Spending a Day in Brisbane City

Tall buildings stretching toward the sky, the meandering Brisbane River, pretty parks, fun playgrounds and more line the streets of Brisbane and welcomes visitors to explore.

There is no chance of being bored in the city with a variety of fun, family-friendly activities on offer. Whether you are visiting for the first time, showing guests around, or discovering new and interesting activities, you can be guaranteed to find inspiration with the suggestions below.

Be Active

Turn up the level of fun as you increase your heart rate by being active in and around Brisbane City.

• Bring your wheels (or hire some) and traverse Brisbane on your bike or scooter taking advantage of the many family-friendly bike tracks that weave across the city.
• Choose from a variety of outdoor activities and tours at Riverlife including rock climbing, abseiling and kayaking, where you can take in the sites of the city from a different vantage point.
• For those with a keen sense of adventure scale to new heights when you climb the Story Bridge
• Strap on your walking shoes to partake in an informative walking tour which explore the streets, buildings and monuments in the city.
• After working up a sweat, cool off in the sparkling waters of Streets Beach or the Boat Pool at South Bank.

Be Playful

Children of all ages can enjoy slipping, swinging, scaling and sliding at some of the awesome playgrounds dotted around the city.

• Sail the seas at the maritime themed playground, Captain Burke Park at Kangaroo Point.
• Dig in the sand and have fun on the equipment at the tropical Brisbane City Botanic Gardens playground.
• Scamper in the hamster wheel and scale the nets to the skywalk at Riverside Green Playground, South Bank.
• Head to the Children’s Garden at the sprawling Roma Street Parklands and explore the playgrounds.

Be Cultured

You are never too old (or young) to learn new things, explore history or take a glimpse into the future at one of Brisbane’s museums or galleries.

• Delve into the history of dinosaurs, marvel at visiting exhibitions and examine the displays at Queensland Museum Kurilpa.
• Take a free tour of the Brisbane City Hall Clock Tower Tour or learn the history of Brisbane at the Museum of Brisbane.
• Immerse yourself in art including workshops, kid-friendly activities and a sculpture walk at Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art.
• Climb aboard the WW2 Frigate HMAS Diamantina and explore the maritime history of Brisbane at the Queensland Maritime Museum.

Be Rested

When it’s time to rest, recharge and enjoy a quiet moment in the city visitors can choose to:

• Relax among the manicured gardens at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens
• Cruise the Brisbane River on the CityCat, or a river cruise
• Fill your tummies at one of the Best high tea places in Brisbane
• Cool your tastebuds with a delicious ice cream from one of the Best Ice Cream and Gelato Shops in Brisbane
• Enjoy a picnic or just relax in the lush gardens at Roma Street Parklands
• Stroll the aisles at one of the unique markets that pop up in Brisbane on a regular basis

Getting to the City 

There has never been a better time to venture into the city on public transport than with the introduction of 50 cent Translink fares. The drastically low fares were released on the 5^th of August 2024, initially for six months, but appear to be staying for good, assisting families to travel for less in Brisbane. You can even stop off along the way visiting playgrounds near train stations in Brisbane. Head to Translink for all the details. 

If you live close you may choose to walk into the city, or alternatively you can drive, and hope to find cheap parking. 

If you haven’t been into Brisbane City for a while we encourage you to go and explore, lots has changed over the past few years. Who know’s you might find a new favourite location!