Admire the elegant colonial architecture and browse museums and libraries along North Terrace. Shop up a storm at Rundle Mall or sample the fresh produce from Adelaide Central Market. Embrace the alfresco ambience of Rundle Street in the East End or explore the exotic, bustling foodhalls of Chinatown. Swim with dolphins in vibrant Glenelg and fish from the jetty in Henley. Bike ride in Elder Park and row past rose gardens in Rymill Park. Picnic in sprawling Botanic Park, where the international music festival WOMADelaide is held. Explore the museums, markets and historic harbour of Port Adelaide or see heritage buildings and colourful summer sideshows in family-friendly Semaphore. Browse the world's largest collection of Aboriginal antiquities at the Aboriginal Cultures Gallery or do a cultural tour of Adelaide Botanic Gardens with a local Kaurna guide.
Drive to the Adelaide Hills, where the picturesque farmlands and charming villages have inspired many generations of artists. Stay in Bavarian-inspired chalets and browse the bakeries, craft shops and galleries of Hahndorf, Australia's oldest surviving German village. Visit The Cedars, once the gracious old home and studio of famous landscape artists Sir Hans Heysen. Sample jams, pickles, chutneys, mustards, marinades and sauces at the Beerenberg Strawberry Farm. Or buy fresh-fruit and vegetables from a roadside stall.Then hit the markets of Lobethal, a fairytale town which celebrates Christmas with metres and metres of colourful lights.
Kangaroo Island at 155 km long, up to 55 km wide, and an area of 4,500 square kilometers, is Australia's third largest island after Tasmania and Melville Island. A wilderness refuge with an unusual history off the coast of South Australia.
Meet the locals - wallabies, goannas, koalas, kangaroos, echidnas, dolphins, sea lions, penguins, fur seals, eagles, whales and ospreys, just to name a few. Share with them the pure air and clean water that makes Kangaroo Island one of the last unspoiled wonders of the world.
Kangaroo Island is an area of outstanding natural beauty. Due to its isolation, it has suffered less than mainland areas from the impact of European development. Today, the Island still possesses rich and diverse flora and fauna seldom found elsewhere. The Island's plant catalogue lists over 850 species, as well as approximately 250 which have been introduced from other parts of the world.
There are several reasons why Kangaroo Island has become well known as a place to see wildlife in its natural habitat. More than half the Island has never been cleared of vegetation, with about one third conserved in National and Conservation Parks, including five significant Wilderness Protection Areas. The remaining uncleared areas form bush corridors between larger areas of vegetation. In addition, the absence of foxes and rabbits ensures the integrity of this uncleared bushland. Many of the roadsides exemplify a dense under storey of intact, thick eucalypt scrub and smaller herbaceous plants.
Visit world-famous vineyards such as Yalumba, Seppelts, Penfolds and Two Hands and sample quality, local produce on the Butcher, Baker, WineMaker Trail. In the nearby heritage town of Gawler, you'll find stone churches, galleries and museums set against rolling hills and manicured vineyards. Take a tour of historic wineries and boutique breweries. See artisans at work in one of the many studios or buy some of the region's famous handicrafts. Of course, nothing beats a long lunch under the gum trees with a bottle of one of the region's flagship wines, Barossa Shiraz or Eden Valley Riesling.
Walk or cycle the 25-kilometre Riesling Trail between vineyards and restaurants, past green hills, churches and classic stone buildings. Taste sacramental wine made by Jesuit priests at the cellar door in Sevenhill. Drive the Heartland Heritage Trail to lovingly restored heritage towns such as Burra, Kapunda and Mintaro, where you can tour the stately Georgian mansion of Martindale Hall. Learn about the region's pastoral history with a stay at Bungaree Station in Clare. Explore the Aboriginal history of Two Wells or see old steam trains in Gawler, South Australia's oldest country town. Explore the restaurants, cafes and pubs of the gourmet haven of Auburn. Buy country produce from the colourful markets in Sevenhill or take a cooking course at Thorn Park.
Swim with sea lions at Baird Bay and snorkel with giant cuttlefish near Whyalla. For a real adrenalin rush, go cage diving with a Great White shark south of Port Lincoln. Spot Southern Right whales in the Great Australian Bight Marine Park between May and October and sea lions on the rocks at Point Labatt Conservation Park all year round. Visit the natural salt lakes of Lake Newland Conservation Park, a haven for hundreds of wetland birds. Visit an oyster farm in Cowell, fish from Ceduna and Coffin Bay or join a deep sea fishing charter from Whyalla. Head inland for the colourful volcanic rock, shimmering salt lakes, wildflowers and native wildlife of Gawler Ranges. Four wheel drive further into the Nullarbor Plain - the vast, treeless plain that fascinates anyone with an explorer's spirit.
Dive or snorkel with leafy sea dragons from the jetty at Rapid Bay. Swim through the sunken engine room and turrets of the ex-HMAS Hobart in a dive off Yankalilla Bay. Watch migrating whales and waddling little penguins in Victor Harbor. Swim and boogie board from Horseshoe Bay in Port Elliot, where you can also bike ride or walk the top of the cliffs. From Goolwa, you can chug down the Murray River or canoe past wetland birds in the Coorong's shimmering, shallow lagoons. Walk on the white sand of Goolwa, Cape Jervis, Christies and Middleton Beach, where you'll also find great fishing and surf breaks. Visit wineries, almond orchards and art and craft galleries in the McLaren Vale wine region.
Stay in the outback town of Hawker and spend your days exploring the rugged, majestic Flinders Ranges. Walk to the rim of Wilpena Pound, a huge natural amphitheatre, or soar over it on a scenic flight. Hike to the top of Parachilna Gorge on part of the Heysen Trail. See fossils in ancient sea beds at Brachina Gorge and Aboriginal art at Arkaroo Rock. Explore the area's pastoral past at Wilpena Pound Station. Deeper in the desert, you can fossick for opals in the quirky underground town of Coober Pedy or in the frontier town of Andamooka. Four wheel drive the Oodnadatta Track along a traditional Aboriginal trading route and the old Ghan railway to salty Lake Eyre. Or take the Strzelecki Track past awesome desert landscapes and scenic wetlands such as Coongie Lakes and Dalhousie Springs. Keep in mind this is remote country so a four wheel drive and thorough preparation is essential.