How to spend a day in Adelaide Hills

The beautiful rugged hill area is only a short drive from Adelaide.

Leafy lanes, small villages, and towns all within the Adelaide Hills make it the perfect place to explore for the day. One of the best ways to see Adelaide Hills is by car, so you can easily get to different locations. Let’s get started on a way you can spend a day out in Adelaide Hills.

9 AM: Start the day with breakfast and a coffee

If you’re staying in Adelaide CBD, you will have access to all sorts of cafes close to your accommodation. With the CBD so close to Adelaide Hills, you’ll easily be able to make your way out to the next location after breakfast.

10 AM: Long Ridge Lookout

Long Ridge Lookout is a great way to start your morning overlooking the city and the coastline. You may even be lucky enough to see some wildlife in the area. This lookout is always great from sunrise to night time seeing the city lights.

11 AM: Cleland Wildlife Park

Make some new friends at the Cleland Wildlife Park! The park has all different types of wildlife with some you can even handfeed. Get up close to the kangaroos, potoroos, emus, wallabies, and waterfowl.

While at the park you can also grab some lunch at the Barking Gecko Cafe. The cafe has options for you to have a light lunch or something more filling.

1 PM: Wine tasting at Tapanappa Wines

Tapanappa Wines has a selection of wines you can taste during their wine tastings. You can select the Terroir Collection, The Finest From Us, or a seasonal tasting if available. These tastings include different wines from red, white wines and rosè.

2 PM: Mount Lofty Botanic Garden

Mount Lofty Botanic Garden showcases a range of different plants and flowers. There are all kinds of smaller gardens within Botanic Garden from the rose garden to the fern gully, woodland garden, and so many more.

Within the Botanic Garden, there are a selection of sculptures and artwork to see as you’re following the path.

3:30 PM: Wine tasting at Ashton Hills Vineyard

Ashton Hills Vineyard was founded in 1982 and is one of Australia’s finest pinot noir producers. Book in for a wine tasting at the cellar door and taste a selection of the best types of wine, including pinot noir.

6 PM: Mount Lofty Summit

Mount Lofty Summit is the highest point in Adelaide Hills, being over 700 metres tall. From this point, you can overlook the rolling hills in Adelaide Hills and all the way out towards Adelaide’s city and the coastline.

6:30 PM: Dinner at Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant

Hardy’s Verandah is perhaps one of the best fine dining experiences you can get in Adelaide. Enjoy tasting locally sourced food that includes seasonal ingredients.

The restaurant also has some of the finest South Australian wines. The weekends also include a high tea experience where you can taste sweet and savoury foods and delicious teas.

After your amazing meal, you can stay back at Hardy’s Verandah for dessert or go back to your accommodation. Hardy’s Verandah is only about a 20 minute drive back to Adelaide CBD.

If you found you have extra time during the day you can pop over to Hahndorf, a small German town that is just outside of Adelaide Hills.

Cameron Ward

Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia

Cameron Ward turned his travel passion into a thriving Australian tourism business. Before he co-founded his own business, Sightseeing Tours Australia, he was enjoying being a Melbourne tour guide. Even now, Cameron delights in helping visitors from all around the world get the most out of their incredible Australian trip. You’ll see Cameron leading tours or writing about his favourite Australian places where he shares his local insights.