Apr
2021
adelaide, south australia
The last passion blog of the semester– that’s hard to believe. For my final post, I thought I’d explore a place I’ve wanted to visit for years: Adelaide, South Australia, a city right on the coast. I would love to live there for at least a year after college or maybe even do a short study abroad program. When people think of visiting Australia, some of the first places that come to mind are Sydney, Melbourne, and probably the Gold Coast. Sydney and Melbourne are Australia’s two biggest cities, with amazing sites, beaches, and frankly some of the best entertainment scenes. They’re also amazingly crowded (which personally I don’t have a problem with) and if bustling cities are more your scene then definitely go for it because honestly, any city in Australia is worth the trip. But because I’m trying to convince you to visit Adelaide then I should probably advertise that it has a big city feel with a small city mentality, so what I’m saying is that it’s kind of the best of both worlds. Adelaide also has some of the most beautiful beaches, from crowded tourist areas to more secluded inlets, it’s really not difficult to find a place to spend the day.
Speaking of beautiful beaches, Kangaroo Island is a definite must-see if you ever find yourself in South Australia. Though the island is about 200 kilometers from Adelaide– a forty-five-minute ferry ride and then an hour and a half drive up the coast a bit– it is still worth the visit. You might remember hearing about Kangaroo Island a little more than a year ago, at the beginning of 2020, when Australia was suffering from record-breaking wildfires. Well, the island was not spared that fate, and nearly half of the landscape became charred ground. The island is home to some of Australia’s most endangered wildlife and ninety-six percent of Flinders’ Chase National Park was burned, displacing thousands of animals. But… I’m happy to report that Kangaroo Island is making its way back and much of the island is green and flourishing. The island is not just a ferry-ride day trip: there is an abundant tourism industry, with lodging, local cuisines, wineries, and beaches. One of the best ways to explore Kangaroo island is just to drive through the countryside, either with a rented car from the mainland or right on the island.
Adelaide has become Australia’s burgeoning food and drink scene. With restaurants, pubs, fine dining, and food trucks of countless cuisines, it’s honestly a foodie’s dream. One of Australia’s most famous dishes actually originated in South Australia: a pie floater, which sounds weird, and frankly looks weird, but it’s probably good (wouldn’t know, never had it, but everything I’ve read people seem to love it). A pie floater is a meat pie in a pea soup topped with tomato sauce. The Adelaide Central Market is one of Australia’s largest produce and food markets, with nearly a hundred vendors, a few cafes, and small restaurants under one roof, the options are truly endless. Not that I’m condoning underage drinking, but Adelaide has some of the best vineyards and wineries in all of Australia (South Australia is actually the country’s wine capital), so a short trip right outside the city is a must if only to see the beautiful countryside.
Hopefully, I’ve convinced you to visit Adelaide, it’s sometimes an overlooked city, but really shouldn’t be, there’s just as much to offer there as any other place. Also, I forgot to mention, while in Australia you need to try vegemite on toast, an unmatched Australian delicacy.
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2 Comments on adelaide, south australia
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Arthur Laban
April 22, 2021 at 5:21 pm (4 years ago)Australia seems like such a cool place to me but I am still terrified of it. The food looks amazing and the landscape does too, but I am terrified of spiders and it just seems like the worst ones happen to live there. I hope I can get over this fear though and visit one day.
mjm8703
April 22, 2021 at 8:04 pm (4 years ago)Adelaide, South Australia looks like it has so much diversity in its geographic composition. Busy city, beautiful landscapes and vineyards, beachy coast. This place seems like it has everything, and the wildlife must be crazy. Those kangaroos seem SO COOL, I would love to see a kangaroo in real life. I’ve always had Australia on my bucket list of places to go. Mariel, I have loved your blogs. They have been like an outlet to travel during this time of travel deprivation. I love to see new places, so you have opened up so many new bucket list places for me!