Holidays to Brisbane

You’ll find plenty to keep you busy during your Brisbane trip. You can explore the cultural centre of Brisbane’s South Bank, relax on Streets Beach, and cross the river into the CBD to enjoy city centre shopping and dining.

Visit the designer stores of Queen Street Mall and the artisan stalls of Brisbane City Markets, or go hunting for crafts and clothes at the Collective Markets and antiques in Paddington. Fancy an adventure? Don a harness and strap in for the Story Bridge Adventure Climb. Or take an afternoon river cruise and glide upstream to wildlife encounters at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.

In the evening, you can party the night away among the bars, eateries, and live entertainment of Eat Street Northshore’s shipping-container venues. Or go on a sophisticated sunset dinner cruise through the CBD.

Stroll or cycle around the 17 hectares of parklands and attractions of Brisbane’s South Bank, where you’ll discover a riverside oasis of entertainment and leisure. Get cultured amidst the award-winning architecture of Brisbane’s galleries and museums. Leaf through the collections at the State Library of Queensland. Browse the corridors of the Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art. And catch a show at Queensland Performing Arts Centre.

Sit on the sands of Streets Beach, Australia’s only inner-city man made beach, or splash into the nearby lagoon. Take a swim in Boat Pool, or let the kids paddle and play at Aquativity. Ride the Wheel of Brisbane for amazing views of the river, the CBD, and beyond. Join a free fitness class, visit the Epicurious Garden, or dine and drink waterside at one of many restaurants and bars. And, at the weekend, you can hit the music-filled Collective Markets to shop for vintage clothes, collectables, and art.

Drive just 20 minutes from the heart of Brisbane, and you’ll be able to explore the lush horticulture of Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens. You can wander through 128 acres of stunning gardens and uncover the largest collection of Australian rainforest trees in the world.

Find serenity in the beautiful Japanese gardens before uncovering themed areas showcasing indigenous flora, cacti, bamboo, and fragrant gardens. Look to the heavens at Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium. Let the children run wild at Kuta Kids Playground, or stroll around the banks of Hidden Lake. And learn more on a free guided walk or minibus tour.

As sunset approaches, climb to Mount Coot-tha Lookout for panoramic views across the city’s skyscraper and the whole Brisbane region, before enjoying a bite and a drink at the Summit Café.

Brisbane is one of the sunniest cities in the world, and boasts the best all-year climate of any major Australian city. It’s too far south to suffer the tropical humidity of Cairns, and too far north to feel the chilly winters of Sydney and Melbourne. So there’s never a bad time to go on holiday to Brisbane.

Temperatures range from an average of 15°C in July, to 25°C in January. This relaxed riverside city rarely feels crowded, with the exceptions of Christmastime and the Brisbane Festival in September. While Brisbane sees less rain than many Australian cities, November to March is the wettest time of year – so, if you’re visiting during that time, make sure you pack plenty of layers to enjoy all the city’s indoor and outdoor activities.