Travel Guide: Fun Things To Do In Brisbane

If you’re planning on spending some time in Brisbane, you’re in luck. Brisbane, Australia, is a big, wonderful, friendly city nestled into one of the best climates you could possible imagine. The following will explore a few fun things you can do to make the most of your time in Brisbane.

Of course, every person’s definition of fun is different; if there’s something you’re dying to do that isn’t on this list, do it. Life is too short to live according to other people’s online lists. The goal of this article is to give you some fun ideas to inspire your trip planning. Take note of the things that appeal to you and leave the rest for someone else. This is your trip, after all.

Enjoy The Weather

Pretty much anyone visiting Brisbane is going to end up enjoying the weather at some point. It’s hard not to feel your spirits lifted by blue skies and crystalline waters. The city itself is structured around the outdoors, and this means there are lots of opportunities to soak up the sun. Al fresco dining, exploring islands off the coast, climbing story bridge, visiting natural parks, kayaking along the Brisbane river and trying food at street markets, swimming at Streets Beach and cuddling koalas at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary are all common activities.

Wildlife Galore

While Brisbane is a major city center, it’s still quite close to some stellar wildlife. The Great Barrier Reef and the Gold Coast are both accessible from the city. You may need to play your trek or car rental in advance during busy seasons, however, as these are both very popular tourist attractions. If you’re going out into the water at all, be sure to seek out a reef-safe sunscreen. The vast majority of sunscreens have been recently found to be contributing to the coral reef struggles the entire world is facing. It might seem like you’re only contributing a small among of sunscreen to the ocean, but when you think about every person in the world who’s wearing sunscreen and swimming in natural waters, you can suddenly see that at every moment, a ton of oxybenzone and benzophenone-1 among other chemicals are being added to the water system.

Seek Relaxing Activities

Of course, most people associate fast-paced activities with fun, but part of what makes a vacation fun is the change in your mental state that occurs when you don’t have work calls to answer or annoying neighbours to debate the location of garbage bins with. You can amplify this change by seeking out relaxing activities; visiting a spa or reading on the beach are two popular ones in Brisbane. You can also increase your relaxation by ensuring your plans have lots of buffer room. If you’re running from attraction to attraction in a chaotic race against missing your bus, you’re probably not going to be having as much fun as you would if you were casually strolling around, knowing you’ve got lots of time and no rush to be anywhere.

Get Out On The Water

Spending time on the water is par for the course in Brisbane. Not only does being near natural water sources improve your mood, but it also helps lower stress levels in your body, measurably increasing your life span. With both beaches and rivers worth exploring, take the time to enjoy the soothing effect of one of nature’s most precious resources when you’re in Brisbane. If you want to take the exploration up a notch in luxury, you can even look into a private boat hire on the Brisbane River. Day cruises are also a popular offering for visitors to the city. Be sure to bring enough water with you to stay hydrated; it can get mighty hot out on a reflective surface. 

Brewery Tour

Australians know how to have a good time. If alcohol is something you can legally and religiously allow yourself to have, why not take a brewery tour and taste some of the best beers Brisbane has to offer? You’ll also end up seeing lots of the city from patios and rooftop gardens making this a double win. 

Brisbane Botanic Gardens

In pretty much any city you visit, the botanic gardens are worth your attention. These are green, luscious spaces that have been tended by gardeners extraordinaire. You’ll see a ton of beautiful plans and water features as you wander around. This is also a stellar location to take photos. In Brisbane’s Botanic Gardens, you can even lay eyes on a tree that has been growing for an estimated 200 million years. There are a ton of tropical flowers and interesting architectural features within these gardens.

Gallery of Modern Art

Brisbane has a lot of gorgeous venues to visit, but the Gallery of Modern Art feels particularly important to point out. With art from several different styles and interactive features, the Gallery of Modern Art is the perfect stop to take in some air conditioning and explore the depths of human emotion and creativity.

Wander Downtown

The downtown area of Brisbane contains grassy parks, gracious older buildings and shiny skyscrapers. There is an insane amount of shopping available (including 700+ stores in the Queen Street Mall). You’re able to take a tour to the top of City Hall’s clock tower for a lovely view of the whole city. If you’re concerned about crossing the river, don’t be. There is a free five-minute ferry that helps everyone cross the banks. They run every 30 minutes between six in the morning and midnight.

The above information should have given you a few ideas for fun ways to spend time in Brisbane. Whether travelling solo or with friends, with adults or children, there is something for everyone in Brisbane. Make sure to look up weather warnings before planning your travels, no matter where you’re going. All locations have seasonal considerations that can help you plan for a safe, comfortable trip. Brisbane tends to be pretty mild all year round, but at the height of summer (December to February in Australia), thunderstorms and flooding can occasionally be a problem. Always take weather reports seriously, and don’t participate in any activities that would put you at risk during an expected storm.