13 of the best things to do in Adelaide for every budget

Blessed with an abundance of natural beauty, world-class cultural attractions and gastronomic delights, South Australia’s easy to navigate capital is fun, friendly and full of unforgettable adventures to suit every taste.

Ringed by sandy beaches and world-class wine regions, the South Australian capital is easy to fall in love with. But you don’t need to leave the city to enjoy the best that Adelaide has to offer. You can visit one of the world’s great food markets, learn about the region’s Indigenous history and see an Australian icon being made – all in a single day. And if you visit during one of the many annual festivals, the party continues well into the night.

Here’s everything you need to know about the best things to do in Adelaide.

1. Taste the world at the Adelaide Central Market

For more than 150 years, home cooks, chefs and tourists alike have flocked to the Adelaide Central Market, where more than 70 traders hawk fresh produce and cook up tasty treats from across the globe.

Whether you’re searching for Middle Eastern spices or Italian smallgoods, fresh Coffin Bay oysters or perfectly spiced empanadas, you’ll find what you’re looking for here.

Download a free audio tour narrated by local food personalities Adam Liaw and Katie Spain to learn more about the colourful characters who have helped shape this gourmand’s paradise, or simply follow your nose and see where it leads you.

2. Catch a festival

Visit during February or March and it’s easy to see why Adelaideans call this the “festival season”. The City’s East End transforms as temporary outdoor hubs spring up in the parklands and the world’s second largest fringe festival turns the entire city into a roving carnival with hundreds of performances every night.

At the same time, the city’s larger theatres (and sometimes the beaches and quarries) host acclaimed opera, theatre and dance works brought over by the Adelaide Festival, while Botanic Park rings out with a dizzying mix of samba, Ethio-jazz and throat singing during the joyful WOMADelaide festival.

But even outside of this time, a packed calendar ensures you’ll always find something happening in the Festival City, from the dazzling winter lights of Illuminate Adelaide to the cross-cultural collaborations of OzAsia and glammed-up burlesque performances in the Cabaret Festival. All you need to do is bring an adventurous spirit and join the party.

3. See Adelaide through Kaurna eyes

Long before the arrival of Europeans, the land on which Adelaide (Tarntanya) now sits was the home of the Kaurna people. Many of their most sacred sites have been built over, but the traditions associated with these places have been kept alive and Kaurna-owned-and-operated Southern Cultural Immersion invites visitors into this rich world.

Guests can explore the significance of native plants and learn traditional weaving techniques, or join the one-hour Adelaide City Cultural Tour that examines the history of Kaurna yerta (Kaurna country) from pre-invasion times through to the present day, delving into the significance of some of the most important sites and inviting visitors to see the city through a Kaurna lens.

4. Take a tour of a chocolate factory

If you grew up dreaming of following Willy Wonka around his candy-coloured wonderland, there’s good news and bad news. Sadly those rivers of chocolate and everlasting gobstoppers remain firmly in the world of fiction. But on a more positive note, you can enjoy a free tour of the Haigh’s Chocolates factory in Adelaide’s inner south every day from Monday to Saturday.

Now onto its fourth generation, Australia’s most venerable family-owned chocolate maker still specialises in artisanal handcrafted treats and each twenty-minute tour explains how they transform ethically sourced cocoa beans into more than 250 mouthwatering products.

Then it’s onto the production line where visitors can watch chocolates being made before indulging in a tasting and searching for bargain price seconds at the expansive onsite store.

5. Lose yourself in a park where nature meets art and fine dining

Visitors to Adelaide are never far from a green space thanks to the Adelaide Park Lands that encircle the city. But if you want to really lose yourself in the trees, head to the Adelaide Botanic Garden on the northeastern edge of the CBD. Along with towering Moreton Bay Figs, pungent corpse flowers and ancient Wollemi pines, you’ll find greenhouses nurturing palms, cacti and giant Amazonian water lilies. If you get hungry, the 51-hectare grounds include one of Australia’s most acclaimed dining spots in Restaurant Botanic (along with some more casual options), while arty types will love the large-scale exhibitions like the showcase of famed glass artist Dale Chihuly’s eye-popping glass sculptures.

6. Go on a wine tour with a difference

Boasting three acclaimed wine regions within an hour of the CBD, it’s no wonder that Adelaide is one of only 12 Great Wine Capitals in the world. But you can embark on a glorious vinous journey without ever leaving the CBD thanks to the incredible collection at the National Wine Centre.

All 65 of Australia’s wine regions are represented in the vast open cellar, and sommelier-led masterclasses allow you to explore the collection by varietal or region. Or you can learn about the people, places and grapes that have shaped our wine industry on a self-guided tour, then conduct some hands-on research at the Wined Bar’s array of Enomatic machines that allow you to taste 120 different wines.

7. Indulge in a little pampering

Self-care can take many forms, and just about every one of them is covered at Davaar House. An oasis of calm on the southeastern fringes of the city, this beautifully restored three-story mansion has been transformed into a wellness centre offering everything from stress-relieving massages to an infrared Pilates capsule and a hyperbaric chamber.

Book one of the sensory deprivation float tanks and you’ll feel the weight slipping from your shoulders as time drifts away, while the yoga and meditation sessions have a maximum of 8 participants to preserve the intimate atmosphere. If you can’t decide, you can even combine a range of treatments on the indulgent 5-hour retreat day. And when you’re done, the ground-floor coffee shop is the perfect spot to grab a berry smoothie or avo toast before venturing back out into the city. 

8. Walk away with the ultimate souvenir

A factory tour might seem like an unusual inclusion on a list of fun things to do in Adelaide, but the R.M. Williams site in Adelaide’s north is no ordinary production facility. The iconic Australian brand’s signature Craftsman boots are still assembled in largely the same way they were when Reginald Murray first learned to make them in 1932.

Every single boot goes through more than 80 separate processes as it is transformed from a single piece of leather into a wearable work of art, and you can follow that entire journey if you visit on a half-day tour. Then it’s time to grab some morning tea and learn about the brand’s rich history before visiting Reginald Murray’s original Percy Street workshop where you’ll be fitted with the ultimate souvenir – your own pair of R.M.s to keep.

9. Get your culture fix at one of Adelaide’s museums and galleries

It would take weeks to visit all of Adelaide’s incredible museums and galleries, but a short stroll along the cultural boulevard of North Terrace is enough to take in some of the city’s artistic highlights. In fact, in the space of just a few hundred metres you can travel all around the globe (and beyond).

First, fall under the spell of the pharaohs in the Ancient Egypt gallery at the South Australian Museum, then marvel at the Art Gallery of South Australia’s unrivalled collection of traditional and contemporary Indigenous art before venturing to the surface of Mars at the Australian Space Discovery Centre.

10. Say cheers to a local icon

Through depressions and world wars, heat waves and floods, there has been one constant for Adelaideans. After 162 years and six generations, you can still find Coopers on tap at the corner pub. The recent explosion of craft beers has only increased the brand’s popularity, and Australia’s largest independent brewery is now inviting visitors to peek behind the scenes at the brand new $70-million-dollar visitor centre in Regency Park.

Budding home brewers can take a deep dive into every aspect of the production process or sample the finished product in the tasting room, while the onsite microbrewery is busy making a range of exclusive experimental brews.

If you want to make a day out of it, the adjacent restaurant specialises in South American and Mediterranean flavours specially designed to match the Coopers range (and sometimes incorporates the beers into the dishes).

 11. Shop and dine at Rundle Mall

In 1976, when the opening ribbon was cut at Rundle Mall, the then Premier Don Dunstan (who initially green-lit the project) arrived on horse and cart. Ten thousand people lined the streets, toasting champagne to a new era in Adelaide retail.

Over 40 years later, Rundle Mall remains the home of shopping, dining and entertainment in Adelaide, with over 24 million people a year visiting the car-free shopping strip.

It hosts over 700 retailers and 300 services, combining leading retail brands, a huge selection of things to eat and drink with rich history, prominent landmarks and a steady stream of vibrant buskers.

12. Visit one of the beautiful beaches

Adelaide has so much food, culture, art and wine to offer, that many forget it’s also home to some A+ beaches.

Family-friendly Glenelg Beach is one of the most popular and is accessible via tram from the city to Moseley Square. Henley Beach is a high-end option, with the surrounding restaurants, cafes and shops catering to the luxury traveller.

For history buffs, Semaphore Beach is surrounded by Art Deco architecture. Be sure to check out the iconic 1920s Palais bathing pavilion while you’re there.

13. Explore Morialta Conservation Park

You’ll find Morialta Conservation Park just 10 km north-east of Adelaide city centre.

The park is home to three striking waterfalls, all linked by three hiking trails ready to be explored at your leisure. If you’d like to tick off all three, the 7.5km hike will take about four hours.

Kids will love the brand new Mukanthi nature play space, or the chance to climb the Birds Nest, discover an Aboriginal fire pit at Frog Island, find the secret tunnel at Great Snake, and reach the peak at Eagles Perch.

Morialta is also one of the state’s most popular spots for rock climbing, with options that vary in difficulty for both beginners and experts.

Need somewhere to stay? Check out our accommodation guide.