: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Let’s check it out here.