Adelaide school holidays 2021 for gaming on the big screen at Wallis Cinemas, fun at the Zoo and Beerenberg strawberry fields

Video gamers are taking over Wallis Cinemas and families are sneaking into Adelaide Zoo after closing time. School holidays are a riot this summer – get in on the action.

IF hanging around the house, overdosing on screen time is getting a little dull, take the experience to the next level and book out a whole cinema for gaming on the big screen.

Or broaden your horizons and try something different in the great outdoors, where there’s plenty of fun to be had these school holidays, everywhere from the hills to the beaches.

“School holiday gaming is better on the big screen,” Wallis Cinemas chief executive Tony Edmonds said.

“Bring your mates and your own console and for $200 you can play to your heart’s content for an hour.”

Bookings are essential and subject to availability, but hiring the entire room means you have control over who you share the air with.

The option of network connectivity enables you to expand your group online.

Mario Cart on the Big Screen – Evie, 8, Ted 6, Archer, 9, and Kai, 16 enjoying the large screen gaming experience. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

It’s one of many creative school holiday ideas on offer in Adelaide this summer.

Zoos SA is offering a variety of activities, chief executive Elaine Bensted said, such as the Larger than Life program, where you can race a cheetah, or measure up against a baby giraffe.

“We also have Zoo Nights at Adelaide Zoo where you can visit from 5.30pm to 8.30pm and see the animals getting fed and ready for bed,” she said.

“It’s the perfect time of night to enjoy a picnic in the zoo surrounded by the lush green botanic gardens and the calls, roars and hoots of the animals.”

IDEAS FOR SCHOOL HOLIDAY FUN

GAMING ON THE BIG SCREEN
 Wallis Cinemas, group bookings for up to 30 people, subject to availability, $200 first hour, $100 thereafter.

ZOO NIGHTS at Adelaide Zoo
Wednesday 29 December then Friday January from 7, 14 and 21 from 5.30pm to 8.30pm, free for members, family $82.

PICK YOUR OWN STRAWBERRIES
at Beerenberg Farm, cost $5 each plus price per kg.

Monarto Safari Park also has over 10km of walking tracks, great for “letting off steam and wearing out those little legs”, Ms Bensted said.

To stretch those legs again another day, choose from more than 700 trails on the walkingsa.org.au website.

When you pick your own strawberries at the new $2.6m Beerenberg visitor centre on Mount Barker Road near Hahndorf, there’s a lot more on offer afterwards.

An expanded farm shop is now complemented by a cafe, Beerenberg museum and demo kitchen with a function space that doubles as a private tasting room. There’s also an in-house ice creamery with 10 flavours to choose from.

And then adventure awaits in the newly opened reservoir at Happy Valley.