Adelaide — the most underrated capital. Small, gracious, planned, ringed by parklands. Three great wine regions on the doorstep, direct access to Kangaroo Island. The natural rest stop between the Great Ocean Road and the Nullarbor.
South Australia is the only Australian state founded as a free colony — never had convicts.
Don’t miss: tasting a port from your birth year at Seppeltsfield in the Barossa, oysters in waders at Coffin Bay, walk on the beach with wild sea lions at Seal Bay on Kangaroo Island, an overnight in underground Coober Pedy en route to Uluṟu.
In the city
- Central Market — since 1869. Closed Sun/Mon
- Adelaide Hills — 20 min east. German heritage in Hahndorf
- Art Gallery of SA — free, great Indigenous collection
- Glenelg — tram from the city
Wine country
- Barossa Valley (1hr N) — Shiraz country. Penfolds, Henschke, Seppeltsfield (port from your birth year), Rockford
- McLaren Vale (45 min S) — Grenache, Shiraz. d’Arenberg (the cube), Wirra Wirra
- Clare Valley (2hr N) — Riesling. Riesling Trail cycling path
- Adelaide Hills (30 min E) — cool climate. Shaw + Smith
Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island (“KI”) — 45-min ferry or short flight. Third-largest island. 2–3 days minimum.
- Flinders Chase NP — Remarkable Rocks, Admirals Arch, fur seals
- Seal Bay — walk on the beach with wild sea lions
- Recovering from the 2019–20 bushfires — regrowth is visible
Eyre Peninsula
Sticking out west of Adelaide — incredible, almost empty:
- Port Lincoln — seafood capital. Cage-dive with great whites; swim with sea lions
- Coffin Bay — oysters straight off the lease (waders)
- Streaky Bay — coast leading to the Nullarbor
Natural way west — adds a few days, very worth it.
Other detours
- Flinders Ranges — outback mountains. Wilpena Pound. ~5hr N
- Coober Pedy — opal-mining town. Most people live underground. Natural overnight on the road to Uluṟu. Genuinely weird
Eat
- Africola — North African, vibrant
- Restaurant Botanic — fine dining, Botanic Gardens
- Fugazzi — Italian
- Magill Estate — Penfolds flagship