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Just 40 minutes from the city, the Adelaide Hills is where a wine region, storybook towns and rolling green ridgelines all sit within an easy drive of each other. Whether you're planning a day out, a weekend away or hunting for a gift that gives someone a reason to explore, this is a corner of South Australia worth building a story around. Browse things to do in the Adelaide Hills, from cellar doors and cheese boards to hilltop high teas, give someone a day they'll still be talking about long after.
The Adelaide Hills sits in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges, a patchwork of cool-climate vineyards and heritage towns like Hahndorf, Stirling, Mount Barker and Lobethal. It's close enough for a spontaneous day trip and pretty enough to stretch into a whole weekend. RedBalloon has plenty of ways to fill it, whether you live nearby or you're passing through.
An Adelaide Hills experience also makes a genuinely good gift. Instead of another thing to unwrap, you're handing someone a day in one of South Australia's prettiest regions. Perfect for a birthday, an anniversary, or just because they've earned it.
The Adelaide Hills built its name on cool climate wine, and tasting it at the source is the whole point. Settle in at Golding Winery with a hamper in the Hills, or pour something sparkling with a Croser Sparkling Wine Tasting and Seasonal Platter for Two. Prefer spirits? Blend your own gin with a tour and tasting and walk away with a bottle that's entirely yours. Browse more wine tastings and winery tours across the region.
Food is half the reason people keep coming back. Book a table for a Saturday Date Night with a Three Course Dinner and Cocktails for Two, or turn lunch into an event with a Cocktail Masterclass and Lunch in the Adelaide Hills. For something you can pack up and take into the vines, the All-Inclusive Mystery Picnic with Wine sends you on a self-guided hunt with lunch waiting along the way. Hungry for more? Explore food tasting and tours.
Hahndorf is Australia's oldest surviving German settlement, and its main street still leans into that heritage with timber facades, bakeries and artisan producers. It's an easy, walkable base for the region. From here you're minutes from the vineyards, the cheese sheds and the produce that made the Hills famous. Line up a tasting, a long lunch or a slow wander down the main street, and you've got a full day sorted.
The Hills aren't just for grazing. Get the heart rate up with a Rock Climbing, Zipline and Mega Swing Experience, meet native residents at Gorge Wildlife Park, or let the kids loose at Woodhouse Adventure Park with a full day pass. See the whole range of outdoor activities.
If one day isn't enough, stay the night. Tuck into a 1 Night CABN Hahndorf Getaway for Two for something off-grid and quiet, or go all out with a Two Night Sequoia Lodge All-Inclusive Package. More options in getaways.
It's a 40 to 60 minute drive from the Adelaide CBD, and Hahndorf is closer to 20 minutes, so a car is easiest. Regular buses also run from the city to the main towns. Prefer to leave the driving to someone else? A few RedBalloon experiences include transfers, so you can taste freely and get home safely.
Once the Hills are booked, keep the state on your list. There's plenty more to discover across South Australia, from the Barossa Valley to McLaren Vale and the Fleurieu Peninsula, or head further out to the Flinders Ranges and Kangaroo Island.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best things to do in the Adelaide Hills?
The Adelaide Hills is best known for cool-climate wine, artisan food and heritage towns. Popular options include cellar-door tastings, cheese and beer paddles, cooking classes and hilltop high teas. A High Tea at Mount Lofty Estate pairs the food with sweeping views over the ranges.
What are the best things to do in Hahndorf?
Hahndorf rewards a slow pace: walk the historic main street, sample local produce, and settle in for a tasting. The nearby Grunthal Beer Paddle and Udder Delights Cheese Tasting for Two is a local favourite, and the Grunthal Gin Tasting for Two is an easy add-on.
What are the best things to do in Mount Lofty?
Mount Lofty is the high point of the ranges, famous for its lookout and the summit views across Adelaide. It's an easy pairing with a leisurely lunch or high tea nearby, then a short drive to the surrounding cellar doors and wildlife parks.
What are the best day trips in the Adelaide Hills?
A classic Hills day trip mixes a cellar door, a long lunch and a scenic drive. Add a hands-on element like a Sticky Rice Mystery Cooking Class in Stirling to break up the eating and drinking.
What are the top attractions in the Adelaide Hills?
Top draws include the Mount Lofty Summit, Hahndorf's historic main street, the cellar doors, and local wildlife parks. To meet native animals up close, a Horse Trail Ride and Tasting Experience at Petaluma combines scenery with time in the saddle.
What are the best towns to visit in the Adelaide Hills?
Hahndorf is best known for its German heritage, while Stirling, Aldgate, Lobethal and Mount Barker each have their own character, markets and cafes. They're all within a short drive of one another, so it's easy to see several in a day.
What are the best wineries to visit in the Adelaide Hills?
The Hills is celebrated for Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and sparkling. Boutique cellar doors are the highlight, and a relaxed Picnic Experience at Longview Vineyard for Two lets you enjoy the wine with the view.
What are the best things to do in the Adelaide Hills in winter?
Winter suits the Hills perfectly, with open fires, cool-climate reds and cosy long lunches. It's also a good time to slow down with something restorative like a Luxurious Wellness Massage including Bubbles.
What are the best family-friendly activities in the Adelaide Hills?
Families are well catered for, with wildlife parks, adventure playgrounds and plenty of open space. For a calmer, hands-on outing, a Jurlique Farm Aromatherapy Masterclass is a gentle way to spend a couple of hours together.