‘You can’t beat a day at the Bay’ is the message from Jetty Road Glenelg traders and the City of Holdfast Bay, so what could your day entail?
A morning walk from Somerton Park, along the Esplanade to Glenelg, through Jimmy Melrose Park and around Holdfast Shores toPure Boutique Coffee Barfor the best coffee around is a lovely way to start.
Strolling up one side of Jetty Road from Moseley Square to Brighton Road and back down the other side to the beach provides lots of shopping opportunities from fashion, food and gifts plus you can always hop onto the tram if you need.Want more shopping bargains? Go to Harbour Town on Tapleys Hill Road at West Beach and pick up a Tourism Card for special offers.
For lunch there are many choices like fish n chips on the beach from the Bay Fish Shop, to local ingredients featured at GoodLife Modern Organic Pizza, healthy mexican options from Salsas or lunch specials from Lim’s Chinese restaurant. If you prefer a casual and well priced pub for lunch check out the Holdfast Hotel or the Glenelg Football Club and the nearby Broadway offers The Organik Store and the Mockingbird Lounge.
Kids will love the Beachouse, Wigley Reserve has a playground and regularly hosts major events and the Patawolonga Foreshore is a good picnic spot. An afternoon at the beach needs an ice cream so choose from Anderson’s of Denmark Ice Cream or Royal Copenhagen and if you love chocolateBracegirdle’s House of Fine Chocolate and Haighs Chocolates will definitely appeal.
Glenelg Surf Life Saving Club is the HQ for the Rescue 2012 event where you can watch all the beach activities from the balcony. With evening falling, drinks at the Pier Hotel as sun sets provides a beautiful view, the Dublin Hotel and the G-rand especially for events and after race (catch the tram from Morphettville) parties are popular spots too. The Highway, along Anzac Highway towards Adelaide, is a fun place to celebrate or relax in the deck and lounge bar.
Take a second day to explore, as a bit further south you’ll find Jetty Road Brighton with shops and restaurants, the family friendly, sandy Brighton beach plus walk along the jetty. Pick up lunch from Aux Fines Bouches on Brighton Road, and remember Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar for later in the day.
Further south again is Seacliff where a drink on a Sunday afternoon at Seacliff Hotel with live solo performers tops off a great weekend. Beyond the Seacliff Yacht Club and above Brighton Caravan Park is Kingston Historic House where you can have Devonshire or high tea. Situated in Kingston Park, across the road from the house, is a lookout with stunning views along the coast. Kingston Park Coastal Reserve and Kingston Park kiosk are below the lookout and this is an excellent spot for the kids to play, for a long walk or to sit and watch people fishing.
Written by Wendy Perry, November 2012.