The Perfect 2 Day Adelaide Itinerary For First Time Visitors

This two-day Adelaide itinerary covers everything you need to see as a first time visitor, including the best museums, places to eat and where to stay!

During my year in Australia, I actually spent some of that time time living and working in Adelaide. While not as hyped up or fast paced as the behemoths of Melbourne and Sydney, I grew to really appreciate Adelaide’s liveable, laid-back charm.

I found most of the key ‘tourist’ activities achievable on a two day visit, which is why it makes a perfect weekend getaway if you just want to see a new city. What Adelaide lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality – with great museums, one of my favourite city markets I’ve visited and plenty of green space.

Read on to find out how I’d recommend you spend the perfect two days in Adelaide!

Itinerary note: I haven’t included any day trips further afield, as this one’s all about getting to know the CBD and a fun suburb area! If you do have extra time, check out my guide to the best day trips from Adelaide!

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Day 1: Adelaide CBD and Museums

Breakfast: Adelaide Central Market

Since 1870, the Central Market has been an Adelaide institution, with over 70 traders under one roof. We wandered the stalls on our morning visit, with the vibrant produce colours and fresh-baked smells providing a delicious assault on our senses.

If you’re looking for a big breakfast, Big Table is the morning choice for champions. For lighter bites and budget-friendly prices, browse the pastry stalls for fresh baked goodness. I found some delicious (and huge) cheese straws for just $3 each!

You can even join an Early Risers Market Tour to learn more about the market’s history, with breakfast and coffee included.

Morning: Exploring Adelaide’s CBD

One of my favourite ways to explore a new city on the first morning is wandering around to get my bearings. Adelaide’s Central Business District is small and very walkable, with plenty of shops, cafes and street art pieces to catch the eye.

If you want to learn more about the CBD and Adelaide’s history, I’d recommend taking a guided Adelaide walking tour. For those simply happy to wander, some of the best things to see and do in the CBD are:

• Rundle Mall: The largest pedestrian mall in Australia is the beating heart of shopping, dining and entertainment in Adelaide.
• Mall’s Balls: A statue of two stainless steel balls that sits outside on Rundle Mall. Not exactly the most captivating of sculptures, but an Adelaide icon nonetheless.
• Adelaide Arcade: A grandiose historic arcade with boutiques and cafes. There’s a small free museum detailing the arcade’s history.
• General Post Office: A historic building, with a contrasting colonial style against the shiny backdrop of the CBD.
• Parliament House: The home of the Parliament of South Australia. Free parliament building tours take place on non-sitting days at 10am and 2pm.
• Street Art Walking Trail: In the heart of the CBD and laneways, Adelaide is a colourful explosion of contemporary street art. Take an award-winning Street Art Walking Tour, or go self-guided with the help of this Public Art walking map.
• Haigh’s Chocolate Experience: Okay, this one’s a bit of a walk away (or a quick tram ride), but it’s worth it for a free chocolate factory tour! You can book a guided or self-guided tour via the website.

Lunch in Adelaide CBD

Discover the CBD’s best lunch spots – including two of my favourite vegan cafes!

• iTL: Grab a gnocchi dish or panini on their lunch special for $19.
• Munch Deli: Hole in the wall spot serving Adelaide’s best sandwiches (aka ‘sandos’), from classics to more inventive creations.
• Peter Rabbit: Whimsical and quirky cafe on the outskirts of the CBD, with outdoor and indoor seating.
• Sit Lo: cosy and affordable Vietnamese cafe, popular with students and locals alike.
• Veggie Vie: Delicious vegan food in a cosy laneway bistro. I ordered Hot Pot of the Day, a vegan lasagne, which came with salad, tofu, nuts and pickles. It was pretty spectacular, actually.
• Two Bit Villains: Vegetarian restaurant serving burgers and lighter bites, famous for their delicious handmade sodas – I recommend ordering a fried chick*n burger with their cream soda!

Afternoon: Adelaide’s Free Museums

The best way to spend an afternoon in Adelaide without spending a cent? Visiting the city’s free museums!

I spent hours walking around soaking in the diverse artefacts, particularly enjoying the focus on aboriginal culture and migration to Australia.

There are five major museums I’d recommend visiting. The first four are very close together, so easily achievable in an afternoon:

Art Gallery of South Australia

One of my favourite galleries in Australia! The Art Gallery of South Australia has a diverse collection of over 45,000 pieces, featuring work by South Australian, aboriginal and global artists.

Free tours take place daily at 11am and 2pm.

Opening Hours: 10am-5pm
Admission Price: Free

South Australia Museum

One of the oldest museums in the country, the South Australia Museum has an impressive natural history collection. You’ll see taxidermied animals from across the globe, but it’s really the focus on South Australian wildlife and geology that I enjoyed the most.

There’s also a huge exhibit dedicated to aboriginal culture, with over 30,000 artefacts telling the stories of human development in South Australia. This was my favourite section, a great place to learn about aboriginal society – from construction and weaponry to customs and traditions.

Opening Hours: 10am-5pm
Admission Price: Free

Migration Museum

I was surprised by how engaging this museum was, focusing on how migrants have contributed to South Australia’s culture, history and society.

In one room, an animated video piece plays on the screen, which you view from a car through a wire fence. The setup represents the artist’s early memories of home, watching drive through movies from beyond the fence.

The display where migrant senior citizens worked with schoolchildren to create colourful portraits was a real highlight. I spent ages reading about all the hobbies and interests of some fascinating, joyful elders – and seeing how the children represented them in a portrait was a beautiful display of how generations can come together and be creative through community.

Opening Hours: 10am-5pm
Admission Price: Free

The Centre of Democracy

Part of the State Library, this small exhibition space is a little tucked away, but worth visiting for some great insight into the development of democratic process in Australia! Reading about the womens’ rights movement in Australia was a particular highlight for me, and there are some interactive elements you can contribute to with your own thoughts on social policy.

Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm; Sat & Sun 1-5pm – closed public holidays
Admission Price: Free

MOD (Museum of Discovery)

MOD is a small but captivating museum dedicated to science and technology. Part of the University of South Australia, the museum has a futuristic array of exhibits, with plenty of interactivity including games and activities that visitors contribute to.

Although it’s primarily aimed at young adults, as a 30-something I really enjoyed visiting and interacting with the displays!

Opening Hours: Tue-Sat 10am-5pm – closed Sunday & Monday
Admission Price: Free

Dinner in Adelaide CBD

(the first three recommendations in particular are very popular with locals, so advance booking is advised)

• Part Time Lover: Choose between plant, seafood and meat options in this stylish CBD bistro.
• Press* Food & Wine: Upscale modern European-Australian dishes for when you’re feeling just a little bit fancy.
• Osteria Oggi: Beloved upmarket Adelaide Italian restaurant serving fresh pasta as the star of the show.
• Ban Ban: Trendy and affordable Korean Fried Chicken spot – minimal seating, so you may need to take away when it’s busy!
• Kin Kin Thai Eatery: Deliciously authentic Thai dishes at a reasonable price.
• Adelaide Pho: Unassuming restaurant serving up glorious steaming bowls of pho.

What to do at night in Adelaide

Adelaide may not be the most nightlife-heavy of cities, but there’s still plenty to keep you entertained once the sun starts to set! If you’re looking for the best things to do at night in Adelaide, check out this list for ideas:

• Climb the Adelaide Oval at sunset for delicious views and evening thrills.
• See some live music: We went to gigs at the Lion Arts Factory two nights in a row and it’s a great little venue!
• Join a ghost tour and uncover the spooky history of Adelaide Gaol or Adelaide Arcade.
• Get some laughs in at a comedy night – try Kings of Comedy (Saturdays), Nevermind (Thursdays) and Adelaide Comedy (Monday & Friday)
• Play a round of themed mini golf at Holey Moley.
• Go bar hopping with a local guide to uncover Adelaide’s best hidden away drinking holes.
• Visit Adelaide’s best breweries – we loved Crafty Robot, Mismatch and Little Bang (including accidentally joining the pub quiz at the latter!)

Day 2: Port Adelaide & Parklands

Morning: Port Adelaide

Okay, I said no day trips – but Port Adelaide doesn’t count, as it’s only a 20 minute train ride from Adelaide Central Station. Trains run around every half hour, and tickets are $5 each way.

Travel tip – if you don’t have a MetroCard, head to the side gate, where you can tap in using contactless payment

Port Adelaide is a historic town along the Port River, with 19th-century buildings and a rich maritime history. I headed to the information centre to learn a bit more about the area. Said information centre is also next to the old Port Adelaide gaol, with a few small cell exhibitions and a photo opportunity I just couldn’t resist…

Despite the rain pestering me, I took a walk around the town, nosing around some boutiques and strolling alongside the river. There are a fair few cafes around for brunch in Port Adelaide, but I decided to go for the budget-friendly option and grabbed a vegetarian sausage roll from Mayfair Bakery.

To learn more about the history alongside Port River, you can take a 90 minute river cruise past sunken ships and playful dolphins.

Unfortunately, Port Adelaide’s museums aren’t free like the ones in the CBD, but if you’re interested in rail, sea or air travel history, you can pick the one that interests you most to visit:

Before leaving Port Adelaide, I’d recommend stopping by Pirate Life Taproom for a lunchtime drink from one of Adelaide’s best-loved breweries. They also offer a food menu with some great sandwich options, so you can tick lunch off too!

More places to eat in Port Adelaide:

• Pancakes at the Port: Waterside restaurant serving…you guessed it, pancakes!
• Lipson Cafe: Cosy spot offering all-day brunch menu.
• Drummer Boy: Fresh and modern cafe, serving bagels as a specialty.

Afternoon: Adelaide Park Lands

For a relaxing afternoon in beautiful green space, take a walk through Adelaide’s Park Lands. A perfect example of Australia’s outdoorsy nature, Adelaide’s CBD is surrounded on all sides with 932 hectares of parkland.

Head north of the CBD to visit Adelaide Botanic Park, home to enormous colonies of flying foxes. It’s rare to spot this many bats in the daytime, but you can see them hanging from trees all around the park.

The Botanic Park is also home to the Bicentennial Conservatory, Museum of Economic Botany and State Herbarium of South Australia – all of which are free entry.

The Park Lands north of the CBD are also home to some of the city’s most popular attractions, including Adelaide Zoo and the Adelaide Oval. Cricket fans can book a guided tour of the Oval, while thrill seekers can climb to the roof to check out the views.

If you’re looking for something more indoors-y (and a little boozy), the National Wine Centre is the perfect place to discover how Australia became a premier winemaking country. Their tasting room is home to 120 wines from across the country’s 65 winemaking regions. The perfect place to find your new favourite!

To continue the mood and see your last evening out with a bang, head to one of the city’s cocktail bars for a classy drink – trap, Maybe Mae and Jennie Wine Bar are local favourites for a relaxed and stylish crowd. (or if you don’t fancy that, head back to my list above of places to eat and fun things to do in Adelaide at night!!)

Adelaide Travel Guide

Getting to Adelaide

Adelaide Airport is just 6km from Adelaide CBD, with flights from domestic and international destinations.

The  J1 and J2 bus services connect the airport with the CBD. The journey takes around 30 minutes, and buses run around every half hour. The journey will cost you $4.55 (peak times) or $2.60 (off peak).

If you’d prefer to get a taxi, an Uber ride takes around 15 minutes, and can cost between $15-30.

Getting around Adelaide

Adelaide’s CBD is super walkable if you’re able to, but there are also public transport options available including free bus and tram services.

Outside of the CBD free service areas, a peak fare costs $4.55 and an off-peak fare $2.60. Each fare allows two hours of travel from the time of purchase, and payment can be made using a pre-purchased MetroCard or contactless payment

Where to stay in Adelaide

We stayed in our campervan at Aspen Holiday Park during our time in Adelaide, however there are plenty of hotels and hostels in Adelaide to suit all budgets!

The charm of Hotel Indigo would be my choice for a mid-range hotel when travelling with my partner; but I’d definitely check out Tequila Sunrise Hostel for a pod if I was visiting Adelaide solo!

• Sunny’s Adelaide Backpackers Hostel ($): Old-school style hostel – the best-rated cheapest option in town for solo travellers.
• Tequila Sunrise Hostel ($$): Single or double pods in dorm rooms – your bed price includes breakfast and dinner.
• ibis Adelaide ($$): Basic, comfortable rooms in a chain hotel located moments from Rundle Mall – one of the cheapest hotel options in the CBD.
• Hotel Indigo ($$$): Vibrant design hotel in the Adelaide Central Market area, with infinity pool and terrace overlooking the city.
• Eos by SkyCity ($$$$$): Elegant luxury hotel with rooftop swimming pool and spa facilities.

Adelaide FAQs

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