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City and North Adelaide is the central business district of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. When using the term City alone – it generally does not include North Adelaide, but the "City of Adelaide" would include North Adelaide.

The City has several names. Unlike the other four major cities, very few call the city centre the CBD colloquially, and city centre is more common. However, City is the more common name used, both colloquially, officially and is what you'd encounter on highway signage [in Adelaide].

Get in

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Map
Map of Adelaide/City and North Adelaide

By train

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The Adelaide Metro suburban train system has four main lines radiating 1 Adelaide Railway Station Adelaide railway station on Wikipedia at the northern edge of the City, with two additional branch lines. Long-distance trains stop at a separate station east of the City that is not connected to the suburban railway network.

When travelling from the north:

  • The Outer Harbor Line, which comes up from the Le Fevre Peninsula in the northwest of the city via Port Adelaide and Glanville.
  • The Gawler Line, from Gawler Central in the north , through Ovingham, Mawson Lakes, Salisbury and Elizabeth.

When travelling from the south:

  • The electrified Seaford Line, which extends from Seaford in the far south of the city, via the beachside suburb of Brighton and Noarlunga Centre.
  • The picturesque Belair Line which extends from Belair in the Adelaide foothills through Blackwood and the inner southeastern suburbs of the city. The Belair line is useful when coming from Belair National Park.

By car

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There are no freeways/expressways leading into the city and North Adelaide. Adelaide's freeways only reach the outer suburbs, and you will need to drive to regular roads to get into the city.

  • From Adelaide Hills, take the M1 South-East Freeway down the hills and then continue on Glen Osmond Rd and into the city.
  • From the southern suburbs such as McLaren Vale, head north on A13 Main North Road until the M2 Southern Expressway interchange. Once you're at the interchange, exit and head on the entire expressway up north until St. Marys. Once at St. Marys, continue on A2 South Road, until R1 (Ring Road 1) which loops around the city and North Adelaide
  • From Gawler, take the M2 Northern Expressway and North-South Motorway down to the city
  • From Port Adelaide, take the A9 Port River Expressway and then exit onto M2 North-South Motorway and head down south to the city.

See

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Churches

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  • 1 St Peter's Cathedral, 27 King William Rd, North Adelaide. M 10:30AM - 1PM, Tu-F 10:30AM-3:30PM. Adelaide's Anglican Cathedral and one of the most iconic churches in Australia. Features on many postcards of Adelaide, and a popular stop on most city tours. Free. St Peter's Cathedral (Q2918618) on Wikidata St Peter's Cathedral, Adelaide on Wikipedia
  • 2 St Francis Xavier's Cathedral, 39 Wakefield St, Adelaide. 7AM-7PM daily. Adelaide's Roman Catholic cathedral, located in the heart of the City, right next to Victoria Square and within walking distance of Central Market. Much smaller than its Anglican counterpart, but nevertheless still rather impressive to look at, particularly on the inside. Free. St Francis Xavier's Cathedral (Q4355677) on Wikidata St Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Adelaide on Wikipedia

Parks and gardens

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One of the only two pandas in the southern hemisphere
  • 3 The Adelaide Botanic Garden. Open every day including public holidays. The gardens are quiet and relaxing even though they're in the heart of the city. They contain many large grassed areas ideal for relaxing, and just outside the gardens are the city parklands where ball games and picnics can be held. There is a cafe in the gardens and a conservatory. Free. Adelaide Botanic Garden (Q4681683) on Wikidata Adelaide Botanic Garden on Wikipedia
  • 4 Bicentennial Conservatory. Daily from 10AM to one hour before the Botanic Garden closes. This is a worthwhile place to visit, it simulates a tropical rainforest micro-eco system, complete with mist falling from the roof. The space accommodates a number of full size rainforest trees and lowland rainforest plants from northern Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and the nearby Pacific Islands, many of which are at risk or endangered in their natural habitats. Be warned, it is warm and humid inside. All walkways have full wheelchair access. Free entry.
  • 5 Montefiore Hill (North Adelaide). Provides a spectacular view of the city, especially at night.
  • 6 North Terrace. Driving east from West Terrace will take you past the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, the University of South Australia's City West campus, the new University of Adelaide's medical school, the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), the Adelaide Convention Centre, the Casino (Railway Station below), Parliament House, Government House, the State Library of South Australia, Migration Museum (free entry), Art Gallery of South Australia (free entry), the University of Adelaide, the University of South Australia's City East campus, the site of the old Royal Adelaide Hospital, and the Botanic Gardens. It is an attractive, tree-lined boulevard in a South Australian colonial tradition.
  • 7 Rundle Lantern light display, Cnr Rundle St and Pulteney St. From dusk to midnight every night with 750 light panels.
  • 8 Adelaide Zoo, Frome Road. Daily 9:30AM-5PM. The only place in the southern hemisphere to see giant pandas. The zoo also boasts meerkats, lions, tigers, a family of capybaras and some quokkas. Adelaide Zoo (Q3244627) on Wikidata Adelaide Zoo on Wikipedia

Museums and galleries

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The River Torrens passing near the University of Adelaide
  • 9 Migration Museum, 82 Kintore Ave (north of the State Library). Daily 10AM-5PM, closed Good Friday and 25 Dec. The museums showcases stories of immigrants to South Australia throughout history with photos, stories and items. Migration Museum (Q6844330) on Wikidata Migration Museum, Adelaide on Wikipedia
  • 10 Art Gallery of South Australia, North Terrace (half-way between Kintore Ave and Frome Rd, between the South Australian Museum and the University of Adelaide.), +61 8 8207-7000, . Daily 10AM-5PM, except 25 Dec. Great place to see art of all genres. Free cloakroom/baggage store. Free. Art Gallery of South Australia (Q705557) on Wikidata Art Gallery of South Australia on Wikipedia
  • 11 South Australian Museum, North Terrace (next to the Art Gallery of South Australia). Daily 10AM-5PM, except Good Friday and 25 Dec. Best collection Australian Aboriginal collection in the world and the largely Victorian Pacific cultures gallery is neat too. Free. South Australian Museum (Q2546445) on Wikidata South Australian Museum on Wikipedia
  • 12 National Wine Centre, cnr of Botanic and Hackney Rd, Hackney, +61 8 8303-3355, fax: +61 8 8303-7444, . M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa Su & public holidays; tours & tastings 10AM-5PM. A part of the University of Adelaide, here you can learn more about Australian viticulture, wine and food in general and there's of course also wine bar. National Wine Centre of Australia (Q6979426) on Wikidata National Wine Centre of Australia on Wikipedia
  • 13 Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, 253 Grenfell St. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, closed Sunday & Public Holidays. Here you can experience many kinds of Aboriginal art and culture. There are music, dance and theatre performances and exhibitions of visual art. Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute (Q7682408) on Wikidata Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute on Wikipedia
  • 14 Adelaide Gaol (Adelaide Jail), 18 Gaol Rd, +61 8 8231 4062. 10AM–4PM. Historic jail that was built in the 1840s, modelled on jails similar to the ones found in the UK and Ireland.
  • 15 Australian Space Discovery Centre, Lot 14, McEwin Building, North Terrace, +61 8 8432 1400, . An Australian Space Agency space discovery centre, opened about the time when Australia joined the space race.
  • 16 Adelaide Holocaust Museum and Steiner Education Centre, 33 Wakefield Street, +61 8 7089 5237, . Su 11AM-3PM, Tu-Th 1-4PM, closed M F Sa. Visitors wishing to visit on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday are required to make a booking. $10. Adelaide Holocaust Museum and Andrew Steiner Education Centre (Q104589885) on Wikidata Adelaide Holocaust Museum and Andrew Steiner Education Centre on Wikipedia

Do

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Sport

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  • 1 Adelaide Oval. During the summer months get down to the Adelaide Oval for a cricket match. Australia plays host to a couple of touring nations each summer and they will play a few matches at this beautiful ground which is just minutes from the city centre. Tickets for internationals tend to be snapped up quickly, but domestic matches are frequent and equally exciting.
  • AFL, the peak league for professional Australian Rules Football. Home games for the local teams the Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide Power are played at Adelaide Oval in North Adelaide. Getting tickets shouldn't be a problem - check out the AFL website for more details.
  • SANFL, the state Aussie Rules league, has 5 games per weekend at a number of locations throughout the city and suburbs. Norwood Oval, home of the Redlegs, is situated on the Parade in Norwood which is home to a variety of restaurant, café and pub options for after the game.
  • Adelaide United, Hindmarsh Stadium. "The Reds" play soccer in A-League, the top tier. Their home ground (capacity 16,500) is sponsored as Cooper's Stadium. In 2023 this staged matches in the Women's World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and NZ.

Performance art

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  • 2 Format Collective, 15 Peel St (off Hindley St). A two-storey performance space with a permanent zine store. Hosts small art shows, some of the more experimental gigs, discussion panels and performance art. Much of this is concentrated in the yearly Format Festival which is on at the same time as the Fringe Festival and is considered a more experimental alternative, although there are things on all year round. Known for its hipsters, Japanese beer, and nostalgic games of four-square.

Events

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One of the best times of the year to visit is during Mad March, when a multitude of festivals and events are held. These include the Adelaide Fringe, the Clipsal 500 Car race, the Adelaide Festival, WOMADdelaide and the Adelaide Cup horseracing carnival.

  • 3 Adelaide 500 (Superloop Adelaide 500). During mid-March, the Adelaide 500 supercar racing event is very popular, sporting massive street parties, huge concert line-ups and many fanatic Adelaidians. Adelaide 500 (Q4635078) on Wikidata Adelaide 500 on Wikipedia
  • 4 Adelaide Fringe Festival. During late Feb-March, the Fringe Festival (second largest of its type in the world) and Festival of Arts bring the city alive with music, arts, dance and culture from all over the world. Both are large and very popular events visited by people from all over the world. Adelaide Fringe Festival (Q4681716) on Wikidata Adelaide Fringe Festival on Wikipedia
  • 5 WOMADelaide (World of Music Arts and Dance). A hugely popular music festival now held every year in March. People come here from all over Australia and overseas. It shows Adelaide at its very best. WOMADelaide (Q7953896) on Wikidata WOMADelaide on Wikipedia

Other

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  • 6 Haigh's Chocolate Factory, 154 Greenhill Rd, Unley Park. M-Sa 11AM, 1PM and 2PM. A factory tour. Haigh's was established in 1915 and is one of the best chocolate makers in Australia, with its quality being on par with some of the best Belgian and Swiss choloates. 5 minutes from the CBD, the tour will give you a glimpse on how this fine chocolate is made and they give free samples. Free but bookings essential.
  • 7 The Adelaide Casino, North Terrace (Next to Adelaide station). Adjoining the Festival and Convention centres. Adelaide Casino is South Australia's only licensed casino, and offers not just great gaming, but also three restaurants, and four bars, including the Oasis bar and Grandstand sports bar. Valet parking is also available.

Buy

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Malls and shopping precincts

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Adelaide Arcade from outside
Adelaide Chinatown
  • 1 Adelaide Arcade, 112/118 Grenfell St, +61 8 8223 5522. A heritage shopping arcade which has a fine collection of boutiques and specialist shopping such as numismatics, antiques and chocolatiers in a Victorian (the era, not the state) style building. Adelaide Arcade (Q4681666) on Wikidata Adelaide Arcade on Wikipedia
  • 2 Rundle Mall, Rundle Street, +61 8 8203 7200. A pedestrian-only shopping strip with many arcades and side streets coming off it. The mall is parallel to North Terrace and contains over 800 shops. It is one of Adelaide's biggest malls, and the mall is open all days of the week. Rundle Mall (Q7379785) on Wikidata Rundle Mall on Wikipedia

Food

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  • 3 The Central Market (between Grote and Gouger St, west of Victoria Sq). Su M closed, Tu 7AM-5:30PM, W Th 9AM-5:30PM, F 7AM-9PM, Sa 7AM-3PM. All your fresh fruit and veggies under one Victorian roof. You can borrow a shopping cart from Coles Supermarket next door to stop your arms being pulled from their sockets by all the goodies you'll buy. It's not just vegetarians that will salivate here since foods and non-foods of every variety compete for the best displays. Cheap multi-storey parking adjacent. Adelaide Central Market (Q4681685) on Wikidata Adelaide Central Market on Wikipedia
  • 4 Chinatown. A pedestrian-only area (Moonta St) adjacent to Central Market. Chinatown (Q5100130) on Wikidata Chinatown, Adelaide on Wikipedia
  • 5 City East IGA, 116 Hutt St, +61 8 8223 1112. Won best IGA Supermarket in SA for its amazing food range, including Greek, Italian, Chinese and Indian.

Eat

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Central Market in the city.

While it may come as a surprise for some, Adelaide too caters to virtually most tastes and price ranges. The city has one of the largest number of restaurants and cafes per person in Australia and most of the best are in the city or North Adelaide.

  • Gouger Street, Chinatown and the Central Market precinct is a multicultural food and wine paradise. Best known in Adelaide for good quality Asian food at a reasonable price, Gouger Street attracts a wide range of clientele from lawyers and public servants from the adjacent courts and State government precinct to new migrants. Chinatown and Gouger St is the hub of Chinese cuisine and culture in Adelaide and there is a wide range of Chinese restaurants along the strip. Other Asian cuisines are also featured including Thai, Vietnamese and Indian. On the northern side of Gouger St, the Adelaide Central Market has a great range of hawker style food stalls as well as a few older European cafes. The last decade has also seen the emergence of high-end dining on Gouger St, with a number of more expensive options joining the long standing and locally famed Argentinian restaurant, Gaucho's.
  • Rundle Street and the East End is the traditional hub of Italian and Greek cuisine in Adelaide, but there are also newer Chinese, Thai and Japanese restaurants. Like Gouger St, it has options across the spectrum of budgets, with the western end of the street closer to Adelaide University catering more to the budget end while the eastern end is more upmarket. The East End laneways off of Rundle Street have a range of smaller, quirkier cafes - Ebenezer Place, Bent Street and Union Street all have a few alternative options.
  • Waymouth Street and Pirie Street have emerged as new eating destinations over the last decade, particularly for an upmarket lunch. Waymouth Street, on the western side of King William Street, has a range of high end cafes, bistros and bars, while Pirie Street has a few new cafes.
  • Hindley Street is best known for its bars and nightlife, but has a range of multicultural food options, particularly Middle Eastern and Asian. The Leigh Street and Bank Street laneways have also emerged as dining destinations in their own right.
  • Hutt Street is smaller scale and offers a small variety of upmarket restaurants that please most tastes, and also has a wide variety of gourmet shops and supermarkets.
  • The South West Corner of the City's square mile, south of the Gouger Street precinct, is more residential but includes some of Adelaide's most interesting dining experiences sprinkled among the heritage homes and apartments.
  • An eclectic mix of small restaurants and cafes make Melbourne Street an interesting place to eat.
  • The variety of take-aways, pubs, cafes, bakeries and restaurants that line most of O'Connell Street means you won't be wanting. A local speciality to try is the AB, a dish consisted of shredded yiros meat on top of hot chips and topped with chilli sauce, tomato sauce, barbecue sauce and garlic sauce, of which there are two shops that claim to have invented the dish; The Blue & White Cafe and North Adelaide Burger Bar.

Budget

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There are a lot of budget eateries in Adelaide. They don't usually look like much from the outside but most have something going for them - the reason that they are still in business. It pays to look through menus plastered onto doors. Cheap eats should be anywhere from $8–14 for a main, and no more.

  • 1 Elephant walk, 76 Melbourne St, +61 8 8267-2006. Particularly interesting because it is a small, cosy cafe which is very dimly lit. Each booth is separated by straw screens so you can't really see the other patrons. It opens at 8PM and if they're full, you'll have to wait outside for a table.
  • 2 Nano Cafe, 23 Ebenezer Pl (in East End), +61 8 8227 0468. Daily. Italian home-style food, great breakfast, good coffee, value for money, breakfast & lunch only, fresh daily. $5.80-15.
  • 3 Dumpling King, 95 Grote St. Plates of 10-15 dumplings, steamed/fried, pork/chicken and prawn, for $6.80-7.80.
  • 4 Food courts off of Moonta St. Many different Asian cuisines at cheap prices. All you can fit on your plate for varying prices plus made to order food.
  • 5 Hawker's Corner, 141 West Terrace (cnr Wright St.). Much the same as the food courts but open at night. Cheap but tasty with a wide range of food.

Mid-range

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  • 6 Amalfi, 29 Frome St, +61 8 8223 1948. This little Italian place just off Rundle St has a loyal following and is usually jam packed. It has an inventive range of pizzas and pastas, with quality a cut above the other Italian cafes filling Rundle St.
  • 7 Fellini, 102 O'Connell, +61 8 8239 2235. This St. Large North Adelaide cafe is packed to the rafters every weekend. The menu is Italian-based pasta, pizza and so on, but what keeps the punters coming back is the large size of the menu and inventiveness of the dishes.
  • 8 Hotaru Japanese Restaurant, 162 Gouger St, +61 8 8410 2838. Cosy Japanese restaurant with wonderful food, particularly the fresh sashimi, various sushi rolls and the grilled eggplant. Home-made sesame ice cream and green tea ice cream. Hotaru is off the main Gouger St area.
  • 9 Jasmin, 31 Hindmarsh Sq, +61 8 8223 7837. One of Adelaide's best Indian restaurants. Beautifully decorated, with classical music playing and impeccable service. The very hot curries (vindaloo and tindaloo) are especially good. You might also consider trying the mixed entree or orange sponge cake.
  • 10 Nu Thai, 117 Gouger St, +61 8 8410 2288. Slightly more expensive than Regent, with a more adventurous menu. They have a huge blackboard inside with a long list of specials which change regularly.
  • 11 Regent Thai, 165 O'Connell St, +61 8 8239 0927. Excellent and consistent standard Thai menu. The friendly proprietor Chang was a refugee from the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. Try the oysters in coriander sauce, the red curry chicken, or ask for a whole fish steamed with ginger and shallots. Its sister restaurant at Glenelg, Phuket, is worth checking out as well. Mains $13-18.

Splurge

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  • 12 Shiki Restaurant, North Terrace (Intercontinental Hotel Adelaide), +61 8 8231 2382. Japanese restaurant with a nice atmosphere in one of Adelaide's premier hotels. Mainly known for its teppanyaki but also serves other Japanese dishes like sushi, sashimi and tempura.

Drink

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There are pubs and bars dotted all around the City, but a few districts are worth singling out. Rundle Street and its neighbouring area known simply as "The East End" have a number of popular pubs. Hindley St used to be notorious as the seedy home of Adelaide's strip clubs and bikie bars, but it, and "The West End" have undergone a renaissance. The eastern end of Hindley Street is more mainstream, whereas the western end, west of Morphett Street has a few trendier and more alternative venues. The seedy places are still there, but so too is a university campus and a number of trendy bars and clubs. Also important are Gouger Street and its many restaurants but with an increasing number of bars and pubs. O'Connell Street is home to a few of North Adelaide's popular pubs.

There are also many bars in the suburbs of Adelaide which usually are busier on Thursday and Friday evenings. Quite a lot of the locals will go to the hotels in the suburbs on Thursday and Friday evenings, and go into the City on Saturday evenings.

Pubs

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Melbourne is not the only Australian city with a buzzing "laneway culture": Adelaide's Exeter Lane, off Rundle Street, at night. On the left is The Exeter Hotel, one of Adelaide's most well known pubs/drinking establishments.

As a rule, pubs seem to be located in hotels.

  • 1 Grandstand, North Terrace (Adelaide Casino, North Ter.), +61 8 8212 2811. Su-Th 10AM-late, F Sa 11AM-5:30AM. Situated on the 1st floor of Adelaide Casino, Grandstand is Adelaide's premier venue for watching all live sporting events. Featuring several TV screens showing all the action from Fox Sports, Setanta and Main Event, Grandstand also has full Keno and TAB facilities. A bar menu is also available, as are regular great drink promotions.
  • 2 Crown & Anchor, 196 Grenfell St, +61 8 8223 3212. M-W 11AM-3AM, Th-Sa 11AM-4AM. Situated just off Rundle St, this Adelaide institution is often referred to as "The Cranker", or less kindly, the "Crowd of Wankers" attracts those of an alternative bent. Goths, metalheads, punks and hippies all mingle in this multi-roomed venue, sipping beer. But don't worry, piercings and tattoos aren't essential to have a good time. Music playing could be just about anything.
  • 3 Worldsend, 208 Hindley St, +61 8 8231 9137. M-F 11AM-late, Sa 4PM-late, Su closed. Serves food all day. This lively pub features a beer garden and a solid restaurant. The crowd is generally early to mid 20s, many from the nearby Hindley Street campus of the University of South Australia. While it definitely has a strong pub feel, the music is more like a bar, with live jazz and funk, house and drum'n'bass (rather than rock) the order of the day.
  • 4 The Exeter, 246 Rundle St, +61 8 8223 2623. This friendly old-school pub is much frequented by students from nearby Adelaide University and TAFE. At night, it has an alternative feel drawing crowds from all areas. Two back rooms contain a great little restaurant. The curry nights on Wednesday and Thursday are popular. Small music venue, mostly showcasing live alternative bands. M-Su 11AM-late.
  • 5 The Archer, 60 O'Connell St, +61 8 8361 9300. Modern, hip feel and a large range of beers on tap. Be aware that it has to close earlier than most places (usually midnight) due to residential noise restrictions.
  • 6 The Cumberland Arms (The Cumby), 205 Waymouth St, +61 8 8231 3577. M 9AM-midnight, Tu 9AM-1AM, W-Th 9AM-3AM, F Sa 6PM-4AM, Su 6PM-2AM. In a strip of bars and clubs along the southern end of Light Square adjacent to Hindley St. The Cumberland was bought out and refurbished some years ago. Nowadays it's a cozy spot which does a good job of being all things to all people. The front bar areas conceal a dance floor within, where a DJ is invariably playing house, and an outdoor area around the side. The popularity of "The Cumby" is cyclic, but if it's not happening, one of the adjacent places will be.
  • 7 The Grace Emily, 232 Waymouth St ((Opposite "The Cumberland)), +61 8 8231 5500. The Grace has plenty of trinkets behind and around the bar to keep one's eyeballs busy whilst nursing a Coopers or bloody mary. Local, interstate and overseas bands play most nights. Every Monday night Billy Bob's BBQ Jam sees a variety of local bands strut their stuff to impress the crowd with 3 or 4 songs (though perhaps more by popular demand) whilst a sausage sizzle out the beer garden feeds the hordes - a highlight of an otherwise quiet evening in Adelaide.
  • 8 The Austral, 205 Rundle St. Rundle St. On the main street for shopping and nightlife in Adelaide, which is really the same long street as Hindley St but with a different name either side of King William Road, and the pedestrian only Rundle Mall in the middle. The Austral is the unofficial backpackers pub of choice.
  • 9 The Original Coopers Alehouse (also known by the original name still on the front facade The Earl of Aberdeen), 316 Pulteney St (10 minute walk from the Rundle St-Pulteney St intersection), +61 8 8223 6433. The only pub to hold the complete range of Coopers beers on tap, including the Vintage Ale. Also serves good food, including schnitzels and pizzas, in the attached Arnou Woodfired at the Earl restaurant.
  • 10 The Stag, 299 Rundle St (cnr of Rundle and East Tce). More up market establishment, with good views of the parklands from the al fresco seating, good range of drinks and weekly live music. The second floor balcony literally overlooked the old Formula 1 street circuit and was always crammed with race fans. With the shortened Clipsal 500 course this is no longer possible, but still a good place to go after the days races.
  • 11 The Union Hotel, 70 Waymouth St Adelaide, +61 8 8231 2144, . Open most days 11AM-1AM. Good value meals every night including cheap pizza night every Monday. On Friday nights the crazy is dialed up with Generation Pop, a mix of pop music from retro to modern and very popular with the after work crowd (7:30PM-1AM). Saturdays is Get Back, Adelaide's only weekly retro dance club playing music from the 1950s-80s (8PM-1AM). Entry is free to both nights. Crowd is a healthy mix of ages, even after dark.

Bars

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  • 12 Zhivago, 155 Waymouth St. This West End bar attracts a friendly, relaxed, mid-20s crowd.
  • 13 First Lounge Bar & Restaurant, 128 Rundle Mall (in the Richmond Hotel), +61 8 8223 4044. The only nightspot on Rundle Mall. First started life as a chilled out cocktail bar, but rapidly became popular as an after-work spot on Fridays, and could now also be filed under "clubs". On weekends they are packed out and play commercial house, but on weeknights it reverts to the original cocktail bar atmosphere.
  • 14 Fumo Blu, 270 Rundle St, +61 8 8232 2533. Below ground cocktail lounge in the heart of Rundle St.
  • 15 Rocket Bar, 142 Hindley St, +61 8 8212 7433. Inconspicuously located off Hindley St (it's a door with a sign above it). Live venue hosting international/interstate and local alternative indie acts. Also home to indie/alternative Modular nights and Abracadabra on Fridays. Open every weekend until late.

Nightclubs

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  • 16 Jive, 181 Hindley St. Open every weekend and sometimes during the week.. 300-person capacity mainly live venue that hosts local and interstate rock/alternative/indie acts. Also home to indie/alternative dance club Gosh! on Saturdays after the bands.

Sleep

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Budget

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There is a choice of backpacker accommodation around the central bus station.

  • 1 Adelaide Central YHA, 135 Waymouth St, +61 8 8414-3010, fax: +61 8 8414-3015, . $75, en suite: $90, dorm: $25.50 (YHA/Hostelling International members 10% discount)..
  • 2 Adelaide Travellers Inn, 220 Hutt St, +61 8 8224-0753, . Nomads Mad card members receive $2 off per night or their 7th night free.
  • 3 The Austral, 205 Rundle St, +61 8 8223-4660. The Austral is a pub which provides accommodation upstairs from the bar area. Rooms are clean and fairly quiet despite the bar downstairs, although the mattresses aren't great quality. Bathrooms are shared. Close to Adelaide's centre. Double $55, single $35.
  • 4 Blue Galah, 62 King William St, +61 8 8231-9295, toll-free: 1800 221 529, fax: +61 8 8231-9598, . Just one block from Rundle St Mall but no smoking rules not enforced so best to avoid if you do not carry your own gas mask/filtration system. Not the cleanest or quietest place but has a great bar with balcony overlooking King William St and CBD. Wi-Fi: $5/day, $15/wk. Dorm: $24 (weekly rates too); private single/twin/double: $70.
  • 5 Hostel 109, 109 Carrington St, +61 8 8223-1771. Small, quiet, modern, secure & centrally located. Very clean. Free internet.
  • 6 My Place Adelaide, 257 Waymouth St, +61 8 8221 5299, toll-free: 1800 221 529, . Very clean, good social vibe, free breakfast & free bus to Glenelg beach. BBQ nights, beach volleyball & soccer organised.
  • 7 Plaza Hotel, 85 Hindley St, +61 8 8231-6371, fax: +61 8 8231-2055, . Double $72, single $66.
  • 8 Shakespeare International Hostel, 123 Waymouth St (150m north of Bicycle SA free bike hire & central bus station), +61 8 8231-7655, toll-free: 1800 556 889, fax: +61 8 8211-6867, . Check-in: noon, check-out: 9:30AM. Good compromise between cleanliness and price, this hostel attracts an eclectic mix of long term residents and tour parties leaving early from the nearby bus station. Has a large lounge for socialising and the kitchen is kept surprisingly clean. Will not store passports safely so, if this is a concern, pay a bit more at the YHA a few doors down.

Mid-range

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  • 16 Rydges South Park Adelaide, 1 South Terrace (next to the southern parklands), toll-free: 1300 857 922. Views to the Adelaide Hills and features 97 rooms with 9 spa suites.
  • 17 Oaks Embassy, 96 North Terrace, +61 8 8124 9900, . Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. In CBD, This property contains a range of apartments with free Wi-Fi,indoor heated swimming pool access, gymnasium and parking facilities.
  • 18 iStay Precinct, 185 Morphett Street, +61 7 3246 1732, . Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. A collection of 1 and 2 bedroom apartments with kitchen and laundry facilities, Jacuzzi, an indoor heated pool, spa, and steam room.

Splurge

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Connect

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There are Telstra payphones throughout the city and North Adelaide, and 5G connection is generally the standard in this area. Free public Wi-Fi can be found at any library, and is not too hard to find.

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