Adelaide Activities

Adelaide activities run from a guided climb over the Adelaide Oval roof to dolphin swims off Glenelg, rock climbing in the hills and hot laps at a race track. Sessions range from a 90-minute climb to a day out, and most sit within an hour of the city. This page sorts them by type, and the page for things to do in Adelaide covers the rest of the region.

Adelaide Oval roof climbs

The Adelaide Oval roof climb experiences page has every session, from daylight to dawn. The guided walk follows a path across the top of the stadium in North Adelaide, with views of the city, the coast and the Adelaide Hills. The twilight roof climb at Adelaide Oval follows the sunset, and the dawn roof climb with breakfast ends with a meal after a sunrise climb.

Animal experiences and wildlife encounters

The Adelaide animal experiences and encounters page covers dolphins, wildlife parks and farm visits. At Gorge Wildlife Park, a 40-minute trip from the city, you can hold a koala and feed native animals. Out on the water, the Adelaide swim with wild dolphins cruise leaves Holdfast Shores in Glenelg at 8am on a 3.5-hour catamaran trip with snorkelling gear and wetsuits supplied, and the cruise is refunded if no dolphins are spotted.

Kayaking on the Port River and the Torrens

Kayaking comes in two flavours. The Dolphin Sanctuary kayaking eco tour is a 3-hour paddle in double kayaks through 10,000-year-old mangrove creeks off Garden Island, where dolphins, migratory birds and shipwrecks turn up. The Adelaide city guided kayak tour is a 90-minute paddle on the River Torrens that starts at Pinky Flat on War Memorial Drive and passes Adelaide Oval, on Saturdays at 10am or 12pm.

Rock climbing, abseiling and the Mega Swing

Morialta Conservation Park is the main climbing spot. The Morialta rock climb and abseil is a 4-hour session with a guide, harness and climbing shoes supplied and no experience needed, starting at 9am on alternating Saturdays and Sundays.

At Mount Lofty, the rock climb, zipline and Mega Swing experience at Woodhouse Activity Centre in Piccadilly is a 90-minute session with start times at 10.15, 12.15 and 2.15.

Helicopter flights, balloons and skydiving

The Adelaide flying experiences lean towards the Barossa. The Barossa Valley hot air balloon flight with breakfast departs about an hour and a half before sunrise, flies for an hour and ends with a tasting at Langmeil Winery. The Barossa helicopter flight with a 2-course lunch is a 15-minute flight from Lyndoch to Kies Family Wines for a tasting, a winery tour and lunch.

Driving experiences and motorsport

The Adelaide driving and motorsports page covers the track days. The V8 Mustang hot laps at The Bend Motorsport Park put you in the passenger seat for 3 laps with a professional driver, and the 8-lap V8 Mustang drive at Mallala Motorsport Park lets you take the wheel with an in-car coach. In the Barossa, the rally car experience is 16 laps across 2 cars, and drivers need to be comfortable with a manual gearbox.

Wine blending, cheese making and horse riding

If you want your wine with something to do, blending your own wine at The Lane Vineyard in Hahndorf is a 2-hour session that runs daily from 10am and ends with a bottle of your blend and a cheese plate. The Hahndorf cheese making class is a 4-hour session on selected Saturdays where you make feta, camembert and ricotta. On horseback, the Jacob's Creek horse ride and wine tasting is a 2-hour experience for two, Thursday to Monday at 10.30am.

Choosing between Adelaide activities

Time is the quickest filter. The kayak, roof climb and Mega Swing sessions fit into a morning or a twilight slot, while rock climbing at Morialta, the balloon flight with breakfast and the cheese class each take half a day. Several run on set days only: the city kayak on Saturdays, the Morialta climb on weekends and the cheese class on selected Saturdays.

For wet weather, the cheese class and the blending session suit best. Wine and food experiences sit under Adelaide food and drinks.

Frequently asked questions

What activities can you do in Adelaide?

Adelaide activities include Adelaide Oval roof climbs, swimming with wild dolphins from Glenelg, kayaking in the Dolphin Sanctuary, rock climbing at Morialta, Barossa balloon and helicopter flights, and V8 or rally car laps.

What can you do in Adelaide with kids?

The Port River dolphin cruise and Gorge Wildlife Park have child tickets, and the Adelaide Oval roof climb lists child tickets for ages 8 to 15 on the day and twilight sessions. The Dolphin Sanctuary kayaking tour is for ages 10 and over.

How long does the Adelaide Oval roof climb take?

The day and twilight Adelaide Oval roof climbs are 2-hour sessions that include a 90 to 110-minute guided climb. The night climb is a 90-minute guided climb, and the dawn climb is a 2-hour climb followed by breakfast.

Where do you swim with dolphins in Adelaide?

The Adelaide swim with wild dolphins cruise departs from Holdfast Shores Marina Pier in Glenelg at 8am. It is a seasonal 3.5-hour cruise, and children must be 9 years or older to join the swim.

Do you need experience for rock climbing in Adelaide?

No. The Morialta rock climb and abseil needs no climbing experience, and the guides supply harnesses, climbing shoes and instruction. It is a 4-hour session starting at 9am on alternating Saturdays and Sundays.

What can you do near Adelaide on a Saturday?

The Adelaide city kayak tour runs on Saturdays at 10am and 12pm, and the Morialta rock climb runs on alternating Saturdays at 9am.

Pick the activity that needs a set day first, then build the rest of the trip around it with the full list of Adelaide experiences.