Things to do · Adelaide · Australia
16 best things to do in Adelaide
16 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: DaHuzyBru, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Adelaide are Adelaide Central Market, Art Gallery of South Australia and Adelaide Oval. Of the 16 picks below, 12 are free, 6 work on a rainy day and 7 suit children. Allow about 4 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Adelaide Central Market
- Free sights
- 12
- Good on a rainy day
- Adelaide Central Market
- Time to see the highlights
- 4 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide Central Market | West End and Gouger Street | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Art Gallery of South Australia | North Terrace | 2 hours | Free |
| Adelaide Oval | North Adelaide | 2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Glenelg Beach and Jetty | Glenelg | Half a day | Free |
| South Australian Museum | North Terrace | 2 hours | Free |
| State Library of South Australia | North Terrace | 45 minutes | Free |
| Adelaide Botanic Garden | East End | 1.5–2 hours | Free |
| Adelaide Zoo | North Adelaide | 2–3 hours | Mid-priced |
| River Torrens and Elder Park | Riverbank | 1 hour | Free |
| Mount Lofty Summit | Adelaide Hills | 2–3 hours with the walk | Free |
| Cleland Wildlife Park | Adelaide Hills | 2 hours | Mid-priced |
| South Australian Maritime Museum | Port Adelaide | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Haigh's Chocolates Visitor Centre | Parkside | 45 minutes | Free |
| Morialta Conservation Park | Adelaide Hills | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Rundle Mall | City centre | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Henley Beach and Henley Square | Henley Beach | 2–3 hours | Free |
The 16 best things to do
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Market · West End and Gouger Street
1.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. Chinatown's restaurants are next door in the Moonta Street arcade.
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
One of Australia's oldest and largest state galleries holds major collections of Australian colonial and Aboriginal art, European old masters and Asian ceramics. The Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art is held here in some years, and general entry is free.
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
Landmark · North Adelaide
3.Adelaide Oval
Often called one of the world's most picturesque cricket grounds, the oval keeps its heritage scoreboard and Moreton Bay figs alongside modern stands. It hosts Test cricket in summer and AFL football in winter, and RoofClimb tours take visitors over the stand roofs for city views.
Walk there from the city across the Riverbank footbridge, and book a stadium tour on a non-match day to see the museum and players' areas.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- RoofClimb and match tickets for Test cricket and AFL finals sell out; book ahead.
- Iconic
- Views
- Active
Beach · Glenelg
4.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. On summer evenings families stay on the sand until sunset over the gulf.
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
Museum · North Terrace
5.South Australian Museum
The museum's Australian Aboriginal Cultures Gallery holds one of the world's largest collections of Aboriginal cultural material, and other galleries cover Pacific cultures, opalised fossils, minerals and Antarctic explorer Douglas Mawson. A giant squid model hangs in the atrium.
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
6.State Library of South Australia
The Mortlock Wing, opened in 1884, is a two-tiered Victorian reading room of wrought-iron balconies and wood panelling, now used for exhibitions. It is free to visit and sits next to the museum on North Terrace.
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
Garden · East End
7.Adelaide Botanic Garden
Founded in 1855, the garden includes the 1877 Palm House, a German-made Victorian glasshouse, the Bicentennial Conservatory with tropical rainforest plants, and the Amazon Waterlily Pavilion. Lawns, a lake and the National Wine Centre sit on the eastern edge of the city.
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
8.Adelaide Zoo
Opened in 1883, Australia's second-oldest zoo is a compact, walkable site beside the Botanic Park, with heritage buildings, an Australian native section, primates and big cats. It is run by the conservation charity Zoos SA.
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
1.River Torrens and Elder Park
The river's lake runs past the Adelaide Festival Centre and the Victorian rotunda in Elder Park, with paths along both banks to the zoo and the University of Adelaide. Paddle boats and small cruise boats are available in warmer months.
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
2.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. The steep Waterfall Gully trail climbs about 4 km from the waterfall at its base, and Mount Lofty Botanic Garden is nearby.
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
3.Cleland Wildlife Park
Just below Mount Lofty, Cleland lets visitors walk among free-roaming kangaroos, wallabies and emus, and see koalas, wombats and other native species in a bushland setting about 20 minutes from the city.
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
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Museum · Port Adelaide
4.South Australian Maritime Museum
Australia's oldest maritime museum occupies a stone bond store in Port Adelaide, with full-size ships to climb aboard, migrant stories and a lighthouse. The National Railway Museum and the Aviation Museum are a short walk away.
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
5.Haigh's Chocolates Visitor Centre
Haigh's has made chocolate in Adelaide since 1915, and its Greenhill Road factory has a viewing gallery onto the production floor plus free guided tours with tastings.
Book a free factory tour in advance and try the frog-shaped chocolates, an Adelaide favourite.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Book ahead
- Free tours run in small groups and fill up; book on the Haigh's website.
- Food
- Kids
- Free
- Rainy day
Nature · Adelaide Hills
6.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. The falls run best in winter and spring.
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
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Street · City centre
7.Rundle Mall
Adelaide's pedestrian shopping street runs from King William Street to Pulteney Street, with department stores, arcades such as the 1885 Adelaide Arcade, and street sculptures including the 'Mall's Balls' and a group of bronze pigs.
Step into the Adelaide Arcade for its Victorian tiled floors and small museum about the arcade's history.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Free
- Architecture
Beach · Henley Beach
8.Henley Beach and Henley Square
A west-facing beach with a long jetty and a pedestrian square of restaurants and bars facing the water. It is a favourite local spot for evening swims and dinner as the sun sets over Gulf St Vincent.
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
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Art Gallery of South Australia, South Australian Museum and South Australian Maritime Museum |
| History | South Australian Museum and South Australian Maritime Museum |
| Views | Adelaide Oval, Mount Lofty Summit and Henley Beach and Henley Square |
| Outdoors and nature | Glenelg Beach and Jetty, Adelaide Botanic Garden, Adelaide Zoo and River Torrens and Elder Park |
| Food and markets | Adelaide Central Market and Haigh's Chocolates Visitor Centre |
| After dark | River Torrens and Elder Park |
| With children | South Australian Museum, Adelaide Botanic Garden, Glenelg Beach and Jetty and Adelaide Zoo |
| On a rainy day | Adelaide Central Market, Art Gallery of South Australia, South Australian Museum and State Library of South Australia |
What to book ahead
- Adelaide Oval: RoofClimb and match tickets for Test cricket and AFL finals sell out; book ahead.
- Haigh's Chocolates Visitor Centre: Free tours run in small groups and fill up; book on the Haigh's website.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do 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.
+What can you do for free in Adelaide?
Adelaide Central Market, Art Gallery of South Australia, Glenelg Beach and Jetty, South Australian Museum and State Library of South Australia. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Adelaide when it rains?
Head indoors to Adelaide Central Market, Art Gallery of South Australia, South Australian Museum and State Library of South Australia.
+What is there to do in Adelaide at night?
River Torrens and Elder Park are best after dark.