Adelaide Accommodation

Exploring Adelaide

Set among the famed Australian wine regions of the Clare Valley, McLaren Vale, and the Barossa Valley, the laid-back city of Adelaide is South Australia’s capital and cultural hub. With its stylish architecture, art and music events, fine dining, fun nightlife, and glorious beachside setting, the city is a hub for visitors from across Australia and the world. The city centre is easily explored on foot from hotels such as the InterContinental Adelaide, and hiring a car on arrival gives tourists the self-drive freedom to visit national parks, stunning coastlines, and more.

The best time for a visit to this lively, cultural city is during late February and March when Adelaide’s famous festivals and events take centre stage. Everything from music festivals, the Adelaide Fringe with its plethora of entertainments and shows, the Adelaide Cup horseracing week, the Adelaide Festival itself, the World of Music, Arts and Dance event, and the Clipsal 500 motor race take place at this time, drawing many thousands of visitors. Hotels fill up at this time so book early to secure a room in upscale offerings like the Majestic Roof Garden or The Playford. Australia’s great outdoors is especially spectacular in the region surrounding the city and includes Eyre and York peninsulas, the frontier region of the Flinders Ranges, Kangaroo Island, and the surfing beaches near Victor Harbour.

Sights nearby

Adelaide offers a wide range of sights, both in the city and around this fascinating corner of South Australia. Highlights focus on the natural beauty of the state and its indigenous fauna and topography.

- Glenelg

The historic heart of the city lies in the beachside suburb of Glenelg, with its plethora of interesting buildings, great beaches bisected by a traditional pier, wide range of restaurants, cafés and bars, and welcoming hotels including the Oaks Liberty Towers Hotel. Weekend access from Central Adelaide comes with a heritage twist as it’s via one of the city’s historic trams, and weekday visitors are served by the new light rail tram line.

- Adelaide Hills

The hills backing the city include towering Mount Lofty with its spectacular views across the ocean, the cityscape, Glenelg, the wine country, and the entire metropolitan area. A visit gives an enjoyable day out walking, hiking, and picnicking in unspoiled countryside and a chance to encounter Australia’s unique wildlife and birdlife.

- Adelaide Zoo

The main attractions at Adelaide Zoo are the giant pandas, a rarity in most zoos and a treat for family visits. Eight hectares of landscaped botanic gardens house over 300 species, with 1,800 animals in total, including kangaroos, wallabies, and cute koala bears. A conservation ark and behind-the-scene tours complete the picture.

- Belair National Park

Belair National Park lies just south of Adelaide and encompasses bushwalking and hiking trails, an adventure playground for children, and historic Old Government House, the South Australian colony’s first official summer residence for its viceroy. For a more up-close and personal encounter with Australian wildlife, Cleland Conservation Park is worth a visit.

Eating and drinking and shopping nearby

The city offers a varied choice of cuisines to suit all budgets, including seafood, Italian, Chinese, upmarket French, Thai, and other Asian gastronomies. Gouger Street is the hub for delicious budget meals, and gourmets should head for Hutt Street with its upmarket restaurants and variety of gourmet stores. Rundle Street is the city’s cultural hub with its eateries and al-fresco cafés, and the city’s Central Market with its locally-grown organic produce is the place to head for a picnic. Traditional Aussie pubs and several nightclubs are found in the East End and West End districts. Adelaide’s malls offer department stores and local boutiques, as well as small shops catering for every need. Tea Tree Plaza is a favourite, and Harbour Town is the outlet shopping hub.

Public transport

Adelaide’s international airport offers flights from Europe via Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore, as well as domestic services from Australia’s major cities. Ground transportation is by taxi, hotel, or Skylink shuttle, or the public JetBus. Once in the city, getting around is easy via tram, metro bus, the free CityLoop bus, metro train, taxi, or hire car.