Rainy day · Adelaide · Australia
6 things to do in Adelaide when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Nicole Kearney, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Adelaide Central Market, Art Gallery of South Australia and South Australian Museum. Together the 6 picks below take roughly 9–10 hours across 4 areas; 5 are free. July is usually the wettest month, with about 12 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 6
- Free entry
- 5
- Time to see them all
- 9–10 hours
- Areas
- West End and Gouger Street, North Terrace and Port Adelaide
Adelaide on a rainy day
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Market · West End and Gouger Street
1.Adelaide Central Market
Go on a weekday morning for space to browse, and on Saturday afternoon look out for end-of-day markdowns on fruit and bread.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Food
- Free
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Gallery · North Terrace
2.Art Gallery of South Australia
Start with the Elder Wing of Australian art, then cross the courtyard to the South Australian Museum next door.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Museum · North Terrace
3.South Australian Museum
Children enjoy the megafauna and fossil displays; allow extra time for the Aboriginal Cultures Gallery, which is the highlight.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Rainy day
- Kids
- History
Architecture · North Terrace
4.State Library of South Australia
Climb to the upper balcony of the Mortlock Wing for the classic view down the length of the hall.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
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Museum · Port Adelaide
5.South Australian Maritime Museum
Combine it with a Port River dolphin cruise and lunch in the old pubs on Lipson Street.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- History
- Rainy day
Experience · Parkside
6.Haigh's Chocolates Visitor Centre
Book a free factory tour in advance and try the frog-shaped chocolates, an Adelaide favourite.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Kids
- Free
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| West End and Gouger Street | Adelaide Central Market | 1–2 hours |
| North Terrace | Art Gallery of South Australia, South Australian Museum and State Library of South Australia | 2 hours + 2 hours + 45 minutes |
| Port Adelaide | South Australian Maritime Museum | 2 hours |
| Parkside | Haigh's Chocolates Visitor Centre | 45 minutes |
Booking and timing
Of these 6, 5 free, 1 low cost. Book ahead for Haigh's Chocolates Visitor Centre. The longest visit is Adelaide Central Market; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Haigh's Chocolates Visitor Centre: Free tours run in small groups and fill up; book on the Haigh's website.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (West End and Gouger Street and North Terrace): Adelaide Central Market → Art Gallery of South Australia, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (North Terrace): South Australian Museum → State Library of South Australia, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Port Adelaide and Parkside): South Australian Maritime Museum → Haigh's Chocolates Visitor Centre, at least 3 hours.
The wettest months
- July: highs of 15°C (59°F), about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds. The coldest and wettest month, though rain usually falls in showers rather than all day.
- August: highs of 16°C (61°F), about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds. Still cool, with almond blossom and wattle starting to flower; art exhibitions take over galleries and cafés.
- June: highs of 16°C (61°F), about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cool, showery winter weather; good for museums, cosy wineries with fires and AFL games at Adelaide Oval.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- East End — Rundle Street cafés, Ebenezer Place and the city's festival quarter
- West End and Gouger Street — Laneway bars, Chinatown and the Central Market
- Port Adelaide — Maritime heritage district with museums, street art and dolphins
More of Adelaide
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Adelaide?
Adelaide Central Market. Trading since 1869, the market fills a covered hall between Grote and Gouger Streets with around 70 stalls of fruit, cheese, smallgoods, seafood and bread, plus cafés and food counters.
+Which of these are free in Adelaide?
Adelaide Central Market, Art Gallery of South Australia, South Australian Museum, State Library of South Australia and Haigh's Chocolates Visitor Centre.