Things to Do in Adelaide

One of the major attractions of Kangaroo Island, Seal Bay Conservation Park is the home of the rare Australian Sea Lion.

The Conservation Park contains numerous attractions, such as the Bales Bay Picnic Area, which provides the perfect lunch spot with picnic and barbeque areas. A short walk from the Picnic Area is a lookout offering views of Cape Gantheaume where migrating whales can be seen swimming offshore from May through October. A short drive from the Picnic Area is the Bales Bay beach.

The true attractions of the park however, are the sea lions. A tour is the best way to learn about the sea lions, and to see them up close. Guides take visitors to the colony, relating information about the sea lions, their behaviour, and their conservation. The Seal Bay Experience tour is run several times a day, allowing visitors to walk among the sea lions and marvel at these amazing animals up close. Be sure to bring a camera to capture every moment!

For those who want a little distance between themselves and the seals, the Boardwalk Self-Guided Experience doesn’t disappoint. A short, wheelchair friendly boardwalk, the walk provides an unobstructed view of the sea lion colony and the Southern Ocean behind them. The viewing platform at the end of the boardwalk is a prime whale watching spot. The Sunset Tour is easily the most spectacular tour, taking visitors onto the beach in a single group as the sun sets, casting a golden glow.

The mighty Murray River as it is known, is the longest river in Australia, rising in the alps of the Great Dividing Range, and forming the border between Victoria and New South Wales before entering South Australia and finally emptying into the Indian or Southern Ocean. It is 1,476 miles (2,375km) long and passes through several lakes, some of them now quite salty due to drought and the intensive farming all along the river's length. It is significant within the mythologies of the Indigenous people of Australia.

Once a major route for trading, it is now a favourite place for recreational boating and fishing, but the river is in danger from salinity and drought. In recent years it has carried less than 40% of its natural flow. Near the river's mouth in South Australia is a beautiful lagoon area called The Coorong, a national park and sanctuary for birds, animals and fish. Nearby is Lake Alexandrina, a fresh water lake where Hindmarsh Island has salt water from the sea on one side and fresh from the lake on the other. 

The highest point in the aptly named Mt Lofty Ranges, Mt Lofty is a luxurious place to get sweeping views of Adelaide and out onto the Indian Ocean.

The views aren’t all there is to Mt Lofty. A comprehensive visitors centre, shop, and fully licensed café are situated on the mountain’s summit, giving visitors information on the area, a place to shop for souvenirs and a beautiful place to eat lunch.

Mt Lofty isn’t just about views – even if you can see all the way out to Kangaroo Island on a clear day. Though only a short drive from the CBD, the area around Mt Lofty is covered by bushland. Mt Lofty is surrounded by the Cleland Conservation Park on one side, and hosts its own botanic garden in which visitors can see a host of native Australian plants and the wide variety of birdlife that is drawn to them.

Getting off the summit, hiking and mountain biking are popular ways to take advantage of the mountain’s relative wilderness. The 8km Waterfall Gully loop is one of the most popular walks – though with a fair amount of ups and downs it’s not for the faint-hearted. A loop of the 1,200km Heysen Track takes hikers from the base of the mountain to the summit over a much more manageable 8km. Downhill biking is a much less strenuous way to enjoy the mountain and cycle all the way back into the city centre.

McLaren Vale is an area just outside Adelaide towards the coast which is renowned for the wine it produces. With 76 cellar doors to visit, it's worth spending at least a day exploring, if not a weekend. And it's not just wine, the local foodies are passionate about what their kitchens produce.

When you've eaten and sipped your fill, there are many other things to do including bushwalking, heading to the surf beach, following the Art Trail, going fishing, horse-riding, cycling or just sitting on a cliff watching the sunset.

For a taste of new-world Adelaide, travelers make a stop at Rundle Mall. But for a look at the city’s historic past and contemporary culture there is no place better than North Terrace. The mile-long avenue passes by the art center, parliament house, national library, university and Botanical Gardens, as well as an iconic church from 1838 and a restored 1920s railway station. Large grassy fields and tall shade trees provide the perfect resting place for an afternoon picnic, while a number of pubs mean travelers are always within reach of a cold, refreshing drink.

Australia is known for its excellent wine and South Australia has always been at the heart of this thriving industry. But how do all those grapes you see growing as you drive by end up in your glass and tasting so delicious? The National Wine Center of Australia aims to explain that. In an impressive architecturally-designed building overlooking the Botanic Gardens, you can take the Wine Discovery Experience and have an interactive lesson in wine-making. Don't know your Shiraz from your Merlot? There are courses in wine appreciation: impress your friends with your knowledge of grape varieties and wine styles.

If just enjoying the stuff with good food is more your style, head for the Concourse Cafe and taste and purchase the wines you try with your meal. After, stroll through the center's own vineyard and appreciate just what a high tech business wine-making has become.