Adelaide
Tours abound in and around Adelaide for every size of pocket, timetable and interest. Many offer a little of everything, some are more specialized, but there is always a glass of wine....The City and Surrounds
Adelaide sits with leafy dignity on the River Torrens, which stretches between the hills and the sea. Jump on the free 99B and 99C buses for a brief look around the centre, and stroll along the serene River Torrens Linear Park to soak in the city's atmosphere.
Whatever your pleasure, do take time for the witty and insightful Adelaide's Cultural Heritage Guided Walk. This is a great introduction to the history of Adelaide, highlighting the accomplishments of her colonist William Light, as well as the achievements and eccentricities of the state's explorers, politicians, benefactors and pioneers.
Adelaide's colony expanded north to the Barossa Valley and south to Encounter Bay within a year of her birth and many "city" tours travel further afield to incorporate the surrounding attractions.
Adelaide Highlights & Hahndorf visits a German community established in 1839 in the Adelaide Hills. City Sights and Seaside includes Glenelg, site of the first landing, and Adelaide's most popular beach.
If you prefer getting around yourself take the tram to Glenelg, or purchase a "Day Travel" ticket, which covers public transport around the suburbs.
For a special introduction to living in Adelaide today, just ask Adelaide Private Tours. Perhaps dinner with a local family, meeting local artists, or rural experiences? Any of these is a great way to really get under the skin of the area. Or what about our "Pubs and Pulpits" tour? Tourabout Adelaide's customized walks are fun and informative. Enjoy the beauty of our fauna and flora with a riverside Guided Bird Walks or Botanic Gardens Free Guided Walks.
Sensual Pleasures
With five world-famous wine regions, the sea and bountiful farmlands, wine and food festivals are a constant on local calendars. If you do not believe this, visit Adelaide's Central Market. Local produce includes seafood, meat, cheese, olives and a plethora of colorful fruit and vegetables. Meet the stallholders and their produce through Market Adventures. The influence of the city's many ethnic cultures is apparent Asian Market Experience will show you how to create authentic dishes. Grazing on Gouger continues this multicultural education with a progressive dining tour in a nearby restaurant boulevard.
There are dozens of organized and guided visits that either concentrate on wine tasting or tour an area with a few food and grape stops. Try Adelaide Sightseeing, Gray Line and Busway Travel Service. For cycling or walking tours of the wine regions contact Ecotrek & Bogong Jack Adventures.
A Taste of South Australia is aptly named, and provides luxurious and private introductions around the state to the best wine and food.
A Glass of the Warm South
The Adelaide Hills, Barossa andClare Valleys, McLaren Vale and the Coonawarra all produce multi-award-winning wines. Each has its own distinct scenic beauty and is worth touring for the walks alone. Each region has a local information centre that is equipped with lists of wineries, accommodation and local attractions.
The Adelaide Hills has conservation and wildlife parks, Botanic Gardens and local wineries, and offers great bush-walking through the eucalyptus-thronged Mount Lofty ranges. Rise early for a dawn tour of the Warrawong Sanctuary and an insight into endangered wildlife.
Probably the best-known Australian wine, Orlando Wines' Jacobs Creek, originates from the lush Barossa Valley. A selection of maps and tours of the 50 wineries, Lutheran churches and old German towns, is available to help you explore this fascinating area. Barossa Valley Supreme packs in the wine tastings, and the Barossa Wine Train offers a very civilized day out.
The Clare Valley is home to the remarkable Spring Gully Conservation Park and over 30 small wineries. These have charm, views of small working farms, and great Rieslings and Shiraz. Rental cottages abound--try cycling or walking winery tours to keep up some illusion of health consciousness!
Producing many of the state's classic red wines makes the Coonawarra a perfect weekend. Tramp gently around the Naracoorte Caves Conservation Park, which is on the World Heritage list. Penola can introduce you to a saint in the making, Mother Mary MacKillop.
The McLaren Vale boasts 48 extraordinary cellar doors. These nestle amid the Southern ranges and the state's most striking beaches including the cheeky Maslin Beach. McLaren Vale Food and Wine tour meets the producers and tastes the many fruits of this bountiful area.
Down South
Victor Harbor, Port Elliott, Middleton and Goolwa are popular for their great surf beaches and whale spotting. Contact Premier Stateliner for local tours and transport. Take the Victor Harbor & Cockle Train Tour to enjoy this coastline. Enjoy the heart-warming Little Penguin Colony sunset tours on nearby Granite Island.
The Coorong National Park enjoys two hundred bird species and is important to the ecology of the area, as well as to the Aboriginal culture. Try the Coorong Adventure Cruise in the Park.
Linked to the mainland by ferry is the popular Kangaroo Island. Kangaroo Island Gateway Visitor Information Centre can tell you about any number of local tours. Try diving and horse riding, a eucalyptus oil refinery or eulogized cheese factory tour. National Parks and Wildlife Service run a number of excellent ranger-guided walks that include seal and penguin colonies.
Up North into the Outback
The stunning Flinders Ranges are the visual highlight of the state. They stretch 400 kilometers into the outback, and contain the oldest Aboriginal rock paintings, ghost towns, rare wildlife and a vista that will make you feel truly mortal.
Flinders Ranges National Park Headquarters advise on local outback guided tours, by camel, horse, 4WD or on foot. Ecotrek & Bogong Jack Adventures offer alternative adventures. The Wayward Bus also heads this way en route to Alice Springs.
Supping peppery Coonawarra Shiraz, buying homegrown olive oil in the bustling market or camping under outback stars are all ways to explore this great city and state. Enjoy!
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