As part of our 6-week road trip around Australia, we stayed for five nights in Adelaide in South Australia before picking up our hire car and heading to Melbourne via the Great Ocean Road.
We discovered that Glenelg was the most popular beach in Adelaide and that a 35-minute tram ride would take us from the CBD (Central Business District) to the coast – what more could we want! After a two-night train journey to get to Adelaide aboard The Ghan, one of the world’s most famous trains, and then one night on Kangaroo Island, we were a bit shattered and were ready for some beach time.
If like me, you are from the UK, you might think of Glenelg, near to the Isle of Skye in Scotland, when you hear the name of this Aussie beach, and you would be right to make a connection. The area was established in 1836 and named after Lord Glenelg, a British Cabinet member and Secretary of State for War and the Colonies, making Glenelg the oldest European settlement on mainland South Australia.
Now we knew a bit about its history, we wanted to know what to do in Glenelg once we got there. We had researched that Glenelg was renowned for its long, sandy beach, stunning sunsets, rich heritage, and buzzing beach vibe, and so we set off to see for ourselves if it lived up to the hype.
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Table of Contents
Our Tram Journey from Adelaide
Our base in Adelaide was the Miller Apartments, and lucky for us the Rundle tram stop was just around the corner by Rundle Mall, Adelaide’s main shopping street. We hopped aboard the tram (they come every 15 minutes) and disembarked at stop 17 Moseley Square, right by the beach.
We chose to go in the afternoon as we wanted to be at the beach to witness one of Southern Australia’s incredible sunsets, but you can easily spend a whole day there.
An Alternative Journey to the Beach
If you love cycling and want to see more of the beautiful route between Adelaide and Glenelg, then a dedicated bike tour is the answer.
Arriving at Glenelg Beach
Our first stop was to grab an ice cream because it was hot, hot, hot! Once we had devoured it, we walked from the tram stop towards the beach and came to a centenary memorial for the founding of South Australia. Flanked by palm trees and bathed in sunshine – this was the Australia we had been expecting.
Our first impression of Glenelg was “WOW”. The sandy beach went on forever, and the sea was blue, clear and shallow, perfect for a swim. Sadly, we had forgotten our swimsuits in our haste to pack rucksacks with water, sunblock, sandwiches, cameras etc.
To be truthful, we were pretty nervous by the thought of swimming in Australia in case a member of the “Jaws” family decided they wanted a mouthful of pale English flesh, but now we were at the beach, we were disappointed we couldn’t go in the water.
I later discovered that the beaches around Glenelg usually have low waves and a continuous shallow bar offering safe swimming for all the family.
Instead of jumping into the water, we wandered along the foreshore on a quest to find some shade. If you have been to Australia, the temperatures there need no explanation; but if you haven’t, just imagine that there is someone following you around with a hairdryer on full heat – yes, it is that hot!
Heritage Homes in Glenelg
So with our water and fruit to cool us down, we sat under a huge tree, and people watched (one of my favourite hobbies!) before continuing our walk as far as The Broadway Kiosk, a beachfront cafe.
We were pleasantly surprised to see several historic houses along the way, as there are a lot of hotels in Glenelg that are high-rise, so to see these heritage properties full of character and charm was lovely.
One property was called Stormont, and on further research, I discovered it was built in 1886 and by 2010 was valued as the most expensive property in South Australia, fetching around $6.5 million at that time!
A second property was called the Albert Hall (not sure if there’s any connection to the one in London) and had a ballroom that would hold 100 people in its heyday – they certainly knew how to entertain in the 1900s!
If you want to find more out about the history and heritage of Glenelg and the surrounding area, then a visit to the Bay Discovery Centre, located inside the Town Hall, is a good idea.
Things to do in Glenelg
There are plenty of things to do in Glenelg and the other beaches in Adelaide. A 10km walk will take you to Seacliff beach (we decided this wasn’t for us if we wanted to make it through the day without turning into lobsters), you can fish off the jetty or take part in a variety of watersports. And, if travelling with children, then The Beachouse is one of the most popular family attractions in Glenelg.
We took a 5-minute stroll from Moseley Square to the Marina during our trip. The Marina overlooks Holdfast Bay and is home to luxurious boats and high-end seafood restaurants. If you are into sailing, this is an excellent place to wander.
Time for Cocktails on the Beach
The Moseley Beach Club had just opened for business when we turned up in the early evening, and this beachside bar/cafe with its loungers, umbrellas and sea view was just the place to grab a beer and burger while we waited for the sun to set. Its position right by the iconic Glenelg Jetty meant we could start watching the sun go down from our loungers and then wander along to the end of the wooden jetty to catch the finale.
The Moseley was buzzing and full of young and beautiful Australians. For those of you that are following the blog posts of my epic round the world trip, you will know that I was travelling with my 18-year-old son and so for him being in a beach bar that was playing loud pumping music with his 50-something mum probably wasn’t great for his street cred!
Needless to say, after sharing a few Corona beers, we had a lot of laughs, and once the “sunset” crowd started to arrive, we headed off to witness the sun setting from the jetty.
Sensational Glenelg Sunsets
I had heard about the phenomenal sunsets in Australia and was expecting great things from the natural light show I was about to witness. A big crowd had gathered at the end of the jetty, and we managed to nudge ourselves through to the front – let’s face it, I hadn’t come to the other side of the world not to get some good sunset photographs!
We stood watching the fireball in the sky change from yellow to burnt orange to gold and slipped our sunglasses on so we wouldn’t be blinded by its intensity. The mutterings about Australian sunsets were all true – this one was amazing. We watched as a sailboat passed through the last bolts of sunlight which had lit up the water like a flame.
Gasps of ooh’s and ahhs from the people around us all mimicked how we were feeling, and as the last of the sun’s brilliance departed the horizon, the crowd let out a cheer and started clapping as if this had been somehow set up purely for our pleasure.
It did make me laugh but, at the same time, made me feel quite emotional. We had witnessed the beauty and power of our first Australian sunset and would never forget its magnificence.
Fun Things to Do in Glenelg
Fun Things to Do in Adelaide
Want to Stay in Glenelg?
If you are heading to Adelaide but think that you would prefer to stay by the beach, then there is a good range of accommodation in Glenelg, including:
Premium – The Stamford Grand boasts 220 luxury rooms and suites with either magnificent ocean views or stunning Adelaide Hills views.
Mid-Range – Oaks Glenelg Plaza Pier Suites with an indoor swimming pool and by the beach.
Budget – Ensenada Motor Inn and Suites is a one-minute walk to the beach and gets good reviews.
Want to Eat and Shop in Glenelg?
There’s only one place to head, and that is the Jetty Road retail precinct. It is almost one km long, and the Glenelg tram line runs along its length, with stops at either end and in the middle. Here, you will find shops, restaurants, and coffee shops to suit all tastes and budgets.
Check out the Best Restaurants in Glenelg on TripAdvisor
I hope you have enjoyed reading about our adventures. If you have any comments on this post please take a moment to leave them below and I will reply to each and every one.
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