Best ideas for a rainy day!

Not much beats the warmth and coziness of a good country bakery on a cold day. The Adelaide Hills is full of bakeries that have long earned their reputation for producing flaky pastries, high-quality sweet treats and crusty breads.

You can’t go past a good old meat pie or a classic sausage roll, the steamier the inside and flakier the pastry the better.

A few of the old local faithfuls include Lobethal Bakery, located in six spots around the Hills, as well as Otto’s Bakery in Hahndorf, which does a mean vanilla slice.

With the Adelaide Hills home to more than 50 cellar doors, there’s no shortage of spots to pull up by the fire with a glass of red.

Make a day of it by sampling a few drops at a cellar door or two in Woodside, home to Barrister’s Block, Bird in Hand and Petaluma, just to name a few.

Make your way to Hahndorf for lunch at Sidewood Estate or head towards Lobethal instead, stopping in at Golding Wines or the tasting room at Vinteloper.

Afterwards, head to Hahndorf Hill for a chocolate and wine pairing or to the Lane Vineyard for one of their signature experiences.

Check out adelaidehillswine.com.au for more ideas.

Grab your winter woollies and settle on the sidelines of a Hills Footy League match. The league is one of the largest AFL leagues in SA, with 3000 players belonging to 19 clubs stretching from Kangarilla to Kersbrook and Blackwood to Mt Barker.

The clubs are split into two playing divisions (one comprising the larger towns and the second made up of the remaining clubs in the region). Rivalry is often fierce between clubs, with A-grade finals matches drawing much anticipation and fanfare in the lead up to grand final day.

Head to your local oval and pick a side. Don’t forget to blare the car horn on ‘goal’ and to hit up the canteen for a hot pie to keep you warm.

The weather might be drab, but there’s nothing better than being tucked away in a cosy cottage on a rainy day.

The Adelaide Hills is full of quaint B&Bs and small accommodation venues that will allow you to enjoy a short getaway and switch off from everyday life, while not being far from home.

Pick a town you haven’t explored much before and take a stroll to the local shops, markets, cellar doors or cafes if the weather allows. Cook your own feast, if you’re lucky enough to have kitchen facilities, while you crack open a bottle of local red to enjoy as the rain patters on the roof.

If you’re someone who requires a little entertainment to get by, bring along some old board games and battle it out with friends or family.

Take in the sights of the Adelaide Hills from the window seat of one of the SteamRanger Heritage Railway’s train carriages.

The Highlander operates between Mt Barker and Strathalbyn on most Sundays from May to November and selected Fridays during the school holidays, passing through several abandoned stations and crossing the Angas River.

The Bugle Ranger train is a shorter, one-hour trip on the heritage Red Hen railcar from Mt Barker, passing through picturesque countryside to the old Bugle Ranges station. This trip only operates on the fourth Sunday from June to November.

Explore the landscape from a different perspective.

The best thing about Melba’s Chocolates and Confectionery at Woodside is the ability to eat the sweet stuff plus see first-hand how it’s made. The working tourism factory has six different rooms where various manufacturing processes can be witnessed, including chocolate coating, toffee making, gift wrapping and more.

Whether you’re a liquorice lover, a chocoholic or mad about rocky road, you’re bound to find something to satisfy that sweet tooth. A coffee shop is also on site offering coffee, tea and milkshakes.

Grab a hot chocolate from one of the three chocolate taps, pouring out melted milk, white and dark chocolate, served with a marshmallow. The ultimate winter warmer.