South Australia attractions

Tucked away in the Adelaide Hills, the tree-lined lanes and historic taverns of Hahndorf have a distinctly Bavarian feel; so much so that the village has dubbed itself “Australia’s oldest German town.” Founded by German settlers in the early 19th century, Hahndorf displays its heritage in its culture, architecture, and cuisine.

On the south coast of Kangaroo Island, the Remarkable Rocks are one of the island’s most photographed landmarks. A geological wonder dating back some 500 million years, the series of gigantic sea-weathered granite rocks—perched on the clifftops against a backdrop of the Southern Ocean—make for a dramatic sight.

The wildlife of Kangaroo Island isn’t limited to kangaroos and koalas—Clifford’s Honey Farm affords a completely different kind of animal experience. The family-run farm has been producing homemade honey since 1973, and their hives of rare pure-strain Ligurian bees create a tantalizingly sweet honey that has become a staple of Kangaroo Island.

Covering more than 124 acres (50 hectares) between the North Terrace and Botanic Park, the Adelaide Botanic Garden are among the city’s most stunning green spaces. With tree-lined walkways, water lily and lotus ponds, and flower gardens blooming with roses and dahlias, this is an idyllic place for a walking tour.

One of the oldest buildings in South Australia, Adelaide Gaol is remarkable for its architecture, its history, and—allegedly—its ghosts. During its years of operation, 1841–1988, the jail housed over 300,000 prisoners, 45 of whom were executed on-site. Today it offers an interactive exhibition, a range of food options, and a shop.

Mengler Hill Lookout is a popular stop during Barossa Valley wine tasting excursions, providing a scenic panorama of the famed valley below. Mengler Hill Lookout was named for one of the area's early wine growers, and since 1988 has the added attraction of large granite and marble sculptures at the adjacent Barossa Sculpture Park.

The National Wine Centre of Australia introduces visitors to Australian wine, with a focus on South Australia. The outer shell of the building resembles wine barrels. Inside, visitors can take a wine discovery journey or an educational class, or indulge in food, a wealth of tastings, and one of the southern hemisphere’s best cellars.

Occasionally overshadowed by neighboring Adelaide Oval, the Gothic Revival spires of St. Peter’s Cathedral, Adelaide are an architectural landmark. The leading place of worship for the city’s Anglican community, it was built between 1869 and 1911 from local sandstone. English craftsmen contributed much of the stained glass.

Powder-soft white sands, gleaming turquoise waters, and rippling waves make Vivonne Bay one of the photographed spots of Kangaroo Island. Throw in some epic sand dunes, magnificent sunsets, and wildlife-watching opportunities, and it’s easy to see how this was once voted Australia’s Best Beach.

Central Adelaide’s most important square, Victoria Square is known to the Kaurna people as “tarntanyangga” (red kangaroo dreaming). A special-events space and popular lunch spot for local workers, it’s home to statues, lawns, gum trees, and the 1960s Three Rivers Fountain. Nearby landmarks include St. Francis Xavier Cathedral.

With a history dating back more than 150 years, Adelaide Central Market has long been at the center of Adelaide’s foodie scene. It remains one of Australia’s largest covered food markets, with about 80 stalls stacked with fresh, seasonal produce.

Accessible by a dirt road off of Hog’s Bay Road on Kangaroo Island’s southeast coast, remote Pennington Bay is blissfully free of development (there is one lone vacation rental). The crescent-shaped beach is popular among surfers due to consistent swells, while the bay is known for fishing and whale and dolphin spotting.

When it comes to Kangaroo Island beaches, many visitors head for the South Coast and never look back. One hour west of Kingscote, however, Stokes Bay is a North Coast outpost whose rugged beauty rivals any spots in the south. There's romance to this remote coastline, where a small campground and a handful of holiday homes are the only developments.

The 29-mile (46.5-kilometer River Torrens Linear Trail traces the River Torrens (Karrawirra Parri from the Adelaide Hills through Adelaide city and out to Henley Beach. Good for walkers, runners, and cyclists, many sections of the trail can be enjoyed as circuits. Head out along one side of the river then return on the opposite bank.

Adelaide’s shopping epicenter—Rundle Mall—is home to over 700 retail stores and four department stores, plus food, sculptures, and, often, street performers. The original Rundle Street was an Adelaide shopping favorite as far back as the 1870s and Rundle Mall’s Victorian arcades preserve its historic charm.

The Art Gallery of South Australia showcases around 45,000 works of art spanning 2,000 years. Expect to see works by Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and a diverse array of art from around the world, including Rodin bronzes and contemporary pieces. The museum occupies a landmark neoclassical building in the heart of Adelaide.

With a land area similar to Switzerland, the triangular Eyre Peninsula juts out into the Southern Ocean, with Port Lincoln, its adventure capital, near the tip. The east coast is known for oysters; whales, dolphins, sea lions, and great white sharks draw travelers to the west. On land, enjoy pristine national parks and Indigenous culture.

With over 245 acres (100 hectares) of coastal trails, bushlands, and eucalyptus forests to explore, Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the best places on Kangaroo Island to spot native Australian wildlife. Koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, and echidnas are among the possible sightings, all free-roaming within the reserve’s natural habitats.

Set on North Terrace, the grand boulevard that forms Adelaide’s cultural heart, the State Library of South Australia (SLSA) occupies three spectacular buildings from different eras. Besides the architectural splendor of the Mortlock Wing, the library offers the full range of reference library resources, as well as exhibitions, free Wi-Fi, and a café.

One of the principal attractions of Adelaide’s Cultural Precinct, the South Australian Museum is devoted to the region’s natural and cultural history. The museum is best known for its impressive collection of Australian Aboriginal cultural items: the largest collection of its kind in the world.

Home to the Parliament of the state of South Australia, Parliament House is a landmark of downtown Adelaide. Behind grand columns it houses the state’s two legislative chambers: the House of Assembly (lower house) and the Legislative Council (upper house). Designed as early as 1872, it wasn’t completed until 1939.

Penfolds is a celebrated name in the wine world, known for high-quality, award-winning wines and a long history in South Australia. Their Barossa Valley Cellar Door tasting room features two experiences: the Barossa Ultimate Tasting and Make Your Own Blend. The latter allows you to make your own creations using Grenache, Shiraz, and Mataro grapes—the same ingredients in Penfolds’ own Bin 138.

Telling the stories of the migrants who came from all over the world to make South Australia their home, the Migration Museum provides fascinating insight into Adelaide’s rich history and cultural heritage. With respect for the indigenous people of this region, the museum also illustrates the impact of immigration on native Australians.

Australia’s longest river and a sacred place to indigenous communities, the mighty Murray River winds its way 1,558 miles (2,508 kilometers) through three Australian states. There are multiple ways—both on and off the water—to experience the river that runs through several Victoria towns and past striking South Australia landscapes.

Set in the Cleland Conservation Park, just 20 minutes outside Adelaide, Cleland Wildlife Park is home to a wealth of Australian animals, most of them roaming free. It’s possible to hand-feed native fauna, including kangaroos, wallabies, and emus, while the park offers up-close experiences with koalas, wombats, and more.

Beneath the ancient woodlands and bushland trails of the Kelly Hill Conservation Park lies one of the most impressive natural wonders on Kangaroo Island. Venture underground and discover an expanse of ancient limestone caves, where you'll see dramatic rock columns, multicolored shawls, and towering stalagmites and stalactites.

Just outside Port Lincoln, in South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula, Glen-Forest Tourist Park offers attractions from minigolf and Segway rides to vineyards and wildlife encounters. For most, animals will be the major draw. The park is home to koalas, dingoes, wombats, kangaroos, emus, and more, and many species can be hand-fed.

Taking its name from the striking granite boulders scattered across it, Granite Island is both a natural wonder and an important cultural site of the Ngarrindjeri and Ramindjeri peoples. Reachable on foot from Victor Harbor, the island is known for its coastal walks, horse-drawn tram rides, and marine life.

The South Australian outback can be a tough place to make a living—particularly when you live underground, and hope everyday you’ll find opals. That was the lifestyle of early miners who lived in the town of Coober Pedy, literally making their homes underground, beginning in 1916. For reasons still unclear, however, the miners up and left the area sometime around World War I—leaving behind opals they’d placed in the ceiling, never again to return. It wasn’t until 1968 that a local miner found the shaft while exploring around his own mine, and rather than simply harvesting the opals and reaping financial reward, he created an underground visitor attraction that details the area’s history. When you go beneath ground at the Old Timers Mine & Museum, you truly are stepping back in time to experience a hard way of life, and even have the chance to search for opals while noodling through leftover mullock.

Founded by the Seppelt family in 1851, this landmark Barossa Valley winery combines heritage vineyards, historic architecture, art, gardens, food, and pretty scenery—including the 2,000-plus Canary Island date palms that line the estate's entrance. Tours, seated tastings, restaurants, and picnicking are among the winery's top activities.