A day in Adelaide city which is surrounded by a range of beautiful reserves and conservation parks, Adelaide also has an impressive stretch of coastline. Adelaide has a beautiful balance of city and nature. The best part about Adelaide is that within just a 20-minute drive from Adelaide. You have beautiful wineries in the McLaren valley, Great nature parks with amazing hiking trails in waterfall gully or Morialta conservation park, and beautiful coastal hikes in Hallet cove along the beaches. Putting together the best of Adelaide in only one day requires advanced planning and a compact schedule. To help you navigate, I have listed a detailed 1-Day Itinerary to Visit Adelaide. Hope you can find it helpful. If you happen to be looking for a longer stay in Adelaide, feel free to check out the top places to see in Adelaide.
7:30am Breakfast
Head to one of the popular cafes in Adelaide such as Peter rabbit cafe or Mr Grandma Ben. For a list of great breakfast Spots Click Here. After Breakfast head to the River Torrens Trail.
8:30am- River Torrens Trail
Spend the morning either cycling or walking along the River trail. To hire a bike Click Here. Hiring a bike from spin way starts from $11 an hour. The trail is 30km one way trail. It begins at the West Beach/Henley beach through the Adelaide CBD to Athelstone. The trail is generally flat, but is steeper towards Athelstone, and sometimes as it goes under road bridges. The trail is flat through the Adelaide CBD section, and to West Beach. The shared trail is suitable for walkers, cyclists, wheelchairs and those with mobility issues. Much of the trail is a made path, however some sections are gravel. There are trails on both sides of the rivers for much of the river length, connected by numerous bridges.
11:30am- Central Adelaide Market
After a walk or ride along the river Torrens trail head to the Adelaide Central Market. With over 70 stall’s under one roof, the Adelaide Central Market is one of the largest undercover fresh produce markets in the Southern Hemisphere, buzzing with life all year round. offers a huge range of fresh food including fruit and vegetables, meat and poultry, seafood, cheeses, bakery, smallgoods and health foods, along with some of Adelaide’s most popular cafes and eateries.
The market is closed Sunday and Monday’s. It’s open Tuesday-7am-5:30pm, Wednesday and Thursday- 9am-5:30pm, Friday- 7am-9pm and Saturday- 7am-3pm.
1:00pm- Lunch
There are many cafes in Adelaide Central Market, where you can enjoy a delicious meal while appreciating this beautiful market. You could also head towards Rundle mall only a 10 minute walk and head to Flavory which is a delicious Thai restaurant.
2:00pm- Option 1
Spend the Afternoon in Adelaide’s botanic gardens among the 50 hectares of magnificently maintained gardens. You can easily spend an afternoon here. The Adelaide Botanic Gardens opened to the public on 4 October 1857.
Option 2- Morialta Conservation park
Located just 20 minutes from Adelaide CBD. Offers plenty to see and do for everyone. Enjoy exploring the creek, woodlands, gorges, and stunning waterfalls, which will make you feel miles away from the city.
First Falls walk-3.6km 2 ours return. Begin along the Fourth Creek through the beautiful Morialta Gorge and past Giants Cave to First Falls, which flows on all but the driest months of the year.
Plateau Hike- 2.5km 1.5 hour return. This hike begins along Fourth Creek and then ascends above the valley floor to Giants Cave. Enjoy the stunning views of Morialta Gorge from the Kookaburra Rock Lookout, the top of First Falls and Eagles Nest Lookout.
5:00pm- Option 1 Sunset at Waite Conservation Park
Head here for sunrise or sunset. The trail is quite a steep climb to the top of the mountain but it’s worth it for the view’s up the top. There is two lookouts and one lookout has swings looking out to the city. The walk is a 4.2km circuit and is rated a moderate walk which will take 1-2 hours to complete. Begin the hike at 10 hillside road from here follow the sign to Waite conservation park through the gate and head up the hill. Once up the hill follow the signs to Waite Loop.
Option 2- Head to a beach for Sunset
- Henley Beach: 20-minute drive from Adelaide; a popular beach destination among the locals ; many restaurants, cafes, and shops nearby.
- Brighton Beach: 25-minute drive south of Adelaide; a popular beach to visit among the locals; great sunset views; a great spot for fishing; many restaurants and cafes nearby.
- Grange Beach: 25-minute drive from Adelaide; not as busy as the rest of the beaches here; has a few restaurants and cafes nearby.
- Semaphore Beach: 30-minute drive from Adelaide; many historic buildings along Semaphore Road & Military Road (Semaphore) – worth a walk around; many restaurants, cafes, and shops nearby.
- Glenelg Beach– is a popular tourist destination, easily accessible by the tram from Adelaide Or a 20 minute drive. You can find a variety of shops and restaurant along Jetty Road, Glenelg.
7:00pm Dinner
For dinner, either head back to Adelaide city, some popular restaurants are Fugazzi bar and dining room or ITL kitchen in the SkyCity building. For more options in the city click here. Another great option is to head to the beach and have Fish ‘N’ Chips or a Pizza on the beach or head out to one of the restaurants by the beach.
Day Trips From Adelaide
If you get more time in Adelaide take a day trip out of the city. There is plenty to see outside of the city Click Here for some beautiful day trip ideas.