Adelaide: Market, Gardens and Culture

When choosing a stay in Adelaide, different themes may influence your decision: food and dining at Adelaide Central Market, gardens and architecture at Adelaide Botanic Garden, or art and museum collections. The zoo offers another distinct focus. When looking for a hotel in Adelaide, you can use these differences to shape your trip around the themes that interest you most.

Food and history at Adelaide Central Market

Adelaide Central Market is located in the Adelaide CBD and was established in 1869. With more than 70 traders, it is one of the largest covered fresh produce markets in the Southern Hemisphere. Its offerings include multicultural cuisine and artisan products, as well as fresh fruit and vegetables, smallgoods, and food businesses.

The market therefore brings together fresh produce, cuisine, and dining. Its founding in 1869 adds a historical dimension to its present-day character. You can include the market in your travel plans both for its history and for the variety of its offerings.

Gardens, plant collections, and architecture

Adelaide Botanic Garden covers 50 hectares of landscaped gardens and striking architecture. Its plant collections include the Garden of Health, the Mediterranean Garden, and the award-winning Rose Garden. These named collections give the grounds several specific botanical highlights, rather than making the gardens seem like a single, uniform space.

If you are interested in designed garden spaces, both the plant collections and the architecture take centre stage here. Adelaide Zoo offers a different focus: it is home to more than 2,400 animals from 200 species, including exotic and native mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish. The animals are presented in eight hectares of botanically themed surroundings.

Animals and keeper talks

Adelaide Zoo offers daily keeper talks and animal feedings; schedules may vary. These activities give visitors the opportunity to interact with staff and learn more about the zoo’s animals. They add another distinct focus alongside the animal groups and their botanically themed surroundings: interaction with staff and information about the animals.

The Botanic Garden and the zoo therefore offer different themes to consider when planning your time in Adelaide. The garden focuses on landscaped gardens, plant collections, and architecture, while the zoo centres on animals and its animal care program. Which side of the city you prioritise depends on what interests you during your stay.

Art and collections

The Art Gallery of South Australia’s collection comprises nearly 47,000 works of art and design. It includes Australian, contemporary, European, and Asian collections, as well as works by Aboriginal and South Australian artists. General admission is free; fees may apply to some exhibitions. For planning purposes, it is therefore worth distinguishing between general admission and individual exhibitions.

The South Australian Museum houses the world’s most comprehensive collection of Australian Aboriginal cultural material. Its collection also includes more than four million specimens and cultural objects. The museum spans five floors of galleries and exhibitions. While the Art Gallery focuses on art and design from the collection areas described above, Aboriginal cultural material, specimens, and cultural objects define the South Australian Museum’s collection. This can help you narrow down your cultural interests when planning your visit.

Consider whether markets and dining, gardens and animals, or art and collections matter most for your trip; then check the specific hotel features directly with each property.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: North Haven, Crafers, Glenelg, Port Willunga, Walkerville, Cherry Gardens, Oaklands Park, Noarlunga Downs, Hahndorf, Glenunga, Mclaren Vale, Cheltenham, Aldgate, Balhannah, Gawler, Devon Park, Belair.

For the broader travel overview: South Australia.