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Why is Adelaide a must-visit city?
- Adelaide, South Australia’s capital, is a must-visit city for history buffs, foodies, and culture-lovers alike, thanks to dozens of attractions that showcase the beauty and uniqueness of the city.
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What types of attractions can visitors explore in Adelaide?
- Apart from cultural and historical destinations, Adelaide is also home to many multicultural restaurants that offer delicious fare.
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What is the food and drink scene like in Adelaide?
- Adelaide boasts a booming café and bar culture, making it an ideal destination for coffee and drink fanatics.
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1. Adelaide Botanic Garden
Encompassing a whopping 51-hectares of land, the Adelaine Botanic Garden was first opened in 1857 and was inspired by the royal gardens in both Kew, England and Versailles, France. Breathtaking areas of the botanic garden to explore and behold include the Palm House, a Victorian glasshouse that dates back to the 19th Century, as well as the National Rose Trial Garden.
The rose garden is the first of its kind in Australia and is used to test various kinds of rose breeds from all over the world. The bicentennial conservatory and the Museum of Botany are equally noteworthy spots to visit at the Adelaide Botanic Garden.
North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia, Phone: +618-82-22-93-11, Map
2. Adelaide Central Market
Foodies can get their fill of Adelaide’s best grub at the Adelaide Central Market. With an incredible 80 stalls all under one roof, it’s safe to say that the Adelaide Central Market is among of the largest of the country’s fresh produce markets. Treats to have your fill of include a fantastic variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, mouthwatering patisseries and cafes, divine gourmet cheeses, craft sweets, as well as a spectacular and beloved charcuterie.
Visitors stopping by on Fridays can enjoy all kinds of events and live music, with regular cooking classes and workshops for the public to enjoy. The best part? Practically all of the goods available at the Central Market are locally sourced and environmentally responsible as well.
44 – 60 Gouger Street, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Phone: +618-82-03-74-94, Map
3. Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary
Arguably one of the most popular attractions in metropolitan Adelaide, the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary boasts approximately 400 transient dolphins that come through the sanctuary at one time or another. Meanwhile, there are 30 bottlenose dolphins that call the sanctuary their permanent home.
For animal lovers, the dolphin sanctuary is the perfect place to see wild dolphins in their natural habitat. Wild dolphins that visit the area come through to feed, socialize with other dolphins, play, and even nurse their calves. Other amazing features of the sanctuary include a 10,000-year-old mangrove forest, a saltmarsh, tidal flats and creeks in addition to seagrass. The sanctuary is part of a culturally and historically significant as an Aboriginal and European place of interest.
66 Commercial Road, Port Adelaide, South Australia 5015, Australia, Phone: +618-82-04-19-10, Map
4. Adelaide Gaol, Adelaide, Australia
Ready for a visit to one of Adelaide’s most ghoulish and hair-raising attractions? The Adelaide Gaol is said to be the most haunted site in South Australia. It is one of two of the oldest public buildings in Adelaide, having been built in 1841, and is one of the top places to visit in the city because of its spooky tours.
Home to roughly 300,000 prisoners throughout its 147-year history, the Gaol was also used to house people who were referred to as lunatics. Some of their famous tours include history tours, twilight tours, ghost tours as well as paranormal workshops (for the bravehearted).
18 Gaol Road, Thebarton, South Australia, Australia, Phone: +618-82-31-40-62, Map
5. Adelaide Zoo
Travel and tour Adelaide with a purpose at the Adelaide Zoo. At its core, the Adelaide Zoo is a conservation charity that aims to allow all visitors to connect with nature and take part in saving endangered species from extinction.
Family friendly and jam packed with exciting exhibits, visitors are bound to leave the zoo with tons of great memories, new knowledge and satisfaction in knowing that they’re part of something bigger than just entertainment. The Adelaide Zoo offers all kinds of great activities for every visitor such as the Koala Encounter, the Yellow-Footed Rock-Wallaby Experience, the Giraffe Feed, and even an overnight camp out at the zoo called Wild Nights.
Frome Road, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia, Phone: +618-82-67-32-55, Map
6. Adelaide’s Top Food and Wine Tours
Create a food and wine tour tailor fit for you and your band of merry travelers with Adelaide’s Top Food and Wine Tours! Specializing in personalized tours for small groups, Adelaide’s Top Food and Wine Tours are ready to spice up your vacation through visits to some of the city’s top wineries and restaurants.
Wine regions on the list of places to explore with this tour group include the Barossa Valley, the Clare Valley and the McLaren Vale. There’s even a tour that goes through the oldest German settlement in Australia, Hahndorf. Not to be forgotten are the Adelaide Hills. All of these locations are lauded internationally for having some of the best fresh local produce in the world.
99 Grand Boulevard, Seaford Rise, South Australia 5169, Australia, Phone: +618-83-86-08-88, Map
7. Art Gallery of South Australia
Home to one of the most indisputably great art collections in the country, the Art Gallery of South Australia was founded in 1881 and is housed in an equally magnificent building. Appropriately located in the heart of Adelaide’s cultural boulevard, the Art Gallery of South Australia features roughly 42,000 pieces of art.
The gallery’s permanent collection features an eclectic mix of ceramics, sculptures, paintings, drawings, photographs, metalwork, jewelry and more. Another lovely feature of the Art Gallery’s permanent collection is an impressive collection of Australian furniture dating back to the colonial era all the way to contemporary Australia.
North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia, Phone: +618-82-07-70-00, Map
8. Belair National Park
Explore the beautiful natural bushland of Adelaide at the Belair National Park. Just a short drive away from the city center, the national park is the ideal space to enjoy recreational sports, get active, and discover the best that Australia’s great outdoors has to offer.
The Belair National Park is the oldest one in Adelaide and features attractions like the Old Government House, a historical heritage building, the State Flore, the oldest plant nursery in the region, as well as awe inspiring woodlands, lakes and more. There are hiking and mountain biking trails that are suitable for various fitness levels, while sports lovers can also maximize the use of cricket pitches and tennis courts.
Upper Sturt Road, Belaire, South Australia 5052, Australia, Phone: +618-82-78-54-77, Map
9. Big Shed Brewing Company
If you have a passion for beer, then there’s no doubt that you’re going to enjoy a lengthy visit to the Big Shed Brewing Company. Initially starting as a passion project in the shed of one of the owners, the brewing company is now one of the most popular suppliers of craft beer in South Australia.
Those planning on dropping by the Big Shed Brewing Company should definitely make time to try their core beer offerings like the Kol Schisel, an ale that looks like a lager with malt flavors and a subtle bready flavor or the F-Yeah, which is the brewing company’s tribute to the American Pale Ale. Other of their core beers include the Californicator, which features hints of citrus, pine and apricot, the Frankenbrown, which has notes of malt, biscuit and coffee, and the Golden Stout Time, which is infused with toffee and honeycomb.
1154 Old Port Rd. Royal Park, South Australia 5014, Phone: +618-82-40-50-37, Map
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