Things to do in Port Adelaide, South Australia

Looking for the best things to do in Port Adelaide? As a local who’s spent most of my life here, I’ve watched this historic port town evolve from a quiet corner of Adelaide into one of the city’s most up-and-coming destinations.

Whether you’re here for a river cruise, the markets, the rich maritime history, or simply a good coffee by the river, there’s always something new to experience.

And let’s not forget the local footy team – loved by some, hated by others – but always a hot topic around here!

Port Adelaide offers a mix of old-world charm and modern energy, with art spaces, street culture, and history all waiting to be explored.

In this guide, I’ll take you through the top things to do in this vibrant suburb, whether you’re a first-time visitor or a fellow local looking for new adventures.

Let’s see why Port Adelaide is fast becoming a must-visit spot.

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Best Things to do in Port Adelaide

Port Adelaide can be found in the north-western suburbs of Adelaide. It’s a historic area with the first settlers arriving in 1837 when it was serving as the Adelaide port for South Australia.

With shipping containerisation in the 60’s, the working port has moved to Outer Harbor, with the inner port now reserved for small boats and water sports.

Port Adelaide is traditionally a working-class area, and is currently undergoing a transformation.

There are many new cafes and restaurants, with Quest Apartments recently opening a new location here and the infrastructure for visitors is improving all the time.

Now is a great time to find out what is happening in The Port. Here are all of the best Port Adelaide attractions to keep you busy.

South Australian Maritime Museum

The most well-known of the Port Adelaide museums is the Maritime Museum. With the history of the area, this is no surprise.

On entry to the museum, the first thing you see is a full-size replica of a ketch that was locally built in 1873.

From there you make your way through a display showcasing the Australian Navy before moving on to information on the local dolphins that live in the Port River.

Downstairs in the basement is all about the boats that brought people to Australia, from the first ships to those in the 1950s and 60s. There are replicas of some of the cabins so you can experience the cabin sizes for yourself.

Down here are also computers you can use to search passenger lists for your ancestors if you know they came to South Australia by boat.

I liked that the original features of the old building are still on display, with exposed beams and rough walls.

The top floor was predominantly local information. Local boatbuilding is showcased with memorabilia from those companies.

There are local photographs, and even a small jetty, showing the changes to the port and coastal areas.

Every second Sunday, the Maritime Museum runs small boat tours on the Archie Badenoch. Find all the details on their website here.

Adult entry to the museum is $22.50 with concession and family tickets also available

Torrens Island Quarantine Station Tour

When it comes to things to do Port Adelaide has some unique options. Torrens Island sits in the Port River and its island status made it the perfect location for a quarantine station.

Back in 1879, some new arrivals to South Australia were sent here to isolate to keep the colony free from Smallpox.

Exactly 100 years later, Smallpox was declared eradicated, and the quarantine station was shut done.

At the time, the buildings were pretty much just locked up and everyone walked away, meaning they are incredibly well preserved. Today many of the buildings have state heritage listings.

I was able to do the tour in 2021, and I was amazed at the similarities (and differences) between the Smallpox quarantine and Covid quarantine.

The two-hour tour to the quarantine station is run periodically (usually in the cooler months) by the South Australian Maritime Museum. Tickets can be booked online in advance or by calling the museum.

Click here for more details and to book

National Railway Museum

If you are looking for what to do in Port Adelaide with kids then this is it. The National Railway Museum is on Lipson Street, a short walk down from St Vincent Street.

It is home to over 100 different exhibits. Amongst those are many old locomotives and carriages previously used by the South Australian Railways, and also some from other companies interstate.

There are other smaller displays on almost anything related to the railways, including wartime displays, the travelling circus, and women in railways.

There are display boards and ticket counters previously used at the Adelaide Railway Station. Everywhere you look there are historical artifacts, from whole stations to signs and signals.

The model railway fans will enjoy a display showing the different areas of the state and the trains that ran on them, and a miniature train ride is available throughout the day doing laps of the entire site which the kids will love.

Even for the non-train enthusiast, the $17AUD entry fee is well worth it.

Take a Dolphin Cruise on the Port River

Discover the Port River’s beauty and history by joining the Port River Cruises for a 90-minute dolphin cruise.

See the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary, the International Garden Island Bird Sanctuary, and the shipwreck graveyard. Spot some Port River dolphins, one of the few metropolitan dolphin pods globally.

The cruises operate throughout the year and offer a great weekend activity in Port Adelaide. During the warmer months, there is the occasional twilight cruise too.

Port River Cruises now has two boats, and you can look out for special themed cruises, such as the Kaurna Cultural Cruise, and entertainment cruises.

South Australian Aviation Museum

This is one of the least known Port Adelaide tourist attractions. Right next to the Railway Museum is the Aviation Museum.

Housed in a relocated WWII hangar the museum is home to approximately 15 aircraft.

You can’t help but notice the impressive F-111 as soon as you walk in, but there are many other planes of various sizes throughout the building.

Some of the planes are roped off, but there are extra guided tours that can be purchased to get inside them and hear about the history of that particular plane.

There are also many displays of various items to do with flight, from information on the rocket program at Woomera to the mail runs in country Australia.

There are homemade planes, various propellors and engines pulled apart to show how they work. I particularly enjoyed seeing the old passenger planes. They may have been less luxurious, but they had so much legroom!

A nice touch around the displays is some seating areas. The seats appear to be airport waiting area seats.

I meant to ask on my way out if they had come from the old Adelaide airport when the new one was opened, but it completely slipped my mind. I will have to ask on my next visit.

Visit The One & All

It’s been years since I have been on The One and All sailing ship, but it’s a fantastic way to experience a little of the romance of the sailing era.

The One and All is a recent build (1987) in the style of the tall ships of bygone days but with modern safety features.

Climbing up the mast while the boat was rocking on calm seas was an experience. I can’t imagine trying to climb it in rough seas with no harness!

Based at Dock 2 (Honey Street), there are various tours and sailing opportunities, from 2 hours to multi-day trips.

Please head over to their website to see all the options and prices.

Embark on a Walking Tour to Discover Port Adelaide

Join Flamboyance Tours’ knowledgeable guide, Katina, as she leads you through the streets of Port Adelaide.

This tour offers a glimpse into the area’s past, including its previous name, “Port Misery,” and its questionable maritime history.

Discover why Port Adelaide boasts a pub on every corner and perhaps hear a spooky ghost tale or two.

Along the way, you’ll see some of the street art that has recently adorned the walls, and the tour ends with a drink at one of the local pubs.

City of Adelaide Clipper Tour

The City of Adelaide is the oldest surviving clipper ship in the world.

While it has previously been sitting on the wharf in Port Adelaide it has now been moved to its forever home at Dock 2, just the other side of the Tom Diver Derrick Bridge.

The City of Adelaide was constructed in 1864 and did 23 journeys from London to Adelaide carrying passengers and goods.

It was eventually left languishing in a shipyard in England until a group of volunteers were able to bring it back to its namesake city in 2014.

It’s now possible to do tours of the ship to learn more about it and its history with all funds from the tours going straight towards the restoration. Click through to the website to see current times and prices.

Street Art Walking Tour

Your Port Adelaide sightseeing would not be complete without checking out some of the amazing street art, absolutely the best of the free things to do in Port Adelaide.

The suburb was the host of the Wonderwalls Festival since 2015. There are now more than 50 large pieces of artwork scattered throughout the area from some well-known local and international artists.

Even passing through you cannot miss some of the pieces as they take up the whole sides of a seven-story building. Others are hiding down back alleyways, in side streets, and some are even inside buildings.

The Our Port website has a downloadable map showing where each mural is located. For more photos, see my Street Art of Port Adelaide post here.

Port Adelaide Ghost Crime Tour

I’m throwing this one in here even though I haven’t had the chance to test it out for myself yet because I have heard great things about it.

As one of the oldest suburbs in the state, there is no surprise that Port Adelaide has a myriad of stories of murder and mayhem.

The Port Adelaide Ghost Crime Tour is taking people around after dark and telling you about some of these stories and pointing out some of the locations where the local ghosts are said to still hang out.

The tours are mostly run on Saturday nights, but occasionally there are other dates (like Halloween) available too.

If you have done one of these ghost tours, I’d love to hear how it was.

Portobello River Cruiser

This one has only just started up. I haven’t given it a go yet, but the reviews are great and I wanted to include it here so my readers can plan for a visit during summer.

The river cruiser is what can only be described as an upmarket floating picnic table, to allow you to dine and float around the Port River.

Imagine enjoying dinner during a beautiful sunset with dolphins swimming just metres from you. Food is supplied by the local Portobello restaurant. Find more details and bookings over on the website.

Do a Pub Crawl

Port Adelaide has at least ten operating pubs in a very small area. Many of them are in heritage buildings and have been operating for well over one hundred years.

Pirate Life Brewing has also moved its local operations to Port Adelaide as the craft beer scene takes off in the area. They have an amazing venue great not only for beer tasting but often there are live events there too.

Also check out the newly renovated and reopened Port Admiral Hotel on the corner of St Vincent St and Commercial Road, or enjoy a relaxing drink in the sun a bit further up the road at the First Commercial Hotel. 

With hotels on almost every corner, you will be spoilt for choice.

Or a Bar Hop

If you prefer a dark and sultry bar rather than a pub, there are a few of them dotted throughout the Port too.

A personal favourite is Fossils Wine Bar, but you can also enjoy Studio 99 Art and Whisky, Second Shot Espresso Martini or Captain Rehab’s.

The new kid on the block is 10 Gallon Hat, serving craft beers and cocktails in a dimly lit venue with a Texan saloon vibe.

Cafes and Restaurants

Port Adelaide is getting more and more cafes and restaurants. The older places are refurbishing, and new places are opening.

The dining is spilling out onto the sidewalks so that the diners can enjoy the atmosphere. It is possible to find almost any food type, with some vegan options too.

My favourite is The Banksia Tree, a cafe that makes arguably the best breakfast – and coffee – in Adelaide.

This area is also starting to blossom with boutiques, so if a little shopping is on your list, it’s great to wander after your meal.

During your Port Adelaide visit check out the new Port Adelaide Plaza shopping centre. There are a whole pile of great restaurants and cafes here too.

Take a Self-Guided Walking Tour

The best way to get to know any area is to walk the streets and soak up the atmosphere. Rather than just wander aimlessly, download the Visit Port Adelaide app on your smartphone or call in to the Visitor Information Centre and pick up a map to show you the way.

The tours on offer include Walk the Port, which covers a bit of everything, then specialty tours for the street art, craft beer, heritage sites, an environmental trail, all the anchors in the area, or even the ghosts of the Port.

Most walks range from 45 minutes to 2 hours – although my guess is the craft beer tour could take a lot longer!

Things to Do Close to Port Adelaide

While technically not right in the heart of Port Adelaide, these activities still reflect the spirit of the area and are worth consindering when you are there.

Visit the Port Adelaide Football Club

Okay, I might be slightly biased as a one-eyed Port Adelaide fan, but even if you’re not, you may like to call into the clubrooms in neighbouring Alberton to take a look through the museum dedicated to one of the oldest Australian Rules football clubs in the country.

Visiting the museum is one of the free things to do in Port Adelaide, where you can browse over 150-years of memoribilia, premiership cups, photos and even a replica locker room.

Guided tours through the museum are run every second Friday, a great way to hear some of the stories from a passionate volunteer.

While here at Alberton, you can grab a drink or a meal at the Precinct and perhaps watch the players training. You might even be able to watch the AFLW girls play a match here (the boys play at Adelaide Oval).

Kayak in the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary

I went kayaking in the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary on one of those windy days where rain is threatening. I got soaking wet, my hands were frozen, we didn’t see the dolphins – and I had the best time!

This was such a fun thing to do if you enjoy getting out on the water. We kayaked through ancient mangrove tunnels, saw carcasses in the ship’s graveyard and eagerly searched for a fin through the waves.

Luckily I live nearby and regularly see the dolphins, so that wasn’t a deal-breaker. It was all about an awesome couple of hours out on the water.

Hit the Beach

While Port Adelaide itself sits on the sheltered Port River, it is just minutes from the beach.

While there are a few nearby choices, my recommendation is Semaphore where you will find a great foreshore area with a playground, cafe, carousel and a small steam train that runs on weekends and school holidays.

The adjacent Semaphore Road offers a strip of restaurants and cafes, boutique stores, even an old time cinema to retreat too (with the best choc tops in Adelaide!) when it gets too hot on the beach.

Getting to Port Adelaide

Catching the train from the main train station in Adelaide is the best way to get to Port Adelaide.

With the opening of the new Port Dock station, there are now two ways to get to Port Adelaide by train.

My recommendation is to catch the Port Dock train from Adelaide Railway Station as that will have you alighting closer to many of the attractions and the wharf.

The Port Adelaide station is on the Outer Harbor line and is best if you want to visit the Port Plaza Shopping Centre first.

If you accidentally get on the wrong train, don’t worry, the stations are less than 10 minutes walk apart.

It will take about twenty minutes to get from the city to Port Adelaide and cost no more than $5.90AUD each way.

Buses are also available from the city centre or from other suburban hubs.

For more information on Adelaide public transport please go to Adelaide Metro. If you want to drive or catch a taxi then it will take about twenty minutes from the city. There is plenty of free parking in the area.

More Things to do at Port Adelaide

When visiting Port Adelaide what to do can be hard to decide. It is easy to spend a whole day just exploring the streets. If you are looking for more information on Port Adelaide tourism visit the Port Adelaide Visitor Information Centre at 66 Commercial Rd for all your sightseeing needs.

Port Adelaide Accommodation

As mentioned the opening of the Quest Apartments right on the waterfront now provides a fantastic option for a place to stay when you visit Port Adelaide.

If your budget doesn’t quite stretch to that, then there is also the Port Adelaide BackPackers just across the other side of the car park.

Venturing slightly further up the road, right on the beachfront is the Largs Pier Hotel. You get a touch of years gone by in their beautiful big rooms. Enjoy a bottle of local wine on the balcony as the sun sinks into the sea.

Read more about where to stay in Port Adelaide here

Looking for more places to visit in South Australia? Read these posts for ideas
Things to Do in Adelaide
Things to Do in Victor Harbor for a Weekend
Things to Do in Mount Gambier, South Australia

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Want even more? – I have created a Facebook Group to answer any questions you may have about travel in South Australia. We can help with any queries you have, make further suggestions and provide the latest information. Click here to join now.

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