Welcome to the Adelaide Travel & Local Spot Guide

Whether you’re in town for a few days, here on business, or just landed and took a ride into the city, welcome to Adelaide. During my time driving, almost every passenger asks the exact same question: "What are the best things to do while I’m here?"

Instead of scribbling down a list on a piece of paper, I’ve put together this quick reference guide covering the top spots, local hits, and day trips people actually enjoy when visiting Adelaide.

Discovering Adelaide's must-sees

Stuff in the City

Adelaide Central Business District - things to do.

  • Adelaide Central Market: Over 80 stalls of fresh produce, cheeses, and street food. Best visited Friday mornings for a buzzing atmosphere and full trader availability (closed Sundays & Mondays).

    Website: adelaidecentralmarket.com.au

 

  • Peel Street & Leigh Street: Pedestrianized laneways packed with tapas bars and hidden cocktail joints. Best visited from late afternoon to late night.

    Website: experienceadelaide.com.au

 

  • East End (Rundle Street): Independent cafes, pub gardens, and boutique shopping. Best visited from lunch through early evening.

    Website: rundlestreet.com.au

 

  • Adelaide Himeji Garden: A serene, traditional Japanese walled garden tucked away on South Terrace—completely free and rarely crowded. Best visited in the morning or mid-afternoon for maximum tranquility.

    Website: cityofadelaide.com.au

 

  • Mortlock Wing (State Library of SA) & North Terrace Cultural Precinct: Located on North Terrace; stepping inside the Mortlock Wing feels like entering a Victorian-era library straight out of a historical film. While exploring the area, make sure to visit the neighboring South Australian Museum and Art Gallery of South Australia—both sit right next door and offer general admission completely free of charge. Best visited on weekday afternoons when it's quietest for wandering.

    Websites: slsa.sa.gov.au | samuseum.sa.gov.au | agsa.sa.gov.au

    Website: slsa.sa.gov.au

 

  • Adelaide Botanic Garden: A 50-hectare oasis in the northeast of the CBD featuring the 1877 Victorian Palm House, the Bicentennial Conservatory rainforest, and the Museum of Economic Botany. General entry is completely free. Best visited in the morning through early afternoon.

    Website: botanicgardens.sa.gov.au

 

  • Adelaide Zoo: Located right next to Botanic Park along Frome Road, housing over 2,400 animals across 8 hectares—famous as the home of Australia's only Giant Pandas. Best visited starting at opening time (9:30 AM) to catch morning animal feed talks and beat the heat.

    Website: adelaidezoo.com.au

 

  • Holey Moley Golf Club: A vibrant, neon-lit indoor mini-golf venue and cocktail bar featuring pop-culture-themed putt-putt holes, retro arcade games, and private console booths. Best visited late afternoon or evening for a lively date night or group outing.

    Website: holeymoley.com.au

 

  • Hijinx Hotel (Rundle Place): A vibrant venue styled like a quirky New York hotel where you "play, not stay". Features 10 interactive challenge rooms packed with fast-paced mini-games, giant Scrabble, and ball pits, alongside an arcade and bowling alley right next door. Best visited daytime to early evening (great for kids and families).

    Website: hijinxhotel.com.au

 

  • Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq (Rundle Place): A vibrant venue styled like a quirky New York hotel where you "play, not stay". Features 10 interactive challenge rooms packed with fast-paced mini-games, giant Scrabble, and ball pits, alongside an arcade and bowling alley right next door. Best visited daytime to early evening (great for kids and families).

    Website: archiebrothers.com.au

 

  • Strike Bowling (Rundle Place): Sitting right alongside Hijinx Hotel and Archie Brothers, offering neon-lit bowling lanes, immersive escape rooms, and private karaoke rooms. Best visited afternoon through evening.

    Website: strikebowling.com.au

 

  • P1 Entertainment (Hindmarsh): A massive indoor family entertainment complex featuring electric indoor go-karts, high-tech golf simulators, and a big arcade hall under one roof. Best visited afternoon or weekend sessions.

    Website: p1entertainment.com.au

 

  • Escape Hunt (Rundle Mall): High-energy, immersive escape room experiences with themed mystery rooms where families or groups work together to solve clues and escape within 60 minutes. Best visited afternoon through evening (booking recommended).

    Website: escapehunt.com

Food - Places to Eat.

 

  • Le Petit Chef (Hotel Indigo): Immersive 3D projection-mapping dining experience where "the world's smallest chef" animates right on your table, cooking each course before real, locally sourced dishes are served. Best visited for dinner (reservations essential).

    Website: lepetitchef.com/adelaide

  • Uniqorn Eats: A colourful, rainbow-themed family diner serving OTT freakshakes, multi-coloured burgers, and pancake stacks. Best visited around lunchtime or early afternoon.

    Website: uniqorneats.com.au

  • Africola: Bold, high-energy dining featuring fire-cooked North African and South African flavours with vibrant decor and intense banquets. Best visited for dinner (reservations essential).

    Website: africola.com.au

  • Restaurant Botanic: Consistently rated one of Australia's top fine-dining experiences, set inside the lush Adelaide Botanic Garden. Offers an extraordinary multi-course degustation centered around native Australian ingredients. Best visited for a multi-hour lunch or dinner (bookings months in advance required).

 

  • Shobosho: A sleek, high-energy Leigh Street hotspot combining Japanese yakitori with ancient charcoal grilling techniques. Best visited for dinner or seating at the yakitori bar.

 

  • Osteria Oggi: Iconic, award-winning modern Italian restaurant featuring a grand marble bar, cobblestone floor design, and handmade pasta crafted daily. Best visited for lunch or a bustling evening dinner.

 

  • Penfolds Magill Estate Restaurant: Perched in the Adelaide foothills with sweeping city views, this world-class fine-dining venue pairs fine cuisine directly with Penfolds' legendary wine cellar. Best visited for special occasion lunches or dinners.

 

  • 2KW Bar & Restaurant: Located eight floors above King William Street, offering unmatched rooftop views across the city skyline, paired with modern Australian share plates and an extensive wine list. Best visited for sunset drinks transitioning into dinner.

 

  • arkhé: Located in nearby Norwood, South Australia's first open-flame restaurant where everything is cooked over a massive 2-tonne wood-fired hearth. Best visited for dinner (chef's counter seats recommended).

 

  • Yianni’s on Hindley: An Adelaide late-night institution serving up classic charcoal-cooked Greek yiros, chips, and massive sauce-drenched AB packs. Best visited late night to early morning (especially after hitting the West End pubs and clubs).

    Website: ubereats.com

 

 

Getting around Adelaide with ease

The 20-Minute Rule & City Transit

  • The "20-Minute City": Local logic holds true—almost everything in the metropolitan area (from the foothills to the coast) is roughly a 20 to 30-minute drive.

  • Free City Tram Zone: Riding the tram is completely free between the South Terrace stop, the Entertainment Centre, and Botanic Gardens along North Terrace.

  • Glenelg Tram: To hit the coast, board the Glenelg tram from Victoria Square or North Terrace—takes about 35 minutes to reach the jetty.

Regional gems: If you have more time, and some transportation.

  • Waterfall Gully to Mount Lofty: The locals' favorite morning workout—a steep 3.9 km trail leading up to sweeping views over the Adelaide plains. Best visited in the early morning to beat the heat and crowd.

    Website: parks.sa.gov.au

 

  • Henley Square vs. Glenelg: Glenelg gets the main tourist crowds; head to Henley Square for a relaxed sunset meal and ocean views. Best visited in the late afternoon to grab a meal and watch the sunset.

    Website: henleysquarepavilion.com.au

 

  • Hahndorf Historic German Village: Australia's oldest surviving German settlement filled with half-timbered buildings, artisan bakeries, and pub beer gardens. Best visited mid-morning through late afternoon.

    Website: hahndorfsa.org.au

 

  • Beerenberg Farm: Located just outside Hahndorf, famous for its farm shop and hands-on strawberry picking (picking season runs November to April). Best visited in the morning.

    Website: beerenberg.com.au

 

  • Victor Harbor & Granite Island: Coastal getaway featuring the iconic Horse-Drawn Tram crossing the Granite Island Causeway to Granite Island (home to a wild little penguin colony). Best visited all day.

    Website: victor.sa.gov.au

 

  • The Cockle Train: Historic steam train operating along Australia's oldest steel railway line between Victor Harbor, Port Elliot, and Goolwa. Best visited on scheduled train operating days.

    Website: steamrangerheritagerailway.org

 

  • Jacob's Creek Visitor Centre (Barossa Valley): One of Australia's most famous names, offering sprawling vineyard views, interactive sensory wine classes, and cycling trails through the vine rows. Best visited morning through mid-afternoon.

    Website: jacobscreek.com

 

  • The d'Arenberg Cube (McLaren Vale): An avant-garde 5-level architectural marvel shaped like a Rubik's cube set among Shiraz vineyards, housing an immersive sensory museum, Salvador Dalí bronze sculptures, and a high-end tasting room. Best visited in the late morning or for lunch.

    Website: darenberg.com.au

Golf Courses & other Sporting venues 

 

  • North Adelaide Golf Course

    • Website: https://www.northadelaidegolf.com.au

    • Location: North Adelaide (5 mins from CBD)

    • Details: Located right in the Park Lands with great city views. Features two 18-hole courses (North and South) plus a 18-hole Par 3 course. Fully open to the public with club and cart hire.

  • Kooyonga Golf Club

    • Website: https://www.kooyongagolf.com.au

    • Location: Lockleys (15 mins west of CBD)

    • Details: A top-tier championship sandbelt course near the airport. It is a private club, but welcomes interstate and international visitors with advance bookings.

  • The Royal Adelaide Golf Club

    • Website: https://www.royaladelaidegolf.com.au

    • Location: Seaton (20 mins northwest of CBD)

    • Details: World-famous links-style layout built into natural coastal sand dunes. A bucket-list venue for keen golfers, offering visitor playing times upon request.

Major Stadiums & Ovals

  • Adelaide Oval

    • Website: https://www.adelaideoval.com.au

    • Location: North Adelaide

    • Details: Premier 53,500-capacity stadium hosting AFL, international cricket, major concerts, and events.

  • Coopers Stadium / Hindmarsh Stadium

  • Karen Rolton Oval

    • Website: https://www.saca.com.au

    • Location: Park 25, Adelaide

    • Details: Cricket facility hosting Sheffield Shield, WBBL, and domestic matches.

Indoor Arenas & Multipurpose Sports Complexes

Ice, Aquatic & Specialized Venues

  • IceArena

    • Website: https://www.icearena.com.au

    • Location: Thebarton

    • Details: Ice sports facility featuring two rinks, hosting the Adelaide Adrenaline (AIHL), figure skating, and public ice skating.

  • SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre

    • Website: https://saaquatic.ymca.org.au

    • Location: Marion

    • Details: Olympic-standard aquatic facility featuring 50m competition pools, diving towers, and water sports infrastructure.

  • State Basketball Centre

Motorsport & Racing

  • The Bend Motorsport Park

    • Website: https://www.thebend.com.au

    • Location: Tailem Bend

    • Details: State-of-the-art international motorsport circuit hosting Supercars and major racing events.

  • Globe Derby Park

    • Website: https://www.sahrc.com.au

    • Location: Globe Derby Park

    • Details: Main venue for harness racing in South Australia.

  • Morphettville Racecourse

 

 

Ready for your next Adelaide adventure?

After soaking in these travel tips, we hope you feel inspired to explore. If you're looking for a more personalised experience, consider booking a private luxury EV wine tour or an executive chauffeur service with Arock Tours. We're here to make your journey through Adelaide and South Australia seamless and memorable.