Ultimate Guide to Brisbane: Top Activities and Attractions

Looking for things to do in Brisbane? You’ve come to the right place. We have always heard great things about Brisbane and after three trips to Australia, we were excited to get the chance to explore the sunny city for a few days.

It turns out, Brisbane is now one of our favourite places to visit in Australia. It snakes along the Brisbane River. Move over Sydney, you’ve been bumped from our list! Brisbane’s subtropical climate makes it a good place to visit any time of the year. It’s a city where everyone spends their time outdoors looking fabulous and having fun. So we thought we’d round up all the fun things we did while exploring the capital city of Queensland.

1. Story Bridge Climb

Brisbane’s Story Bridge is as iconic to its skyline as the Harbour Bridge is to Sydney. It wouldn’t be the same city without it. It’s beautiful to watch the sunset over the Story Bridge from Wilson’s Lookout in New Farm, but it’s even better to take a sunset climb up to the top.

We climbed during the day and while it wasn’t the thrill of the CN Tower EdgeWalk, it was a good adventure. Several people on our tour were nervous about the height but had a blast once they were up there. It’s a super way to see the layout of the city and the winding river that runs through it. For more information visit the Story Bridge Climb website.

2. Outdoor Adventures with Riverlife

We went on a Segway tour of Kangaroo Point and it was a great way to see the city. However, Riverlife offers many activities. There’s abseiling and rock climbing off Kangaroo Point Cliffs, cycling, Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP), and kayaking. Life in Brisbane takes place on the river, so join the locals and enjoy the outdoors on the water. For all the adventures Riverlife offers in Brisbane, visit their website.

3. Explore the South Bank

The South Bank is Brisbane’s cultural centre. Here you’ll find the Brisbane Convention Centre, Maritime Museum, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Science Centre, and Art Galleries. It’s worth spending a day or two exploring. Moreover, besides all the galleries and museums, it’s also a great place for a stroll along the river to enjoy city views and some ice cream. There’s even the Wheel of Brisbane where you can hop on the Ferris Wheel for a bird’s-eye view of the area.

4. Coot-tha Mountain Scenic View

Our friend Anthony of TheTravelTart suggested we pop up to Coot-tha Mountain after we met for a beer at The Wickham (one of Brisbane’s most historic bars), and I’m glad he did! It offers fabulous panoramic views of the city, and there’s a café at the top where you can soak it all in.

On your way up or down, you can stop at the Botanical Gardens, considered Queensland’s premier subtropical gardens. Consequently, there’s also a Koala sanctuary. Koalas can be difficult to find in the wild, but at the Lone Pine Koala sanctuary, there are 130 koalas that can easily be spotted. You can even cuddle a koala.

5. Getting Around Brisbane

City Hopper: The City Hopper is a free ferry service operating between Sydney Street, New Farm, and North Quay. Take a ride for a free scenic view. Moreover, the City Cat is an affordable river taxi that runs from one end of the city to the other. It’s perfect for after hours. We took it home from the bar, from pier to pier.

Car Rental: Brisbane is an easy walking city downtown; however, we found that having a car made for an excellent way to see all the sites we wanted. Rent a car for a couple of days to get out to the beaches or to explore the surrounding area.

6. Free Brisbane Greeter Tour

Looking for things to do in Brisbane? Take a Free Greeter walking tour and discover hidden gems. A great way to orient yourself in a new city is to take a tour. What better way than to take a tour that is free!

The Brisbane Greeter Tour is run by a group of volunteers who share their favourite stories and tips about the city of Brisbane. We had a great time learning little-known facts about Brisbane’s history with our greeter, Rob Cochrane.

7. Brisbane Powerhouse

The Brisbane Powerhouse is an artist district where comedy shows and live theatre indoors and outside take place. It’s where the cool cats of the city hang out, and the patio bar is the perfect spot to watch the sun go down with friends. The Brisbane Powerhouse is located in a picturesque setting along the river with parkland and paths featuring clever signs of poetry and humour.

8. Queen Street Mall

For outdoor fun, the Queen Street Mall is a pedestrian street filled with shopping arcades and dining options. An afternoon can be spent exploring more than 700 retailers and the historic World Heritage-listed arcades. It’s hard to believe that in the 1990s people weren’t allowed to eat outdoors in Brisbane, but today, there are plenty of outdoor patios and cafés making the perfect setting for people-watching.

9. Eagle Street Pier

For nightlife and dining, there’s no better spot than Eagle Street Pier. It’s the spot to hang out at night with amazing views of the Story Bridge and river. Moreover, with year-round pleasant weather, this is the place to dine outdoors, enjoy the views, and have a few cocktails with friends.

The City Cat pulls up right at the Eagle Street Pier, so no matter where you are staying in the city, it’s a quick and easy boat ride home. Brisbane is located in Queensland; if you are looking for things to do outside of Brisbane, check out all the Great Things to do in Queensland besides Surfing.

10. Beaches of Brisbane

The Gold Coast is just an hour’s drive from Brisbane; however, if you want something closer, there are beaches worth visiting near Brisbane. A couple that we visited are…

Nudgee Beach

Nudgee Beach is the closest beach to Brisbane and is located in an actual suburb of the city. Just 18km (11 miles) from the heart of downtown, it’s a beautiful spot for sunrise photography as you take pictures of the mangroves reflecting in the water.

Wellington Point

Wellington Point is a great beach for sunbathing and swimming. At low tide, people can walk out along the sandbar to King Island. It’s a perfect day trip for sand and sun, as there are dining options and cafés to help you through the day.

11. Brisbane Riverwalk

Make sure you do the Brisbane Riverwalk that stretches from New Farm to the Howard St Wharves and on to the Brisbane CBD. Take a stroll, rent a bike, or just relax and have a picnic while you take in the city views. Touring Australia for a while? An interesting stop is Kangaroo Island

12. Where to Eat in Brisbane

We are a lucky couple who often have the chance to eat at the best spots in the city. Our waistlines prove it! The meals in Brisbane were divine, and here are a couple of our favourite recommendations.

ARIA – Opened by celebrity chef Matt Moran, ARIA offers waterfront views and exceptional cuisine. We had the four-course degustation menu with wine pairings, and it was perfect. They made an amazing vegetarian option which was to die for. We brought our friends Duncan and Martine for dinner here, and they said it is considered the best restaurant in the city.

Balfour Kitchen – Balfour Kitchen has a modern Australian menu with a European flair. For breakfast and dinner, we loved it. Fresh local ingredients make for delicious meals like our fresh scallops and roasted kingfish. Balfour Kitchen was voted best romantic and first date spot in 2015. It was perfect for this travel couple hanging out in Brisbane for a few days.

Madame Wu – Madame Wu is an exclusive, elegant, and funky bar and dining room featuring Asian fusion cuisine. Their resident Sommelier and Mixologist have developed an amazing wine and signature cocktail list with the best local and international wines to complement everything that is Madame Wu.

13. Where to Stay in Brisbane

We only stayed in one spot during our time in Brisbane, but our local friends told us it was a good one. And we agree! Spicers Balfour is located in the hot and up-and-coming neighborhood of New Farm just across the Story Bridge. It is steps away from Wilson’s Lookout and just a short walk to the Story Bridge and Brisbane Powerhouse. Plus, the Sydney Ferry stop is a mere 15-minute walk.

There are lots of restaurants and nightlife options in the area, and if you like cars, this is where you can browse all the high-end dealers like Lamborghini, Audi, and Ferrari.

14. Visit Brisbane

Brisbane is one of Australia’s most liveable cities and we can see why. After spending a few days in this lovely town, we wanted to live there. It’s laid back and relaxed, but there is enough culture, dining, and nightlife to keep urbanites happy.

There are plenty of things to do in Brisbane to appeal to all types of travellers.

Have you been? Do you have any more suggestions for other things to do in Brisbane that we may have missed? We’d love to hear in the comments below.

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