The 29-mile (46.5-kilometer River Torrens Linear Trail traces the River Torrens (Karrawirra Parri from the Adelaide Hills through Adelaide city and out to Henley Beach. Good for walkers, runners, and cyclists, many sections of the trail can be enjoyed as circuits. Head out along one side of the river then return on the opposite bank.
The Art Gallery of South Australia showcases around 45,000 works of art spanning 2,000 years. Expect to see works by Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and a diverse array of art from around the world, including Rodin bronzes and contemporary pieces. The museum occupies a landmark neoclassical building in the heart of Adelaide.
One of the principal attractions of Adelaide’s Cultural Precinct, the South Australian Museum is devoted to the region’s natural and cultural history. The museum is best known for its impressive collection of Australian Aboriginal cultural items: the largest collection of its kind in the world.
Set on North Terrace, the grand boulevard that forms Adelaide’s cultural heart, the State Library of South Australia (SLSA) occupies three spectacular buildings from different eras. Besides the architectural splendor of the Mortlock Wing, the library offers the full range of reference library resources, as well as exhibitions, free Wi-Fi, and a café.
Telling the stories of the migrants who came from all over the world to make South Australia their home, the Migration Museum provides fascinating insight into Adelaide’s rich history and cultural heritage. With respect for the indigenous people of this region, the museum also illustrates the impact of immigration on native Australians.
Home to the Parliament of the state of South Australia, Parliament House is a landmark of downtown Adelaide. Behind grand columns it houses the state’s two legislative chambers: the House of Assembly (lower house) and the Legislative Council (upper house). Designed as early as 1872, it wasn’t completed until 1939.
Established in 1894, McLaren Vale’s Wirra Wirra Vineyards are a South Australia institution—but one with a sense of fun. Besides the cellar door, deli, and everything you’d expect from a working winery, there’s a giant bell, a medieval siege machine for hurling watermelons, and a Flintstones-style boundary fence known as “Woodhenge”.
Australia’s longest river and a sacred place to indigenous communities, the mighty Murray River winds its way 1,558 miles (2,508 kilometers) through three Australian states. There are multiple ways—both on and off the water—to experience the river that runs through several Victoria towns and past striking South Australia landscapes.
A hugely popular hiking (bushwalking in Australian) destination for Adelaideans, Waterfall Gully lies within Cleland National Park just outside the city limits. It’s home to six of the park’s seven waterfalls, including the First Falls, which tumble around 100 feet (30 meters) down a craggy rock face, as well as koalas and the occasional kangaroo.
Penfolds is a celebrated name in the wine world, known for high-quality, award-winning wines and a long history in South Australia. Their Barossa Valley Cellar Door tasting room features two experiences: the Barossa Ultimate Tasting and Make Your Own Blend. The latter allows you to make your own creations using Grenache, Shiraz, and Mataro grapes—the same ingredients in Penfolds’ own Bin 138.
Established in 1844, Penfolds is perhaps Australia’s defining wine brand, and these Adelaide Hills vineyards are where it all began. Besides cellars, wine-making operations, and tasting rooms, the site is home to the original Grange cottage where the founders lived, an award-winning fine-dining restaurant, and an informal eatery.
Taking its name from the striking granite boulders scattered across it, Granite Island is both a natural wonder and an important cultural site of the Ngarrindjeri and Ramindjeri peoples. Reachable on foot from Victor Harbor, the island is known for its coastal walks, horse-drawn tram rides, and marine life.
Jutting into the ocean south of Adelaide towards pristine Kangaroo Island, the Fleurieu Peninsula offers some of South Australia’s finest produce, including the McLaren Vale wine-growing region. In season, Encounter Bay is one of South Australia’s favorite whale-watching destinations.
Linking Adelaide city center to the historic beachfront suburb of Glenelg, the Glenelg Tram is a relic of a public transport network that once spanned the entire city. Attractive red heritage trams are available for charter and occasionally during special events, but almost all trams that run the scenic route are modern.
Covering more than 3,700 acres (1,500 hectares) and featuring more than 500 free-roaming animals, Monarto Zoo is Australia’s largest open-range zoo. Along with Aussie favorites such as wallabies and Tasmanian Devils, the zoo is home to Australia’s largest herd of giraffes, as well as lions, rhinos, cheetah, and meerkats.
Light’s Vision, a life-size 1906 bronze statue of Adelaide’s founder Colonel William Light, stands atop grassy Montefiore Hill in North Adelaide, pointing boldly across the city. Laid out in 1938, the area, also known as Colonel Light’s Lookout, offers views over parkland and the city, especially the landmark Adelaide Oval cricket ground.
Just 7 miles (11 kilometers) from downtown Adelaide, the seaside suburb of Henley Beach offers more than just a long, safe, sandy beach and scenic jetty. Feast at the area’s spectacular seafood restaurants; paddle, swim, or fish at the beach; hike or bike along the coast; or watch the sun set over the Southern Ocean.
An Adelaide original, Haigh’s has been crafting chocolate since 1915 and is still family-owned today. At their factory, just south of Adelaide city center, the Haigh’s Chocolate Visitor Centre offers free tours plus the chance to shop Haigh’s specialties, from truffles and liqueurs to their signature chocolate frogs.
With its traditional horse-drawn trams, elegant colonial buildings, and sandy shores; Victor Harbor is one of South Australia’s most charming seaside resorts. In a prime location along the southern coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula, it’s surrounded by surf beaches, wildlife-filled islands, and scenic coastal hikes.
A tribute to Adelaide’s sister city, Himeji in Japan, the Adelaide Himeji Garden incorporates two classic styles of Japanese garden design. The minimalist rock-and-sand garden is raked daily for maximum serenity. The tranquil lake garden features lush greenery, stepping stones, statues, a traditional bamboo water tube, and more. It's perfect for lunch, reading, or meditation.
Traditionally owned by the Nganguraku and Ngaiawang people, Ngaut Ngaut Conservation Park is an important indigenous site on the banks of the Murray River. Yellow ocher cliffs house rock shelters dating back at least 5,000 years; a boardwalk runs along the river; and the rock art here has rich cultural significance.
Australia’s oldest steel-railed railway line has been running since 1887, when a horse-drawn train would carry passengers down to the seashore to collect cockles. Today, the Cockle Train keeps its original nickname and still chugs along the same historic route between Goolwa at the mouth of the Murray River, and Victor Harbor on the south coast.
Jacob's Creek is a global wine brand and the oldest commercial winery in the Barossa Valley. Given its prestigious lineage, it's no surprise that the Jacob's Creek Visitor Center offers guests wine tastings, gourmet picnic lunches on the estate grounds, a café, education around the winemaking process, and accommodations.
On the site of the shop that launched the R.M. Williams leather goods brand in 1934, the R.M. Williams Outback Heritage Museum is both museum and retail outlet. More than simply a tribute to one of South Australia’s most successful sons, the museum tells the story of bush culture and a defining Outback brand through displays, panels, and machinery.
Originally named Masterson Wines, after the gambler Sky Masterson from the musical “Guys and Dolls,” this mid-size South Australian vineyard was established in the late 1970s, eventually taking on the moniker of its winemaker, who has been credited with helping shape the Barossa winemaking industry. Since then, Peter Lehmann Wines' luscious reds and whites have been celebrated locally and internationally, and its family farm feel has welcomed visitors for generations.
Established in 1966, Wolf Blass, with vineyards located in the heart of South Australia’s wine country, has produced some of the most loved—and most awarded—bottles of red and white in the world by combining traditional and modern winemaking techniques. The luxurious estate welcomes travelers from across the globe to participate in tasting tours, including the opportunity to sample straight from the barrel.
In northwest Adelaide’s Port Adelaide suburb, the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide pays tribute to all things locomotive. Climb aboard a small train for a ride around the museum; admire steam engines and retro carriages; be immersed in Australia’s rail history; discover a model railway; and stock up on train-related souvenirs at the shop.
