I was born and raised in Adelaide. I left in my late teens and while I come back fairly regularly to see family I have lost touch with the best local spots. Heading back for a longer than usual stint over Christmas I called on some Adelaide mamas to recommend some great me-time spots.
Lucy Cornes (She Shopped), Liv Williams (Eeniemeenie mineymum) Sarah (Adelaide Mums @adelaide mums), Lauren Hunt (Teacher Types) and Beth Ruge (Almost Posh) have generously shared their favourite Adelaide me-time locations.
Spa/massage
Lucy - Temple Day Spa - for a genuine spa experience with sound proof treatment rooms and luxurious treatments. You’ll leave floating.
Liv - Endota spa, Hyde park.
Sarah - Long overdue for one of these! But some girlfriends just gifted me with a Gift Voucher for Endota Spa & I completely cannot wait. There is also a place around the corner from me in Highbury called Mama & Bump which I have heard great things about & really keen to try out.
Lauren - This is not something I do very often! But if I’m allowed to give a friend of mine a plug - Renee from ‘Mama and Bump’ took care of me with pregnancy massage and she is just beautiful. She doesn’t just see pregnant mummas but any ladies - she’s based in Highbury.
Yoga/Pilates
Lucy - Adelaide Yoga - three studios Glenelg, Adelaide, Modbury all teaching Bikram Yoga - a transformative and restorative practice. See you on the mat!
Liv - Adelaide yoga flow, Malvern
Sarah - When I was pregnant with my second babe I went to a great Fitness Studio in Northgate called Equilibrium Pilates & Fitness Studio. Run by some beautiful ladies & child friendly!
Lauren - Again, not something I do currently but have been a member of various gyms in the past and love the Les Mills body balance classes. I’ve also heard great things about Aleenta Barre and would love to try it out one day.
Beth - I do a combination Pilates / strength class at City Physio on King William Street in the city. It’s a small class run by physiotherapists and you get personalised training in a small group, covered by private health.
Meditation
Lucy - Buddha House - a sacred space with a bustling program of events, courses and seminars.
Liv - Life flow meditation centre, Frewville
Sarah - My favourite place for clearing my head, reflection & prayer is at my local church - Victory Church in Pooraka & also outdoors running/walking preferably in the hills or by the beach.
Lauren - Sarah from Bloom Well Being is an occupational therapist specialising in self care for women, children and families. Visit her for Pilates, mindfulness and much more!
Walking/ running
Lucy - Marino Coastal Walking Trail - rugged cliffs, small coves and an expansive ocean as your backdrop. It’s quite a workout but the scenery is worth it.
Liv - Mount lofty, River Torrens, Victoria park racecourse 🙂
Sarah - Anstey Hill Recreation Park in Tea Tree Gully & I LOVE Port Willunga Beach.
Lauren - I live near the Mawson Lakes area and it’s my favourite place to walk. The main lake area is just beautiful (and I love that there’s a bridge if you don’t want to walk the entire way around you can just do half way). Love getting coffee and food from the Boatdeck cafe or Burger Club.
Beth - Walk / run is along the River Torrens in the city. It’s a beautiful spot and you can get a good loop in during your lunch break. Locally I also like Sherwood Reserve for koala spotting near our place.
Alternative healers (i.e. reiki, cranosacral, Bowen or similar)
Lucy - Heather Grace Palmistry - incredibly intuitive, extraordinarily kind and a gifted healer.
Best coffee/cafe with kids
Lucy - The Broadway Kiosk has a relaxed vibe and unparalleled location - great coffee, milkshakes and pancakes and the kids can play on the rocks and beach while you enjoy your latte.
Liv - The velo precinct at Victoria park racecourse - hands down! This is my best kept secret!
Sarah - Patch Kitchen & Garden in beautiful Stirling. They have the best set up for kids with an indoor dining room that has toys, books, games & black boards, & outside in their gorgeous garden - a cubby, sandpit, chicken coop & veggie garden. It’s seriously the best spot! For more kid friendly cafes around Adelaide you can follow me on Instagram @adelaidemums 🙂
Lauren - Paesano on O’Connell St in North Adelaide has great food and a kids play area.
Beth - Coffee with kids : Soul Food Espresso in Redwood Park is my local. They have a gated play area, good food and of course, nice coffee.
Best coffee/cafe without kids
Lucy - Star of Greece - incredible views and freshest seafood.
Liv - Coffylosophy on Hutt street
Sarah - E for Ethel on Melbourne Street, North Adelaide. My absolute fave! The loveliest quaint cafe & also Handmade, Local & Eco Gift Shop + delicious food & pots of tea! Also great for kids too with their box of toys/games & the staff are so lovely & warm. Feels like home.
Lauren - LOL! I rarely get to go out without kids - but you can never go wrong with Cibos - all over Adelaide 🙂
Beth - Best cafe for coffee without kids: any of them! Haha. Cafe Komodo in Prospect, Veloce in the city and Mister Sunshine in Thebarton are some of my faves.