Getting Around
Adelaide is regarded as Australia’s ‘20-minute city’, which stems from the fact that most people’s daily commute is approximately this amount of time. How marvellous! This means that residents have more free time to spend on leisure pursuits, which is one of the great delights of living in Adelaide.
The city was clearly designed for the convenience of people and you can access the city centre from all parts of the metropolitan area. Almost everything is within walking distance of the central business district (CBD) as the city centre is on a grid system with most streets and squares within 1 square mile. The main street (King William Street) runs directly from north to south of the city through Victoria Square, which is at the heart of the city.
Adelaide also has an effective transport system. The Metro services the greater metropolitan region with trains and buses – and the Glenelg tram. Of particular note are the Adelaide free buses that cover the CBD. These bright yellow buses travel the main streets and go to the main attractions in the city. Trains connect the northern and southern suburbs with the city centre, and the railway station is in the city centre beneath the Casino and Convention Centre complex.
www.adelaidemetro.com.au
The Suburbs
Adelaide is a commuter’s dream as a belt of parklands and beautiful leafy suburbs surrounds the city.
Adelaide Hills
Only 20 minutes from the heart of the city, Adelaide Hills is known for having gorgeous gardens, numerous vineyards, world-class attractions and great food. It is South Australia’s most diverse and accessible region.
North Adelaide
North Adelaide is steeped in Australian history and features many heritage listed buildings. Local residents have featured in major events like the forming of the Australian Constitution and the birth of cricket in South Australia. The streets are wide and tree lined. There are two main shopping precincts, Melbourne Street and the Adelaide Icon. The Royal Oak Hotel about halfway along O’Connell Street is very popular and has musical entertainment with local bands. At the northern end of O’Connell there is the Art Deco style Piccadilly picture theatre.
West Adelaide
The inner western suburbs are lively and busy. From central Adelaide the bay tram travels 11 kilometres south west to Glenelg, Adelaide’s earliest suburb and a popular beach resort. Along the western coastline are 30 sandy beaches.
South Adelaide
Immediately south of the city the up-market inner suburbs begin, with antique and designer fashion stores, as well as many restaurants. Further south there is a growing amount of housing commission developments.
East Adelaide
The inner eastern suburbs are Adelaide’s cosmopolitan quarter, with a thriving restaurant and café society, as well as a sizable student contingent. The Adelaide Hills are only 20 minutes from the central city, and to the east are many small commuter suburbs.
The Torrens River
The Torrens River dissects the parklands in which the city sits and separates North Adelaide from Adelaide. Boat trips can be taken along the river and to the nearby Adelaide Zoo. There are waterside restaurants and pleasant riverside walks through expansive parklands.
Beaches
Adelaide has more than its share of great beaches, in fact 60km of white sandy beachfront makes up Adelaide’s metropolitan coast. The beautiful
sandy beaches of Adelaide play an important part in the lifestyle of local residents. Beaches stretch all the way down the coast from Semaphore in the north to Sellick’s Beach in the south. Undoubtedly the most popular beach can be found at Glenelg.