Adelaide Australia

Gateway to the Australian Outback

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Adelaide Australia is my favourite amongst Australia's big cities, in fact, it is my home away from home.

Adelaide's biggest advantage is that you are never far away from the bush and the Australian Outback. It is the best starting point for all regions in Outback South Australia.

The capital of South Australia spreads on the Adelaide Plains along the Gulf St. Vincent. The eastern boundaries of the city are confined by the Mt. Lofty Ranges.

Join me on a tour to Adelaide's attractions and get some tips to get around. But first, as so often, we take a quick trip into history.


Although Adelaide has a population of more than 1,1 million, it is a fairly relaxed city. Nestled between the ocean and the Adelaide Hills, you have the best of both worlds fairly close together.



The central business district is surrounded by a belt of parklands. This green belt has about three times the size of Central Park in New York.
The River Torrens divides the city centre from North Adelaide. There are great picnic spots along the river.

Known as the "The city of churches", and South Australia being the "Festival State", there is a lot of culture to explore.

Let's do a tour to the Adelaide attractions!

Adelaide Australia has so much to offer to its visitors and residents. This can only be an overview about the points of interest.
After all, you certainly arrived in Adelaide to go to the Australian Outback after a short stay. :)

See grand old buildings at North Terrace and King William Street.
       The Post Office (1867),
       Town Hall (1863 - 1866),
       University of Adelaide,
       the Art Gallery of South Australia, and
       the elegant Parliament House.
Notice the mix of old buildings and modern scyscrapers. You can imagine that certainly many grand old buildings were knocked off for modern high rises. Let's hope that the current oldies will remain.

The central business district is also a wonderful place to stay for a night, or two. No, there's not only business in the CBD. Check out some outstanding Adelaide accommodation options.

Museums

The list of museums is endless.
        The South Australian Museum is a natural history museum on North Terrace.
With its huge wale skeletons in the front windows it is a landmark.
        The Maritime Museum in Port Adelaide tells about South Australia's connections with the sea.
        The Port Dock Museum, Port Adelaide, is an outstand and interesting railway museum.

Beaches

Adelaides beaches are marvellous. A string of white sandy beaches stretches along the coast from north to the south.

Want to stay in a beach-side resort? Glenelg and Henley Beach are the way to go. Look at these great Adelaide appartments and relax a few days in the sun.

Shopping

Shopping centres, malls, arcades - Adelaide offers you the ultimative shopping experience. Bring your credit card! :)
        Rundle Mall, right in the city centre, invites you to browse department stores and arcades. Enjoy the city flair.
        Rundle Street has several outdoor stores where you get everything you need for camping, hiking, fishing, and other outdoor activities. These stores also offer a good range of maps for the Outback regions.
        Visit the Central Market at Grote Street. The market is one of the top Adelaide attractions. Stock up with fresh food before you escape to the Australian Outback.
        Melbourne Street in North Adelaide offers art galleries, fashion boutiques and exqusite cafes.
        Westfield Marion shopping centre is the largest shopping complex in Adelaide with supermarkets, department stores, and specialty shops. If you don't find it here, you'll certainly never find it.

More Adelaide attractions

If you stay in Adelaide Australia for a couple of days, there are quite some attraction worth to visit outside of the ctiy.
        The Adelaide Hills stretch just behind the city. Get a deep breathe of fresh air and see some native Australian animals. My favourite spot is Belair National Park, just 13 east of the city centre. This is South Australia's oldest national park, and always a good place to see a koala.
        The Barossa Valley is one of the best known wine regions in South Australia.
        Hahndorf - the old German settlement is a favourite tourist attraction.
        If you have some extra time, go to Kanagaroo Island. Explore the unspoilt nature of South Australia's biggest island. There is a ferry service from Cape Jervis south of Adelaide.

Getting around Adelaide Australia

Public transport in Adelaide is fairly good. A large fleet of buses, a suburban railway network, and a tram from the city to the beach in Glenelg, help you to get around Adelaide.

Adelaide's international airport is about 6 km west of the city centre. You can take a taxi, or a bus to the city, it is just a quick hop.
JetBus services connect the airport with the city and other key suburbs.
The 99C city loop is a free bus service that runs around the city centre every day.

Adelaide has two major railway stations. The heritage listed railway station at North Terrace serves the railway lines to Adelaide's suburbs. A part of the grand old building houses the Adelaide Casino.

The Adelaide Parklands Terminal in Keswick is the interstate railway station. You can travel on the Overland to Melbourne, the Ghan to Alice Springs and Darwin, and the Indian Pacific either to Sydney or Perth from the Keswick Terminal.

Visitor Information Centres: There are many tourist information outlets in the city centre and at the airport. The South Australian Tourist Commision is at 18 King William Street. Here you can get all kind of brochures and you can book tours.

Enjoy your stay at Adelaide Australia, a city worth to spend a holiday of its own.

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