Editorโs Note: This story originally appeared in Volume 5 of B.H. Magazine. To get your copy (and access to future issues), subscribe here.
Where To Stay
Sequoia Lodge
Only 20 minutes from the city grind, yet youโd swear youโre deep in wine country. Sequoia isnโt just a stay โ itโs a high-altitude escape in the Adelaide Hills, equal parts boutique lodge and adventure playground. With just 14 adults-only suites, complete with free mini bar and sweeping views over the valley, itโs dangerously easy to stay in robe-mode all weekend. But if you feel like earning your soak in the hot spring-fed pool, thereโs a jam-packed line-up of optional indulgences: stargazing, guided hikes, mixology classes, even a beekeeping session.
Alternatively, channel your inner F1 fantasy with the supercar driving experience and blast through the Hills in a Ferrari F8 Tributo, Lamborghini Huracรกn, or McLaren 570S. Wine enthusiasts can hop between top-tier cellar doors nearby, and donโt miss the on-site resto Hardyโs Verandah โ this is a dรฉgustation steeped in tradition, and worth every bite.
Address: 1โฏMawson Drive, Crafers, SA 5152
Contact: (08)โฏ8130โฏ9230
Rare Earth Retreats
Set your out-of-office and step off-grid in style. These three architectural gems sit quietly among the working vines of Mollydooker in McLaren Vale and offer the right mix of rustic charm and understated luxury. With names like Slate, Clay, and Stone, each retreat blends seamlessly into the landscape, complete with outdoor tubs, indoor-outdoor fireplaces, and just enough modern tech to play your weekend soundtrack.
Breakfast provisions are generous, the Mollydooker wine tasting is on the house, and the temptation to do absolutely nothing is very real. Should the call of a cellar door or long lunch draw you out, McLaren Valeโs best are just a short drive away.
Address: 23 Coppermine Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171
Contact: N/A
Eos at SkyCity
Eos at SkyCity was launched in 2020 as part of a $330 million reinvention of Adelaideโs casino precinct. Itโs a luxury stay with serious range โ from panoramic city and Hills views to high-spec suites with marble everything. The apartment-sized Grace Villa? Itโs got two bedrooms, a personal gym, sauna, butler, and wardrobes that rival fashion week.
Commissioned art gives the interiors personality, while the pool, spa, rooftop bar and in-house dining keep things effortlessly luxe. Add in a personal trainer, car hire, and in-room stylist, and youโve got the kind of hotel that almost dares you to leave. If you do, Adelaide Oval, Rundle Mall, and Festival Centre are on your doorstep.
Address: 1โฏFestival Drive, Adelaide, SA 5000
Contact: (08)โฏ7077โฏ3588
Where To Dine
Fugazzi
Think Italian food, dressed for a night out in Manhattan. Fugazzi is a moody, marble-clad hotspot that brings downtown drama to Adelaideโs dining scene. Designed by interiors powerhouse Studio Gram, the room alone is worth the visit, with velvet booths, textural finishes, and eyecatching art.
At the bar, you might start with oysters or โRoman Vegemiteโ toast, which features an umami-rich concoction of anchovy, butter, and lemon, before tucking into housemade pasta or a flame-kissed steak. Splurge on the 270-day grain-fed Black Onyx if youโre feeling celebratory. With a punchy wine list and spot-on service, Fugazzi delivers on both theatre and flavour.
Address: 27โฏLeigh Street, Adelaide, SA 5000
Contact: (08)โฏ7089โฏ0350
Kiin
Kiin is what happens when Thai food goes travelling, comes home with stories, and cooks dinner for its mates. Each year, the owners head back to Thailand for fresh inspo, bringing back flavours that are equal parts nostalgic and next-level. Start with burrata, green nahm jim, and crispy shallots on roti, then move into salads with heat and curries with soul.
Their โCookโs Tour of Thailandโ tasting menu changes regularly and never disappoints. Inside, itโs all natural timber and casual charm, with a bar that pours everything from local drops to sake and spice-friendly cocktails.
Address: 73โฏAngas Street, Adelaide, SA 5000
Contact: (08)โฏ8448โฏ1221
LVN
Set at the iconic Bird in Hand winery in Woodside in the Adelaide Hills, LVN serves up a leisurely, native-forward dรฉgustation that feels more like a weekend ritual than merely a lunch. The seasonal dishes curated by executive chef Jacob Davey and his team are inventive yet effortless: Murray cod with pipis and anise myrtle, wallaby with muntries and macadamia, and a banana-miso ice cream thatโll rewire your dessert brain.
Local and rare-release Bird in Hand wines are poured with quiet confidence by a charming crew, while the sun-drenched dining room โ lined with original art โ strikes a perfect balance between elegance and ease. Just bring a designated driver.
Address: 150โฏPfeiffer Road, Woodside, SA 5244
Contact: (08)โฏ8100โฏ0714
Where To Drink
Small Bar Precinct
Adelaideโs laneway bar scene didnโt just grow โ it exploded. And it all started with a little law change and a lot of ambition. Now, Peel and Leigh Streets hum with character, cocktails, and clever operators. Begin with pintxos and vermouth at Udaberri, then slide into the cosy alpine vibes at Pink Moon Saloon.
Peel St itself is home to stalwarts like Clever Little Tailor and hidden gem Maybe Mae (look for its tiny sign or ask a local). Further afield, sip gins at Hains & Co, or head to La Buvette for a French fix. Feeling niche? Bar Peripheral seats just 12, and leans hard into the experimental.
Pirate Life
Pirate Lifeโs Port Adelaide HQ is more than a brewery โ itโs a beery wonderland housed in an industrial-chic behemoth. With an impressive 24 taps pouring everything from hazy pales to IPAs, plus their recently released nitro draught, there really is something for everyone โ with a crowd-pleasing food menu to match.
Start light with salmon sashimi, then settle into firepit fare like lamb ribs with minted yoghurt and paratha. Vegetarians are catered for too โ a standout dish being the roasted cauliflower with harissa and tarator. Itโs loud, itโs fun, and itโs easy to lose track of time here.
Address: Lotโฏ2 /18โฏBaker Street, Port Adelaide, SA 5015
Contact: (08)โฏ8317โฏ2111
McLaren Vale Wine Region
McLaren Vale is a greatest-hits album of South Australian wine. With nearly 100 cellar doors in close proximity, itโs a region that rewards curiosity (and may require an overnight stay).
At Chalk Hill, try an immersive structured tasting, where wines are matched with music, or refresh your palate with a gin tasting at Never Never next door. Maxwellโs meads are a conversation starter, while dโArenbergโs Cube is a must for architectural types and curious drinkers. Donโt miss historic Wirra Wirra and its famous Church Block, or laid-back Gemtree, where the biodynamic wines are best enjoyed with a cheese board and a deck view.
The Sporting City
Start with the Ashes at Adelaide Oval this December, and book the RoofClimb for bonus views over the city, coast, and hills.
In January, the Santos Tour Down Under brings world-class cycling to South Australiaโs picturesque vineyards, regional towns, and city streets. Golf fans can catch the LIV series in full spectacle mode in February, and in early April the AFL Gather Round turns the whole state into one big footy festival.
If itโs horsepower youโre after, the Adelaide Grand Final (formerly Adelaide 500) delivers noise, speed, and street-party energy come November. Whether youโre trackside or on the sidelines, the cityโs sports calendar is full throttle.
If youโve enjoyed this weekend guide to Adelaide, consider a few more of our favourite stories โ direct from the pages of B.H. Magazine:
- Cabin Core: Cosy Up In These 5 Must-Visit Stays
- The Island That Ruined Me: Three Unforgettable Days In Kokomo
- Heaven Is A Place On Earth: Inside The Worldโs Greatest โPure Golfโ Resort
- Shipping Out: 10 Days Aboard The Worldโs Only Luxury Icebreaker
- An Insiderโs Travel Guide To 96 Hours In Singapore
And while youโre at it, check out Boss Huntingโs other travel guides:
- Your Guide To 72 Hours In Ho Chi Minh City (According To An Expat)
- Boiler Room Veteran DJ DITAโs Guide To Bali
- Horological Hero Justin Hastโs Guide To London
- Menswear Maven Jack Liangโs Guide To Tokyo
- Travel Photographer Derek Tangโs Guide To Hong Kong
- Luxury Connoisseur Andrea Parmegianiโs Guide To Monaco
