The gorgeous Japanese Himeji Gardens are located on the Eastern side of Glen Osmond Road and South Terrace intersection. This little oasis in the Southern Parklands is a wonderful place to get away from the hustle and bustle of ‘normal life’.
Enter the gardens during daylight hours and you’ll instantly feel more peaceful. There is a lovely water feature that is home to large goldfish, ducks and turtles, there is also a waterfall under the trees too.
Throughout the gardens there are lovely Japanese plantings and a well maintain Japanese rock Zen garden, or Karensansui.
Why Kids Will Love It: Pond Adventures – Spot the koi fish swimming in the pond! How many can you count? Secret Pathways & Bridges – Little explorers will love tiptoeing across the stepping stones and tiny wooden bridges. Mini Zen Garden – Let the kids have a go at raking patterns in the sand and learning about mindfulness. Frog Spotting – Listen closely! Can you hear the croaking of tiny frogs hiding in the reeds? Pack a Picnic! There are plenty of shady spots to relax, so bring along some snacks or a Japanese-inspired lunch (think sushi or rice crackers!) and enjoy the serenity. Perfect for Family Photos With beautiful cherry blossoms in season, tranquil water features, and lush greenery, it’s a stunning backdrop for capturing special family moments. Fun Fact for Kids: The Himeji Gardens are a gift from Adelaide’s sister city in Japan, Himeji! It’s like a little piece of Japan right in our backyard!
Please respect the tranquillity of the Japanese Himeji Gardens. While we think all kids should be able to experience this wonderful place please understand that other garden visitors are probably here for the peace and calming qualities too. This isn’t a park for ball games and loud family gatherings – take the family across the road to the newly renovated Marshmallow Park or South Terrace Glover Playground which are perfect for that!
Adelaide Japanese Himeji Gardens Where: Cnr South Terrace and Glen Osmond Rd, Adelaide
Taking the kids to Fasta Pasta for a quality meal has been a South Australian staple for decades, and we are going to tell you why the South Terrace restaurant in Adelaide CBD is hands down the best one for families! Everyone has a favourite dish (personally my first every Chicken Parmy was at a Fasta Pasta when I was a kid!) From the pastas to pizza, salads and schnitzels. Whatever takes your fancy, Fasta Pasta will have something to offer even the fussiest of kids. Better yet it really is hard to beat the value, with an adult lunch meal (5 choices on offer) setting you back $10.90 and kids eat free on Monday and Tuesday (with every main meal). Outside of the kids eat free days, the kids meals at only $9.90 which include a drink and ice cream, make it a really good value outing we think. The South Terrace location offers some really unique features which are sure to make us head back again and again, including the food delivering robot! Yep you read that right, they have a robot which brings the food right to your table. Book me in. It can even talk and…
Find it at: South Terrace Adelaide Another fully fenced park in the city, this South Terrace playground is located near the Unley/Pulteney Road intersection of the Parklands. Well equipped and better suited for slightly older kids than the one a few blocks West, this playground includes a good sized, seated flying fox, numerous toddler and regular swings, slides for all ages and spring rockers. It also has a sizable climbing net for older kids, a rock climbing wall, sandpits and importantly, is home to one of the few wheelchair friendly 'liberty swings', which we love. Other features include toilets, tables, water fountain and covered areas. Most of the play equipment is not fully shaded. Outside the large, fenced playground there are numerous playing fields and a basketball court.
Marshmallow Park on Glen Osmond Road, in the Adelaide Parklands is a firm favourite with our families from the 2 year old to the 10 year old. With its huge new renovation, there is now heaps more to explore at this site - also known as Pelzer Park or Pityarilla Activity Hub! The renovation includes some brilliant new nature play features, alongside more traditional swings, slides and climbing frames. There is a great water feature hill that flows into a giant sandpit and some awesome equipment that is designed to be accessible from a wheelchair. A new giant slide, super cool jellyfish and witchetty grub sculptures, and huge wooden climbing frame complete the fully fenced 'junior' area. We are so lucky in Adelaide to have a city surrounded by the gorgeous Parklands that offer such high quality playgrounds. Marshmallow Park Playspace is one of these superb playgrounds that offer younger children hours of entertainment whilst still having some equipment that will keep the older ones happy as well. This playground offers a perfect mix of traditional play equipment and nature play, which should offer opportunities for social interaction and motor skill development. Outside the fenced area there is plenty more, with…