I’ve had about enough of this never-ending winter. It’s been a doozy, don’t you think? So let’s pop “down under” for a holiday in a more suitable locale. Because I’ve been staring at gray snow clumps for what feels like a year and a half and Adelaide always looks gorgeous in pitctures. Let’s go!

I have long felt called to Australia as a vacation destination. I would love to travel on the Indian Pacific Rail from Perth to Sydney or stay in the television set turned B&B McLeod farm house. (Oh, you haven’t watched all 7 seasons of McLeod’s Daughters on Netflix? The hit Aussie drama that chronicles the lives of girl farmers on an all girl-run farm? Get on it!) Not everyone shares my passion for trains and agro-soap-operas though, so let’s explore a computer screen vacay in Adelaide, South Australia.

Where should we stay?

I think for this visit we want a quiet place to relax and really feel like locals. So let’s skip the normal hotel route and stay away from the city centre. Adelaide has lovely historic cottages and they love a good outdoor space (porches, verandas, courtyards). We definitely want to be able to have brekky and a cuppa outside in a sunbeam and perhaps toast the twinkling stars at days end.

This cottage looks traditional on the outside while sleek and modern on the inside. I love the white walls throughout–makes everything looks so light and airy. You can almost feel a cool breeze flowing through. And what about that little outdoor area right off the bathroom? Perfection.

Here’s another cottage option–a little smaller, a little quainter and a little more historic. Basically I DIE for this cottage. I would be in danger of spending my whole vacay on that terraced courtyard with all the lovely plants and sunshine! And would that be so bad? Bonus: yellow walls, fireplace, big tub and stained glass in the bathroom (??!!).

This apartment option offers breathtaking high ceilings that bathe the whole dang place in natural light. A sliding door off the main room leads to a sweet little brick porch and the furnishings are simple. This looks like the kind of place where after a week’s vacay you think, “I could just move here, as is, no need to return and get all my other crap, this is fine….DON’T MAKE ME GO HOME!” 

What should we do?

The majority of our time can be spent exploring outdoors; the city centre, the green space, random neighborhoods. Super cost-effective fun! Here are a few more specific ideas.

The city of Adelaide is encircled by a huge green space known as Adelaide Park Lands. The Park Lands are comprised of 29 individual parks which house everything from Japanese gardens to cricket pitches to prime sun-worshiping real estate. This area would be a perfect place to explore with little to no cost involved. The official website is super informational and basically gives a trillion ideas for ways to spend the day in the park. I would love to rent a bike and go on the Bike Art Trail. And of course picnic, see native flora and maybe catch some cricket or play a little croquet.

I’m all for learning about new cultures, even on vacay, so I’d love to check out the Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute. We can browse the art gallery, watch performances by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and maybe even take a guided tour. Maybe we’ll feel compelled to purchase a didgeridoo to take home as carry-on. Who’s to say?

And what’s a real holiday without some sort of a booze tour? I would love to take a Coopers Brewery tour through the brewhouse, bottling hall and history museum, accompanied by some samples, of course. Most of their brews are carbon neutral and the brewery itself has a huge focus on sustainability and best environmental practices. How cool is that?

What should we eat?

I’m very in favor of grocery shopping and making ones own meals and picnicking on vacations. Obviously for budget purposes this is super helpful, plus that’s how my mama raised me. But, we gotta check out Adelaide’s culinary landscape for a few choice dining experiences!

The Store. Burgers, pastas, risottos and a bangin’ wine list in a bistro-style setting? I’m in. Their brunch menu is nothing to sneeze at either. Straight drooling over the food porn on their website, y’all. This is my kinda food.

Vilis specializes in a more traditional Australian comfort food fare. Think: meat pies, pancakes and sausage rolls. Lots of gravy! They even have something on the menu called a Pie Floater, a meat pie floating in a sea of pea soup and topped with mashed potatoes and gravy–which sounds equal parts disgusting and alluring. I’d give it a go. It’s probably delicious.

Lucia’s offers Italian food and even bottles their world-famous pasta sauce. I love me some pizza so this one is a no brainer. They also boast super delish coffee and a focus on seasonal ingredients! Their dishes sound so legit (and I’ve read Heat so I’m basically an Italian food expert now).

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Well, I think I’m sold on a trip to Adelaide! Who’s in? Perhaps I should start tucking away some money in a mason jar labelled “Adelaide Funds”? What wanderlust-y fantasies helped YOU get through this winter? I’d love to hear. : )

(Rental photos via Airbnb, Park Lands photo via this ABC News article,  Vilis food photo via Urbanspoon)