South Australia Daytrips From Adelaide

The best way to reach Glenelg is by the tram ($4.10), which runs every 15-20min. from Victoria Sq. to Moseley Sq.

If you’re sick of the city life, an easy beach escape is just 20min. away. The most famous of the beach suburbs, Glenelg (Gluh-NELG) is Adelaide’s most-frequented weekend destination, with long stretches of coast, tons of restaurants and ice cream parlors, and ample ocean activities.

Glenelg Scuba Diving runs a four-day PADI certification class and weekend boat dives to Adelaide’s wrecks and reefs. (☎08 8294 7744; www.adventureblue.com.au. Dives from $80, $45 for those with equipment. Ask about the broad range of PADI and SSI certification classes. Equipment hire available; PADI class $595.) Eco-certified Temptation Sailing brings you up close and personal with St. Vincent Gulf dolphins. (Holdfast Shores Marina. ☎04 1281 1838; www.dolphinboat.com.au. Dolphin swim $98, children 8-15 $88. If you don’t want to get your feet wet: $58, children under 15 $48. Full refund if no dolphins are spotted. Part of the proceeds go to dolphin research.) Beach Hire Glenelg (☎08 8294 1477), next to the Tourist Information Centre, rents out bikes ($12 per hr., tandem $18 per hr.), wave skis ($14 per hr.), and body boards ($9 per hr.). Deck chairs, umbrellas, volleyballs, towels, and cricket sets are also available.

Glenelg Beach Hostel , on Moseley St. half a block from the action of Jetty Rd., offers clean, bright rooms, a beer garden and lively bar, and pool tables. (1-7 Moseley St. ☎08 8376 0007 or 1800 359 181; www.glenelgbeachhostel.com.au. Free breakfast. Linen included. Ceiling fans; no A/C. Internet access $3 per 15min. Laundry $3, dry $2. Mixed and female-only 4- to 10-bed dorms $25; singles $50; doubles $70; triples $100; quads $110.)

Jetty Rd., the main strip in town, is chock-full of dining options, from takeaway fish and chips to classy Italian. One of the best pizza places around, GoodLife , is located upstairs on the SW corner of the intersection with Moseley St. Using high quality local produce, GoodLife serves up delicious organic pizzas. (☎08 8376 5900. Open Tu-F and Su noon-2:30pm and 6pm-late, Sa 6pm-late. AmEx/MC/V.) A finalist for Adelaide’s best fish and chips, the Oyster Shop  , at Jetty and Moseley St., has fresh seafood and home-grown oysters. (☎08 8376 7200. Dozen oysters $15. Fish and chips $10.50. Open M-Th and Su 11am-8:30pm, F 11am-9pm, Sa 10am-10pm.)

Glenelg Tourist Information Centre is on the foreshore (by the jetty), inside Dolphin Cafe. (☎08 8294 5833. Open M-F 9am-5pm, Sa 9:30am-3pm, Su 10am-2pm). The Glenelg Municipal Library offers free Wi-Fi and an hour of free Internet on their computers. (2 Colley Terr., half a block north of Jetty Rd. ☎08 8295 5045. Best to call ahead to reserve computer. Open M-Tu and Th-F 9am-5pm. W 9am-7pm, Sa 9am-1pm, Su 1-4pm.)

Beaches

The beaches and coastal spots below are listed from north to south. All can be easily reached via Adelaide’s metro system of buses and trains. In addition, a coastal bike path runs south from Henley to Glenelg and the southern coast.

The clear coastal waters of Gulf St. Vincent draw sunbathers, surfers, and sailors from far and wide. Glenelg is the most touristed, while the beaches of Henley, Noarlunga, and beaches further south provide a calmer getaway.

Henley. This quiet coastal town offers the perfect getaway in a less touristy beach scene than Glenelg, and it can be reached by bus #110 or 113. The clean sands’ breathtaking, iridescent waters are perfect for working on your tan, and the long pier provides for great fishing. For a cheap Greek bite, Estia Takeaway  , on the foreshore next to the sit-down Estia Restaurant, has amazing gyros for $8 and beer-battered fish and chips for $3.50. (☎08 8383 5341. Open M-Th and Su 11am-8pm, F-Sa 11am-10pm.) For some latenight action, head to the renowned Ramsgate Hotel, one of the best pubs on the coast. (328 Seaview Rd. Open M-Th 11am-midnight, F-Su 8am-2am.)

Port Adelaide. Port Adelaide, on the Port Adelaide River, is notable for a handful of historic pubs and a dolphin tour. It’s accessible via the Outer Harbour Line or bus #118, 150, or 153. The visitors center, on Commercial Rd. at the corner of Vincent St., has plenty of information and maps. (☎08 8405 6560 or 1800 629 888. Open daily 9am-5pm.) The Port Adelaide River is famous for its own bottlenose dolphins colony, remarkable for its vicinity to urban waterways. Two river cruise companies run from the waterfront in Port Adelaide, with promotional fares on Sundays. (☎08 8447 2366; www.dolphinexplorer.com.au. 2hr. cruise departs at 11:30am and 2pm. $3.50.)

Port Noarlunga And The Southern Beaches. Closest to Adelaide, Christies Beach has a park and many small shops along Beach Rd. South from Christies, the Port Noarlunga Aquatic Reserve has a shallow reef accessible from the end of the jetty, and is the best diving and snorkeling spot in the Adelaide area. Farther south, Seaford has a walking and biking track along the cliffs. Moana, south of Seaford, has the best surf and is suitable for beginners, and Maslin Beach draws peeping Toms and free spirits with South Australia’s largest nudist colony. (To reach Port Noarlunga, catch the Noarlunga train from Adelaide. To reach Seaford, Moana, and Maslin beaches from the port, take bus #740 or 741.)

• The Hills 

Just a short drive from the city center, Adelaide Hills offers a perfect retreat, with wildlife parks, dozens of vineyards, and cozy villages. Cleland Wildlife Park And Mount Lofty Summit. Just 15km ...more