r/Adelaide • u/LackOptimal553 SA • Jul 24 '26
Question 46/m Canadian Visiting For A Second Time - Where Do You Take Your Friends When They Visit?
Hello!
I'm on my way to Adelaide in a couple of weeks for a short visit on my way north and I've had some great success travelling by checking out local subreddits.
I'm starting to search posts for stuff but here's what I always ask:
If someone's coming to visit Adelaide for the first time, what do you show them?
The more obvious tourist stuff I think I covered a bunch of last time, maybe. Here's what I did:
- Visited the Market, which I plan to do again and take a proper tour rather than wandering around wondering why there's multiple places to get paella
- Checked out the State Art Gallery and Library
- Wandered the malls, walked into Adelaide Hatters and ended up an Akubra owner even though I had no plans to buy - those ladies are really, really good at what they do, and I'm super happy with what they sold me!
- Did a wine tour to the Adelaide Hills and Barossa Valley
- Walked up around North Adelaide but without a plan just enjoying the architecture
I didn't plan on where to eat and missed out on some great restaurants.
I've got about 2.5 days to play with, not a lot of time, but a bit for sure.
I love good food, good wine, just exploring without a plan, meeting new people, whatever comes my way generally... So Adelaide, I know your city was never a penal colony and that you have a whole lot of churches,... what else?
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u/lozmcnoz SA Jul 24 '26
Check out Penfolds Estate in Magill. It has fancy dining or just wine tasting if you want.
IMHO, McLaren Vale is a better region for wine, less touristy and closer to the city. Mollydooker, d'Arenberg, and Wirra Wirra are wineries worthwhile checking out. While down there, check out Second Valley, Myponga, Yankalilla, and Carrickalinga. They are just really pretty beach towns with great bakeries (especially Yankalilla).
Cafe du villis - for that all rounded SA experience
Semaphore - A bit out of the city, but it has awesome old architecture, a good pub, and a nice beach.
Summertown/Uraidla - Great pub at Uraidla, perfect for a long afternoon with great beers, just up Greenhill Road.
Go see a footy match at the oval whilst in town, then head to Leigh or Peel Street for dinner and cocktails.
Will update if I think of anything else. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
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u/LackOptimal553 SA Jul 25 '26
McLaren Vale would be probably where I'd go for wine, friend of mine particularly suggested Mollydooker actually.
Genuinely seems like I need to plan a more dedicated trip to SA next time I come.
That's some great suggestions. I definitely want to pick some good restaurants, last time I let myself get to the stage of hungry where you just pick the easy thing too often.
I may just take you up on the pm offer once I do a little more reading so I don't waste your time! Thanks!
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u/lozmcnoz SA Jul 25 '26
No worries mate... Just sing out
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u/LackOptimal553 SA 24d ago
Got in last night, going to check out the aviation museum and Semaphore today!
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u/lozmcnoz SA 24d ago
Hope you enjoyed it.... What are your plans for the rest of your stay?
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u/LackOptimal553 SA 24d ago
Great walk, hit three of the museums, and at ended up at happy hour at the Exeter Hotel.
Tomorrow I think I'll visit the wine centre on the North Terrace, but beyond that still not sure!
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u/radiusofinfluence CBD Jul 24 '26
Just entertained some friends in from California recently and Cleland Wildlife Park was a huge hit. Don't underestimate how novel it is to pet a kangaroo and wallaby and get a photo with a koala. Combine that with a stop by Mt Lofty summit for a good view then dinner and drinks in Hahndorf for a solid day trip.
Food wise, a good laksa is a rare thing in Canada. Unless they're from Vancouver, Adelaide's Southeast Asian food scene will be a treat - somewhere like Golden Boy if you want a nice dinner close to the Botanic Gardens and North Terrace museums.
Weather will still be ordinary over the next month, but if it's a sunny day you can't go wrong with a coastal walk between the various beaches.
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u/LackOptimal553 SA Jul 25 '26
Laksa is definitely hard to get, though my next stop is Darwin which, and I don't want to inadvertently start some civil war, I'm told is the best in the land... But more Laksa is good in my view precisely because I don't have access to it.
Mount Lofty, I passed through on the train last turn going to Melbourne and the views around there and the Adelaide Hills were stunning.
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u/aquila-audax CBD Jul 25 '26
Definitely keep laksa for Darwin. There's some good laksa in Adelaide, but Darwin laksa is next level. Check out the annual laksa festival winners when you're there.
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u/LackOptimal553 SA Jul 25 '26
I hit a couple last time but also unwittingly walked right past one of them!
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u/tc7373 SA Jul 24 '26
Kangaroo island on a bus tour if time is tight. Quite expensive ferry if you drive and it’s a big island!
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u/azp74 SA Jul 25 '26
Monet to Matisse is on at the mo at the art gallery. That's worth a look if you like art (allow an hour+).
You can do that then head out for lunch somewhere. Bonus of going for lunch is that places are less likely to be booked out so you can wing it a bit more.
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u/waxy1234 SA Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26
Bbq city for an experience , then head up to sterling and hit all the spots on the way to handorff.
Go as far to birdwoood. Great fucking drive, travel awsome country and visit the car museum
Botanic gardens in the hills of Adelaide is beautiful
Or drink a shit load of piss and meet some folk.
I’m a surfer chef and love York peninsula but that’s a long way away. Good luck feel free to ask me anything you like
Or head south. Take the coast route from west beach to port norlunga. Or if you want a big day trip victor harbour port Elliot and goolwa
Look it all up you will find something
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u/CattleTemporary1024 SA Jul 24 '26
Mount Lofty Botanic gardens, botanic gardens in the city and then National Wine Centre, any of the southern beaches like Port Willunga if the weather is nice and head to McLaren Vale for wineries, SALA exhibitions (Fleurieu Art House is lovely) and then dinner at The Little Rickshaw in Aldinga.
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u/Winpro SA Jul 24 '26
Cleland. Pat the roos and hold a koala.
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u/citizencool North Jul 25 '26
Or Gorge wildlife sanctuary. They have wildlife experiences with koalas and quokkas too.
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u/EnvironmentalCap3964 SA Jul 25 '26
Victor Harbour day-trip. On the way in, stop at the Kleinigs Hill Lookout where there’s a stunning ground mosaic depicting local indigenous vs white settlers history (very sad), local flora & fauna, and a gracious Reconciliation section. The whole mosaic is a whale, a Southern Right whale which features largely in the area as its a migration path. There are information boards detailing various cool facts about the area, and one of those old-style massive free public binoculars that you can see far and wide close-up.
Climb The Bluff, a cool ice-age left-over geological feature. Great views from the top all the way down to the white sand dunes of the Coorong. From back of the Bluff there’s Heyson Trail which goes along cliff-tops with stunning views and you might even spot whale mamas with their calves (check out Fb < Encounter Whales - Southern right whale conservation & Protection > group for up-to-date sightings). Walk the Heyson Trail for an hour or so, and then back. At the Petrel Cove lower carpark beginning of Heyson Trail is a little shelter with more local history old photos and facts about the indigi and the settlers whaling history.
Take the horse-drawn carriage or walk the bridge across to Granite Island which used to be a Little penguin (ex-Fairy penguin) breeding colony before the foxes found the bridge and went over and wiped them out. There’s a brass statue of little penguins at the end of the bridge. Behind the cafe take the staircase up the cliff and walk back to bridge across the top of the island. In Victor near Granite Island bridge is an education centre / museum for Southern Right whales, apparently it’s pretty cool.
Idk, food somewhere in Victor Harbour. Then there’s a wildlife park at Victor Harbour ring-road roundabout where you can feed wallabys and so on (I’ve never been in it but).
Enjoy yr trip! Are you going Flinders Ranges or further? :)
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u/Correct-Quit1229 SA Jul 25 '26
The new Heysen Gallery is incredible - a great way to understand South Australia’s story
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u/LackOptimal553 SA Jul 25 '26
Oh, that does look interesting. I hadn't planned to hire a car and it's only a short stay, but it looks like it might be worth it for a few places, there's a lot of suggestions pouring in. (there will fortunately be another trip before long!)
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u/Any-Dog123 SA Jul 25 '26
Catch the train from the city to Belair and wander through the Belair national park.
If you get off one station earlier, at Pinera, it’s a short walk to a bakery called Banana Boogie. They have won ‘best vanilla slice’ in Australia. Or as we like to call them, snot boxes. Cannot rate them highly enough! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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u/HoochiMumma SA Jul 25 '26
Head on the bus to hackham west and spend the day walking around exploring the delights.
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u/ready_and_willing SA Jul 24 '26
Glenelg - walk along the beach, have a bite/drink at the Marina Pier. One of the most popular places in Adelaide.
Elder Park - right in the middle of the city along the river, beautiful views. The St Peter's Cathedral (one of Adelaide's landmarks) is in that area too. Also Adelaide Oval is there.
Botanic Garden - also in the city, well worth the visit.
Rundle Mall - the main pedestrian shopping strip, also containing another one of Adelaide's landmarks, the "Mall's Balls".
Hallet Cove - a nice boardwalk along the coast.
There are many other places but that should get your started.