Hot chips and cool dips
South Australia has some amazing beaches close to the city – including the country’s first ever nude beach, if that’s your thing. Whether you head north or south, you’ll find sheltered swimming bays dotted all along the coastline. And nothing goes better with warm nights than hot chips, so hit Henley’s newly spruced-up Joe’s Kiosk for a fries with an ocean view, or stroll along Aldinga Beach with takeaway from Pearl or Jimmies Takeaway & Pizza.
Gallery hop through independent art spaces for free
You don’t have to travel far to take in some of the state’s best contemporary art. We’d start at Ace Open (free) for If the future is to be worth anything, an extensive survey featuring 10 local artists and collectives. The exhibition presents a snapshot of where South Australia is at in 2020 – creatively, politically and mentally.
Just next door is the University of South Australia’s Samstag Museum of Art (also free). Its spring season offers works from Amos Gebhardt and Kirsten Coelho that “engage with the present moment, look back to the past and remind us of the rich and varied practices of artists living and connected to South Australia”.
Next, visit a gallery in a tree at Adelaide’s longest-running artist-run initiative, Feltspace. Called “Treespace”, the project makes use of the gallery’s natural surrounds by presenting site-specific, eco-focused public works in, on and around a nearby tree. And inside the gallery proper, you’ll find works by South Australian artists Steven Cybulka and Georgia Button, plus a video of a performance piece by Tasmanian artists Sharifah Emalia Al-Gadrie and Tilley Wood about coral bleaching.
Finish up at The Mill, a huge gallery and studio space that’s home to more than 45 artists. The Mill operates two public galleries: The Exhibition Space – currently showing the pixelated, ’90s videogame-inspired Flatworld 64 by Danny Jarratt – and The Mill Showcase, a display of works made under its own roof.
Drink coffee and dog-watch
Every person and their dog comes out in summer. If you can’t be one of them, at least be one with them. Nothing wicks away the week’s woes like snagging an outdoor table at your favourite cafe and admiring other people’s pooches. Some of our fave spots for dog-watching are Brighton’s Cream, the deck at Commissary, Tell Henry and Cafe Troppo.
Picnic in the park(lands)
The CBD is edged by sprawling parklands that are perfect for lunchtime escapes. Toss a rug under the fig trees in Botanic Park or explore the Japanese Himeji Garden on South Terrace. Check this map to see which parks are permanent dry zones.
Scoot the streets
Like a neo-Westside Story, two e-scooter brands are silently fighting a turf war over Adelaide’s streets. Pick a side and download its app to unlock either a Beam (Android/iOS) or Neuron (Android/iOS) e-scooter for a cruisy way to zip between cafes, shops and galleries. Scooters have also started popping up at seaside locations, perfect for exploring esplanades and bike paths. Hiring a Beam scooter costs 38 cents per minute, so $10 buys you about 26 minutes (or roughly 1.3 kilometres of travel). Neuron charges roughly the same, and also offers daily, weekly and monthly passes.
Drink $3 beers at The Cranker
Every Wednesday night The Crown & Anchor pours $3 schooners until close. Now you know. Also worth a look is The Grace Emily, which pour pints of its house beer, Billy Bob’s Draught (named for the long-running open-mic Monday night), for $7.50.
Visit the Bicentennial Conservatory
Designed by architect Guy Maron, this giant glasshouse (which emulates a lowland rainforest) is home to rare and endangered plants from northern Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia other Pacific islands. Explore from the ground or the elevated walkway at canopy-level. Either way, it’s free.
Get some of what Nanna’s cooking
Meandering between stalls at Gouger Street’s Central Market precinct is a great way to kill a few hours. It’s the largest undercover fresh-produce market in the Southern Hemisphere, so there’s plenty to see and sample. No trip would be complete without a stop at Nanna Hot Bake, where a tenner lands you three or four different buns to try.
Putt-putt around a backyard minigolf course in Hanhdorf
This super-cute homemade course is just off Mount Barker Road and offers 18 holes of varying difficulty. The honesty box stipulates a round is $9 for adults; $7 for kids; and $27 for a family (two adults and two kids).
Hike and hydrate afterward
Rivers, hills, beaches – there’s plenty of stunning terrain to tread on these South Australian trails, each one handily located near a good pub.
