Welcome to Backpacker’s Boutique. Every Sunday, this spot will feature a new travel blogger. Some weeks it will be a really fun interview about packing, fashion, and fitness so you can snoop inside their bags & lives a little bit and other weeks it’ll be a detailed luxury guide to a city the featured blogger/expat knows very well. E-mail me if you’d like to be featured.
A Luxury Guide to Adelaide
Tell us a little about yourself and tell us why you’re an expert on luxury travel in Adelaide.
Hi, I’m Christine from The Traveloguer. Adelaide is South Australia’s capital city, and the surrounding area is home to both vineyards and stunning beaches. I lived there for more than a year and enjoyed its luxury offerings on a backpacker budget!
What makes Adelaide a perfect destination for travelers seeking a glamorous trip?
Adelaide, and in particular the beach suburb of Glenelg, is an ideal place to experience the finer things in life. Home to a marina filled with yachts and amazing restaurants, picture-perfect beaches and surrounded by gorgeous scenery and vineyards as far as the eye can see, it has plenty to offer any traveller.
What 5 star hotel is the best in your town?
My favourite hotel in Adelaide is the Stamford Grand, a hotel that’s full of class and with stunning views of the ocean. It has luxurious rooms and the greatest seafood buffet you’ll ever have, as well as a foodie’s dream of a breakfast.
In the city, the Rendevous is modern perfection. Sleek rooms with amazing views of Adelaide and jaw droppingly fabulous bathrooms and make this a perfect city destination.
Are there any fun activities for the adventurous traveler?
If swimming with sharks is your idea of adventurous, then Adelaide is the perfect place! There are lots of water activities to enjoy, as well as skydiving and camping adventures in the bush. Check out even more things to do in Adelaide.
Where are the best hang outs during the day?
Glenelg is the best place to be in Adelaide, in my biased opinion! It has a lot to offer. There’s the main street, the epitome of a holiday resort that manages to be both kitschy and chic. The beach and jetty are gorgeous places to hang out. In the summer it’s packed with tourists and volleyball playing Aussies, people jumping off the jetty, there’s an open air cinema and spectacular sunsets. In the winter it’s just as beautiful, only you may want to swap your gelato for a coffee.
The city centre has lots of parks which are perfect for picnics, and are really popular for weddings. In the summer, Adelaide has lots of festivals which are so much fun.
If you have a big date night, what are the most delicious restaurants in Adelaide, and what are their best dishes?
For a date night, my favourite place is Pure, a laidback yet stylish heaven, with trendy décor, very cool waiters and possibly the best food and coffee in South Australia.
For a more romantic setting, Cardones on Jetty Road is perfect. Their oysters are the best I’ve had. Any of the restaurants along the marina are also great spots for a date.
Let’s talk desserts- what place makes the best?
I think for something sweet, Adelaide’s best offerings are found in their gelato shops, which tend to have queues out the door no matter what time you get there.
Afternoon tea in the Grand is another winner, they even offer a take away version, so you can enjoy your cakes by the sea.
In the city, there is a hole in the wall in Chinatown that sells only macaroons! They come in cute little individual boxes which makes them all the more enjoyable!
Time for a great sunset view… where would you go?
Sunset is all about the beach. Any patch of sand in Glenelg gives you a perfect view of the sunset. In Glenelg, the Grand (again) offers a great view, as do any of the bars along the marina.
Now that the sun’s gone down, fill us on the best places to go for some evening drinks or a great pre-gaming spot.
Well, a not-so-glamorous spot is the iconic Jetty Bar on Jetty Road. Filled with backpackers and Aussie holiday-makers, it’s a good spot for some pre-game fun. The Dublin is also great for a good time.
The Sunset Bar and The Pier on Glenelg’s marina, and Casablabla in the city centre are perfect for cocktails.
Christine is the editor of The Traveloguer a travel blog of a girl with itchy feet and a lust for wander. A journalist and photographer, Christine lives for travel, especially travel on a small budget, and is a raging food pornographer. She shares tips, photography and travel disaster stories on The Traveloguer. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, and Google plus.
Hello Rachel and Christine,
You guys have sold me on Adelaide :) adding this to my list!
Annie ox
Good to hear :) it’s on mine too!
The beach looks beautiful. Despite living in Australia I haven’t really heard too much about Adelaide before.
Those views! Superb. I would love to swim with sharks one day and stand on that sand.
Love those beaches! I definitely want to get there some day. I actually have a great idea for a luxury guide destination, I’m going to message you about it! :)
This is a little bit misleading – the hotel she mentions as her favourite is not in Adelaide, it’s 20 minutes away from the city (which is a lot for little Adelaide!) and you can’t swim with sharks in Adelaide, you would need to go to Port Lincoln to do that – a 7-8 hour drive away.
I do agree with her comment about the cocktails at Casablabla though. :)