Things to Do in Brisbane: An Essential Guide

Brisbane may be Australia’s third-largest city, but it somehow still feels like a breezy riverside town rather than a mega-metropolis. Year-round subtropical sunlight, a lively culinary scene, and a roster of world-class art, music and sport have turned it into one of Australia’s most liveable capitals - and there’s no shortage of things to do in Brisbane to prove it.

Over the past decade, the city’s once-sleepy riverfront has been reborn through projects like the Howard Smith Wharves precinct - a riverside stretch of breweries, bars and boardwalks beneath the Story Bridge - and the Queen’s Wharf development, a glittering new entertainment hub.

Kangaroo Point Green Bridge has stitched the city closer together, letting cyclists and pedestrians move from the CBD to the cliffs in minutes. All of this, along with plans for the new Waterfront Brisbane redevelopment along Eagle Street and long-awaited Brisbane Live entertainment arena near Roma Street, makes it clear the city is getting a full-scale glow-up ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

Here are all the best things to do in Brisbane, from family fun to where to go when it rains, what to eat and how to get around.

What makes Brisbane special isn’t just the sunshine or skyline; it’s the way it folds adventure, culture and everyday life into one area code. Some of the city’s best experiences cost nothing more than your time.

Start at the City Botanic Gardens, a green pocket curling around the river on Alice Street. It’s one of Australia’s oldest public gardens, dating back to the 1850s, and feels like a subtropical film set with lush banyan trees, bamboo groves, and water dragons sunning themselves on the path edges.

From there, follow the river north to South Bank Parklands, the city’s favourite playground. Only in Brisbane can you swim at a city-centre beach, complete with white sand, lifeguards and tropical gardens. Dip your toes in the free-to-enter Streets Beach lagoon, stroll past the bougainvillea-draped Arbour, or bring snacks for a riverside picnic with Story Bridge views. On weekends, the Collective Markets fill the promenade with local makers, vintage clothes and the smell of caramel popcorn drifting between the stalls.

To see a completely different side of Brisbane, turn your gaze to the laneways. Fish Lane in South Brisbane has become the city’s unofficial open-air gallery with murals that stretch across entire facades, and there’s usually a street performance or pop-up somewhere between the espresso bars and small eateries. Across the river, Burnett Lane hides between Queen and Adelaide Streets, lined with tiny bars, neon art, and heritage facades that once housed the city’s first prison cells.

Every visit to Brisbane should also include a free culture fix at Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) and Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) - collectively known as QAGOMA. Both galleries stay open until late on certain nights and often host complimentary exhibitions, film screenings, or live music in the riverside courtyard.

For a final, uniquely Brisbane ritual, head to Mount Coot-tha Lookout just before sunset. The drive is short, the view immense. The river snakes through the city, the bay glimmers in the distance, and the lights flicker on as the evening breeze kicks in - it’s one of the top attractions in Brisbane for good reason.

Brisbane might just be the most easygoing family city in Australia. It’s big enough to keep kids endlessly entertained, but small enough that you don’t spend your holiday wrangling public transport or queuing at theme parks (though those Gold Coast giants are only an hour away). Back at Streets Beach, little ones can splash in the shallows while you grab a coffee from Denim Co. or Espresso Garage, and older kids can explore the playgrounds and rainforest walk.

The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, about 20 minutes from the CBD, was founded in 1927. It’s the world’s oldest and largest koala sanctuary, home to more than a hundred sleepy grey marsupials. Kids can hand-feed kangaroos, spot platypuses in the freshwater pools, and learn how wildlife carers rescue and rehabilitate injured native animals.

At Kangaroo Point the Riverlife Adventure Centre runs great guided kayak paddles and paddle-board sessions, and the same spot also rents bikes and scooters to cruise the riverside paths that loop through the Botanic Gardens and City Reach boardwalk. You can also rock-climb or abseil here with the city skyline as your backdrop.

On warm evenings, climbers dangle in silhouette while ferries glide past below. Just above, the new Kangaroo Point Green Bridge links the cliffs to the city, its sweeping curve made for sunset walks and cycle rides.

The Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, tucked into the foothills of Mount Coot-tha, is where budding astronauts can swap screen time for starlight. The planetarium hosts regular evening stargazing sessions and cosmic shows inside its domed theatre of dazzling projections of galaxies, meteor showers, and the Milky Way arcing above your seat. Younger kids love the interactive Little Star sessions, while older ones can join real telescope viewings led by local astronomers when the weather clears.

Brisbane may be blessed with around 260 days of sunshine a year, but when it rains, it really rains. The city doesn’t stop - it just moves inside, with no shortage of things to do in Brisbane under shelter. Rainstorms break the humidity in spectacular fashion, cooling the air and lighting the city in reflected gold. So don’t retreat too early; storms usually pass quickly and leave the pavements steaming, the river gleaming, and the air newly washed.

When a tropical downpour hits, head to the Queensland Museum in South Bank, the state’s flagship museum and a treasure trove of natural history, packed with towering skeletons, interactive science zones and a vast collection of Queensland wildlife specimens from prehistoric marine reptiles to giant insects and taxidermy wonders.

The Lost Creatures exhibit is a perennial hit, guiding young visitors through the state’s ancient past with life-sized models and fossils found in outback dig sites. The museum also houses SparkLab, an interactive STEM space where kids can tinker, build, experiment and burn off that post-lunch energy.

For a little bit of culture and commerce, duck across the bridge to West End, Brisbane’s bohemian heart, for a slow afternoon of café-hopping and book browsing. Grab an expertly made coffee at Morning After, flip through vinyl at Jet Black Cat Music, or disappear into Avid Reader, a beloved independent bookstore. Across the river, Fortitude Valley’s narrow streets hide excellent wet-weather refuges: espresso bars, wine nooks, more record stores, and galleries that double as creative studios.

You can also check what’s on at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) or the smaller fringe venues around South Brisbane. From touring musicals and ballet to local playwrights pushing boundaries, Brisbane’s arts scene has quietly hit its stride. Post-show, linger for a drink at The Terrace at Emporium Hotel, its glass-roofed bar feels suitably dramatic when thunder rolls over the city.

What was once a city of pub grub and suburban Thai is now full of world-class chefs mixing Queensland’s tropical produce with global techniques. The result is food that tastes distinctly of place - bright, warm, creative. For coffee, the West End and New Farm neighbourhoods have built one of the best café cultures in the country. Locals swear by King Arthur Café for seasonal veg-forward brunches, and Nodo for gluten-free doughnuts so good they’ve sparked a cult following.

Take your tastebuds riverside at Howard Smith Wharves, the golden child of Brisbane dining. Once an industrial no-man’s-land beneath the Story Bridge, it’s now home to some of the city’s best restaurants and bars.

Order Greek seafood at Greca, share plates at Yoko, or sip a local pale ale from Felons Brewing Co. while the bridge lights blaze overhead. You can sit on the grass with a craft beer and a view of the bridge blazing pink or maroon, or stay late for live music echoing off the cliffs.

As day turns to night, book a table at Agnes, where smoky, wood-fired cooking meets fine dining stripped of ceremony; Donna Chang, serving modern Cantonese in a heritage-listed bank building; or ESSA, where native ingredients like lemon myrtle and Davidson plum get star treatment. There’s also Gerard’s Bistro, a Middle Eastern–inspired mainstay in Fortitude Valley, which helped define the city’s modern palate.

Brisbane’s secret weapon is its access to outrageously fresh produce. The city sits between fertile farmland, ocean and hinterland, meaning menus shift constantly with the seasons. Even the bars are in on it, with cocktails spiked with local passionfruit, pineapple and finger lime rather than sugary mixers. If you can, time one of your nights around the Eat Street Northshore markets, a neon-lit maze of shipping containers turned food stalls on the river.

Brisbane hums with a nightlife stitched together by food, art, music, and amazing rooftop bars. Fortitude Valley remains the city’s nocturnal hub, so start at Winn Lane for street art and boutique bars like Savile Row. Wander down to The Zoo, Brisbane’s long-standing indie venue that has hosted everyone from Powderfinger to Courtney Barnett.

Down the hill, The Tivoli and The Princess Theatre host local and touring acts in venues that still smell faintly of beer, even though The Valley’s reputation has vastly evolved from previous decades.

If you prefer a slower pace, follow the Riverwalk back towards the city for the hum of ferries, the glow of the bridges, and the occasional busker whose sound carries across the water. Stop for dessert or a nightcap in South Bank, where open-air cinemas, markets and pop-up performances often fill the parklands during festival season - easily one of the best things to do in Brisbane when the weather’s warm.

Speaking of festivals, you'll be well rewarded if you time your visit for the Brisbane Festival each September, which spills beyond theatres into the streets. Light installations, floating performances on the river, and playful, giant inflatables by Australian artists.

Even outside festival season, the city invests in art that glows, you should check QAGOMA for late-night events, or catch a film at Palace James Street, surrounded by boutiques and late-dining spots.

And if you’re still not ready to call it a night, slip into one of Brisbane’s smaller neighbourhoods like Newstead, where converted warehouses now house distilleries and design studios by day, parties by night.

The best thing about Brisbane is how quickly the city gives way to wilderness. Within half an hour, you can swap skyscrapers for amazing swimming holes, riverbanks for perfect surf breaks, and concrete heat for cool hinterland air.

The obvious move is to jump on a ferry from the Port of Brisbane or Holt Street Wharf to Moreton Island, one of the world’s largest sand islands. Its Tangalooma Wrecks, a cluster of rusted ships sunk to form a snorkelling haven, is now home to coral, turtles and technicolour fish. You can swim right off the beach, kayak over the wrecks, or, if you time it right, hand-feed wild dolphins at dusk.

North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah) is another icon, where a ferry from Cleveland lands you in a world of white sand and surf beaches. Take the Gorge Walk at Point Lookout, where you might spot sea turtles or migrating whales between May and October. If mountains are more your style, go inland towards the D’Aguilar Range.

A series of forested peaks that rise just 45 minutes from the CBD, Mount Nebo and Mount Glorious deliver winding roads, cool air, fern-filled gullies and sweeping views back across the city. Stop for scones and coffee at a roadside café or stretch your legs on one of the short rainforest trails through Maiala National Park.

If you have a full day in your back pocket, make the pilgrimage south to Tamborine Mountain in the Gold Coast hinterland. It’s a very good-looking, 90-minute drive from the city and rewards you with rainforest skywalks, boutique wineries, German-style beer halls, and the famous Curtis Falls trail. The village itself is charmingly old-school, full of fudge shops and cellar doors that seem lifted from another decade.

Brisbane’s climate is subtropical: summers (Dec–Feb) are hot, humid and sometimes stormy; autumn (March–May) is warm with mild nights; winter (June–Aug) is very pleasant (20-25 °C days, cooler nights); spring is fresh with flowers and events. If you want fewer crowds and comfortable temps, aim for March-May or September. Also check the major events calendar for things like the Brisbane Festival in September.

Brisbane’s hotel scene strikes a comfortable balance between polished and laid-back, you can stay steps from the river or right in the cultural heart of the CBD and still feel plugged into the city’s rhythm.

To be in the thick of it, Mercure Brisbane King George Square and its five-star neighbour Pullman Brisbane King George Square share one of the city blocks, opposite the grand City Hall and close to Queen Street Mall. The Pullman brings contemporary luxury and rooftop views at the Goldfinch Restaurant and Sixteen Antlers bar, while the Mercure delivers comfort, value, and the same unbeatable location.

Just around the corner, The Sebel Brisbane offers a refined apartment-style stay which is perfect for longer visits or travellers who like a bit more space and a kitchenette without losing hotel polish. Many rooms overlook the leafy canopy of the city centre, and you’re a short walk from the river and the restaurants of Eagle Street Pier.

For something vibrant and budget-friendly, ibis Styles Brisbane Elizabeth Street faces the river with playful design, colourful interiors and easy access to South Bank via the Victoria Bridge.

Prefer a slightly slower pace? Head across the river to Novotel Brisbane South Bank (38 Cordelia Street, South Brisbane 4101), where the city’s cultural precinct is at your doorstep with QAGOMA, QPAC and the weekend markets all within strolling distance.

Yes. Brisbane has trains, buses, ferries and an emerging Metro system. Major upgrades (such as the Adelaide St tunnel) are under way to improve frequency and reliability. For city-centre travel and exploring main suburbs, public transport works well but for deeper excursions or off hours you may prefer a ride-share or hire car.