Top 5 places to take visitors/family

[Guest thebaddeleys]

Hi everyone,

 

I have my parents coming to stay with us in two weeks time, and we plan to just relax and enjoying spending time together (as they are only here for 2 weeks) but we thought we should really show them some of the highlights of Adelaide.

 

So we plan to have a long weekend of going to places. The only two things we have on the list so far is the maclaren winery and possibly kangaroo island (depending on the cost of it).

 

I'd love to know of any places that you feel are great and that you would take your family/friends/visitors?

 

Thanks in advance x x x

 

Kerry x x

[Guest lippy]

My mother arrives next week for two and half weeks and we'll be amongst other things off to Cleland Wildlife Park, Barrosa, Victor Harbor, the beach, the city, Gold Coast and Ocean Rd.

 

Won't be very relaxing but she may never be back!

 

Julie

[jomark]

Hi everyone,

 

I have my parents coming to stay with us in two weeks time, and we plan to just relax and enjoying spending time together (as they are only here for 2 weeks) but we thought we should really show them some of the highlights of Adelaide.

 

So we plan to have a long weekend of going to places. The only two things we have on the list so far is the maclaren winery and possibly kangaroo island (depending on the cost of it).

 

I'd love to know of any places that you feel are great and that you would take your family/friends/visitors?

 

Thanks in advance x x x

 

Kerry x x

I would do the dolphin cruise at port adelaide, only $14 each for 2hr cruise and lunch........even cheaper if you just do the cruise...

 

Jo

[duncan-clan]

how about the botanical gardens, dolphin swimming from glenelg harbour, rocking horse place, whispering wall, granite island (vic harbour), indoor gun shooting city, skydiving (lower light), there is plenty of other stuff to do but sadly two weeks is not long and it will fly past

 

alex

[Guest thebaddeleys]

how about the botanical gardens, dolphin swimming from glenelg harbour, rocking horse place, whispering wall, granite island (vic harbour), indoor gun shooting city, skydiving (lower light), there is plenty of other stuff to do but sadly two weeks is not long and it will fly past

 

alex

 

Hi Alex,

 

What is the whispering wall and where is it? Also where is the rocking horse, I have seen it on the tv, it looks great!

 

I know i wish they could stay longer but my mum could only get 2 weeks off work, oh well better than nothing!

 

Thanks ,

 

Kerry x

[newlife]

Hi,

The rocking horse is in Gumeracha in the hills, just before Birdwood and the car museum. The whispering wall is in Williamstown, also in the Hills on the way to the Barossa.

 

Wendy

[Guest thebaddeleys]

I would do the dolphin cruise at port adelaide, only $14 each for 2hr cruise and lunch........even cheaper if you just do the cruise...

 

Jo

 

That sounds like a good idea, is it suitable for children? Is it the port princess dolphin cruise? x x

[Guest graandjac]

The dolphin cruize is good very cheep and a good two hours trip,go to the end of port road and look for the red and white light house on the dock side. Granite Island(Victor Harbor) is great but try to go on a warmer day as it will be winder down there. Havent been to KI yet but i think it needs more than a long weekend to have a good look around as its quite expensive to get the ferry, unless you go on standby. good luck

[Guest Lulujim]

On our reccie we had lunch at the marina at Glenelg - lots of choice of food - one side onto the Marina and the other looking out to sea. Beautiful, will defo take friends & family there when we have visitors. Hope I'm not telling you something you already thought of???

[Guest natdan]

Hi Kerry ,

the helluva jet speedboat ride at glenelg is excellent , also the indoor go-karting at Gepps Cross is worth a try , after that she might need the A and E dept at adelaide hospital ....

Only joking the rocking horse at Gumeracha and Gorege wildlife park are close to each other and are definately worth a visit , feeding the roos and cuddling a koala etc.

Also victor harbour / Granite island is a lovely day out.

And visiting adelaide needs a call to either the Barossa or Maclaren vale for a day wine tasting.

Hope she and you have fun.

 

Wayne n Louise

[jomark]

That sounds like a good idea, is it suitable for children? Is it the port princess dolphin cruise? x x

 

 

http://www.dolphinexplorer.com.au/ we go on this one, it right next to the port princess but its a bigger boat...we took jamie and harry, jamie loved it..they have a lift so you can take a pushchair if you need one...been twice first time did not see dolphins but the cruise is nice anyway...

 

J

[Anne B]

I agree with Victor Harbor, Barossa, McClaren Vale. Other possibles are :

 

The City - Central Markets, North Terrace etc

 

Mount Lofty lookout for a great view of the city

 

Hahndorf - nice drive out there and lots of touristy shops for stocking up on souvenirs to take home

 

Port Adelaide - the railway museum and maritime museum are both great

 

KI is a bigger trip and the crossing can be choppy (have been twice and both times witnessed people being seasick - yuk!)

[Moosh]

We love being the tour guide for overseas visitors. In no particular order:

 

1. Cleland Wildlife Park

2. McLaren Vale

3. Barossa Valley

4. Victor Harbor

5. Glenelg

6. Kangaroo Island

7. The Beaches

8. Hahndorf

9. The Murray River

10. The City!

 

I could think of loads more.

 

Various activities could include:

 

1. Swimming with dolphins on the Temptation Sailing Boat.

2. Airborne adventures on the Warbird Adventure Flight.

3. Skydiving.

4. Hellava Jetboat

6. Go-Karting at Port Elliott Pits

7. Greenhills Adventure Park

8. St Kilda Adventure Playground

9. Port Noarlunga Wooden Playground

10. Picnic at Belair National Park

[Guest SA Great]

We love being the tour guide for overseas visitors. In no particular order:

 

1. Cleland Wildlife Park

2. McLaren Vale

3. Barossa Valley

4. Victor Harbor

5. Glenelg

6. Kangaroo Island

7. The Beaches

8. Hahndorf

9. The Murray River

10. The City!

 

I could think of loads more.

 

Various activities could include:

 

1. Swimming with dolphins on the Temptation Sailing Boat.

2. Airborne adventures on the Warbird Adventure Flight.

3. Skydiving.

4. Hellava Jetboat

6. Go-Karting at Port Elliott Pits

7. Greenhills Adventure Park

8. St Kilda Adventure Playground

9. Port Noarlunga Wooden Playground

10. Picnic at Belair National Park

 

Good post Moosh (or whatever your name is!!!!!!). I totally agree with your top 10. I have done this on several occasions and my top 5 is:

 

1. Cleland (a must for overseas visitors). Visit the lookout at Mount Lofty on the way and try to get to Cleland about 1.30 and follow the feeding truck around which starts at 2pm!

2. Glenelg and tee up a trip with Temptation while you are there. They do 1.5 hour cruises which are great.

3. A paddlesteamer trip from Murray Bridge or Mannum has always been a winner with my visitors.

4. A couple of wineries at McLaren Vale or Barossa. Rosemount is good.

5. The city

6. Of course the beaches!!!

 

OK so it ended up as 6!!

 

Good luck!

[Diane]

Nobody has mentioned Morialta - great place for a walk, three choices of walk from the easily do-able (pushchairs and oldies) to the more challenging; fantastic scenery, ALWAYS spot wild koalas there, and just ten minutes from the City but you could be in the middle of France somewhere!

 

Central market definitely - Friday night has a good atmosphere.

 

One of the outdoor pools - not many of such things left in the UK, and nice for a cool down if you want some shade between swims which is rare on beaches unless you lurk under the jetties (yuk!) - there are pools at Marion, Burnside, and Tea Tree Gully (the latter is obviously the best!)

 

Perhaps a movie at the drive-in at Gepps Cross? Again, probably not something they could do back home (unless they're American!)

 

Definitely the wineries - Jacobs Creek is a good one for tourists as most of them have seen the products in the UK supermarkets! McLaren Vale ones could be combined with a Victor visit.

 

If you go down to Victor, then Horsehoe Bay is a great beach, call in at Strathalbyn on the way down for coffee and cakes and a visit to one of the antique/junk shops to watch the fantastic guy who plays the didgeridoo there (he's German I think but brilliant!!)

 

Mount Lofty and Cleland - great animals at the latter and a good idea of the layout of where they are from the former.

 

North Terrace - the South Australian Museum and Art Gallery, followed by a cuppa at the Festival Theatre Cafe overlooking our beautiful river with its black swans.

 

A day trip up to Murray Bridge perhaps and a couple of hours "Messing about on the river" - interesting scenery on the drive out there - which is also the case about a ddrive out to Cudlee Creek up the Gorge Road and call in at the Gorge Wildlife Park and Cudlee Creek Cafe afterwards!

 

Sunday to Port Adelaide - cruise, maritime museum, seahorse museum/sanctuary, undercover market, lunch at the Port Dock Brewery to sample some of their home-brewed beers. Or a visit to the Adelaide Gaol - guided tours on Sundays - to really appreciate modern justice!

 

 

OOps, more than five - sorry!!

 

Enjoy

D

xx

[ozzieclare2be]

some great ideas here, also the moonlight cinema at botanical gardens if its still on. and womad adelaide 6-8 march if they here then http://www.womadelaide.com.au/line-up

 

maclaren vale wineries tour is always a good one, at back of woodstock pleny of kangeroos / wallerbies, if not there are lots just off seaford road near the conservation area

[Guest Django]

If you are going to Port Adelaide for the cruise pop into the seahorse farm. Its a small place but fascinating well worth a look.

 

Pete

[bill]

Hi Alex,

 

What is the whispering wall and where is it? Also where is the rocking horse, I have seen it on the tv, it looks great!

 

I know i wish they could stay longer but my mum could only get 2 weeks off work, oh well better than nothing!

 

Thanks ,

 

Kerry x

 

The Whispering Wall is part of the Barossa Reservoir, and its curved structure imparts amazing accoustic qualities so that you can stand at one end and almost literally whisper to someone at the other end, about 150 metres away. It's great fun, and don't forget your camera! The Giant Rocking Horse is withn about 30 mins drive from there (and has a great shop and a cafe). Try to drive through Chain of Ponds on the way - it's beautiful. Then try Gorge Wildlife Park at Cudlee Creek, and finish off with the amazing drive down Gorge Road, past towering rock faces. That's one day taken care of!

[Guest stufi1997]

6. Go-Karting at Port Elliott Pits

The pits have now closed unfortunately.....the landlord didn't renew the lease or some such thing,

Thought I'd better let you know in case you made the drive down... Fiona

[Guest Jo&Phil]

You have had lots of excellent suggestions already.

If this helps - my parents were out recently and really enjoyed:

- the Migration Museum (Kintore St in city),

- Birdwood Motor Museum as they had 1st hand experience of lots of the old vehicles (!),

-Cleland, including Kangaroo feeding and Koala cuddling

- Normanville - or any very sandy beach as that is a bit different from their general experience of UK beaches,

- Windy Point cafe for scrummy dinner and views,

- The cricket - we went to a 20/20 at the Adelaide Oval which was fun,

- The Cedars in Hahndorf, which is Hans Heysen's home and you can tour the house as well as see his studio etc

- McLaren Vale wineries despite the fact that neither are big wine drinkers

Hope you all enjoy yourselves

[Guest marty]

Hi Alex,

 

What is the whispering wall and where is it? Also where is the rocking horse, I have seen it on the tv, it looks great!

 

I know i wish they could stay longer but my mum could only get 2 weeks off work, oh well better than nothing!

 

Thanks ,

 

Kerry x

You can do the Rocking Horse (1/2 hour), Birdwood (2-3hrs), the Whispering Wall (20 mins) and the Barossa Wine Regon (3hrs) all in one day including lunch at a winery, they are all in the same area which is only 1/2 hour from the CBD.

 

If your like me you could be home by mid afternoon, did the Isle of White including ferry return and lunch at Vetnor in 5hrs in October