Things to Do in Adelaide

As Australia’s oldest German settlement, Hahndorf is a unique tourist destination.

Hahndorf is nestled in the Adelaide Hills just 20 minutes’ drive from the Adelaide City CBD. German influences are the key to Hahndorf’s charm – architecture, stores, bakeries, restaurants and wineries all owe their style to the German heritage of the town.

The first residents of Hahndorf arrived in Adelaide in 1838 – the name of the town coming from the captain of the ship on which they arrived. When war broke out in 1914, the South Australian Government at the time decided to change the very German name of the town. Hahndorf became Ambleside until the late 1930s, when the name was reverted to its original German.

For visitors, Hahndorf offers the experience of Europe just outside an Australian metropolis. Day-trippers can indulge in tours of the local wineries which produce some of the world’s finest cold weather wines, eat at gourmet restaurants that use local produce to recreate German cuisine, or spend the day berry picking at Beerenberg.

Art and boutique shops add to Hahndorf’s charm. The Cedars is the former home of renowned landscape artist Hans Heysen, and open to the public – displaying a range of his paintings, his studio, and some of his simpler sketches. The Hahndorf Academy showcases more contemporary art by local artists.

German bakeries and boutique cellar doors are perfect for lunch and an afternoon drink, and the two local pubs or one of the many restaurants offer a variety of cuisines if you’re in town for dinner.

Remember the days of buying your fresh fruit and vegetables direct from the people who grow it? The thrill of bargaining, and buying according to what's in season, with a recommendation of what's best tasting at the moment and how you should eat it? You can still experience that at Adelaide Central Market.

For 140 years this market in the heart of the city has been providing residents with fresh produce. Over 80 stalls selling direct from the producers, include fruit and vegetables, meats and seafood, bakeries, cheeses, small goods and plants and flowers. There are cafes to rest in with a coffee or snack after an invigorating session of bargaining. 

Stroll, jog or find yourself a grassy patch to read a book in the splendid, city-fringe Adelaide Botanic Garden, established in the 1850s. Highlights here include a unique prefabricated palm house (1877), the Museum of Economic Botany (check out its stencilled ceiling), and the 1988 Bicentennial Conservatory, which recreates a tropical rainforest environment. 

Comprising the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide are two other sites: the Mount Lofty Botanic Garden and Wittunga Botanic Garden. Mount Lofty is less than half an hour from the city centre and has plants which thrive in cooler climates than those of the plains below. Wittunga in the Adelaide Hills was once the private Garden of Edwin Ashby and has been open to the public since 1975. It is a popular place for picnics.

Covering the Western end of Kangaroo Island, Flinders Chase National Park is one of Australia’s most diverse wildernesses. Boasting an intricate network of trails and boardwalks, the park showcases both natural and historic sights.

Popular experiences include visiting the wind sculpted Remarkable Rocks, or the Admirals Arch which stretches over the powerful ocean that shaped it. Also located along the coastline is the Cape Borda Lightstation. Explore by yourself or take a guided tour of the lighthouse and cemetery – the midday tour includes the firing of a restored signal cannon.  

The Flinders Chase Visitors Centre provides extensive information about the park, including the best places for wildlife viewing. A colony of New-Zealand fur seals lives on the rocks surrounding Admirals Arch. The Breakneck River Hike offers prime bird watching opportunities, whilst the shorter Platypus Waterholes Walk crosses the habitats of platypus, wallabies, geese, echidnas, goannas and more. The short Cliff Top Hike from the Cape Borda Lightstation ends in a stone lookout that offers prime position for spotting migrating whales from May through October.

Around 1,800 exotic and native mammals, birds, reptiles and fish reside at the 8-hectare Adelaide Zoo, comprising 300 species. Major attractions include the Southeast Asian rainforest exhibit, Immersion, a walkthrough jungle environment where tigers and orangatuns feel within reach. Also the giant pandas Wang Wang and Funi!

Opened in 1883, it is Australia's second-oldest zoo and the only not-for-pro fit zoo in the country. Many of the structures are National Trust registered although these, such as the elephant house, these days are used for educational exhibits while the animals have moved to more natural environments. There is a Children's Zoo where you can pet animals including kangaroos and koalas, and the Envirodome, an education/interactive center. 

When most people think of chocolate they think European. Belgium, Switzerland—these are nations known for creating smooth and creamy pure cocoa treats. But Aussies know some of the most decadent chocolate pleasures are made at their very own Haigh’s Chocolates. Since 1915 this fourth generation, family owned company has been churning out candies that are worth the trip. From classic dark chocolates to new salted caramels, travelers can find a taste of Australia at one of the company’s 14 retail stores across the country—including six in Adelaide.

The commercial hub of Kangaroo Island, Kingscote is the oldest European settlement in South Australia. It serves as the tourism gateway for the island, providing accommodation, multiple attractions and a comprehensive tourist centre.

The island was first settled in 1836, serving as the capital of South Australia for four years until the trails of the island necessitated the capital’s move to Adelaide. Kingscote is now home to 1800 residents, and the town is rich in history.

To the north of the main town lies Reeves Point. The initial location for Kingscote, historical features include a 177 year old mulberry tree planted by the original settlers, the settlers’ cemetery and the Hope Museum – housed in one of the first built cottages on the island. The mermaid statue of the Aurora Ozone Seafront Hotel has been a feature of the foreshore since 1907.

Sitting on the shore of the Nepean Bay, Kingscote is surrounded by sandstone cliffs populated by a colony of Little Penguins. Tours run after dusk are a popular way to see the penguins return from their day’s fishing. The extensive wharf and jetty provides excellent fishing, most commonly yielding garfish, Australian herring, King George whiting and snook.