Nature and culture for families

Adelaide's cultural heart and its natural backyard are remarkably close together. On North Terrace, the South Australian Museum, the Art Gallery of South Australia and Adelaide Botanic Garden form a family-friendly strip that's easy to reach on the free city tram. Twenty minutes east, the Mount Lofty Ranges offer waterfalls, forest walks and native animals.

The guides in this section help families plan visits to each, with practical details from the venues themselves and ideas for keeping children of different ages engaged.

The guides in this section

• The South Australian Museum with kids: opening hours, the Discovery Centre, accessibility, food and tips by age.
• The Art Gallery of South Australia with kids: free general entry, bags and cloakrooms, photography and games that make art fun for children.
• Adelaide Botanic Garden with kids: free entry, seasonal hours, toilets and baby change, the rules and things to see.
• Hills walks and wildlife: Waterfall Gully, the hike to Mount Lofty Summit, Cleland Wildlife Park and fire danger checks.

Culture on North Terrace

The museum, the gallery and the garden are within a short walk of each other, so you can easily combine them. The museum says it's open daily from 10am to 5pm except Christmas Day and Good Friday. The gallery says it opens 10am to 5pm daily except Christmas Day, with free general entry. The Botanic Garden is free to enter during the day and open every day of the year, with hours that change with daylight saving.

A classic family day: the museum in the morning, a picnic in the garden at lunch, and the gallery or the Bicentennial Conservatory in the afternoon. Mix it up depending on your children's interests and stamina.

Nature in the hills

Waterfall Gully, in Cleland National Park, is free to visit. A short bitumen trail leads to the first falls, and the longer hike to Mount Lofty Summit, about 4.5 kilometres one way, is a classic challenge for fit older kids. Nearby Cleland Wildlife Park, open daily from 9.30am to 5pm (last entry 4.30pm), lets families see native animals; fees apply.

The hills are bushfire country. Parks close on catastrophic fire danger days, and Waterfall Gully may also close on extreme fire danger days. Always check the CFS and park websites in the warmer months.

Making visits work for children

Whether it's a museum or a forest trail, the same principles help:

• Choose a focus rather than trying to see everything.
• Let children lead part of the visit.
• Turn it into a game: a scavenger hunt, an animal checklist or a sketch challenge.
• Plan breaks for snacks and running around.
• Leave on a high, so they want to come back.

Respect and care

Museums, galleries, gardens and national parks all protect things of value, from cultural objects and artworks to rare plants and native wildlife. Explaining the rules, and why they matter, helps children become respectful visitors: look but don't touch the art, stay out of garden beds, keep to trails, don't feed wildlife and take rubbish home.

How to use these guides

Every guide is written in plain English, with practical tips for different ages and a short list of key points at the end. Facts such as opening hours, entry arrangements, transport rules and safety advice come from official sources, listed with links at the bottom of each page. We don't publish ticket prices, because they change often; check each venue's website for current fees.

Find a day out in seconds

Our free day out finder suggests Adelaide ideas based on the weather, your children's ages, how long you have and whether you want free entry only. Each suggestion links to the guide with the details. It runs entirely in your browser.

The essentials for any day out

Whatever you choose, a few checks make the day smoother:

1. Check opening hours and closures on the venue's website.
2. Check the weather and UV Index. Cancer Council Australia recommends sun protection whenever the UV is 3 or above.
3. In the warmer months, check the fire danger rating before heading to the hills; some parks close on catastrophic fire danger days.
4. Plan your transport. Adelaide Metro's free city trams and buses and free travel for under 5s help keep costs down.
5. Pack water, snacks and sun protection.

About these guides

Family Friendly Network is independent. We're not a venue, council, tourism body or government agency, and no venue pays to appear in our guides. Information changes, so always check with the venue before you go. Read more about us and our editorial policy.

Accessibility at a glance

The museum says it is fully wheelchair accessible, with a lift to every level. The gallery says wheelchairs can be borrowed free of charge by booking ahead. The Botanic Garden says it is wheelchair accessible from every gate except the Hackney Gate, with accessible toilets in all five toilet blocks and a Changing Places facility. In the hills, Waterfall Gully has accessible parking spaces and an accessible toilet, though the trails are steep. Check each venue's website for full details before you go.

Where to go next

Our days out guides cover free outings, beaches, parks and rainy days, and our planning guides cover transport, sun and water safety.