Destination Guide to Adelaide, Australia

Adelaide is often sadly overlooked by those who have made a journey down Australia’s east coast and spent time in the big cities, mainly due to there being a rumour going around that Adelaide is ‘boring’. This could not be further from the truth. Adelaide is not just the gateway to world class vineyards. Those that choose to ignore the capital of South Australia are missing out on a number of unique experiences, high quality hotels in Adelaide, things to do and fun attractions to enjoy.

A great place to start is Victoria Square, a popular meeting point that lies in the shadow of a number of well-preserved 19th Century buildings. From here it is just a short walk to Adelaide hotels the city centre, or you can also take a tram journey to the pleasant beach town of Glenelg, which boasts an excellent sandy beach, clear waters and a number Adelaide hotels, bars, cafes and restaurants.

Central Market and Chinatown are also both within a five-minute walk of Victoria Square. Those looking for a combined shopping and eating experience should head along to the Central Market, which was founded in 1870 and has a great range of food stalls that sell top-quality local produce at bargain prices.

Heading into the city, top shopping in Adelaide can be found along Rundle Mall. As well as all of the big retailers, the street has a number of shopping arcades containing smaller, independent shops. To the east of Rundle Mall is Rundle Street, home of many Adelaide hotels, bars, cafes and restaurants, and the perfect place for people-watching and enjoying the sun with the drink of your choice. This is also a key location during the time of the famous Adelaide Fringe Festival. To the opposite end of Rundle Mall is Hindley Street, Adelaide’s number one option for nightlife, especially on a Friday and Saturday night. Check our deals for cheap hotels in Adelaide near the city.

Adelaide has a number of galleries and museums, many of which are located along North Terrace near some of the best Adelaide hotels. These include the Art Gallery of South Australia, Old Parliament House Museum and the South Australian Museum. Also along North Terrace is the Adelaide Festival Centre – which plays host to many music, drama and comedy acts, the rich flora and fauna of the Botanic Gardens and the ever-popular Adelaide Zoo.

The City Centre

Heading into the city, top shopping in Adelaide can be found along Rundle Mall. As well as all of the big retailers you would expect in a major city, the street has a number of shopping arcades containing smaller, independent shops. To the east of Rundle Mall is Rundle Street, home of many bars, cafes and restaurants, and the perfect place for people-watching and enjoying the sun with the drink of your choice. This is also a key location during the time of the famous Adelaide Fringe Festival. To the opposite end of Rundle Mall is Hindley Street, Adelaide’s number one option for nightlife, especially on a Friday and Saturday night.

Adelaide has a number of galleries and museums, many of which are located along North Terrace. These include the Art Gallery of South Australia, Old Parliament House Museum and the South Australian Museum. Many offer free entry and several hours’ worth of viewing. Also along North Terrace is the Adelaide Festival Centre – which plays host to many music, drama and comedy acts throughout the year, the rich flora and fauna of the Botanic Gardens and the ever-popular Adelaide Zoo.

Adelaide is not known as the ‘City of Churches’ for nothing, and those interested in exploring the structures will be spoilt for choice. Some of the most popular options in the city include the 1901 St. Peter’s Cathedral and the 1838 Holy Trinity Church, but there are many more.

Outside of the City Centre

A short journey to the south of town takes you to Haigh’s Chocolate Factory. Haigh’s are a national institution that have been making fine chocolates since 1915. A free guided tour is available, which is informative and will yield plenty of free samples. There is also the opportunity to purchase top-quality goods from the well stocked shop, which make for a unique souvenir of Adelaide.

Sports lovers should make every effort to enjoy a spot of Australian Rules Football during their stay, and Adelaide has the luxury of two AFL teams. Adelaide Crows are the main team in town, but they are also joined by near-neighbours Port Adelaide, who combine to make an intense-but-fun local rivalry. Both teams play at AAMI Stadium, and the derby is the highlight of the local calendar. Cricket fans should head to Adelaide Oval, which regular hosts matches involving the Australian national team, and can also be toured and contains the Bradman Museum of Cricket.

Mount Lofty makes for a popular day trip to the east of Adelaide. A journey up to the 2,390ft summit of the southern peak offers excellent views of the Adelaide Hills area and the nearby Barossa Valley region. Just a short distance from Mount Lofty summit is Cleland Wildlife Park, which has koalas, kangaroos, wallabies and other native animals.

Barossa Valley is itself an excellent excursion opportunity and an excuse for plenty of wine tasting. Some of the most famous wineries to choose from include Jacob’s Creek, Penfolds and Wolf Blass, but there are a great number of others, the vast majority of which offer free tasting sessions and bargain prices on their wares. Also in this direction is the German town of Hahndorf, which boasts attractions as diverse as cafes, churches and strawberry picking.

Despite being only the fifth largest city in Australia, Adelaide is arguably number one when it comes to festivals and events. In fact, South Australia is known as ‘The Festival State’, and many of it’s biggest events are held in and around its capital, Adelaide. Here we take a look at some of the biggest and best Adelaide festivals.

Starting the New Year with a Bang

After the celebrations to bring in the New Year, the festivals and events come thick and fast. Schutzenfest is Adelaide’s premier German festival, and Oompah music, traditional German food and plenty of beer can be found at Bonython Park every January, at an event that is nearing its 50th birthday and drawing an increasing number of visitors every year.

Late January is also the time of the Tour Down Under, a major cycling event which attracts some of the world’s top cyclists – such as Lance Armstrong, who made his eagerly-awaited 2009 comeback in this race. A week of action takes place at various locations, including the streets of the city centre for the opening leg of the tour.

Sports fans will also love the Clipsal 500, which is regarded as the highlight of the Australian motor sport calendar, and sees touring cars race around the city streets on a shortened version of the former Australian Grand Prix track. The main event is the two-day V8 Supercar race. To give you an idea of the draw of this motor sport extravaganza, nearly 300,000 people attended in 2008 – the largest crowd for a domestic motorsport event in the country. Music, air displays and other attractions are also held in conjunction with the Clipsal 500, which is held every February.

The Big Events Come to Adelaide

Regarded as the second largest Fringe festival in the world (second only to Edinburgh) and the biggest arts event in the country, the Adelaide Fringe Festival is a month-long event that begins with an evening parade in late February. The next four weeks see music, comedy, visual arts, dance, theatre and much more at numerous locations around the city, including the ever-popular Garden of Unearthly Delights in Rundle Park.

The Fringe also encompasses the Adelaide Festival of Arts and the Adelaide Film Festival, which are both held biennially on an alternating basis. Both focus on locally-produced and international works in their relevant fields.

A few days later there is more racing, this time of the equine variety, when it is the turn of the Adelaide Cup meeting. Held at the nearby Morphetville track, the nation’s top jockeys descend upon Adelaide, with the big race held on the second Monday of March every year over two miles. More horse racing can also be enjoyed in the Adelaide Hills every April, thanks to the Oakbank Racing Carnival.

Music fans are well catered for, with many top annual festivals now including Adelaide in their itinerary. These include Parklife (Sep/Oct), Big Day Out (January). Primarily local music can be enjoyed at the Semaphore Music Festival (October), and on a regular basis at the Adelaide Festival Centre, which also plays host to touring comedy, dance, theatre and opera productions.

The biggest music event of them all in this part of the world is WOMADelaide, an international music and dance event which celebrates cultures and aims to develop global understanding. WOMADelaide is held in the Botanic Park every March, and the 34-acre of greenery provides ample space for the dozens of performers from all over the planet.

Tasting Australia is a biannual food and wine event that was launched back in 1997. Thousands of visitors head to Elder Park, on the bank of the River Torrens, to sample locally-produced food and drink, particularly the top-quality wines from the nearby Barossa Valley. Some of the world’s top chefs, such as Nick Nairn and Rick Stein have also been at this May event in recent years, which has grown from a media-only event to one that attracts over 50,000 visitors annually.

Held at the end of August or the start of September, the Royal Adelaide Show is a hugely popular family event that has been running annually in the city since 1840. Held at the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds in Wayville, the show attracts thousands of visitors every year with its combination of agricultural attractions, rides, competitions and food stalls. The Showgrounds are also the home of numerous other events and exhibitions throughout the year, catering for a variety of interests.

Other Events in and around Adelaide

On top of all of these national and international festivals are a huge number of smaller, local festivals, held at various times throughout the year. These include:

• McLaren Vale Sea & Vines Festival (June)
• Adelaide Boat Show (July)
• South Australian Living Arts Festival (August)
• The Bay to Birdwood Car Rally (September)
• Classic Adelaide Road Rally (November)
• The Vegan Festival (November)
• Adelaide Christmas Pageant (November)

Adelaide is quite simply a food-lover’s paradise. The city is absolutely busting at the seams with great cafes and restaurants, many of which focus on modern Australian cuisine made using the best local ingredients. This is of course accompanied by the best local wines, brought straight from Barossa Valley, Clare Valley and Mclaren Vale.

Restaurants in Adelaide CBD

It is likely that most visitors will be staying in Adelaide’s city centre, and of course this is also where many of the city’s best restaurants can be found. For a taste of modern Australian cuisine, there are seemingly endless choices in the CBD. Some of the best include the Botanic Gardens restaurant inside the grounds of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens on North Terrace and Grange Restaurant on Victoria Square. For something a little less pricey try The Bunka, which is found inside The Austral Hotel on Rundle Street, one of Adelaide’s most popular pubs.

If you’ve got a craving for something from back home or just don’t really like Australian food, there are plenty of different styles of national cuisine catered to in Adelaide, so you’re sure to be able to find something. If you like Italian, Café Amore on Pulteney Street is a great option, offering plates piled high with pasta and tasty gourmet pizzas, all topped off with some delicious Italian ice-cream and authentic coffee. The prices here are also a massive plus, with change out of $20 for most main courses.

For other Mediterranean cuisines, try The Corner Bistrot on Leigh Street for French food and wine, or Tapas on Hindley for some authentic Spanish fare, which is open until the early hours on the weekends.
Meat eaters will love the steaks at Goucho’s Argentinean Restaurant on Gouger Street or the Balcony Restaurant on North Terrace, while vegetarians and vegans should head to Bliss Organic Café on Compton Street for lunch or Good Life Modern Organic Pizza for dinner.

Eating out in Adelaide’s Chinatown

A definite “must see” for every visitor to Adelaide is Chinatown, and this area is where most of the city’s best Asian restaurants are to be found (with a few non-Asian ones squeezed in between for good measure). For a more upmarket Asian experience, try Citi Zen restaurant on King William Street for Chinese, Jasmin on Hindmarsh Square for Indian or Kenji Modern Japanese on Hutt Street.

For a more authentically Chinese experience, try either Bazu or BBQ City on Gouger Street, but be warned that you may be waiting some time for a table as both are usually packed with Chinese ex-pats. Alternatively, try DirecThai for some great, inexpensive Thai food or Great River on Gouger Street for traditional, authentic Korean barbecue.

Lunchtime in Adelaide

For visitors who are looking for something a little lighter, there are lots of chain cafes and coffee shops such as Cibo and Gloria Jean’s. There are also heaps of small, independent cafes to be found along the bottom of the city’s office blocks, many of which serve up top quality food with your coffee, at much less than you’d pay in a restaurant. A personal favorite is Chocolate Bean on Union Street, which as the name suggests is a temple to all things chocolate, including hot chocolate, iced chocolate, chocolate ice-cream and all kinds of chocolate cakes and desserts.

Although the major fast food chains are of course all found in Adelaide, the more plentiful and slightly better alternative for a quick, cheap eat is to hit one of the city’s food halls. There is a rather sizeable Asian population in Adelaide, and so most of these food courts focus predominantly on Asian cuisine, with plenty of concessions offering two or three choices with rice or noodles for only a few dollars. Most of the food courts also have plenty of other options as well, for example pizza/pasta, Mexican, Turkish and sandwich bars, so everyone is sure to find something they fancy.

Eating out in Glenelg

Although most of the action is in the town centre, some visitors may be staying in, or at least visiting, the beachside suburb of Glenelg. This quaint little seaside town also has some great places to eat without visitors needing to travel all the way into the city. One of the most unique eating experiences can be had at Top of the World revolving restaurant, just outside of Glenelg, offering stunning 360 degree views of the surrounding Adelaide area, accompanied by delicious local seafood and South Australian wine.

Down on the promenade, Blu Café offers a varied menu, featuring Italian favorites, Middle Eastern dishes and fresh local seafood, all cooked to perfection but at a price which won’t break the bank. Another nice choice is Café Strand, which features a Mediterranean menu focusing predominantly on fish and meat, but with a few veggie options thrown in there too. The stone-baked pizzas are the highlight of the menu and can be enjoyed with a fabulous selection of local and European wines.