It’s going to be bigger than James Tedesco’s two-try performance in last year’s epic State of Origin decider. Experience sporting history in the making when the 40th Holden State of Origin kicks off at Adelaide Oval on June 3. Witness one of Australia’s greatest sporting rivalries at one of the country’s best sports venues as the NRL’s best players converge on Adelaide Oval to battle it out for State of Origin bragging rights. Mark Wednesday, 3 June in your diary, grab your tickets, don your team colours and get ready to roar until your hoarse at this epic showdown. Here’s what you need to know and how to make the most of your time in South Australia.
Where to stay
Looking for somewhere to stay near the big game? Take your pick of the best hotels in Adelaide from five-star luxury to boutique and budget hotels and be in the midst of the action. Check into the luxurious Mayfair Hotel, classic InterContinental or contemporary Pullman Hotel, unpack, and start exploring, everything is all so accessible. Check out our guide to Adelaide’s best hotels and start planning.
Top 5 reasons to stay longer
With so much to see and do on Adelaide’s doorstep, there are countless reasons to come to South Australia and cheer on your team. After the game, visit world-famous wine regions, come face-to-face with the kings of the ocean, eat at Australia’s best restaurant or pull up a seat at one of Adelaide’s buzzing bars. Here’s our top things to do while in Adelaide for the 2020 Holden State of Origin series.
1. Discover Adelaide’s booming bar scene
Need a drink to settle the pregame nerves or looking for somewhere for post-game celebrations? With small speak-easy style bars tucked under the streets, swanky watering holes perched above the city skyline, laneways packed with cocktail lounges and quirky bars hidden behind unassuming walls, Adelaide’s bar scene is booming. Sip your way around the laneways of Leigh St, Peel St and Gilbert Place or drink in the boozy goodness of Adelaide’s east end. Our top spots for a tipple or two include Hains & Co, Maybe Mae, Udaberri, BRKLYN or NOLA. For more bar inspiration, check out our guide to the best hidden bars in Adelaide.
Hungry? Home to Australia’s official best restaurant and a plethora or dining options within walking distance of Adelaide Oval, fuel up before or after the game with our guide to the best restaurants in Adelaide.
2. Experience Roofclimb Adelaide Oval
Discover where they keep the best seats in the house and see Adelaide Oval from every angle. After building one of the top sports stadiums in the country, it seems only natural to add even more excitement with RoofClimb Adelaide Oval – where punters can clamber over the billowing rooftops of the spectacular grandstands. Equally spectacular – the views, be it during the day or at twilight.
3. Sip your way through Adelaide’s craft breweries
If you love craft beer, South Australia has you covered. With more than 20 microbreweries across the state, there’s no shortage of freshly made ales, lagers and stouts to satisfy thirsty hopheads. Just minutes from the city, sip brews in historic Port Adelaide at Pirate Life or road trip to the Adelaide Hills’ Prancing Pony Brewery in Mount Barker;Australia’s only fire brewery where beer is brewed on an open flame. Need to keep everyone happy? Head for Lot 100, a collaborative cellar door for Adelaide Hills Cider, Mismatch Brewing, Vinteloper wines, Adelaide Hills Distillery, Ashton Valley Fresh juices, underpinned by an incredible restaurant. Check out our guide to some of the best microbreweries and craft brewers in South Australia for more hoppy-goodness.
4. Tee-off at one of Adelaide’s best golf courses
Home to five Great Golf Courses of Australia and the only golf club in the world that has reciprocal rights with St Andrews in Scotland, the grass is definitely greener in Adelaide. With stunning city clubs a stone’s throw from Adelaide Oval, it’s easy to putt your way to perfection before the big game. Start at gorgeous city clubs before caddying to world-famous coastal, hills and Outback courses. Here’s our guide to the best golf courses in Adelaide.
5. Tackle AFL Max
Love your AFL as much as the NRL? Get a double-dose of footy and head for the brand-spanking-new AFL Max, the perfect way for football-fanatic families to burn off a bit of energy. Developed by some of the biggest names in the game, explore seven zones at the huge sports and entertainment hub with AFL-themed jumping zones, climbing walls, tackling courses, virtual reality experiences and even an AFL draft-testing facility. AFL Max is the only centre of its kind in Australia and is just 15 minutes west from the city at Adelaide Airport. If you’re looking for more family-friendly things to do while in Adelaide, we have you covered.
6. Day trip to world-famous wine regions
With more than 200 cellar doors on its doorstep, Adelaide is the wine capital of Australia and the best news is, it’s all so accessible. You can head to the Barossa and drink the official world’s best wine and be back in the afternoon in time for the game. Or head down the road to the Adelaide Hills, known for its cool climate wines, and sip Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with jaw-dropping views to match. The world-renowned wines of McLaren Vale and Clare Valley are just a stone’s throw away, too. Here’s our guide to South Australia’s wine regions.
7. Shark cage diving on the Eyre Peninsula
Got a few days up your sleeve? Make the most of your visit to South Australia and explore the Eyre Peninsula, home to pristine beaches, fantastic food and wine, abundant wildlife and the only place in Australia where you can come face-to-face with Great White Sharks in their natural environment. A quick 50-minute flight from Adelaide to Port Lincoln will put you in prime-position for an adventurous shark cage diving expedition. Growing up to seven metres long and weighing more than 3000 kilograms, come tooth-to-tooth with these impressive animals on a full day boat charter to locations otherwise inaccessible with Adventure Bay Charters, Calypso Star Charters or Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions. For those not wanting to get wet, Adventure Bay Charters offers prime viewing of the underwater action from the safety of a glass aqua-sub. Here’s 10 other amazing things to experience on the Eyre Peninsula.
Make the most of your Adelaide adventure
If you’ve only got a couple of days in Adelaide, here’s our guide to what to experience in 48 hours
