If you love nature, well, Adelaide has three amazing botanic gardens for you to explore, and they’re all free. Check out the Adelaide Botanic Garden, which is close to the CBD, Mount Lofty Botanic Garden in the Adelaide hills, or Wittunga Botanic Garden in the southern part of the city. The botanic gardens offer volunteer opportunities, a great way to connect with locals, and do something you love.

Welcome to South Australia’s most famous wine region. Just an hour away from Adelaide, Barossa Valley includes 8 major towns, and more than 150 wineries producing popular varietals like Shiraz, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling Semillon and more. Take an organized wine tour or explore by bicycle. You can even take a hot-air balloon tour to discover Barossa Valley’s stunning landscapes by air.

Adelaide’s most popular beach is just a 40-minute tram or bus ride away, departing just steps from the ILSC campus. This beautiful white sand beach sits at the end of Jetty Road, a popular tourist spot filled with fantastic cafes restaurants, shopping, souvenir shops and more. This ideal urban beach is the perfect place to relax after class, or on the weekend with friends.

Explore the over 45,000 works of art in the gallery’s Australian aboriginal, local contemporary art, and European and Asian collections. This totally free gallery offers tours, or a chance to explore on your own or with friends. A visit to the Art Gallery of South Australia is a great way to learn more about Australian culture, and cultures around the world.

Explore Adelaide’s 150-year-old Central Market located in the heart of the Central Business District. Open Tuesday through Sunday, the market has over 70 vendors selling a variety of fresh, organic and specialty foods, delicious coffee, and takeaway food. Do your grocery shopping here or stop in for a tasty lunch. The Central Market also holds seasonal events focused on different food regions.

Visit the totally free Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary to catch a glimpse of local Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins, and other unique marine animals. Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary is the place to learn more about these amazing creatures, the different species of dolphins that make their home in South Australia’s waters, and to learn about human impacts on dolphin habitats.

Create your own walking tour through Port Adelaide and explore the 50 murals that have popped up since the first “Wonderwalls” festival started in 2015. During the festival itself, you can see new street art in progress, and enjoy amazing music and entertainment. Port Adelaide also has plenty of great laneway pubs and restaurants, so after your exploration, sit down for a pint with friends.

Discover Adelaide’s closest getaway just 15-50km from the city. The Adelaide Hills will keep you busy with wine tours, hikes, cycling, craft breweries, fruit picking, wildlife parks and so much more! If you’re in Adelaide in December, enjoy some German-influenced holiday flavour at the Hahndorf Christmas market and Lights of Lobethal festival. If you like arts, check out the sculpture walks in Macclesfield and in Mount Lofty. The possibilities are endless!