Playgrounds
There are playgrounds everywhere around Adelaide, so you will always have one to explore with your children and family. These are just some of our favourites.
A national park located about 16km from the Adelaide CBD. The park features a brand new adventure playground for children to explore.
There are facilities to have a picnic, barbecue as well as parent facilities and toilets.
Image: Department for Environment and Water
Belair National Park features many walking tracks, cycling tracks, waterfalls and an adventure playground.
There is also an area where you can construct cubbies using branches and sticks, ovals to play cricket on as well as tennis courts.
Belair National Park is a great place to have a picnic or
Entry is free if you enter by walking, or AUD $11 if you drive your car in.
Image: Department for Environment and Water
Pelizer Park / Pityarilla Activity Hub, is located in the South Parklands. The park is comprised of a number of different play spaces including:
Marshmallow Park: A fenced playground with a sandpit and water play area, giant slides, BBQ facilities, shelters, and picnic tables.
Oxbow: A large wooden climbing frame and boulder stepping stones
There is also a half basketball court and tennis courts, and more nature play along the creek bed.
Image: City of Adelaide
There are five different play spaces at the Mukanthi playground at Morialta Conservation Park including Frog Island, Eagle's Perch, Great Snake, Bird Nests, climbing boulders, paths and climbing trees.
It caters for children of all ages and has picnic, shelter and BBQ facilities to enjoy.
Image: Department for Environment and Water
There are more than 70km of beaches to explore in metropolitan Adelaide, as well as a host of indoor and outdoor pools to enjoy swimming and recreational water activities.
Gleneg Beach is the most famous and popular beach in Adelaide. It is a 20 minute tram ride from the CBD, and features a wide sandy beach, stunning sunsets, sidwalk cafes, a playground and lots of different attractions.
Image: South Australian Tourism Commission | Megan Crabb
Port Noarlunga is a picturesque seaside village located approximately 30 kilometres south of Adelaide and perfect to swim, kayak, snorkel, dive and fish. The red sandstone beach cliffs, long jetty and reef, make it one of the iconic diving destinations in the state.
Image: South Australian Tourism Commission | Adam Bruzzone
Brighton Beach is a family-friendly and safe metropolitan beach located around 30 minutes from the Adelaide CBD. Aside from the magnificent sandy beach, there is a the jetty which was first built in 1886, as well as loads of shops and cafes to explore.
Image: South Australian Tourism Commission | Jason Watson
There are five pools including a childrens splash pool, 1m deep learners pool in addition to 3 other world-class pools at the SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre which hosts national and international swimming competitions.
There are other additional health and fitness facilities as well, and a large range of classes and programs for an additional cost.
Image: YMCA
The Adelaide Aquatic Centre is open 364 days of the year with three pools heated to a constant temperature of 29 degrees celcius, making it a perfect year-round swimming destination.
The leisure pool features slides, shapes and shallow water for children as well as waterslides open at different times throughout the year.
Image: City of Adelaide
Adelaide offers a plethora of cultural activities for children of all ages to engage in.
The South Australian Museum features the most comprehensive collection of Aboriginal cultural material in the world. Other collections include Australian polar, biological sciences, mineral sciences, palaentology, humanities and many more across five levels.
Image: South Australian Tourism Commission | Megan Crabb
Established in 1881, the Art Gallery fo South Australia features a diverse collection of European, Australian and Asian and Islamic artwork. It was the first gallery in Australia to acquire work by an Aboriginal artist, an from the 1950s has developed a significant collection of art by the nation's First Peoples.
Image: South Australian Tourism Commission
The National Railway Museum is Australia's largest undercover railway museu with 100+ exhibits from Australian railways. There are steam engines, diesel engines, rolling stock, carriages and railway memorabilia.
There is a train ride around the museum which is free with your entry to the museum.
Image: City of Port Adelaide Enfield
The National Motor Museum is located in Birdwood, about an hour's drive from Adelaide. It contains an amazing international collection of vehicles and tells the history of motoring in Australia.
Image: History Trust of South Australia
MOD is a museum of discovery. The exhibits change regularly and showcase how research shapes our understanding of the world. Based at the University of South Australia, MOD is a unique museum unlike any other in Australia.
Exhibitions are designed for 15-25 year olds.
Image: South Australian Tourism Commission | MOD./ UniSA
Drawing inspiration from famous children's books such as Harry Potter, Wind in the Willows and The Secret Garden, the Storybook Trail at Carrick Hill is a free adventure for children to use their imagination and explore throughout the magnificent gardens surrounding the house.
Carrick Hill itself was previously the home of Sir Edward and Lady Ursula Hayward, and is a completely intact period home with beautiful surrounding gardens.
Entry into the garden and grounds is free.
Entry to the House is $13 for students with children under 15 free.
Image: South Australian Tourism Commission | Josh Geelen
More than 2 million people visit the Adelaide Botanic Garden each year, exploring the 50 hectares of gardens and beautiful architecture. It is a natural oasis right in the heart of the city where you can enjoy a picnic, explore the gardens, or enjoy a coffee.
Image: South Australian Tourism Commission
As its name suggests, Mount Lofty Botanic Garden is 97 hectares of gardens that displays cool climate plants from the around the world on the hillside of Adelaide's famous mountain.
Mount Lofty Botanic Garden is also the location of the Heritage Rose Garden, a special collection of roses from which all modern roses have been bred.
Image: South Australian Tourism Commission | Jake Wundersitz
Get up close with Australia's famous wildlife.
Since 1967, Cleland Wildlife Park has been a mjaor tourist attraction in Adelaide. The park is unique in the fact that the there are very few anmal enclosures. Most of the animals live in natural habitate menaing you can get closer to wildlife for amazing photos and interactions.
You will see all sorts of Australian animals such as kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, potoroors, bettongs and dingoes, as well as birds, reptiles and even echidnas.
Image: South Australian Tourism Commission
Waterfall Gully is the location of the largest of seven waterfalls located in Cleland National Park.
From the base of the waterfall, there is a popular and challenging walking trail that takes you right to the top of Mt Lofty, where you can enjoy magnificent views across Adelaide.
At Waterfall Gully, rhere are picnic areas, toilet facilities and a kiosk as well as some parking.
Image: National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia
2,500+ animals call Adelaide Zoo home right in the heart of the city of Adelaide. It is also home to the only two pandas in Australia, who live in a multi-million dollar purpose-built habitat.
Housing the only pair of Giant Pandas in Australia has helped develop scientific data around their nutritional requirements and reproductive biology to assist international efforts to conserve them as a vulnerable species.
Image: Tourism Australia