Adelaide might be a city you already think you know. Cheap and cheerful lunches at the Central Market. Weekend cellar-door hopping. Slow pace. The well-rehearsed pitch delivered to interstate and overseas visitors: “Yes, we know we have great wine regions, but we promise there’s more to us than that. Did you know our Fringe Festival is the second largest in the world?”
Now, it seems the rest of the world is finally listening.
Adelaide has taken top spot on Condé Nast Traveler’s ‘Best Places to Go in Oceania in 2026’ list, beating out destinations across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Condé Nast Traveler is a luxury and lifestyle travel magazine published by Condé Nast, and the magazine has won 25 National Magazine Awards.
Writing for the publication, Chloe Sachdev describes a shift in how the region is being experienced, saying that “the region’s most compelling stories are increasingly urban, local, and unexpected.”
And she believes our state is headed for momentum in the new year. “Long admired for its Barossa reds, farm-to-table bistros, and charming cellar doors, Adelaide has always been a quiet achiever,” Sachdev writes. “Now the South Australian capital is gearing up for a blockbuster 2026.”
Much of that confidence centres on what’s unfolding in the city itself. The $500 million Market Square redevelopment, due to open in late 2026, is described as a “vertical precinct, a blend of steel, glass, and nostalgic red brick.” When complete, it will double the footprint of the Adelaide Central Market (already “a hub of multigenerational food vendors” and one of the largest fresh produce markets in the Southern Hemisphere), adding rooftop terraces, residences and the first Australian outpost of Treehouse Hotel, praised for its “playful, design-forward interiors.”
The timing isn’t accidental. Adelaide’s hotel pipeline is “expanding fast in late 2026,” Sachdev notes, with new openings including Little National Adelaide and Crystalbrook Sam, the latter part of a brand “famed for lifestyle hotels with a focus on wellness and buzzy dining.”
There’s movement beyond the CBD, too. In April, The Ghan – Australia’s iconic transcontinental train – will unveil two new luxury suites, Australis and Aurora, featuring private dining, butler service and a premium wine list, marking what Sachdev calls its “most decadent chapter yet.” Off the coast, Kangaroo Island’s The Cliffs, a new destination golf course designed by Darius Oliver, is set to open for preview play in January.
Accessibility is also shifting. With United Airlines launching the first-ever nonstop service from San Francisco to Adelaide in December 2025, Sachdev notes that “it’s never been easier to experience Adelaide’s charm.”
Adelaide leads a list that also includes Darwin, recognised for its packed cultural calendar and revitalised waterfront; King Island, praised for its world-class golf and luxury isolation; Parramatta, emerging as Sydney’s “second city”; Perth, noted for its growing cultural energy; Port Stephens, evolving into a smart-leisure escape; New Caledonia, cautiously reopening with renewed hospitality; and Queenstown, pairing luxury and wellness with its signature adventure offering.
For a city long used to underselling itself, the recognition feels overdue. Adelaide is being seen, at last, for everything it already does well. And this list isn’t exhaustive, either.
Find ‘The Best Places to go in Oceania 2026’ list here.
