Fun Things To Do At Glenelg Beach, Adelaide

As part of our six-week road trip around Australia, we stayed for five nights in Adelaide, South Australia, before picking up our hire car and heading from Adelaide 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 to discover all the best Glenelg attractions - what more could we want?

After a two-night train journey 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, and Glenelg Beach was high on my list of Adelaide must-dos.

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The History of Glenelg

If, like me, you are from the UK, you might think of Glenelg, near 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, so we decided to see if it lived up to the hype.

Our Tram Journey From The City Centre To The Beach

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 (it comes 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.

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. The impressive landmark was flanked by palm trees and bathed in sunshine. This was the Australia we had been dreaming about!

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, and cameras.

To be truthful, we were pretty nervous about swimming in Australia in case a "Jaws" family member decided they wanted a mouthful of pale English flesh.

It happens, but not daily, so we would have been okay - hopefully! Nevertheless, without costumes, we had to be content watching others cool off in the ocean.

One of the best things to do in Glenelg is to spend time on the beach. I later discovered that the beaches in Glenelg usually have low waves and a continuous shallow bar that offers safe swimming for all the family.

Instead of jumping into the water, we wandered along the foreshore, hoping to find some shade. If you have been to Australia, the temperatures there need no explanation, but if you haven't, imagine that someone is 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 surprised to see several heritage homes along the way. Many hotels in Glenelg are high-rises, so it was lovely to see these heritage properties full of character and charm. Australia has quite a few of these heritage homes dotted about, and we had seen similar smaller ones in Port Fairy and Hobart.

One property was called Stormont. 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!

A second property was called the Albert Hall (I'm not sure if there's any connection to the one in London). In its heyday, it had a ballroom that could hold 100 people—they certainly knew how to entertain in the 1900s!

If you want to learn more about the history and heritage of Glenelg and the surrounding area, visit the Bay Discovery Centre, located inside the Town Hall.

Best Things to Do in Glenelg

There are plenty of things to do in Glenelg and the other beaches in Adelaide.

Visit Seacliff Beach

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 participate in a variety of watersports.

Have fun at The Beachouse

If you're travelling with kids, the Glenelg water park, The Beachouse, is one of Glenelg's most popular family attractions.

Dine in Holdfast Bay

During our trip, we took a 5-minute stroll from Moseley Square to the Marina. 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 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 who 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. 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 expected 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 talk about Australian sunsets was 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 oohs 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 made me laugh but, at the same time, made me feel quite emotional. We witnessed the beauty and power of our first Australian sunset and will never forget its magnificence.

If you want to see the sunset from the water, you can book a catamaran sunset cruise with drinks.

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 has an indoor swimming pool and is by the beach.

Mid-Range - Tender Is The Stay, a luxury designer 2-bedroomed property close to 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: the Jetty Road retail precinct. It is almost one kilometre 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.

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