Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

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CHAPTER 10 . ADELAIDE & SOUTH AUSTRALIA
1 Adelaide
Adelaide has a reputation as a quieter place than some of the other state capitals
and relishes in the peace of its parklands and surrounding vineyards. In many
ways it’s something of a throwback to the comfortable lifestyle of 1950s Australia—a
lifestyle that the more progressive state capitals have left behind.
Numerous parks and gardens, wide tree-lined streets, the River Torrens running
through its center, sidewalk cafes, colonial architecture, and the churches
help make it a pleasant, open city, perfect for strolling or bicycling.
Though the immigrant population has added a cosmopolitan flair to the
restaurant scene, Adelaide still has a feeling of old England about it. That’s not
surprising when you learn that Adelaide was the only capital settled by English
free settlers rather than convicts, and that it attracted more after World War II,
when Brits flocked here to work in the city’s car and appliance factories.
But it was earlier immigrants, from Germany, who gave Adelaide and the surrounding
area a romantic twist. Arriving as refugees from their religious-torn
country in the 1830s, German immigrants brought with them their winemaking
skills, and established wineries. Today, more than one-third of all Australian
wine—including some of the world’s best—comes from areas mostly within an
hour’s drive from Adelaide. As a result, Adelaidians of all socio-economic groups
are more versed in wine than even the French and regularly compare vintages,
wine-growing regions, and winemaking trends.
Any time of the year is a good time to visit Adelaide, though May through
August can be chilly and January and February hot.
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE By Plane Qantas (& 13 13 13 in Australia; www.
qantas.com.au) flies to Adelaide from the other major state capitals. Virgin Blue
(& 13 67 89 in Australia) flies direct from Melbourne with connections from
other state capitals and some major towns. Check their Internet site for cheap
deals. Adelaide International Airport is 5km (3 miles) west of the city center.
Major car-rental companies (Avis, Budget, Hertz, and Thrifty) have desks in both
the international and domestic terminals.
The Skylink (& 08/8332 0528; www.coachaust.com.au) connects the airport
with major hotels and the rail and bus stations. On weekdays, buses leave the terminals
at 30-minute intervals from 5:30am to 9:30pm, and on weekends and
public holidays hourly (on the half-hour). Adult tickets are A$7 (US$4.55) oneway,
A$12 (US$7.80) return. Childrens’ tickets cost A$2.50 (US$1.60) each way.
By Taxi A taxi to the city will cost around A$17 (US$11).
By Train The Keswick Interstate Rail Passenger Terminal, located 2km (1 1 ⁄4
miles) west of the city center, is Adelaide’s main railway station. The terminal has
a small snack bar and a cafe.
Call Great Southern Railways (& 13 21 47 in Australia, or 08/8213 4530)
for information and bookings for all trains described below, or check out the
timetables and fares on their website (www.gsr.com.au).
One of the great trains of Australia, the Indian Pacific transports passengers
from Sydney to Adelaide (trip time: 28 hr.) and from Perth to Adelaide (trip time:
36 hr.) twice a week on Monday and Thursday. Tickets from Sydney to Adelaide
are A$570 (US$370) for adults and A$445 (US$289) for children in first class;
A$450 (US$292) for adults and A$325 (US$211) for children in an economy
sleeper; and A$227 (US$148) for adults and A$109 (US$71) for children in