Runs of Adelaide - Your City. Your Run.

The runs that define a city are never just about distance. They shape routines, build community, and become part of how we experience a place. In Adelaide, each route carries its own rhythm, gravel loops, coastal stretches and parklands offer something different depending on the day, the pace, and the reason you run.

This series was created as both a celebration and a guide: a curated look at the routes that locals return to time and again, and a useful starting point for visitors wanting to experience Adelaide through running. Each edition highlights our favourite runs, breaking down what makes it special, who it suits, and why it has earned its place in the city’s running culture. Whether you’re training, exploring, travelling, or simply looking for your next go-to route, Runs of Adelaide is here to help you find it.

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#1 - The Uni Loop

Distance: 2.2km Loop

Surface: Gravel Track

Starting Point: Starting/Finishing Marker

If you’ve ever laced up in Adelaide, chances are you’ve crossed paths with the iconic Uni Loop This 2.2km continuous, tree-lined gravel circuit between Mackinnon Parade and War Memorial Drive is where community meets performance. With 200m distance markers to dial in your pacing, it’s perfect for runners building confidence, groups socially jogging and training squads doing structured sessions. 

Mornings and evenings bring a steady rhythm of group sessions, and on Tuesday nights the energy lifts another gear. In January, Run the Loop takes place, with runners testing their best efforts around the track. Ready to experience one of Adelaide’s most iconic running segments?

#2 - Henley to West Beach Esplanade

Distance: 6 - 7km

Surface: Paved Path and Bike Path

Starting Point: Henley Jetty

Henley to West Beach is one of those runs that captures everything good about Adelaide’s coastline, simple, scenic, and endlessly runnable. You can start wherever suits your rhythm, whether that’s Henley Jetty, Joe’s at Henley, or even the West Beach parkrun reserve, and settle quickly into a smooth stretch along the esplanade.

The route naturally guides you past familiar markers, over the Torrens bridge, linking together some of the most recognisable spots along the coast, including the surf life saving club at the turn. It’s a run that doesn’t demand much thinking with flat footpaths, bike paths and sections of boardwalk keep things flowing, making it ideal for easy mileage, social running, or controlled steady efforts in a reliable daily trainer. 

Along the way, practical touches like water fountains at West Beach and multiple coffee stops like Joe’s or the surf club make it as functional as it is enjoyable. Whether you run it one way, extend it further down the coast, or turn it into a relaxed out-and-back, it’s a route that adapts to whatever you need that day, which is exactly why it’s become a staple for so many local runners.

#3 - River Torrens - City Loop

Distance: 7 - 8km

Surface: Paved path and Tiled Riverbank

Starting Point: Adelaide Oval or University Footbridge

The River Torrens City Loop offers a different side of Adelaide running, one that feels equal parts scenic, social and unmistakably local. Winding through the heart of the city, this route carries you past some of Adelaide’s most recognisable landmarks, with Adelaide Oval on one side and the city skyline rising on the other. Along the way, the riverbank reveals its familiar rhythm, boat sheds, green pockets, shared pathways and a steady flow of walkers, runners and cyclists all moving through the same space. Running beneath well-known crossings like University Bridge and King William Road, the loop feels both open and connected, making it easy to settle into conversation, cruise through an easy jog, or stretch the distance into something longer. Flexible by nature and iconic in its setting, it’s a route that can be shortened, extended, or simply taken as it comes. And, of course, remember to be duckwise.

#4 - Patawalonga River - Glenelg

Distance: 5 - 6km

Surface: Paved Path

Starting Point: Wigley Reserve

Patawalonga River in Glenelg is one of those routes that makes movement feel easy. This scenic 5–6km paved loop follows the water past familiar local markers, past the Trotman’s Anchor and surrounding bridges, back to the marina and open grassed banks that give the whole run a relaxed, spacious feel. With water fountains and distance markers along the way, it is a route that is as practical as it is enjoyable, offering enough structure for those who like to track their effort while still feeling like a casual and approachable run. As the home of the popular Patawalonga parkrun, it has become a go-to for easy jogs, social running and walking alike, whether you are heading out solo or moving with company. Finish near the marina and settle in for a coffee, and if the timing is right, you might even be lucky enough to spot a dolphin along the way.