If you haven’t visited recently, you might find a totally different city when you next visit sunny, subtropical Brisbane. The river city is the fastest growing city in Australia, and on every visit you’ll find new things to do, places to eat & ways to enjoy Queensland‘s capital city. This Brisbane Travel Guide is designed for both first time visitors & visitors who haven’t visited in a little while – you’ll be surprised at how much has changed!

The best time to visit Brisbane is March-October, avoiding the peak of summer which can be humid and often rainy. The best things to do in Brisbane include exploring Southbank parklands, getting dinner & drinks on Howard Smith Wharves, visiting GoMA and shopping on James Street in New Farm.

I grew up in Brisbane, and have lived away for several years now but visit often. There’s plenty to do for a 2-3 day trip to Brisbane, which is how much time I’ve recommended for a first visit in my itinerary for one month in Australia.

If you’re planning a trip to Brisbane, here’s an essential Brisbane travel guide to help you plan your stay!

Where is Brisbane?

Brisbane is approximately half way down on the east coast of Australia, and is the capital city of Queensland. It’s located in the southeast corner of the state, 2 hours’ drive north of the Queensland-New South Wales border. Brisbane is 900km north of Sydney.

Explore More: Queensland Travel Guide

What is Brisbane known for?

Brisbane is one of the fastest-growing cities in Australia and is known for its sunny, subtropical climate with 280+ days of sunshine per year, its outdoor lifestyle and its proximity to some of Australia’s best beaches as its located between the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. Brisbane’s best known precincts & attractions include South Bank Parklands, Howard Smith Wharves and the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA). Brisbane is known as “The River City” for it’s location on the winding Brisbane River, and it celebrates this with the annual River Fire fireworks show.

When to visit Brisbane

Subtropical Brisbane is known for its year-round warm climate, so there’s not really a bad time to visit. However, it’s more likely to rain (and occasionally, flood), during the hottest summer months in January and February.

Summer: December to February

Brisbane summers are HOT. The average temperatures range from 21 – 30 degrees celsius, but with the strong sunshine and intense humidity, it can feel a lot hotter. The last few years have had lovely “cool” summers, but typically it’s a very hot time to visit.

Autumn: March to May

Autumn is a lovely time to visit Brisbane, with average temperatures from 16-26 degrees celsius. Catch the end of the Brisbane Comedy Festival in March & Paniyiri Greek Festival in May. Don’t expect traditional autumn foliage however, in subtropical Brisbane.

Winter: June to August

Brisbane winters are beautiful, with crisp days, clear blue skies and average temperatures between 10-21 degrees celsius.  No heavy coat required! Brisbane winters Catch a game in the State of Origin series, a historic grudge which match pits Queensland against New South Wales in the best of three games. The Ekka, a major agricultural show, brings the farm to the city every winter for the state’s largest event.

Spring: September to November

Brisbane is extra beautiful in spring, with cherry blossoms in August and iconic purple jacarandas in October. September brings the Brisbane Festival, which culminates with Riverfire, a dazzling and beloved fireworks show on the Brisbane River. Spring is warm with average temperatures 16-26 degrees celsius.

How to get to Brisbane & how to get around

Fly to Brisbane

Fly direct to Brisbane International Airport, which is the third-busiest airport in Australia. It’s 20 minutes’ drive from the CBD, or you can take the Air Train.

Getting around Brisbane

Brisbane has buses & trains, but trains are mostly used by commuters to move between suburbs. For getting around you’ll be best to use the bus system or take a taxi/rideshare. There’s a free City Loop bus service that runs in the city every 10 minutes. You can also take the City Cat, a high speed ferry service, along the river. To catch public transport, you’ll need a Go Card so you can tap on & off. You can’t buy tickets or Go Cards on board, but you can buy them at 7/11 and Night Owl stores.

Brisbane is very warm, humid and hilly, so what looks like a reasonable walk on the map isn’t always as easy as it looks!

How long do you need to visit Brisbane?

For first time visitors, a three-day trip is a great place to start. This leaves enough time to explore the most popular precincts such as Southbank, Howard Smith Wharves and the city, with some time spare for a day trip if you want to squeeze more in.

The Best Things to do in Brisbane

The best thing to do in Brisbane is appreciate the great outdoors, ideally with a view of the Brisbane River, which snakes through the city.

Eat & Drink at Howard Smith Wharves 

This new riverfront precinct is home to some of Brisbane’s most popular new bars & restaurants, and has beautiful views of the city, river and Story Bridge. It’s connected to the city & the Eagle St Pier precinct by the Riverwalk. It’s a new Brisbane icon.

GoMA (Gallery of Modern Art)

GoMA is one of Australia’s leading contemporary art galleries and has a focus on Australian, Asian and Pacific art. Entry to the permanent collection is free, and its flagship Asia Pacific Triennial series is worth a morning’s detour. GoMA is in Southbank’s cultural centre, alongside the Queensland Art Gallery, the Queensland Museum, the State Library and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.

Catch a City Cat

Public transport has never been so much fun! The City Cat is a high speed ferry that zips along the Brisbane River. You can catch it from the city, New Farm and other waterfront neighbourhoods.

Shop on James Street

This has to be one of the loveliest shopping precincts in the world. Covered by a canopy of Moreton Bay Figs, James Street is home to some of Brisbane’s best shopping, as well as new restaurants & bars in the Calile Hotel.

Brisbane’s major city gardens

Explore the beautiful Brisbane City Botanic Gardens (Alice St), the sprawling Roma Street Gardens (where we got married!) or take a City Cat across to New Farm Park for a picnic by the river. Visit in October for an overdose of beautiful jacarandas in full bloom.

See a show at The Powerhouse

Housed in a former tram powerhouse, The Powerhouse is an arts & cultural centre on the Brisbane River in New Farm. Have a drink on the riverside deck before catching a show inside.

Streets Beach, Southbank

It’s more popular with families for swimming, but even if you don’t get in the water, the manmade Streets Beach in Southbank is worth a stroll around.

Cuddle a koala at Lone Pine Sanctuary

Queensland is one of the only states in Australia where you can actually cuddle a koala, rather than admire it from a distance. Head to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary to get a squeeze with our furry grey friends.

Go whale watching

From June to November, go whale watching in Moreton Bay with Brisbane Whale Watching. Departing from Redcliffe, the tour is owned & operated by Captain Kerry Lopez, who sails at state-of-the-art luxury catamaran which is eco-friendly and disturbs the whales as little as possible. I’ve been on three whale watching tours across Queensland and this one was definitely the pick!

Best Neighbourhoods to Visit in Brisbane

New Farm

Leafy, riverside New Farm is one of Brisbane’s loveliest suburbs, conveniently located near the city and Fortitude Valley. Go for a picnic in the lovely New Farm Park which is on the river, catch a gig at the Powerhouse (also overlooking the river) or go shopping on James Street, one of the nicest shopping and dining destinations in Brisbane. Stay at the Calile Hotel to be at the heart of the action.

Brisbane CBD

Stick to the riverfront to experience the best of Brisbane’s city centre. Stroll from Howard Smith Wharves to Eagle Street Pier via the Riverwalk, or venture further into the city to admire Roma Street Gardens. Go shopping in the Queen Street Mall (Queens Plaza & Wintergarden are the best spots). There’s also a small & interesting museum inside Brisbane City Hall (a whopper, and the largest town hall in Australia).

Fortitude Valley

Brisbane’s nightlife district. Head to “the Valley” for bar hopping & clubbing. Skip the main drags lined with nightclubs and rowdy pubs, and instead head to charming laneways like Bakery Lane and Winn Lane for cafes, bars and shops.

South Bank

The sprawling South Bank Parklands precinct is a great spot for visitors to explore. Take a stroll under the Instagrammable arbor, which creates a canopy of bright pink bougainvillea over the parklands path. Check out the manmade Streets Beach, walk along the riverfront or visit the Cultural Centre which is home to the Queensland Art Gallery, GoMA, Queensland Museum & Scieneworks, The State Library & the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.

Best Restaurants in Brisbane

Agnes

No electricity. No gas. At Agnes, they’re only cooking with fire. Housed in an old brick warehouse in Fortitude Valley, Agnes has a restaurant (bookings essential), as well as a terrace overlooking the city and a subterranean wine bar, both of which serve snacks & dessert and take walk ins. Agnes is surprisingly pesctarian friendly, and more than a year after visiting I’m still thinking about their woodfired carrots.

SK Steak & Oyster

I’m a big fan of the newest restaurant from Simon Gloftis at The Calile Hotel on James Street. SK Steak & Oyster delivers the goods with white tablecloths, mean martinis, a grand piano in the corner & four sections of the menu dedicated to seafood and raw bar. Extra points for having a ten-dish strong potato menu, starring Bug & Lobster Mash.

Greca

A lively, modern Greek taverna, nestled in prime position under the Story Bridge on the Howard Smith Wharves. Book an outdoor table at Greca for beautiful river, bridge and city views. My favourite dishes are the taramasalata, grilled calamari and chocolate metaxa pudding.

See my full list of the Best Restaurants in Brisbane

Best Bars in Brisbane

Death & Taxes

The latest & greatest from Brisbane bartender Martin Lange delivers old world cocktail classiness without any of the cheese.

The Gresham

Brisbane’s longstanding “best cocktail bar”, The Gresham is housed in a beautiful historic building in the city and continues to lead the way on the Brisbane bar scene.

Felons Brewing Co

The main attraction at Howard Smith Wharves, Felon Brewing Co is an enormous brewpub stretching along the Brisbane River with a riverfront deck, enormous dining hall and plenty of outdoor seating under the Storey Bridge. A great spot for large groups & casual drinking and dining. Outdoor tables are walk in only, but you can book to dine inside.

Where to stay in Brisbane

The Calile Hotel, New Farm

One of the most stylish destination hotels in Australia, The Calile Hotel is an urban oasis in James St. We stayed here for the week leading up to our wedding, it was bliss! Make time for an afternoon at a poolside cabana (hotel guests only), dinner at Hellenika and a session at the world’s chicest hotel gym.

Hotel X, Fortitude Valley

Part of Intercontinental Hotel Group, Hotel X is a beautiful new hotel on Brunswick Street. We stayed here for a week over Christmas and loved it – the rooms are stylish and extremely comfortable, and the location just steps from Howard Smith Wharves is so convenient. The groundfloor restaurant is a modern & moody French restaurant, Bisou Bisou, and on the rooftop by the pool is Spanish restaurant IRIS (with amazing river & Storey Bridge views).

The W, Brisbane

To stay in the Brisbane CBD, try The W on George St. It was the first of The W hotels to return to Australia, and when it opened in 2018 it was the first 5 star hotel to open in Brisbane in 20 years! The Calile, The Westin and Hotel X were all hot on its heels.

Gambaro Hotel, Petrie Tce

If you’re in town to see a game or a gig at Suncorp Stadium, Gambaro Hotel is the perfect location. It’s a stylish boutique hotel on the heart of Caxton Street, and as close to the stadium as you can get.

The Best Side Trips from Brisbane

While Brisbane doesn’t have a surf beach of its own, it’s wedged between two beautiful coastlines – the Sunshine Coast to the north and the Gold Coast to the south. There are also a handful of islands to explore off the coast of Brisbane, so a beautiful beach is never far away. Check out the full post for 18 Brisbane day trip ideas.

Gold Coast

A city on the sea, the Gold Coast has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Stay in Broadbeach or Burleigh for a few days of sun, sand, surf. The Gold Coast is a 50 min drive from Brisbane or you can take the train from Central Station in the city to Robina, and take a taxi or Uber from there to the beachfront areas.

Explore More: Gold Coast Travel Guide

Noosa & The Sunshine Coast

The Sunshine Coast is a stretch of coastline north of Brisbane, full of beautiful beaches, laidback beach towns and charming hinterland townships. One of my favourite things to do in Noosa is walk through the gorgeous Noosa National Park – at the right time of year, you might even spot a passing humpback whale! Caloundra is closest to Brisbane, 1 hr 20min drive, and Noosa is a 2hr drive.

Moreton Island

The third-largest sand island in the world, accessible via a 75-min ferry journey from Pinkenba in Brisbane. Stay at Tangalooma Resort, where you can feed dolphins, and go snorkelling in the shipwrecks surrounding the island. There are lots of hikes and 4WD trails all over the island, but you’ll need a 4WD (and experience 4WDing on soft sand, and getting bogged. Best as a buddy drive!)

North Stradbroke Island

“Straddie” is the world’s first “Slow Island”, part of the Slow Cities movement which aims to preserve a slower pace of life. Hang out on beautiful beaches like  Cylinder Beach & Point Lookout. Take the ferry from Cleveland in Brisbane.

Byron Bay

Once a sleepy beach town for hippies, Byron may be a victim of its own success these days but it’s still a very special place. Avoid visiting on the school holidays when traffic is mad & its overrun with visitors. Hike to the lighthouse at Cape Byron for a beautiful sunset. Byron Bay is a 2-hour drive from Brisbane or 1-hour from the Gold Coast.

Have you visited Brisbane? Share your tips or ask questions in the Comments section below!

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