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For a long time, Adelaide has been affectionately known as Australia’s ’20-minute city’. In theory, you can drive from the city’s top attractions to sun-drenched beaches, rolling hills and even the airport – all within a zippy 20 minutes.
It’s even quicker on foot or by bike, with a 2024 global analysis finding Adelaideans should be able to walk or ride to everyday essentials and services in just 19 minutes. Talk about convenience!
While some argue Adelaide has outgrown its 20-minute city reputation, due to urban sprawl and traffic, venturing outside the CBD reveals some of its greatest assets.
I recently visited Adelaide for its world-famous Fringe Festival – the second-largest on Earth – where I enjoyed the convenience of staying a mere five-minute walk from the two major event hubs, Gluttony and The Garden of Unearthly Delights. I jumped from drinks to dinner to a show to a street party, even hopping on the free tram for an immersive experience on the other side of the CBD.
While being close to Adelaide’s top attractions – the Botanic Garden, Central Market, Art Gallery, Rundle Mall and River Torrens – was super convenient, the coolest sights I discovered were just outside the city limits.
My first day in Adelaide was bright and sunny, AKA perfect weather for a hike. I decided to clock off work an hour early, drove 25 minutes to the base of Mount Osmond Reserve and made my way up to the summit, which a local had raved about as the city’s best sunset spot. The climb was incredibly steep and sweaty, but at the top I was rewarded with breathtaking panoramas of the Adelaide skyline and Mount Lofty Ranges, stretching all the way to Gulf St Vincent. I particularly loved how the hills were blanketed in wildflowers, and I can only imagine how beautiful they must be in spring.
Riding the hiking high, the next day I swapped Adelaide’s green parklands for the blue of South Australia’s rugged coastline. A 30-minute drive took me to the start of the Hallett Cove Boardwalk, a scenic coastal loop that passes incredible geological sites, including the famous Sugarloaf – a striking white sand-and-clay formation sculpted by rain and wind erosion over thousands of years. I honestly felt like I was walking on Mars, and I couldn’t believe a place so otherworldly was hiding just beyond the city limits.
I didn’t have time for more exploring on this trip, but I have to give a shoutout to the Adelaide Hills. Just over 20 minutes by car from the CBD, this cool-climate region is packed with charming villages, world-class wineries, lush forests and five-star stays. It’s the perfect day trip from Adelaide, and every season justifies another visit – whether you’re picking strawberries at Beerenberg Farm in summer, strolling through fiery foliage at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden in autumn, sipping red wine by the fire in winter, or having a picnic among the vineyards in spring.
So, while Adelaide’s 20-minute city is a breeze to navigate, there are so many wonders waiting for you to discover just beyond. Wind down the windows, start the car and let the adventure begin.
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