City Centre 

North Terrace has the greatest concentration of famous and government buildings. 

South Australian Museum is a natural history museum. North Tce. It also has Melanesian artifacts and Aboriginal display with dreamtime stories. Open daily 10am to 5pm. 

State Library North Tce. Open 9.30am to 8pm weekdays except Thurday when it is open till 5pm. Open 12 noon to 5pm weekend. Closed public holidays. 

Art Gallery of South Australia has a large collection of Australian, Asian and overseas works. North Tce. Open 10am to 5pm daily. Free admission. 

Royal South Australian Society of the Arts Gallery has a smaller but good selection of art works. North Tce. 
 

Ayre’s Historic House (pictured) 288 North Tce. Colonial single story bluestone mansion of Sir Henry Ayres, former premier of South Australia. Built in 1846. Most rooms are restored with period furniture. Open 10am to 4pm Tuesday to Friday, 11am? to 3pm? weekends. Closed Mondays. Entry $5. Phone 8223 1234. North Tce.

Picture: Ayres Historic House

 

Parliament House (pictured) is neo-classical with imposing Corinthian columned facade. North Tce.  Botanical Gardens North Tce. Formal gardens with large lawns and duck pond. The gardens now includes the Bicentennial Conservatory humid hot glasshouse of tropical rainforest plants.  Adelaide Casino is in the elegant old railway administration building on North Terrace

Picture: South Australian Parliament House

 

Rundle Mall (pictured), one street back from North Terrace, is the main shopping street of Adelaide.  East of the mall on Rundle Street are a number of trendy young persons’ restaurants that are not too expensive. There is also the East End Market here with 200 stalls open daily 10am to 5pm.  West of the mall, Hindley Street is the noisy and somewhat downmarket nightclub are bar strip. Venues try to keep away trouble with dress codes squarely aimed to prevent motor cycle gangs: "no black jeans, tattoos, motorcycle boots or clothing bearing motorcycle insignia."

Picture: Rundle Mall

 

King William Street has a number of large old commercial and government buildings including the Adelaide Town Hall (pictured), designed by Edmund Wright, and the Old Treasury Building. Victoria Square is also on King William St. The tram to the popular beachside suburb of Glenelg leaves from there. Nearby on Grote St is the Central Market, open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  The Migration Museum tells the story of the hard life many migrants faced over South Australia’s short 180 year history from first white settlement. The museum is in a historic building at 82 Kintore Ave. Entry free. Open weekdays 10am to 5pm, weekends 1pm to 5pm. Phone 8223 8748.

Picture: Adelaide Town Hall

Tandanya Aboriginal Cultural Institute has displays works by Aboriginal artistsand a theatre for Aboriginal dance and music. A good range of arts and crafts are for sale. 253 Grenfell St. Open daily 10 am to 5pm. Entry 44. Phone 8223 2467. 

Adelaide Zoo is on Frome Rd. It has Australian and overseas wildlife. The highlight is the rainforest exhibit. Open daily 9.20am to 5pm. Entry $10. 
 

North from the city across the narrow Torrens River upon which Adelaide was bulit and through the green parks is the old suburb of North Adelaide. It has many old graceful houses. This all makes it a pleasant walk. Melbourne Street is a great restaurant strip for a relaxing meal. Many of the restaurants are in original colonial buildings. 
 

There are a variety of tours in and around Adelaide. Ask at the torist information office. 

Adelaide Explorer hop-on hop-off bus travels in a circuit stopping at a number of attractions including Glenelg. You can get off at any attraction and get back on a later bus. A day ticket is $22. Phone 8364 1933. Departures from 14 King William St are at 9am, 10.15am, 12.15pm, 1.30pm and 3pm. 
 

Youth Hostels - City Centre 

Sunny’s Backpackers Hostel is reputedly friendly. Address unknown. Phone 8231 2430. Dorm $13, twin/double $15 per person. Off-street parking, travel agent. 

Cannon St Backpackers is huge. 11 Cannon St. Phone 8410 1218. Dorm $11, single 421, double $28. Undercover parking, bar, eatery, travel agent. Bike hire $12 per day. 

Backpack Australia is crowded but has good party atmosphere. 128 Grote St. Phone 8231 0639. Dorm $10-$15. Bar, eatery. 

New World International Hostel 29-31 Cromptin St. Phone 8212 6888. Bed in bright airy dorm $12. 

Nomad’s Cumberland Arms Hotel 205 Waymouth St. Phone 1800 819883. Dorm $11, double $32. 

Adelaide City Backpackers 239 Franklin St. Phone 8212 2668. Dorm $13, single $18, double $33. Eatery. 

Adelaide YHA Hostel has perhaps the best facilities of any Adelaide hostel. 290 Giles St. Phone 8223 6007. Dorm $13. Reception is closed 11.30am to 4pm. 

Adelaide Backpackers Hostel 263 Giles St. Phone 8223 5680. Dorm $12, double $28. Bicycle hire for $8 per half day. 

Rucksackers Riders International is a favorite for motorbike and bicycle travellers. Management is very helpful. 257 Giles St. Phone 8232 0823. Dorm $10, twin with bathroom $12 per person. 

Adelaide Travellers Inn is a converted pub. 118 Carrington St. Phone 8223 6635. The part across the road at number 109 is nicer with good kitchen. 

YMCA takes either sex. 76 Flinders St. Phone 8223 1611. Dorm $15, single $25, twin $35. Gym, squash courts. 

East Park Lodge 341 Angas St. Phone 8223 1228. Dorm $13, single $!9, double $32. 

Youth Hostels - Glenelg 

Glenelg Backpackers Resort is a friendly place in a well maintained old aprtment building. 7 Moseley St. Phone 8376 0007 or 1800 066422. Beds (not bunks) in dorm are $12. Single with fridge $22. Double with fridge $32. Kitchen, cafe, bar, live bands Friday and Saturday night, Karaoke Wednesday night, games area. 

Albert Hall is basic. 16 South Esplanade. Phone 8376 0488 or 1800 060488. Dorm $13, single $20, double $30. 
 
Major National Youth Hostel Chains 

Metropolitan Hotel 46 Grote St. Phone 8231 5471. Single $20, double $35. 

Austral Hotel 205 Rundle St. Phone 8223 4660. Single $25, double $35. 

Moore’s Brecknock Hotel 410 King William St. Phone 8231 5467. Single $30, double $45. Includes light breakfast. 

Cheap Hotels - Glenelg 

St Vincent Hotel 28 Jetty Road. Phone 8294 4377. Single $33, double $55. Rooms with bathroom cost $10 extra. All tarifs include breakfast. 
 

The east end of Rundle St is a trendy restaurant district. Hindley St is the somewhat downmarket nightclub district and has some restaurants including the Hog’s Breath Cafe. 

Gougar St near central market in Chinatown and has a number of chinese restuarants. 

Jetty Road, Glenelg has lots of outdoor cafes and restaurants. 

Melbourne St, North Adelaide is a quiet relaxed place with many restaurants in original colonial buildings. 
 

Live Music 

Earl of Aberdeen (Carrington St at Hurtle Square) and Austral (205 Rundle St) often have live bands. 

Nightclubs 

Heaven Nightclub at the Newmarket Hotel is a popular club. Cnr North Tce and west Tce. 

Rio 111 Hindley St. Small saloon bar style nightclub. No black jeans, tattoos or motorcycle gear. 

The Planet 77 Pirie St. 

Grand Hotel at the end of Jetty Road at Glenelg beach has a popular pub type bar with dancefloor and attracts a bit classier crowd than the city clubs. It is very popular. 

Casino 

Adelaide Casino North Terrace in the grand old railway building. Open 10am to 4am, 6am weekends. 
 

Plane 

There are regular domestic flights from Adelaide airport to other capital cities. Flights also go to reional South Australia. 

Sample prices are Melbourne $260, Sydney $372, Brisbane $535, Perth $557, Alice Springs $402, Darwin $685. Don’t pay full price. Ask what special deals there are. 

Qantas has an office at 144 North Tce. Phone 131313. 

Ansett has an office at 142 North Tce. Phone 131300. 

The airport is 7km west of the city centre. The airport bus operates between the airport, city hotels and some city hostels 7am to 9.30pm every 30 minutes, every hour on weekends. Phone 8381 5311. The journey takes 30 minutes. Let the driver know which airline you want as drop off points are different. 

Taxis from the airport to the city centre are around $15. 

Big hire car companies have desks at the airport. 

Bus 

The long distance bus station is at 101-111 Franklin St. 

Greyhound Pioneer operates Australia wide. Phone 132030. Melbourne ($56, 11 hours), Sydney ($99, 22hours), Perth ($214, 34 hours), Alice Springs ($148, 20 hours). 10% discount for backpackers. 

Mc Cafferty’s Phone 131499. Melbourne $40, Sydney $85 via Melbourne or $96 direct, Alice Springs $135, Darwin $252, Brisbane $150, Cairns $280. McCafferty’s does not opearte to Western Australia. 

Firefly Express leaves from 110 Franklin St. A bus leaves for Melbourne ($40) at 8.30pm and continues onto Sydney ($75 from Adelaide). Phone 8231 1488. 

V/Line leaves from 296 Hindley St. They run to Bendigo where you change to a train for the last 100km to Melbourne. Fare to Melbourne is $49. Phone 8231 7620. 

Wayward Bus Company has minibuses and goes the scenic route stopping at sites along the way and taking a few days to reach the destination.They go to melbourne via the Great Ocean Road, Alice Springs via Ayres Rock and Perth. Phone 8232 6646 or 1800 882823. 

Stateliner operates to regional South Australian destinations. Phone 8415 5555. 

Train 

The interstate railway station is on Railway Tce, Keswick. Phone 132232. 

The Indian Pacific runs twice a week from Sydney through Adelaide to Perth. Fares ex-Adelaide are Perth $250, Sydney 

The Overalnder runs overnight to Melbourne for $58. Change at Melbourne for a daily service to Sydney. The connection is poor; spend the day in Melbourne. 

From Sydney XPT trains run to Albury where you can change to V/Line bus to Adelaide. $103. This is faster and cheaper than going via Melbourne. 

The Ghan goes once weekly to Alice Springs. $150. Book ahead. 

On all trains economy class sleepers are around double the price and first class sleepers ay least triple the price. 
 

Public Transport 

Adelaide has a comprehensive bus system and a limited suburban train system. Trans Adelaide operates both. Phone 8210 1000. The Trans Adelaide information office is at the corner of King William St and Currie St. It has timetables and free route maps. 

Single tickets are $2.70, or $1.60 between 9am and 3pm weekdays. A day ticket is good value at $5.10. 

The suburban train station is on North Tce. 

Bus 99B is free and runs from Victoria Square to the North Tce train station. 

Bus 99C is also free and runs around the fringe of the city centre. 

Historic trams run from Victoria Square to Glenelg. 

Bicycle Hire 

Flinders Outdoor Leisure 235 Pirie St. Phone 8359 3344. $15 per day. 

Linear Park Mountain Bike Hire is in Elder Park by the Torrens River below the Festival Centre. Mobile phone 0411 596065. $20 per day. 

Velodromw Cycles 43 Rundle Mall. Phone 8223 6678. $20 per day. 

Some hostels have bike hire. 
 

Adelaide Hills especially the historic German town of Hahndorf. 

Barossa Valley Australia’s premier vineyards. 

Fleurieu Peninsula especially Granite Island at Victor Harbour. 

Kangaroo Island 
 

Travel north to the Northern Territory 

Via Port Augusta, Woomera and Coober Pedy to Alice Springs and Ayres Rock. Service stations are around every 200km. 

Consider a detour to the Flinders Ranges. 

Consider a detour along the remote Oodnadatta Track to the isolated desert town of Oodnadatta. Take ample water, food and basic car repair gear and do not leave the track for your own safety. Contact police for safety tips. You must notify police of your intended travel movements on remote roads so search parties can be arranged if you do not arrive at your destination on time. 

Travel west to Western Australia 
The 3000km journey crosses the vast uninhabited Nullabour plain. Service stations are around every 200km. 
From Port Augusta consider detours north to the Flinders Ranges and down the Eyre Peninsula to Port Lincoln. 

Travel southeast to Melbourne via either: 

Travel east to Sydney