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Alice Springs packs more into a compact town than most Australian cities ten times its size. The West MacDonnell Ranges form a red sandstone wall along the southern edge of town, and the Indigenous Arrernte history, 19th-century telegraph past, and working desert ecology are all within a 20-minute drive. Entry prices and opening hours below are current as of 2026, and most sights sit close to the Alice Springs neighbourhoods covered in a separate guide.
Things to Do in Alice Springs: Nature and Ranges
Alice Springs Desert Park
This 130-hectare park, 7 km west of town on Larapinta Drive, shows the three central Australian desert habitats (sand country, woodland, and ranges) in one loop. Admission is A$39 for adults, A$19.50 for children, and A$95 for a family, open 7:30-18:00 with last entry at 16:30. The free birds-of-prey show runs daily and the walk-through aviaries and nocturnal house open at scheduled times. Allow three hours, and pair it with a morning visit to nearby Simpsons Gap.
West MacDonnell Ranges: Simpsons Gap
Simpsons Gap is 18 km west of town along Larapinta Drive and is free to enter. A short sealed path leads to a permanent waterhole in a narrow gap where black-footed rock wallabies appear on the cliffs at dawn and dusk. The cycling path from town reaches the gap in about 45 minutes each way. There are no shops, so carry water, and note that camping here is restricted to Larapinta Trail walkers with a booking.
West MacDonnell Ranges: Standley Chasm
Standley Chasm, 50 km west of town, is a 80-metre-deep gorge owned and run by the Angkerle Aboriginal Corporation. Entry is A$12 for adults and A$7 for children, open 8:00-17:00. Direct sunlight hits the chasm floor for about 90 minutes around midday, turning the walls a deep red, so time your visit for 11:00-13:00. The sealed 1.2 km return walk takes about 45 minutes and has a cafe at the trailhead.
Olive Pink Botanic Garden
This free 16-hectare garden on the edge of the Todd River, off Barrett Drive, is open daily 8:00-18:00. It holds more than 600 central Australian plant species and a hilltop lookout over the town and ranges. It is the best free spot for watching the resident red-tailed black cockatoos, and the cafe serves breakfast and lunch. Entry is free and parking is on site.
Things to Do in Alice Springs: History and Culture
Alice Springs Telegraph Station
Alice Springs began here in 1871 as a repeater station on the Overland Telegraph Line, 4 km north of the current town centre off the Stuart Highway. Admission is about A$16.50 for adults, A$8.50 for children, and A$41.50 for a family, open 9:00-17:00 daily. The stone buildings show how operators lived and worked, and a marked walking and cycling path follows the Todd River back to town. The reserve also has picnic tables and a popular swimming area after rain.
Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitor Centre
The RFDS base at 8-10 Stuart Terrace runs guided tours through its working hangar, museum, and gift shop. Admission is about A$19 for adults and A$10 for children, open 9:00-16:00 on weekdays and 9:00-14:00 on weekends. The museum room includes the restored de Havilland aircraft and a short film about emergency retrieval across the outback. Tours run on a schedule, so call ahead on 08 8958 8411 to confirm the day’s times.
School of the Air
This working distance-education school at 80 Head Street teaches about 120 students on remote cattle stations across 1.3 million square kilometres. Admission is about A$14 for adults and A$7 for children, with visitor sessions on weekdays during school terms. The tour shows a live lesson broadcast, the old radio room, and how satellite and internet replaced the original high-frequency radio system.
Araluen Arts Centre
The Araluen Arts Centre on Larapinta Drive holds the Albert Namatjira watercolour collection, one of Australia’s most important Indigenous art holdings. General admission is free, with special exhibitions ticketed. It anchors the town’s cultural precinct alongside the museum and theatre, and the attached gallery shop sells work by local Arrernte and Central Desert artists. Open 10:00-16:00 most days; check the website for exhibition changes.
Things to Do in Alice Springs: Views and Wildlife
Anzac Hill
Anzac Hill, at the north end of the town centre, is the classic 360-degree lookout over Alice Springs, the Todd River, and the MacDonnell Ranges. It is free and open all day, with a sealed road to the top and a short sealed path from the base. Go at sunrise or just before sunset when the ranges turn red and the heat is at its lowest. The Anzac Hill memorial at the summit marks the town’s war dead.
Alice Springs Reptile Centre
This indoor centre at 9 Gap Road houses central Australian reptiles including the perentie, thorny devil, and inland taipan, plus daily handling shows. Admission is about A$22 for adults and A$11 for children, open 9:30-17:00 daily. The air-conditioned display rooms make it a good midday stop in summer, and the saltwater crocodile feeding happens at set times each afternoon. Allow about 60-90 minutes.
Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Flight
Outback Ballooning runs sunrise flights over the desert and ranges from March to November, with pickup from Alice Springs hotels about an hour before first light. A one-hour flight costs roughly A$360-390 per adult, including a champagne breakfast after landing. Flights cancel in wind or rain, so leave a spare morning in your plan and check the Alice Springs weather by month data before booking a winter flight, when mornings sit near 4°C. Reserve early, since flights fill during the big events in Alice Springs like Parrtjima and the Camel Cup.
Things to Do in Alice Springs: Excursions Beyond Town
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
Uluru and Kata Tjuta sit 450 km southwest of Alice Springs, a drive of about five hours via the sealed Stuart and Lasseter Highways. A day trip is not realistic; most visitors go for two to three nights, staying at Yulara’s Ayers Rock Resort. Park entry costs A$38 for a three-day adult pass. Combine it with a stop at Kings Canyon on the return and check the best time to visit Alice Springs guide to time the drive around summer heat.
Kings Canyon (Watarrka National Park)
Kings Canyon is about 320 km southwest of Alice Springs on the Red Centre Way loop, roughly a four-hour drive. The 6 km Rim Walk climbs to the canyon edge and takes three to four hours; start before 9:00 in summer and carry at least three litres of water. The shorter 1 km Kings Creek Walk along the canyon floor suits families. Access is free apart from the nearby Kings Canyon Resort, and the sealed access road opened in 2024.
Plan the route with the Alice Springs travel tips page for car hire and fuel stops, and use the where to stay in Alice Springs guide to base yourself near the town centre for early departures.
