Outdoors · Adelaide · Australia
8 best outdoor things to do in Adelaide
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Peter Neaum, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Glenelg Beach and Jetty, Adelaide Botanic Garden and Adelaide Zoo. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 16–21 hours across 6 areas; 6 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 6
- Time to see them all
- 16–21 hours
- Areas
- Glenelg, East End and North Adelaide
Outdoors in Adelaide
Beach · Glenelg
1.Glenelg Beach and Jetty
Take the tram from Victoria Square, which takes about 30 minutes, and stay for sunset at the end of the jetty.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Iconic
Garden · East End
2.Adelaide Botanic Garden
Enter from North Terrace, walk through the Palm House and finish at the National Wine Centre for a tasting.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Kids
- Couples
Zoo · North Adelaide
3.Adelaide Zoo
Walk there through the Botanic Garden and Botanic Park, or arrive by the riverboat from Elder Park in warmer months.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
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Waterfront · Riverbank
4.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
5.Mount Lofty Summit
Walk up from Waterfall Gully in the morning before the heat, and have someone collect you at the top or walk back down.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours with the walk
- Cost
- Free
- Views
- Free
- Active
- Outdoors
Zoo · Adelaide Hills
6.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
7.Morialta Conservation Park
Walk the loop to the Second Falls after rain in winter or spring, when the water is flowing.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Active
- Outdoors
Beach · Henley Beach
8.Henley Beach and Henley Square
Time your visit for sunset and walk the coastal path north towards Grange Jetty.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- Outdoors
- Views
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Glenelg | Glenelg Beach and Jetty | Half a day |
| East End | Adelaide Botanic Garden | 1.5–2 hours |
| North Adelaide | Adelaide Zoo | 2–3 hours |
| Riverbank | River Torrens and Elder Park | 1 hour |
| Adelaide Hills | Mount Lofty Summit, Cleland Wildlife Park and Morialta Conservation Park | 2–3 hours with the walk + 2 hours + 2–3 hours |
| Henley Beach | Henley Beach and Henley Square | 2–3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 6 free, 2 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Glenelg Beach and Jetty; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 5 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Glenelg): Glenelg Beach and Jetty, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (East End and North Adelaide): Adelaide Botanic Garden → Adelaide Zoo, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Riverbank and Adelaide Hills): River Torrens and Elder Park → Mount Lofty Summit, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Adelaide Hills): Cleland Wildlife Park → Morialta Conservation Park, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Henley Beach): Henley Beach and Henley Square, at least 2 hours.
The best months to be outside
- March: highs of 26°C (79°F), about 4 rainy days, very busy crowds. Peak festival month: the Fringe, the Adelaide Festival and WOMADelaide overlap, with warm, settled weather.
- January: highs of 29°C (84°F), about 3 rainy days, busy crowds. Hot and dry with occasional heatwaves; beaches, cricket and cycling draw crowds.
- February: highs of 29°C (84°F), about 3 rainy days, very busy crowds. The warmest sea and the start of festival season; hotels fill quickly once the Fringe begins.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- East End — Rundle Street cafés, Ebenezer Place and the city's festival quarter
- North Adelaide — Bluestone villas, old pubs and two café strips across the river
- Glenelg — Beach suburb at the end of the tram line with a jetty and Jetty Road
- Henley Beach — Relaxed seaside square, a jetty and sunset dinners
More of Adelaide
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Adelaide?
Glenelg Beach and Jetty. A broad sandy beach on Gulf St Vincent at the end of the tram line, with a jetty, Moseley Square's Town Hall and the Bay Discovery Centre museum.
+Which of these are free in Adelaide?
Glenelg Beach and Jetty, Adelaide Botanic Garden, River Torrens and Elder Park, Mount Lofty Summit, Morialta Conservation Park and Henley Beach and Henley Square.