I won't necessarily say that this is a particularly popular beach, namely because it does tend to…read morebe rather quiet when I end up here. However, it was one of those beaches that my friends and I tended to gravitate to on those rather nice summer days that we seem to regularly get down in Adelaide. Well, one of the reasons is that the beach is rather quiet, but it is also quite close to the city as well, meaning that it is a short drive to actually end up here. Okay, there doesn't really seem to be much in the way of facilities round here, but as a beach, yeah, it isn't bad at all.

30/12/2011 It's the day before New Years Eve 2012, and I…read morejust had a long drunk night in the city clubs last night. So what other way to recover from a hangover than to go surfing at West Beach!! LOL Just as I was getting ready for another one of my favourite TV series marathon in the cosy lounge room, I heard my older brother telling to get my ass off the couch and into the car, 'cos the three of us were headed down to West Beach again (we've been here a dozen times before, it's that good!). Everytime we all go there, we love bringing back the old school art of 'Skim Boarding', with one board each. Yes, it's dangerous. But it's oh....sooo fun!! (I don't recommend you try it unless you are sure you know what you're doing, this review is promoting the beach!) I hope I start the New Year without nearly breaking my wrist, lower back or ankle though, so I always stretch up these parts before pretending to be Kelly Slater. I'm always in the zone when I come to this beach. Back to the beach: This beach is normally empty with lots of space, but when there are lots of people, they are quiet, and considerate when they walk past us - which is saying a lot considering that we were too busy being real aggressive with our boards towards the waves. A few do stop and say hello, and start a conversation, appreciating how we were having a good time. The best part? This beach is so fun that several hours are lost being here and you'll head home hungry from all the calories you burnt. I especially love the clean water here, and the occasional hot chicks in bikinis that walk past! *wink* On New Years Eve 2011-2012 tonight, I am exceptionally thankful for my older brothers and cousins for the time we've spent here in West Beach and all the awesome times we had together here! Cheers! To end, here's a summary of this beloved beach... Speechless. West Beach, everytime I leave, I miss you too much or you make me not say anything at all. Heart-pounding, dangerous, breathtaking, pleasurable, bliss, sexy! It's the range of activities that anyone can do here that makes it 5 stars. Apologies for this long review, this beach is really that good. Lucky this didn't turn from a beach to a hospital review.

I'm going to have to say that this is probably one of my favourite beaches in Adelaide, namely…read morebecause the water is pretty deep which means that you can actually go for a decent swim. I remember coming down here when I was much younger and jumping off the jetty, namely because it was really deep and you could do it without causing yourself significant injuries - until I got to a point where I started questioning what I actually achieved by jumping off the prefectly good jetty (as well as developing a concern about all of the fishing lines that happen to dangle of the jetty on most weekends). Okay, Brighton may not have the facilities of some of the other beaches in Adelaide, and if you don't live in the south then it can be a bit of a hike to get there, but I have to admit I've always have a pretty good time when I've landed up here.

Brighton Beach is one of my favourites in metropolitan Adelaide. Not too far from the CBD and…read moresituated along a row of eclectic eateries and shops, the beach is close to the obligatory Fish 'n' Chip stores and a super sweet gelateria. Parking at this beach is a breeze compared to Glenelg and Henley Beach, parks are scattered down Jetty Road with more down the Esplanade either side of the jetty. Parking lasts for three hours on average but parking a wee bit further down saves you from the parking inspector. For those opting for public transport, the Train station is a 10 minute walk away and the bus is of a similar distance. There are public showers and toilets scattered down the beach so that the sand doesn't come home in the car and their is usually enough space on the beach to run a cricket match without angering the odd grumpy old man or accidently hitting a six into the tourists' esky. Speaking of Eskys, the Espy's Bottle-O will sell you ice for $4 a bag if you need to stock up. For those looking for a sunset swim or beach walk, Brighton is a safe beach but I'd personally go for Glenelg or Henley as their are more people present and frequent police patrols.

Somerton Beach is a hidden little gem. Situated in between the touristy Glenelg Beach and the…read moreequally as busy, Brighton Beach, it is usually a beach that only the locals and misplaced visitors go to soak up the sun. The beach itself is flat and not too sandy, with the sea in easy walking distance from the steps. There are often beautiful sandscapes as the water ebbs. This often forms little wading pools that are lovely and warm and great for the kids. If you venture off the beaten track to this beach, you will often see the locals just walking down from their houses and meeting their neighbours for a catch up. It has a nice lazy vibe and generally lots of space to spread out and not be bothered by anyone if that is your thing. The Somerton Surf Life Saving club is at the top of the strip and have safe areas to swim between flags on the weekends or in the summer holidays when it is patrolled. There is also a Somerton Sailing club that uses part of this beach on a Saturday. Parking has become a little more difficult since they widened the footpaths. Now you can only park on one side of the street or down the side streets which is still fairly convenient compared to other beaches.

I agree with the reviewer who mentioned that Somerton Beach is a hidden gem ... that's definitely…read moretrue. While the crowds pack Brighton, Seacliff and Glenelg, Somerton is relatively quiet. I work nearby, and there's one thing here that is a definite advantage - lots of bench seating along the Esplanade. Thank you, City of Holdfast Bay! While I'm not a beachy-type person (and hate summer!), I love to walk along the Esplanade and soaking up the fresh air and sea breeze. Grabbing a coffee from the nearby Kiosk at the Somerton Surf Life Saving Club, sitting on one of the benches and staring at the ocean for a while is my idea of a perfect lunch break ;)

You know those "beach scenes" in the midday movies or soap tv shows? After visiting Pt Willunga…read morebeach I am now convinced they have all been filmed here. I can't help but pontificate about the ridiculous perfection that SA is lucky enough to have on it's south western coastline. Protected by rugged, undulating cliff faces a long and wide golden sandy beach gives way to quite large waves perfect for surfing and fishing but shallow enough at the beginning to allow kids and dogs plenty of naked frolicking on the shoreline. Put simply, this is the bestest beach in SA. There are 2 toilets near the car park and a restaurant that overlooks the beach (Star of Greece). I didn't notice a canteen whilst here but that may have been further along down south. It is dog leash free, but not too crowded that you feel like you are going to be mauled by an over-excited pup dashing along the sand. The sunrise and sunset reflect off the cliffs to create a gorgeous yellow hue in the warmer months and it's not full of bogans, tourists or anyone really, meaning you can stroll along this too good to be true setting for every romance novel in peace.

This is my favourite beach. I'm not one for flash, busy beaches like Bondi or even Glenelg. I love…read morethe quieter beaches where you can do your own thing without having masses of people everywhere. The beach has a shallow section due to a bit of a sandbar, then in drops off, but this makes it great for families. The little kids can play in the shallows while the big ones can body surf the waves. And we can't forget the most photographed ruins in SA, the old jetty pillions. Head down around sunset and you'll see a mass of photographers all trying to get the perfect shot! Get on down, but keep it secret, can have everyone knowing about this gem ;)

There are two things about Rymill Park that I particularly love. Firstly there's the kiosk where…read moreyou can get the best fruit toast anywhere in Adelaide and if you're lucky, Arnie the long time kiosk owner will make it for you. Secondly there's the statue of Alice in Wonderland designed by the amazing John Dowie. The statue may seem out of place to some in this inner city parkland but there is something a little magical about Rymill Park. As you get close to the lake and take in the bridge and the landing and the wonderfully relaxing surrounding. In so many ways I think a statue of Alice is entirely appropriate. If you have kids, taking them to Rymill Park to feed the ducks is always a great thing to do. Even if you don't have kids, grab your stale bread and head on down. Hire yourself a row boat and do your feeding from the middle of the lake. As many have eluded to there are problems with the water in the lake but I like to think of this as just another part of the changing face of a city park. Sometimes the lake looks stunning and other other times it looks like hell. The good news is the Adelaide City Council has just completed a refurbishment of the lake and the leaking problems have been fixed - they say things should be good for about the next 15 years so I'm not going to worry about it this week at least.

Unlike it's cousin across Rundle Street, this place is a great place to go at anytime of the year…read more(unless it's raining, then it probably isn't all that crash hot because, well, there isn't really any shelter, unless of course you count the trees, but I've never found trees to be all that wonderful in sheltering me from rain). During the Fringe a small section of the park (this one is actually pretty bit) is sectioned off for the overflow from the Garden of Unearthly Delights (and for those people who really can't be bothered waiting around for the crowds to disperse). However at other times it is a great picnic spot, and even has a little lake with rowboats and a kiosk. Oh, it you explore the place enough you will even find a statue of Alice from the Wonderland fame.

oh, look at all the pretty millionaires drinking sunny cocktails on their million dollar luxury…read moreyachts. I like to pick one out, usually the biggest boat, and daydream about what it might be like to actually have the kind of money which enabled me to afford one of those baby's. The Marina pier is the right side of the tracks where glenelg is concerned, some of my favourite restaurants are along here, like Oyster Bar and Sammy's and Zucca... naturally most cost an arm an a leg to actually eat there but the setting is so lovely its worth the money. You should take a stroll through this part of town, makes you feel pretty inside.

I'm with Katie. There is an awful lot of ugly on Jetty Street, but once you're on Marina Pier, it…read moredoes get a fair bit nicer. There's about a dozen restaurants. The ones I've eaten in have been pretty good, thus far. One event that I recommend is the Yum Cha on the Marina, which is on Saturday and Sunday between 11.30am and 3pm. I'm pretty sure you need to book with the restaurant, though, so don't just turn up and expect to eat.

24/12/2011 The River Torrens is amazing and I think is the…read moresingle most beautiful thing about Adelaide. You can only just look at my choice of my display photo for my Yelp profile, to understand why it's on top of my list of 5-star places to go to in Adelaide. No words will come close to describing it. But if I had to choose a phrase of my own, it would be "lovers' and joggers' paradise in the heart of Adelaide". Who comes here, you might ask? The joggers, young lovers cuddling up, wedding couples all nicely dressed, older adult couples just wanting some quality time walking together, bike riders, more serious-looking cyclists, exhausted students in need of a break, nappers, rowers, sexy sportspeople working out, boxers, bike riders, book readers, geeks, and tourists galore spend time around the river on a daily basis. I just wish they cleaned up or prevented the pollution of this once-pristine River. I personally find a personal escape from all the hard work of life, jogging around River Torrens via a warm early afternoon, with my handy towel and water bottle. It's the most inexpensive way to be one with nature and to get fit at the same time.

I've started walking along the River Torrens, and every time I find something new to smile about…read more It's such a gorgeous place with trees, wide river banks, and plenty of wildlife. It's got a great walking/riding track, if you walk further up closer to North Adelaide it's pretty hard to believe you're so close to the city. I've even been walking back and seen a giraffe poking up from the Adelaide Zoo. There aren't many walking paths that feature their own giraffes. Along the Torrens there are barbecues and picnic spots, and if you're near Elder Park you can enjoy the paddle-boats or the newer Adelaide Ballzup. I love this place, I really, really do. So why is it missing that extra star? Sometimes the River Torrens is a bit like Lilly Allen's LDN. Everything appears all lovely, and gorgeous, and wonderful. But then you look carefully and you notice it's not all roses. The river can stink, especially if you're out on a paddleboat and you get a little too close to the large fountain. You'll also notice various things floating in the river from time to time, that surely shouldn't be there. Walking at night doesn't always feel like the safest thing in the world, with a few too many secluded spots. Overall this picturesque spot deserves more attention from everyone, but gee wouldn't it be great if they could sort out the water issue. P.s. I'm still not entirely convinced that there isn't a lake monster of some description living in the River Torrens...

This is my most local beach, albeit half an hour away, but is straight down 1 main road and the…read moreeasiest for me to get to from the north east. Semaphore is a bit quieter than the tourist beaches of Glenelg, Henley etc, and is the most Northern (as well as Largs) before hitting Port Adelaide. It suits all my needs, whether I want to run my dog, ride my bike along the esplanade, jog along the beach, sunbak, swim, jump small waves. This beach has it all, including so much parking so close and free! Semaphore is really safe so is the best family beach. It has lots of sandbanks which keep water shallow and there are no rips or large waves. The water is quite warm in summer and there is plenty of smooth sand to play games on. When you park your car there is heaps of grass for brushing off the sand from your feet, benches for picnics, some trees and paths through the small sand dunes to the beach. Other Semaphore attractions - summer carnival, The Palais, steam train, waterslide complex, carousel, playgrounds, jetty, cafes/kiosks.

After spending time in Europe, returning to Semaphore beach was like a little slice of Aussie…read moreparadise! (And a little bit of consolation for not being in London). It's a welcoming, fun-loving and wholesome beach: we're not talking L.A. style glitz here - we're talking families, teenagers (this is the middle of suburbia, after all), groups of friends, dog-walkers, kite-flyers, chilled out crowds and open expanses. All the preeners and tourists are at Glenelg, leaving the western beaches relatively uncrowded. Even in the height of summer, if you go for a stroll early you can pretty much have the whole beach to yourself...or feel that way, anyway. As a family-friendly beach there are plenty of facilities: barbecues, playgrounds, a miniature steam train to take you down the foreshore, lots of grass (by which I mean lawn, perhaps I should clarify!), a skate park and rides aplenty in midsummer. Not to mention the WATER SLIDE. It may be small, but it's a water slide. Enough said! There's no surf to speak of, but its calm unperturbed waters make for excellent swimming, or just floating around motionless (which frankly is more my style). And when you need that post swim munch session, there are plenty of cafes, ice-creameries and pubs on nearby Semaphore Road to keep you feeling the peaceful summery vibes. Pristine white sands, clear blue water, bright endless sky...yeah, it's good to be home.