Recently named Australia’s “hippest city” by Lonely Planet, Brisbane brings the entertainment, sights, sounds and tastes to travellers who wander its warm streets. With pleasant weather gracing the city for the majority of the year, you can pick any old time to visit the beautiful city of Brisbane! Every season is a good season for city exploration, and there’s no end to the outdoor marvels available for you to explore!
Start with South Bank
From Brisbane’s CBD you can just hop across the river to South Bank for a day’s worth of exploring. In addition to the myriad of restaurants, shops and parklands packed into this side of the City, you’ll also have access to The Eye of Brisbane. It’s not quite on par with the glorious eye of London, but it’ll offer you a beautiful new perspective of Brisbane.
Also available for your perusal in South Bank are the Queensland Performing Arts Centre and the Gallery of Modern Art.
Pretty in Parkland (and other outdoor beauties)
Roma Street Parkland can be found in the Brisbane CBD. This park is a stunner – especially in the spring! Roma Street Parkland could be considered one of the two best examples of contemporary display gardens in Australia, so definitely put it on your ‘to do’ list.
Some other parks worth booking a stroll through are the Botanic Gardens and ANZAC Square.
Have you ever heard of the Story Bridge Climb? Fun fact: it’s one of the only four big-city bridges allowed to be climbed in the world! Pick a sunrise or sunset climbing session slot to bask in the glorious sun or city lights illuminating Brisbane.
Wining and Dining
The best place to dine – hands down, according to locals – is along the Eagle Street Pier. Folks might consider Sydney and Melbourne to be the foodie capitals of Australia, but that doesn’t mean Brisbane is lacking in the delicious department. We recommend travellers wine and dine along the Eagle Street Pier: pick from a wide range of cuisine and enjoy your meal beside views of the river and Story Bridge.
Shop Til Ya Drop!
If shopping is your game, then we’ve got two shop-til-you-drop spots to introduce you to: the heart and the high-end.
The heart, being The Queen Street Mall is shop city in Brisbane! Australia’s favorite shops are all conveniently clustered in this one fun place. The Queen Street Mall boasts a broad range of boutique and souvenir shops as well as a range of restaurants to try.
For the high-end at heart, you can stroll down Edward Street: the home of Hermès, Louis Vuitton and Gucci.
The Valley of Nightlife
What Brisbane lacks in quirk and culture (in comparison to Sydney and Melbourne) it makes up for in unbeatable nightlife. For the centre of all things entertaining in the evening, you’ll want to frequent Fortitude Valley (known by locals as ‘The Valley’).
The Valley is comprised of two main streets: Wickham and Ann, which run conveniently parallel to each other. These streets are strewn with pumping nightclubs and bold, beautiful bars. Start by searching for the sound of your favorite genre of music and let it draw you in! Keep the drinks coming and try something new! The bar tenders on this street are some of the best in the world!