Stay seaside for glorious sunsets and lazy beach days as the weather warms up and the days get longer.

As a concentrated dose of happiness, staycations are the perfect way to break up your year and enjoy a quick getaway, and there are few better places to stay locally than Glenelg.

As Adelaide’s holiday playground, the locale is packed full of things to explore, places to eat and fabulous shops from which to pick up a holiday souvenir.

So, gather up your mates and/or family, because we’ve got seven compelling reasons to staycate at the end of the Adelaide tramline.

No flight cancellations, no delays

Just pack your bags, check in and then head straight to the beach. Staying in Glenelg also means plenty of accommodation options in the thick of the action or nearby in the area’s pretty residential streets.

Midweek or weekend, there’s plenty to do

The Jetty Road precinct offers up everything from shopping and movies to Pilates classes and unique shops stocking local craftspeople. There’s also a multitude of ice cream, frozen yoghurt and gelati shops offering up a cold treat to enjoy while strolling in the sunshine. Try Gelatissimo or the new Royal Copenhagen store.

The weekends are for getting dressed up

While Glenelg’s beachside dress code is casual, dinner and cocktails give you the perfect reason to glam up for a night out. One place you must add to your list is Fourth, which has an excellent and inventive cocktail menu. Think lychee gimlet, jalapeño margarita and Koyomi highball.

There’s a world of cuisines on the menu

Cooled by the salty sea air, you could be in Cancun, Positano, Mykonos or Koh Samui – and enjoying fabulous food to match. Jetty Road offers you a passport to world cuisine, from across Asia and Europe to local specialties. Try SheShells Restaurant or Cardone’s Seafood and Grill for seafood. For something more casual, you can’t go past pizza at Doughballs, a burger and chips at Hello Harry or brunch at Feed. That said, Jetty Road and its side streets are lined with dozens of cafés and food stops, so prepare to be spoilt for choice.

Catch some sun while shopping fashion

Bask in the sunshine while meandering up the one-kilometre length of Jetty Road for some retail therapy. It’s an experience made possible by the enormous number of fashion boutiques, including Naked By The Sea, Adelaide InStyle and Denim + Cloth, which will have you darting in and out of shops in a fashionable flurry.

You can take the holiday feeling home with you

The shopping in Jetty Road’s many stylish homewares shops is perfect for recreating that Insta-worthy holiday mood once your staycation is over. Add Villa Hampton, Fox & Bower and Camel & Fig to your list of must-visit stores and pick up a beautiful souvenir.

There’s plenty happening this spring & summer!

Here’s a taste of things to come:

Sea to Shore
Saturday, 29 October

Glenelg Christmas Pageant
Sunday, 27 November

Sunset Markets
Sunday, 27 October; Sunday, 11 December

New Year’s Eve Fireworks
Saturday, 31 December

For more events happening in Jetty Road, Glenelg, see the calendar.