Month guide · Adelaide · Australia
Adelaide in May
What May is really like in Adelaide: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Yu Chu Chin, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
May is a good-value shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 19°C (66°F), lows of 10°C (50°F), about 9 rainy days and roughly 10.3 hours of daylight. Cooler and calm, with autumn colour in the Adelaide Hills around Stirling and Hahndorf.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 19°C (66°F) / 10°C (50°F)
- Rainy days
- About 9
- Daylight
- About 10.3 hours
- Sea temperature
- 17°C (63°F)
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in May
May is the 8th-warmest month in Adelaide: days average 19°C (66°F) against a yearly average high of 22°C (72°F), and nights fall to about 10°C (50°F). Rain falls on roughly 9 of its 31 days. Compared with April (23°C (73°F)), May is cooler; by June highs drop to around 16°C (61°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 07:03
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 17:21
- Daylight
- About 10.3 hours
- Sea
- 17°C (63°F)
Winter (June–August). Cool and showery with highs around 15–16°C; quiet, lower prices, fires in winery restaurants and AFL football.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 2 for crowds (the peak is February at 5) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in February). That makes May one of the better-value months to book.
Events in May
- Tasting Australia food festival (usually late April or early May)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in May
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
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Waterfront · Riverbank
River Torrens and Elder Park
Hire a paddle boat or walk the riverbank at dusk, when the Festival Centre and Adelaide Oval are lit up.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Couples
- After dark
Viewpoint · Adelaide Hills
Mount Lofty Summit
At 710 metres, the summit gives a sweeping view over the Adelaide Plains to the gulf, with the Flinders Column marker and a café.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours with the walk
- Cost
- Free
- Views
- Free
- Active
- Outdoors
Zoo · Adelaide Hills
Cleland Wildlife Park
Buy a bag of animal food at the entrance and visit early in the day, when the animals are most active.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Nature · Adelaide Hills
Morialta Conservation Park
A gorge in the foothills about 10 km east of the city, with three waterfalls linked by walking trails and a good chance of seeing koalas in the gum trees.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Active
- Outdoors
What to pack
For highs near 19°C, lows near 10°C and 9 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Adelaide?
A good-value shoulder-season month, with a notable event on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, March–April and October–November are better overall. Compare every month.
Adelaide in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Adelaide?
It is a good-value shoulder-season month. Cooler and calm, with autumn colour in the Adelaide Hills around Stirling and Hahndorf.
+How warm is Adelaide in May?
Average highs are around 19°C (66°F) and lows around 10°C (50°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Adelaide in May?
Expect rain on about 9 days of the month.