5 Days in Adelaide (Without going to a Winery!)

My trip to Adelaide came about because; 1. I have a friend that lives there and 2. I got cheap flights...$1 return with Tiger Airways. Now I hear you all groan and say, Tiger...why even bother. Well I will have you know, both my flight there and back had no delays...even the pilot was surprised, adding a very shocked 'And we will be arriving on time into Adelaide this evening'! If you're flying from Brisbane, I definitely recommend a window seat on the right hand side of the plane as you get a magnificent view of the city, especially over looking Adelaide oval.

So after arriving safely in Adelaide, I was picked up by my friend, Mandy. We met in 2012 on a Contiki Tour around Europe, she was randomly selected as my room mate for 20 days! She has visited me in Brisbane and we have also met up in Melbourne, so it was definitely my turn to visit her.

After a short drive we arrived at Glenelg beach, it was a super windy afternoon but that didn't detract from the beautiful beach. It was abuzz with people as there was a local SA made market on in the park (I was told the South Australian's a very proud of things that are made there). We had a quick browse around and I can see why they are so proud, there was a lot of lovely handmade jewellery and clothing.

We then decided it was time for dinner and after being lured in by the smell, we ended up at an Italian restaurant. Unfortunately the smell was the best part of the meal, but at least we had a great chat. We then drove to my hotel, the Majestic Minima Hotel, which is in North Adelaide (approximately a 20 minute walk into Adelaide central or a 5 minute ride on the free loop). I chose this hotel because of the location and that it looked quite quirky. It lived up to my expectations, with every room having a different artwork on the walls. My room was called 'In Dream' painted my Sue Ninham, an Adelaide based artist who has been exhibiting since 2002.

Day 2 - Kangaroo Island Adventure!

A trip out to Kangaroo Island is definitely a must do when visiting Adelaide. It is a beautiful island, full of surprises. Read all about my day trip to Kangaroo Island here.

Day 3 - A Day Like the Locals...

Today I signed up for a free trial at the F45 gym, it is a convienient one minute walk from the Majestic Minima Hotel and was a great way to start my day as a local in Adelaide. After a lovely walk into the city (20mins from the hotel), the rest of the day consisted of some shopping and meeting Mandy for lunch. We went to, as she described it, 'an Indian place that looks a bit dodgy but has really good food'. I have to admit the food was tasty...but it lived up to it's dodgy-ness as I had to cut my exploring short that day, but I did get to see the inside of some random pub bathrooms!

Day 4 - Free Walking Tour & STREET ART!!!

One of the best ways to see a city and really get to know a bit of the history, is with a free walking tour. They have them in many cities, all around the world and are mostly taken by locals. This gives them a real personal touch as they recall events from memory and offer their points of views. Today, I joined Ryan from Tours Around Adelaide for a free 2.5hr walking tour which promised to 'uncover' Adelaide. We saw icons of Adelaide, heard famous ghost stories, visited some impressive laneways and were also given some great recommendations on where to get the best coffee or meals in town. Ryan even told us about the free Haigh's Chocolate Factory tour and after seeing a few eyes light up over the thought of a chocolate factory tour, I suggested that we go there in the afternoon.

Before the Haigh's tour, I split up from the group and went on the hunt for some street art. According to Ryan, it was only a few years ago that the walls of Adelaide were bear and street art was very much frowned upon. Now Adelaide has a Street Art Explosion Program which commissions Adelaide artists to create public art all around the city. This is done in the lead up to the Adelaide Fringe Festival, so if you would like to see fresh new art, make sure you visit mid Feb - March. The street art in Adelaide creates an explosion of colour and gives the city incredible character. Click here to see the map I followed to check out the street art around the city.

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After viewing the gallery of street art, I made my way to the Haigh's Chocolate Factory and met up with the others from the morning tour. It is only a small place, but wow! It is unbelievable how much they still do by hand there. The tour demonstrates this as well as giving you a brief history and a VERY generous amount of taste testers! Well worth a visit while in Adelaide.

Still full of chocolate, I made my way to The Archer Hotel for a farewell dinner with Mandy. This is an iconic North Adelaide pub located on the corner of O'Connell and Archer Streets. Dating back to 1882, this pub had a number of uses throughout the years, including once being a library! I would recommend going to The Archer for a great pub feed (the food was delicious and portion sizing was quite large), it's great vibe and atmosphere.

Day 5 - Fresh Food Markets and then home...

This morning I checked out Adelaide Central Markets before my flight back to BrisVegas. Full of fresh fruit, vegetables, pastries, breads, meats and cheeses, it was a great place to grab some tasty treats to put together for a delicious picnic. It sure was tasty and beat having food on the plane home. The markets are open Tuesday - Saturday, see their website for trading hours.

Published 24 Feb 2018