Welcome to Queensland’s sunny capital, where big city life and laid-back vibes collide
Brisbane might be a big city, but it has a big-town atmosphere. Ferries ply the waters of the Brisbane River, the beach is less than an hour away by car (or 5 minutes if you go to South Bank) and the sub-tropical weather lends itself to some pretty magical sunsets. Brisbane is a launching pad for adventures in Noosa, Fraser Island, the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef, but there's plenty to keep you entertained in the city. Discover fine art at one of the many galleries, uncover its thriving dining scene, or connect with Country on a First Nations cultural experience.
Get a different perspective of the city on the free CityHopper ferry. Take in the sights as you cruise along the Brisbane River from North Quay to Sydney Street. Ferries run every 30 minutes or so, seven days a week. As the CityHopper is free, no ticket is required. Just hop on and hop off as you please and enjoy the views, ideally from the top deck.
Pull up a chair and discover some of Brisbane’s best dining spots. Whether you're craving Middle Eastern fusion, classic Mod-Oz or a delicious breakfast featuring tasty regional produce, Brisbane offers some stellar dining options. Plus, the city's laid-back atmosphere means you don’t need to spend a fortune or get dressed to the nines to enjoy them, even at the city’s top restaurants.
Visit Brisbane City Hall
The Museum of Brisbane is located on the third floor of the historic Brisbane City Hall, a grand sandstone building that dominated the city skyline when it was completed in 1930. This unique museum celebrates Brisbane’s living history by examining how individual and collective stories, art and culture have made the city what it is today.
With abundant sunshine, Brisbane is a great city to explore on two wheels. From weaving through grassy reserves to winding along the river, the city has an extensive network of picturesque cycle paths and a public hire scheme that gives locals and visitors access to shared e-bikes and e-scooters. Keep an eye out for hire racks throughout the inner-city suburbs.
South Bank is a bustling area brimming with shops, bars, parklands, and a sandy beach and pool in the heart of the city. It's a great spot to enjoy a cold drink in the sun or go for a swim on a warm Brisbane day. On the weekends, Little Stanley Street is lined with market stalls selling everything from handmade jewellery and clothing to organic produce and artisan fare.
The riverside City Botanic Gardens are a scenic respite from the hustle and bustle. The stone paths winding through the 56-hectare gardens are shaded by their boughs and there are many species of plants to discover in the Japanese Garden and Tropical Dome. Keep an eye out for historical highlights such as the old Curator’s Cottage at the top of the hill which has been turned into a cafe.
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Sydney to Cairns Adventure
Karen · Traveled September 2024
Highly recommend the Sydney to Brisbane trip..I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it very well organised
Review submitted 23 Sep 2024
Walk Queensland's Scenic Rim
Melissa · Traveled September 2024
Our Scenic Rim Walking Tour was amazing! Our tour leader Alison, was so friendly, knowledgeable and helpful and looked after all our needs from day 1. The walking was very manageable and we learnt a lot about the birds and wildflife. It was so much fun sharing the experience with like minded people and relaxing at night time with each other. I highly recommend this trip. It has changed my outlook on being with nature, and I am ready to keep exploring our beautiful world.
Review submitted 16 Sep 2024
Sydney to Cairns Adventure
Laura · Traveled August 2024
I would highly recommended the Sydney to Cairns Adventure that Intrepid Tours offers especially if you are a person who likes to learn about history and nature. We visited several coastal beaches. For example, they coordinated kayaking in Byron Bay, whale watching in Hervey Bay, snorkeling via Ocean Rafting in the Great Barrier Reef. On three different occasions we learned about Aboriginal history from the Eora Nation in Sydney, the Gumbaynggirr at Red Rock in Coffs Harbour, and lastly Mungalla Station about the Nywaigi people. On top of all this, there were several hiking opportunities to see firsthand the beauty and diversity of Australia. Lastly a great opportunity to meet people from all over the world as well as having a great tour guide named, Taimi.
Review submitted 19 Sep 2024
Sydney to Cairns Adventure
Liberty · Traveled August 2024
A brilliant trip that shows you lots of places on the East coast.
Taimi was an excellent tour guide and shared her knowledge of the country throughout the trip.
Activities are suited to all abilities - a good mix of sightseeing, walking and sporting.
There are long drives to get to each location and not many meals included.
Would definitely recommend this trip.
Review submitted 16 Sep 2024
Sydney to Cairns Adventure
Jennifer · Traveled July 2024
This is a great way to explore the East Coast of Australia in a short period of time. We visited lots of amazing tourist sites as well as smaller but beautiful towns. We saw lots of wildlife (kangaroos, koalas, whales, crocodiles and a platypus). Our group was great and we have made new friends from this tour. Our guides Taimi and Brendan were brilliant, very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and fun. I would wholeheartedly recommend this tour to anyone considering it.
Review submitted 04 Sep 2024
Brisbane travel FAQs
Brisbane Airport is well-connected with direct flights to 29 international and over 40 domestic destinations. The CBD is located just 16 km from the airport and is easy to get to on the train, bus or in a rideshare/taxi.
If you don't have far to go, it's easy to walk around Brisbane's CBD as it's almost completely flat. If you want to travel further afield, you can rent a car or catch a bus, ferry or train. Brisbane also has an excellent network of bikeways and a public bike hire scheme if you want to be active.
With a subtropical climate, any time of year is a good time to visit Brisbane. The weather is hot for the majority of the year, but there is some seasonal variation.
Summer is hot, humid and wet, which calls for swimming in the city lagoon and cool drinks on rooftop bars.
Spring and autumn are slightly cooler and dry, so the weather is near perfect for most activities.
Winter is the coolest time of year, but daytime temperatures are still warm, and with clear skies and minimal rain, it's a great time of year to go hiking or cycling.
We are committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. We do our best to help you see the world, regardless of physical or mental limitations.
We are always happy to talk to travellers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them toward the most suitable itinerary for their needs and, where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.
Brisbane is a laid-back destination and smart casual is the most common style of dress for a night out unless you're planning on hitting the clubs in Fortitude Valley. It's pleasantly warm throughout the year, although it can get cool in the evening so bring a lightweight sweater just in case.
Bring swimwear as well as you may like to go swimming, even in winter. Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat are a must all year as sunshine is plentiful.
Brisbane is the capital of Queensland so there's good wi-fi coverage in cafes, bars and restaurants in town and the surrounding area. Free wi-fi is available in the Queen Street Mall, State Library of Queensland and on most trains and ferry services.
There's good mobile phone coverage in town and the surrounding area. However, you may have patchy signal when you're on the road or in nearby national parks.
Brisbane is known for having reasonably good weather all year round with tourists flocking to the state to enjoy warm year-round temperatures and plentiful sunshine.
It never gets super cold in Brisbane, with average lows dropping to a mild 9°C or 10°C in July, the coolest month of the year. At the height of summer in January and February, overnight temperatures only drop to 22°C.