Three Days in Adelaide
Skip from cultural attractions to the coast in Adelaide, where restaurants, parklands and wine regions are also within easy reach.
Explore the city's past in the grand stone buildings along North Terrace. Discover the youthful energy humming beneath the city's elegant exterior along Rundle Street and Gouger Street's popular dining strip. Lose yourself in parklands, which sprawl around more than half the city. Swim with dolphins in Glenelg and enjoy summer festivities in beachside Henley. Do a day trip to the Fleurieu Peninsula, stopping to see wineries, play on white beaches, trek the rugged coastline and get up close to wildlife.
At a glance:
- Two nights Adelaide
- Shopping Rundle Street
- Galleries, museums and colonial buildings North Terrace
- Glenelg and Henley beach
- Wine tasting in McLaren Vale
- Day trip to the Fleurieu Peninsula
The Journey:
- Nearest Major City: Adelaide
- Duration: 3 days
- Mode of Transport: Walk, Car
Day One
Adelaide Central Market, Adelaide, South Australia
Combine culture and fresh air
Witness the action and colour of Adelaide Central Market – the city’s fresh food centre – from one of its gourmet cafés. Then wander the galleries, museums and colonial buildings of North Terrace, Adelaide’s cultural boulevard. Walk through the grand Railway Station to see Parliament and Government House. Check out the wine bars, boutiques, art house cinemas and elegant restaurants on nearby Rundle Street. Explore the retail smorgasbord of Rundle Mall, uncover the fashion secrets of Ebenezer Place and trawl the Sunday markets. Lunch here on a wrought-iron balcony or head into the parklands encircling the city for a picnic. Hire a rowboat or visit fragrant rose gardens in Rymill Park, see the art-deco Palm House in the Botanic Gardens or cycle alongside the Torrens River in Linear Park. In the evening, dine along fashionable Gouger, O’Connell and Melbourne Streets. Or see a performance of theatre, opera, dance, cabaret or comedy at the Adelaide Festival Centre on North Terrace.
Day Two
Glenelg Beach, South Australia
Hit the beach and hills
Make your way to Glenelg on Holdfast Bay, where you can watch the passing parade from a Jetty Road café. Browse the shops, dive beneath the waves, relax on the white, sandy beach or swim with dolphins. Continue the seaside in Henley before driving to the Adelaide Hills. Only 30 minutes from the city centre and you will drive through picturesque vineyards dotted on hillsides and valleys. Stop at Mt Lofty Summit for amazing views. Cuddle a koala at Cleland Wildlife Park then continue to Hahndorf and visit The Cedars, the historic home of famous artist Sir Hans Heysen. Return to Adelaide and enjoy dinner at one of the many multicultural eateries.
Day Three
Chapel Hill Winery, McLaren Vale, South Australia
Fleurieu Peninsula
Hire a car and drive south into the McLaren Vale wine region, where you can visit galleries and cellar doors and buy olives, oils, cheeses, almonds and berries from roadside stalls and orchards. If you’re feeling energetic, hire a bike and cycle along the old railway track to arty Willunga. Drive along the Gulf St Vincent coast, stopping to swim and to enjoy a meal of fish and chips at the Star of Greece restaurant overlooking Port Willunga. Continue south and walk the rugged, spectacular coastline of Deep Creek Conservation Park. Continue to Victor Harbor for a wildlife cruise with Big Duck Boat Tours to spot local seal colonies and dolphins (and maybe migrating whales between June and October). Stop in Goolwa to cruise The Coorong or visit the wineries and wetlands of Currency Creek. Head back to Adelaide via the historic, antiques hub of Strathalbyn.
