So, you’ve got a week in Adelaide. Wonderful news! Adelaide is one of the best cities to visit in Australia, and you’re about to find out why.
It’s no secret that what was once a sleepy capital is now a thriving culture hub full of flavours, events and entertainment. The best way to experience the best Adelaide attractions is to hire a car, make a plan and pack your sense of adventure. Here’s a seven-day itinerary of things to do in Adelaide and surrounding regions.
Day 1: Explore the Adelaide Hills
Who would have thought that just an hour out of Adelaide’s CBD you’d find several valleys of lush rolling hillside? An entire day here will give you ample time to explore at least half of them.
The Mount Lofty Botanic garden is a treasure, which overlooks the Piccadilly Valley and offers walking trails, a colourful array of flora and fauna and a certain tranquility you just won’t find in the city. Besides the actual ‘hills’, there are more than 60 wineries scattered throughout the seven valleys. The Adelaide Hills are one of those must-see tourist destinations in Adelaide.
Here are just a few of the best wineries in the Adelaide Hills:
- Ashton Hills Vineyard
- Golding Wines
- Mt Lofty Ranges Vineyard
- The Lane Vineyard
- ArtWine
- Barratt Wines
Day 2: Stroll the city sights of Adelaide
When you’re looking for what to do in Adelaide, be sure to allow a full day for exploring the city centre.
Many of the best places to visit in Adelaide are within the city centre, and there are a number of top sightseeing spots to add to your tour.
Here are a few of the best Adelaide tourist attractions in the city:
- Art Gallery
- State Library
- South Australia Museum
- Botanic Gardens
- Parliament House
Also be sure to take a walk to Ebenezer Place, a quaint laneway packed with cute, independent boutiques and cafes, beckoning you to take endless artistic photos and stroll idly with your favourite coffee in hand.
Day 3: Marvel at the pink Lake Bumbunga
There are few natural wonders in Australia more mesmerising than the bubble gum-pink shores of Lake Bumbunga, and it is one of the country’s best kept secrets.
Best of all, it’s still relatively undiscovered as far as natural wonders go, so it’s the perfect time to head there on a day trip and see it in all its glory. The story goes that the reason for the pink hue is a chemical reaction between the salt, sodium bicarbonate, and microorganisms living in the water. The lake is situated in the Clare Valley wine region should you fancy a rosè to stick with the day’s colour theme. Kilikanoon and Mr. Mick cellar doors will sort you out.
The lake is just under two hours from Adelaide by car, making it one of the best Adelaide day trips near the city. It’s best to go on a clear, sunny day, especially if you can manage to go on a sunny day after a rainy day, as the rain helps keep the lake full so you can better see the shocking pink pigmentation.
Day 4: Find your new favourite wine in the Barossa Valley
If you don’t take a trip to the world-famous Barossa Valley on your trip to Adelaide, did you even visit? This wine region is one of the most popular things to do in South Australia, and is worth the drive for the scenery and small towns along the way as much as it is for the wines.
Barossa is still the undisputed king when it comes to Aussie wine regions, and with more than 150 wineries producing exceptional wine, it has no plans of letting that title go. There’s an excellent mix of big-name wineries that you already know and love, as well as smaller, boutique-style wineries where you might just find your new favourite vino.
Here are just a handful to add to your itinerary:
- Penfolds
- Jacobs Creek
- Rockford
- Grant Burge
- Krondorf
- Two Hands Wines
- Jenke Vineyards
Day 5: Scour the markets in Adelaide today
Wandering the local artisan markets is something of a right of passage for Adelaidians.
The city is full of markets any day of the week. Our top picks include:
- Gilles Street Market (1st and 3rd Sundays)
- Wayville Farmers Market (every Sunday)
- Adelaide Central Market (Tuesdays to Saturdays with more than 80 stalls)
The Stirling Market (the fourth Sunday of the month) and Victor Harbour Market (every Saturday) are slightly further afield but also worth a visit. And with your Thrifty car, it should be no problem at all to zip around town hitting up the markets.
Day 6: Drive the Yorke Peninsula
South Australia’s Coastal Way is an unmissable destination and is just two hours from Adelaide. It will also give you a chance to make the most of your rental car, as it covers a large swathe of coastline and promises countless adventures and attractions along the way.
As one of the top places to visit in South Australia, there’s something for everyone. Here are some of our top picks for things to do on the Coastal Way:
- Pick your own oysters at Pacific Estate Oysters
- Take a hike on the Yorke Peninsula
- Watch surfers, or go surfing yourself, at Marion Bay
- Explore the Innes National Park
- Pick up a Cornish pasty in Moonta, ‘Australia’s Little Cornwall’
- View the shipwrecks at Edithburgh
- Visit Copper Mine museums and towns
Day 7: Relax with a day at the beach
On your final day in Adelaide, it’s time to unwind by the beach.
South Australia is not typically known for its array of stunning coastlines, which is hard to believe because they rival those of the eastern shores in NSW and Queensland. From North Haven to Sellicks Beach, each one has something unique to offer – whether it’s sand dunes, surf, or sunsets unlike any other.
Here are a few more glorious beaches in Adelaide you can check out during your stay:
- Glenelg
- Henley Beach
- Port Willunga
- Port Noarlunga
- Yankalilla
- Second Valley
- Normanville
Spending a day on any of the beaches of Adelaide is a great, kid-friendly activity to enjoy any day of the week. Just don’t forget to bring your sunscreen!
Rarely does one get to experience so much variety when visiting one city, but Adelaide and its surrounding regions really do have it all. In addition to this fun seven-day itinerary, there’s also always something going on in the city – you can be sure there’s no shortage of Adelaide tourist attractions and activities for the whole family.
Ready to spend a full week in Adelaide, South Australia and see everything the city has to offer and more? Book your car rental in Adelaide with Sixt so you can start deciding which fun things to do in Adelaide you’ll do first.
