The South Australian capital isn’t immediately thought of when it comes to backpackers – it’s often a city that’s visited on a trip to the Red Centre, or on a road trip across the Great Ocean Road.
We want Adelaide to feel the love as we believe the place is underrated, so here we are, sharing the top 6 things to do to get the most out of your trip to RADelaide (and why you should visit in the first place).
1. Beaches
Adelaide has lots of beautiful and relaxing beaches very close to the city centre. These are some of the best beaches in Adelaide to check out:
· Glenelg Beach
· Port Noarlunga
· Henley Beach
· Moana Beach
· Semaphore Beach
2. Central market
One for the foodies, Central Market is literally crammed full of boutique food stores, fruit and veg stalls, wine and cheese bars (and more!) just vying for your attention. And what comes with markets? Food samples! And this Central Market can literally be enjoyed just by the amount of those – from tasting fancy cheeses to trying morsels of flaky pastries, you can literally walk from stall to stall sampling the goods… it’s easy to see how it’s been around for over 140 years!
3. Adelaide oval
The fifth largest sports stadium (capacity wise) in Australia, the Adelaide Oval is primarily a cricket stadium where you can watch games for free. Or if you want to get involved in the local sport (Australian Football League, aka AFL) buy a ticket to the game and soak up the lively atmosphere. If you’re not into sports, they also host events like St Patrick’s Day celebrations and popular music concerts such as Ed Sheeran’s World Tour.
4. Mount Lofty
Just under 10 miles east of the city, Mount Lofty is the highest peak of the Mount Lofty ranges in the Adelaide Hills. Totally worth it if you love connecting with nature and just want an escape from the city: the national park offers a ton of different bushwalking and hiking trails, like the Waterfall Gully to Mount Lofty hike – start by admiring the falls and then end the uphill hike to the peak with stunning panoramic views of the city down to the coast.
5. Cleland Wildlife Park
Less than 20 minutes from the city, Cleland Wildlife Park is a conservation sanctuary, where you can watch some of Australia’s most iconic animals in their natural environment: the perfect place to see Koala’s and Kangaroos chilling out.
6. Peel and Leigh street
Two neighboring streets right in the middle of the city, where Adelaide’s heart lies: it’s like a mixture of all the bigger Australian cities, with laneways and talented street performers like Melbourne, and chic wine bars and restaurants like Sydney. This is where you should head to enjoy those balmy South Australian evenings, with a drink in one hand and a gourmet burger in the other.
7. Wine regions
You can’t visit South Australia without heading to at least one of the wine regions – it’s the largest wine-producing region in the country! So, whether you’re a wine connoisseur, just enjoy a glass of wine, or are only there for the cheese board, we recommend checking at least one of them out on a day trip from the city: Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, and Langhorne Creek. Think beautiful countryside, seriously tasty wine and slightly wobbly bicycle rides.
Plan a gap year to Australia to visit Adelaide for yourself.