Ink a full schedule of fun to their calendar this Christmas with these budget-friendly activities.
Animal encounters, adrenaline rushes, quirky dining experiences and adventures into the wild are all options for broods in the South Australian capital.
Here are a few of the best options for the upcoming break as well as the deals to save big.
Adelaide Oval roof climb from RedBalloon
Go on a unique and thrilling experience by climbing the iconic Adelaide Oval stadium roof.
- Duration: 2 hours
- Location: Adelaide
- Price is for one person.
Moonlight cinema experience from RedBalloon
Experience Australia's favourite open air cinema and watch your favorite movie under the stars.
- Location: Adelaide
- Price is for two people.
Abseiling adventure from Groupon
Enjoy a 3-hour rock climbing, abseiling and dolphin sanctuary kayaking tours provided by Rock Solid Adventure.
- Duration: 3 hours
- Location: Adelaide
- Price is for one person
Kids cruise experience from finder.com.au
Bring the kids to The City of Adelaide parklands and green spaces for an exciting bamboo-bodied EcoCaddy tricycles ride and tour.
- Duration: 1 hour
- Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Adelaide Zoo lemur feeding from Viator
Go on a trip in the zoo and experience feeding the lumers with their favorite treats.
- Duration: All day
- Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Monarto Open Range Zoo Admission from RedBalloon
See an arc’s worth of animals close up at Monarto Open Range Zoo. It’s one of the largest open-range zoos in Australia and home to rhinos, lions, cheetah, chimps and more.
- Duration: All day 9:30am to 5:30pm
- Location: Monarto, South Australia
- Price is for general entry to the zoo.
Mega Adventure Obstacle Park Admission from RedBalloon
Tackle 65 aerial challenges at Mega Adventure Obstacle Park. Scramble up cargo nets, wobble your way across rope bridges and even try a BMX ride 26 metres in the sky.
- Duration: Two hours
- Location: West Beach, Adelaide
- Price is for access pass, safety gear and briefing.
Southern Ocean Adventure from Victor Harbor – Adelaide from Adrenaline
Leave a trail of white water behind you as you explore the waters off Adelaide’s coast by speedboat. Spot sea lions, seals and dolphins as you explore.
- Duration: 90-minute cruise
- Location: Adelaide then Victor Harbour
- Price is for cruise, commentary and safety equipment.
Dolphin Sanctuary & Shipwreck Kayak – Adelaide from Adrenaline
Kayak around the boat graveyard that is Adelaide’s shipwreck heritage trail. Keep an eye out for dolphins as you glide through the water.
- Duration: Half day
- Location: Garden Island, Adelaide
- Price is for guided kayak tour.
Cleland Wildlife Park Experience from finder.com.au
Get close to 130 species of Australia’s native wildlife at Cleland Wildlife Park. Handfeed kangaroos and shake paws with a koala.
- Duration: Five hours (approx.)
- Location: Adelaide, South Australia
- Price is for park entry, bag of food, park orientation, transfers and koala close-up experience.
Torrens River BBQ Buoy from finder.com
BBQ as you bob along the River Torrens. These buoy-style boats are donut-shaped with a circular table and BBQ grill in-built.
- Duration: Two hours
- Location: Adelaide, South Australia
- Price is for two hours’ use of the BBQ buoy with esky, ice, bluetooth speakers and cutlery.
Paddle Boat on the Torrens from finder.com
Float along the Torrens River on a Crayola-coloured pedal-powered paddle boat. Take in sights like the Adelaide Oval as you bob along.
- Duration: 20 minutes
- Location: Adelaide, South Australia
- Price is for the 20-minute use of a paddle boat.
Kangaroo Island Full-Day Experience from Adelaide by Ferry from Get Your Guide
Experience Kangaroo Island with its 509 kilometres of coastline and population of sea lions, pelicans and koala bears.
- Duration: 16 hours
- Location: Kangaroo Island from Adelaide
- Price is for return ferry, guided walk at Seal Bay Conservation Park, two-course lunch, koala viewing at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, national park entry fees.
Half-Day Kayaking Tour in Coorong National Park from Viator
Explore the lagoons and dunes that make up Coorong National Park by kayak. Get that off-the-grid feeling as you paddle through the wetlands.
- Duration: Six hours
- Location: Coorong National Park, Adelaide
- Price is for kayaking tour, morning tea and lunch.
Indoor golf from RedBalloon
Go on a virtual golfing that is suitable for all ages and different levels.
- Duration: 2 hours
- Location: Adelaide
- Price is for four people
Virtual reality experience from RedBalloon
Step out to reality and experience the thrill of gameplay in a virtual reality world.
- Duration: 1.5 hours
- Location: Adelaide
- Price is for one person
Escape room experience from RedBalloon
Crack puzzles, be like detectives, solve crime and beat the clock with this interactive escape room experience.
- Duration: 1 hour
- Location: Adelaide
- Price is for two people
Adelaide Gaol Ghost Tour and Investigation – Adult from RedBalloon
Test your mettle at the 147-year-old Adelaide Gaol. Take a tour of the building with its creaky doors and shadowy cells and learn stories of the ghosts who are said to haunt there.
- Duration: Two hours
- Location: Adelaide Gaol
- Price is for a guided walking tour and entry to the gaol.
Movie ticket from Groupon
Catch the latest blockbusters with this general admission cinema pass.
- Duration: Flexible
- Location: ACT, NSW, NT and QLD
- Price is per person
$13.50
View details5 summer school holidays events
- Christmas Riverbank display. The magic of Christmas comes to live on the Riverbank with brilliant displays to mark the season. 2 December 2018 - 1 January 2019.
- Santa's Wonderland. Do they have a special request for a Christmas present? They can make it to the man himself at Santa's Wonderland at the Adelaide Showground. It features games, stage shows, a jumping castle and activity trail. 7-21 December 2018.
- American Express Openair cinemas (pictured). Spend a family day out on the green watching the latest flicks with a picnic in tow. 23 November - 16 December 2018.
- Shannons Adelaide Rally. The cars will be zipping around the circuit and if your little one is a bit of a rev head they'll love the chance to see their heroes in action. 28 November - 1 December.
- Semaphore Summer Carnival. When the sun is out the carnival comes to town bringing with it stacks of thrilling rides, sideshow games and if you pop by on New Year's Eve, a free fireworks display. 15 December 2018 - 28 January 2019.
5 free things to do in Adelaide over the holidays
- South Australian Museum: Join the Art + Science school holiday program, held during the July school holidays. Dates TBC. Read more.
- Adelaide Botanical Gardens: Free guided tours take place at Adelaide's three botanical gardens throughout the break, which are good options for older children and wannabe explorers. Read more.
- The Jam Factory: Take the kids to see the artists at The Jam Factory and catch one of the glass-blowing artists in action. Read more.
- Glenelg Beach: So it’s not sunbathing weather, but you can still go on a shell safari and build sandcastles at Glenelg.
- Morialta Conservation Park: Visit the waterfall which will be at its thunderous best in winter.
