The word on the backpacker grapevine is generally that Adelaide isn’t worth bothering with – in fact “boring” is a word which has been bandied about quite frequently between party-hard East Coast lovers. This really is a shame because Adelaide has so much to offer, for backpackers, holiday-makers and more formal travellers alike.

Adelaide doesn’t share the same mentality as most of the East Coast – something which many may actually consider a plus point – but even for those who enjoy a good night out there are plenty of world-class bars in Adelaide, and even a few nightclubs.

It is easy to arrive in Adelaide intending to spend only a few days, and end up spending quite a while longer, lost among the period buildings and coffee-shop culture which Adelaide is famous for. For those looking for something a little stronger than coffee, Australian wine is some of the best in the world. The majority of famous labels come from South Australia, with most of the different wine regions, such as Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, easily accessible as day trips from Adelaide. If you fancy something even harder, Hindley street is the place to go to party hard, with 24 hour bars, nightclubs and takeaway joints.

For culture vultures, there is a good reason that South Australia is known as the Festival State, and most of the action happens in Adelaide. In March and April every year, Adelaide holds the world famous Adelaide Fringe, the second largest arts fringe festival after the UK’s Edinburgh Fringe. At any time of the year there are always guaranteed to be lots of shows on though, from theatre and comedy to live music and film festivals.

Adelaide doesn’t neglect the outdoorsy types either. The whole city is surrounded by lush parkland, and there are walking trips aplenty in the surrounding hills. A day trip or weekend across on Kangaroo Island will give you the opportunity to get up close and personal with the local wildlife – not only kangaroos, but seals, sea-lions and penguins among others. For those of you brave enough, there is also the chance to meet some of the country’s less cuddly residents with either a dolphin swim or a cage diving experience with great white sharks.

For those of you looking to spend longer in Australia, Adelaide is also the gateway through to the Red Centre, including the spectacular Ayres Rock. Adelaide also forms the centre point for those making the cross-country trek from Sydney to Perth. However long you are intending to spend in Adelaide, from a couple of days, to permanent emigration, there is something for everyone to enjoy. There are heaps of ideas to keep you entertained in our pages, whatever your travelling style.

Attractions Australia has got all of the info you need to pick the best Adelaide attractions and plan your trip there. Further down the screen is our guide to the latest Adelaide attractions added to the Attractions Australia site, or you can use our easy search facility to find all the attractions in South Australia which you might be interested in. Or you can just take a look at the site map or the menus on the right to find the specific attraction you're looking for.