Top Things to do in South Australia for Families
If you’re visiting Adelaide and are keen to explore the city but also venture a little further out, you will find fabulous cafes, great coffee, lovely parks and gardens and much, much more.
From the scenic hills down to the beaches below, South Australia offers an endless supply of things to do each and every day of the year. There are countless family friendly bushwalks, paths and tracks for bike riding, fantastic playgrounds and nature play spaces, aerial parks, water parks, play cafes, swimming pools and beautiful beaches.
We love Adelaide as it is so easy to get around. You can be in the Adelaide Hills one minute then 40 minutes later, arrive at the beach. It’s incredibly easy to walk around the city square and there are lots of interesting places to visit in the heart of the CBD including the Adelaide Zoo, Art Gallery, Botanic Garden and Museums.
This list is always evolving, but there are firm favourites that keep both locals and visitors returning for more.
So, make like a tourist in your home town and explore!
We’ve put together a list of all the best places to visit in South Australia below:
Top Tourist Attractions
Adelaide Oval | City | website | RoofClimb Review
Art Gallery of South Australia | City | website
Adelaide Central Market | City | website
City to Glenelg Tram | website | Play & Go Review
Morialta Nature Playground | website | Play & Go Review
Mt Lofty Summit | Cleland | website | Play & Go Review
Popeye River Cruise | Elder Park, Adelaide | website | Play & Go Review
Semaphore to Fort Glanville Tourist Railway | Play & Go Review
SteamRanger Heritage Tourist Railway | website | Play & Go Review
Top Family Fun Activities
AFL Max | Adelaide Airport | Play & Go review
Beachhouse | Glenelg | Play & Go review of Glenelg including the Beachhouse
Bounce | Marleston – Play & Go review | Greenacres – Play & Go review
Funtopia Indoor | Sefton Plaza | Play & Go review
Mega Fast Karts Richmond | Richmond | Play & Go review here
TreeClimb Adelaide | Adelaide | Play & Go review
West Beach Adventure (formerly Mega Adventure) | West Beach | website | Play & Go review
Woodhouse Activity Centre | Play & Go review of Tube Slides
Top Swimming Centres with Water Slides
Adelaide Aquatic Centre | North Adelaide | Play & Go review
Marion Outdoor Pool | Parkholme | Play & Go review
Waterworld Aquatic Centre | Ridgehaven | website
Find out more about Adelaide’s Outdoor Swimming Pools
Top Parks & Gardens to Explore
Adelaide Botanic Garden | Adelaide | Acres of sprawling garden rooms in the heart of the city | Play & Go review
Adelaide Himeji Garden | Adelaide | A tranquil oasis in the city parklands | Play & Go review
Botanic Park | Adelaide | The perfect spot to stop for a picnic with friends while the kids climb the roots of the giant Moreton Bay Fig Trees | Play & Go review
Carrick Hill | Mitcham | Beautiful house to visit and an amazing garden with a children’s storybook trail to explore | Play & Go review
Mt Lofty Botanic Garden | Crafers | website | Play & Go review
Top Playgrounds
Read our list of favourite playgrounds
See the Best Regional Playgrounds in South Australia
See the list of new playgrounds in 2021
Museums & Historical Attractions
Adelaide Gaol | Adelaide | Prepare to step back in time at this former prison | Read our review here
Migration Museum | Adelaide | website | Play & Go Review
MOD Museum | The exhibition themes change throughout the year and explore the future through a mix of science, art and innovation | Adelaide | Current Exhibition
National Motor Museum | Birdwood | website
National Railway Museum | Port Adelaide | website
South Australian Aviation Museum | Port Adelaide | website
South Australian Maritime Museum | Port Adelaide | website
South Australian Museum | Adelaide | website
South Australian Whale Centre | Victor Harbor | website
Easy Walks, Bushwalks & Hikes
Adelaide has plenty of bushwalks suitable for kids, not far from the city.
Read about our favourite walks, bushwalks and hikes
Top Train Journeys
Pichi Richi Railway | Play & Go Review
Semaphore to Fort Glanville Tourist Railway | Play & Go Review
SteamRanger Heritage Tourist Railway | website | Play & Go Review
Miniature Trains, Train Rides & Parks
Find a list of places to visit to see and ride on miniature trains. There are also a few playgrounds to view trains as they pass. Little train lovers will be overjoyed by their proximity to railway tracks. Read more here
Wildlife Parks & Zoos
Adelaide has some fantastic zoos and wildlife parks, all within an easy drive of the city.
Adelaide Zoo | Play & Go review
Cleland Wildlife Park | Play & Go review
Gorge Wildlife Park | Play & Go review
Monarto Zoo | Play & Go review
Urrumbirra Wildlife Park | website
Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary | website
Top Shopping Precincts
Burnside Village | Glenside | 8-minute drive South-East of the city with boutique shopping shops
Harbourtown Outlet Shopping | Adelaide Airport | 13 mins drive West of Adelaide city. Outlet stores, eateries and playground.
Norwood Parade | Norwood | 5 mins East of Adelaide city, this shopping strip has clothing stores, books, homewares, shoes and eateries.
Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills | Hahndorf | A collection of craft and boutique stores in the main street of historic Hahndorf. website | Play & Go Stories
King William Rd | Hyde Park | Boutique shopping, clothes and shoes plus eateries
Day Trips from the City
Adelaide Hills
A 20-minute drive from the City of Adelaide up the South Eastern Freeway. Take the exit at Stirling and enjoy wineries, fantastic eateries, fruit picking, Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens, Cleland Wildlife Park, gourmet chocolates, picturesque scenery.
Read about the top things to do in the Adelaide Hills
McLaren Vale
A 40-minute drive from the City of Adelaide. Explore wineries galore, beautiful sandy beaches, and some great places to eat plus a great unique playground and the famous d’Arenberg Cube.
Find more places to visit in McLaren Vale
Barossa Valley
A one hour to the Barossa Valley which is known for its amazing wineries, restaurants and great places to explore.
Read about fun things to see and do in the Barossa Valley
Holiday Getaway Destinations in SA
Kangaroo Island
A haven for nature with sensational coastal views, beautiful beaches, adventure activities, amazing places to eat and plenty of tranquillity.
Find out more about places to visit on Kangaroo Island here
Yorke Peninsula
An amazing place for a quiet, relaxing getaway with stunning beaches, views and walks.
Find out more about places to visit on the Yorke Peninsula
Best Beaches around Adelaide
Beach lovers will adore our beaches which are rarely crowded, have soft, white sand and generally pretty safe waters to swim in. We recommend Brighton Beach as Surf Lifesaving are present at certain times of the year and the surf is gentle and great for smaller kids with lovely sandbars to walk out to. Parking is available on the esplanade and there are plenty of cafes and restaurants nearby plus fish and chips.
- Aldinga Beach – 44 minute drive South of the City of Adelaide. A great if you want to drive along the sand and set up next to your vehicle.
- Brighton Beach – 23 minutes Southwest of Adelaide. A great spot with small children, the water is calm and shallow. A range of cafes, takeaway and a pub along Jetty Rd.
- Henley Beach – 17 West of the City of Adelaide. Trendy eateries serving great foo set around a bustling square.
- Port Willunga – 43 minute drive South of the City of Adelaide. Set in a cove, the beach is quiet and lovely with rockpools in places. Takeaway or sit down fish and chips from the Star of Greece is highly recommended.
- Semaphore Beach – 25 mins drive northwest of the City of Adelaide. Carnival area and small train during the warmer months.
- West Beach – a 16 minute drive West of the City of Adelaide. This is a lovely quiet beach with a grassy area and playground. Grab fish and chips from down the road and enjoy.
Learn more about the safety of each beach
Read more about Adelaide’s Best Beaches
Eating Out in Adelaide
South Australia has some amazing restaurants and cafes which are very family friendly and offer great value for money as well as fantastic food.
Find great family friendly places to eat around South Australia
Best Ice Cream
Here at Play & Go we love our ice-cream – especially in the warmer months, but a bit of cold weather doesn’t stop us from eating it during Winter too. We love it so much we thought we’d make a list.
Find the best ice cream places around Adelaide
Best Hot Chocolates
There’s nothing like a rich, smooth, chocolatey hot chocolate, particularly in the middle of Winter. We’ve put together a list of some of our favourite places where you can go and enjoy a nice hot chocolate and maybe indulge in a little treat on the side.
Find the best hot chocolates around Adelaide
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
Image Source: photos by Play & Go
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