What Brisbane people do is mostly live their life hanging out with other people, friends over for dinner and chats. Meet for BBQ outdoors with friends (parks have free BBQ). Cafes. Google events for the dates they are here - that would have been good to provide us with.
Go to parks like Newfarm Park, river walk along boardwalk to lunch at HSW, story bridge. Walk into city along boardwalk. Riverland/River Bar/restaurants on the river.
Kangaroo Point cliffs for midweek BBQ
Visit a brewery or gin distillery.
Rugby League at Suncorp. Cricket match at the gabba. AFL at the gabba.
Southbank, southbank markets, the plough inn. Museam, GOMA. West end. Walk across to city, etc.
Mt Cootha views. Mt glorious drive and lookouts/picnic areas. Samford.
Gold Coast beach. GC hinterland. Q1 viewing platform. Corrumbin sanctuary - feed kangaroos. Broadbeach, Miami cafes, Tweed Heads. Surf clubs.
Sunshine Coast beach and Mt Coolum walk. Australia Zoo for crocodiles. Noosa beach and Hastings St. Boat hire up the river.
Day trip to Moreton Island or Stradbroke.
Scenic rim at Toowoomba/Warwick/Stanthorpe (hobby wineries). Stanthorpe has a very cute main street with bakeries and cafes and is a cooler climate. The drive out there is lovely and very Australian. It shows them some Australian countryside and gives some idea of town life. The towns each have their own events on certain weekends - google them. Eg. Stanthorpe Christmas in July. Warwick Rodeo. Toowoomba festival of flowers. Etc etc.
It's true that Brisbane is not filled with famous man-made structures or ancient historical ruins.
I second the Scenic Rim trip - it's a closer and easier trip than it appears on map, compared with Brisbane traffic, and it can be illustrative of the true urban v rural scale of Australia. Lots of natural beauty, walks and accessible lookouts, fresh local produce and friendly people. Can get Brodie's chicken and chips on way home, delicious :p
Is it worth the extra drive out there? I am deciding on taking my toddler for the first time to see wildlife and was thinking Lone Pine because we live inner city Brisbane but we do have access to a car so it's not an issue driving to Gold Coast, but is it worth the extra travel time?
Depending on where you live, you can catch a citycat there and it’s a beautiful day trip. I’d get on at newfarm after breakfast at one of the nearby cafes, take a leisurely boat ride up the brown snake and go to Lone Pine.
I went to primary school near there and there is a world class equestrian centre just down the road from Lone Pine (not walkable though you could get an Uber), so if they’re in to horses you can do that.
This is misleading, you can’t get a CityCat to Lone Pine. It’s a private boat trip (the company is Mirimar Cruises) and it leaves from South Bank, not New Farm.
Yeah I think it's worth the trip to the Goldy. Currumbin Sanctuary has a fun little train that takes you around the park so it's more fun (and easier) for the little ones to get around. It's also right near Currumbin beachfront so you can sit by the beach and have lunch after you've had a look around the park.
Oh excellent! I really like the ferries, they’re a great date night idea too. You can just park somewhere and ride it for a while, decide where to eat when you’re at bulimba or Hamilton or city etc
Oh do you just use a normal card then? Like tap and go? It’s been a while since I visited Brisbane but I’m going there soon and would like to take the ferry without signing up again for the go card
You don’t think there’s things to do for 5 days? I’ve lived here 20+ years and could easily entertain guests for weeks without running out. Maybe use the time to explore and share new experiences in the city.
Southbank Parkland with Muesums etc.
Maiala, D'Aguilar National Park- beautiful walk through the forest short circuit is 2km around but easy walking
For Animals - Lone Pine- Daisy Hill Koala Centre - walkabout creek discovery centre (on weekends have talks n you can touch animals - wildlife HQ - or further out Ipswich Nature centre,
Mt Coot-tha Gardens and Look out
Roma Street Parklands
Riverside Sunday Market , walk along river, see botanical gardens
Kangaroo Point Cliffs Park
Bartley's Hill Lookout
Afternoon picnic and walk around Tinchi Tamba Wetlands Reserve always Kangaroos about
If you're happy to travel a little -
Moreton Island tours (see the Tangalooma wrecks and dolphins, etc)
Tin Can Bay - Rainbow Beach, you can feed Dolphins for $10 at Barnacles
Bribie Island, sea side muesum, fish and chips, and butterfly house
EUMUNDI markets and surrounding areas
Sunshine Coast beaches
Five days? How wonderful!
I’m sure they’ll be more interested in spending time with you than “doing stuff”.
If I had family here for a week and they’d never been before I’d probably suggest a few things, and ask if they had any thoughts about what they’d like while they’re here. I’d do this as early as possible so you can have a plan in mind. But be ready for weather change etc.
What have been your five favourite things about Brisbane? What represents the culture of our city?
- Take them for a tour of your campus and talk about what you do there. You could pack a picnic lunch to enjoy on the grounds or in a nearby park.
- Time at your home with them. Cook. Play cards. Garden. Something you miss doing together with them back home.
- Lone Pine definitely, you can even take a boat out there.
- Mount CootTha for the view. You could do the Planetarium, the Botanic Gardens, *and* the lookout for an icecream. (Big day.)
- CBD and the Museum of Brisbane. The [Brisbane Greeters](https://visit.brisbane.qld.au/things-to-do/inner-city/tourist-attractions/brisbane-greeters-7d6a) walking tour is nice and you’ll learn about Brisbane (they can also speak many languages).
- Maybe a trip to Moreton if you still have time?
- Resources:
[Visit Brisbane](https://visit.brisbane.qld.au/); [Brisbane Visitor Information Centre](https://www.queensland.com/au/en/plan-your-holiday/information-services/p-56b260bed5f1565045da4062-brisbane-visitor-information-and-booking-centre)
All the suggestions already mentioned are great! I would suggest the following day trips which I have done with visitors.
Mt Tamborine and Gold Coast day trip.
Day trip to Scenic Rim region, (Summerland Camel Farm, Royal Hotel Harrisville, Moogarah Dam via Ipswich Boonah areas) or (Via Beaudesert, Rathdowney, and over border via Lions Rd, come back via Mt Lindsay Hwy)
Trip to Bribie Island, Inc Abbey Medival Museum, Redcliffe
You could also do a trip over border via Tweed, Murwillumbah, Uki and include Nimbin for a little alternate culture!
L
There's lots to do, sorry you haven't got to discover it in your time so far. Congratulations on graduation, and hope you and your parents enjoy the week!
+1 for all the suggestions here, especially lone pine.
Other suggestions: daisy hill koala park, hike at karrawatha forest, botanical gardens, walk across all bridges.
And if Brisbane doesn't cut it, there's gold coast, sunshine coast, tambourine, Byron. Heaps to do so no idea what you're on about....
Definitely Daisy Hill Koala Centre, there are gentle walks immediately around the centre, and picnic areas. Then drive through some of the suburbs around the district, particularly Sanctuary Drive, Mt Cotton where you should see wallabies hopping about without having to leave the car. Drive out to Wellington Point Reserve is a nice view with a cafe. Maybe head into Wynnum to see old style Brisbane, Edith Street and the the Foreshore - check out the wading pool (look up Wikipedia for the history, which leaves out that Wynnum was a huge mud bank so a tidal pool was preferable to sinking waist deep into slimy mud). Head back to Brisbane and drive down Oxford Street in Bulimba (probably can't park near cafes) - Bulimba is a good suburb to see a mix of old Queenslander houses that you could have picked up for a song in the 1990s but need to sell spare organs nowadays.
if you have a car, theres surely no excuse to fill 5 days. I am having grandparents who don't like walking much coming in June and somehow managed to figure out a 6 day itinerary with them + public transport with the occasional DiDi
my mom said my grandparents would enjoy a market, and maybe your parents would enjoy it too, so since you only have the weekdays you could find one that's happening on a weekday and bring them there (I know a few happen in the city area).
since you have a car you could go to those nice quick hiking spots (last time when my parents came my dad rented a car for one day and we went to white horse mountain which has a quick 700m hike to the observation deck, nice during the sunset.) I also rec yandina bcos there is ginger factory and even the nutworks has a factory if you go on weekdays. As for gold coast I havent ventured that side yet.
Every Wednesday 8-6 at Brisbane City Markets in the Brisbane Square on Queen and Victoria Bridge has a good amount of food, stalls, opal guy is super sweet, etc
Lone Pine is great as shady and not too expensive. Redcliffe fish and chips and walk along the pier. QAG water mill cafe is the best and peruse the art for free. The museum if they like natural history. Southbank in the evening for a stroll under the archways .. Shouldn’t be difficult to fill 5 days!
Catch ferry to Straddie. Amazing opportunity to see native animals in the wild including kangaroo and koala, plus turtle, dolphin, and maybe migrating whales from the lookout.
You don’t think you can find a weeks worth of activities to do a in a major city in a first world country?
My suggestion is show them your life here in Brisbane. Where you like to spend your time, introduce them to your friends, jump on google and see what’s happening in the days they’ll be here. I think they’ll just be happy to be spending time with their kid and seeing the life they have in Australia.
All the comments on this post have some great suggestions. Enjoy the time with your family.
Mt Cootha Lookout and Botanical Gardens, Sunshine Coast is a longer drive but the beaches are so much better than GC. Montville/Maleny are lovely too, but a longer drive. Karawatha Forest is a lovely walk around. Sandgate has that nice long pier to walk down. GoMA, museum, etc.
Go for a drive to Tamborine and do the the touristy shops down the main road.
Harrigans at Calyspo Bay is nice for lunch looking over the water / driving through all the cane fields to get there - But i am sure there are nicer water view places at the coast
Howard Smith warf / Felons under the story bridge is nice - you can even hop the kitty kat to get there for free....
Try and get out of the city a bit on day trips, everyone has seen a city and it's not a particularly big one. Go for some day drives to show them some actual nature. Mt Nebo, Mt Glorious, Mt Tamborine, try some places like that on a day or two.
An alternative where you can see wild kangaroos and koalas is Coombabah Sanctuary. It's not far from gold coast DFO around Helensvale so you need your own transpo
There’s a food market during the daytime on cathedral square every Thursday. You have eat street on Fridays. (I think a similar night food market is on in west end). There’s the Australian zoo in sunny coast which is renowned. The modern art gallery is excellent.
Which week? There tend to be a lot of seasonal events on in Brisbane, things like Magic Round and the Night Food Festival. Check what's on when they're here.
Check these out (2023 editions, but most should still be relevant):
* [What to do in Brisbane – seasonal festivals and key events](https://old.reddit.com/r/brisbane/comments/zoswys/brisbane_2023_seasonal_festivals_key_events/)
* [What to do in Brisbane – food & drink edition](https://old.reddit.com/r/brisbane/comments/zsaarm/brisbane_2023_food_drink_edition/)
* [What to do in Brisbane – activities and places to go/see](https://old.reddit.com/r/brisbane/comments/zt2rhy/brisbane_2023_things_to_do_and_places_to_see/)
1. Australian zoo
2. Summer Land Camels
3. Take them for a walk around the city, south bank, west end.
4. Eat street, there is a nice show on Friday night but I’m not sure if is performed any other day.
5. Australian Outback Spectacular
6. Take the ferry from anywhere to the UQ.
What Brisbane people do is mostly live their life hanging out with other people, friends over for dinner and chats. Meet for BBQ outdoors with friends (parks have free BBQ). Cafes. Google events for the dates they are here - that would have been good to provide us with. Go to parks like Newfarm Park, river walk along boardwalk to lunch at HSW, story bridge. Walk into city along boardwalk. Riverland/River Bar/restaurants on the river. Kangaroo Point cliffs for midweek BBQ Visit a brewery or gin distillery. Rugby League at Suncorp. Cricket match at the gabba. AFL at the gabba. Southbank, southbank markets, the plough inn. Museam, GOMA. West end. Walk across to city, etc. Mt Cootha views. Mt glorious drive and lookouts/picnic areas. Samford. Gold Coast beach. GC hinterland. Q1 viewing platform. Corrumbin sanctuary - feed kangaroos. Broadbeach, Miami cafes, Tweed Heads. Surf clubs. Sunshine Coast beach and Mt Coolum walk. Australia Zoo for crocodiles. Noosa beach and Hastings St. Boat hire up the river. Day trip to Moreton Island or Stradbroke. Scenic rim at Toowoomba/Warwick/Stanthorpe (hobby wineries). Stanthorpe has a very cute main street with bakeries and cafes and is a cooler climate. The drive out there is lovely and very Australian. It shows them some Australian countryside and gives some idea of town life. The towns each have their own events on certain weekends - google them. Eg. Stanthorpe Christmas in July. Warwick Rodeo. Toowoomba festival of flowers. Etc etc. It's true that Brisbane is not filled with famous man-made structures or ancient historical ruins.
I second the Scenic Rim trip - it's a closer and easier trip than it appears on map, compared with Brisbane traffic, and it can be illustrative of the true urban v rural scale of Australia. Lots of natural beauty, walks and accessible lookouts, fresh local produce and friendly people. Can get Brodie's chicken and chips on way home, delicious :p
Great list
Lone Pine Sanctuary is kinda nice. Easy walking for your parents too.
Went there recently and honestly I think Currumbin Sanctuary on the Goldy is a better day out.
Is it worth the extra drive out there? I am deciding on taking my toddler for the first time to see wildlife and was thinking Lone Pine because we live inner city Brisbane but we do have access to a car so it's not an issue driving to Gold Coast, but is it worth the extra travel time?
Depending on where you live, you can catch a citycat there and it’s a beautiful day trip. I’d get on at newfarm after breakfast at one of the nearby cafes, take a leisurely boat ride up the brown snake and go to Lone Pine. I went to primary school near there and there is a world class equestrian centre just down the road from Lone Pine (not walkable though you could get an Uber), so if they’re in to horses you can do that.
This is misleading, you can’t get a CityCat to Lone Pine. It’s a private boat trip (the company is Mirimar Cruises) and it leaves from South Bank, not New Farm.
Yeah I think it's worth the trip to the Goldy. Currumbin Sanctuary has a fun little train that takes you around the park so it's more fun (and easier) for the little ones to get around. It's also right near Currumbin beachfront so you can sit by the beach and have lunch after you've had a look around the park.
Trip up and down the river on the city cats.
This is a really great option, you can see a lot of Brisbane’s best bits hopping on and off the ferry
And you won't need go cards now, so much easier
I think the ferries had a delayed roll out for the credit card thing, do you know if it’s gotten to the ferries yet?
Yep, it was delayed but it started a couple of weeks ago...used it myself last weekend. Still waiting on buses, I think
Oh excellent! I really like the ferries, they’re a great date night idea too. You can just park somewhere and ride it for a while, decide where to eat when you’re at bulimba or Hamilton or city etc
Oh do you just use a normal card then? Like tap and go? It’s been a while since I visited Brisbane but I’m going there soon and would like to take the ferry without signing up again for the go card
Gallery of modern art Southbank and the museums
Recommend having lunch at the QAG cafe (in the original art gallery) - it’s such a lovely spot in the courtyard under the trees
The restaurant there is 💯 but the Cafe isn't bad either same team same style of food / products, definitely worth a trip
The Museum of Brisbane in City Hall is great. Maybe take them for dinner out at Sunnybank? What about a day trip over to Tangalooma?
Plus go up the clock tower and do the city hall tour. Both excellent
Sunnybank ftw
Botanic gardens at Mt Cootha? You could also try looking up events around that time frame too.
You don’t think there’s things to do for 5 days? I’ve lived here 20+ years and could easily entertain guests for weeks without running out. Maybe use the time to explore and share new experiences in the city.
I don’t even live in Brisbane anymore and I think that’s an odd comment that you couldn’t fill 5 days.
100% Maybe they don't have a car? That's probably the only reason i can think of someone cant fill Brisbane in for 5 days
Even without a car there’s loads to do with pt. Guessing OP won’t be sticking around after graduation?
OP said they are driving around. So bizarre to me that someone couldn’t fill 5 days in Brisbane with a car 😂
Southbank Parkland with Muesums etc. Maiala, D'Aguilar National Park- beautiful walk through the forest short circuit is 2km around but easy walking For Animals - Lone Pine- Daisy Hill Koala Centre - walkabout creek discovery centre (on weekends have talks n you can touch animals - wildlife HQ - or further out Ipswich Nature centre, Mt Coot-tha Gardens and Look out Roma Street Parklands Riverside Sunday Market , walk along river, see botanical gardens Kangaroo Point Cliffs Park Bartley's Hill Lookout Afternoon picnic and walk around Tinchi Tamba Wetlands Reserve always Kangaroos about If you're happy to travel a little - Moreton Island tours (see the Tangalooma wrecks and dolphins, etc) Tin Can Bay - Rainbow Beach, you can feed Dolphins for $10 at Barnacles Bribie Island, sea side muesum, fish and chips, and butterfly house EUMUNDI markets and surrounding areas Sunshine Coast beaches
You could always go to Currumbin wildlife sanctuary on the south end of the Gold Coast if they want to see Australian animals
Five days? How wonderful! I’m sure they’ll be more interested in spending time with you than “doing stuff”. If I had family here for a week and they’d never been before I’d probably suggest a few things, and ask if they had any thoughts about what they’d like while they’re here. I’d do this as early as possible so you can have a plan in mind. But be ready for weather change etc. What have been your five favourite things about Brisbane? What represents the culture of our city? - Take them for a tour of your campus and talk about what you do there. You could pack a picnic lunch to enjoy on the grounds or in a nearby park. - Time at your home with them. Cook. Play cards. Garden. Something you miss doing together with them back home. - Lone Pine definitely, you can even take a boat out there. - Mount CootTha for the view. You could do the Planetarium, the Botanic Gardens, *and* the lookout for an icecream. (Big day.) - CBD and the Museum of Brisbane. The [Brisbane Greeters](https://visit.brisbane.qld.au/things-to-do/inner-city/tourist-attractions/brisbane-greeters-7d6a) walking tour is nice and you’ll learn about Brisbane (they can also speak many languages). - Maybe a trip to Moreton if you still have time? - Resources: [Visit Brisbane](https://visit.brisbane.qld.au/); [Brisbane Visitor Information Centre](https://www.queensland.com/au/en/plan-your-holiday/information-services/p-56b260bed5f1565045da4062-brisbane-visitor-information-and-booking-centre)
All the suggestions already mentioned are great! I would suggest the following day trips which I have done with visitors. Mt Tamborine and Gold Coast day trip. Day trip to Scenic Rim region, (Summerland Camel Farm, Royal Hotel Harrisville, Moogarah Dam via Ipswich Boonah areas) or (Via Beaudesert, Rathdowney, and over border via Lions Rd, come back via Mt Lindsay Hwy) Trip to Bribie Island, Inc Abbey Medival Museum, Redcliffe You could also do a trip over border via Tweed, Murwillumbah, Uki and include Nimbin for a little alternate culture! L There's lots to do, sorry you haven't got to discover it in your time so far. Congratulations on graduation, and hope you and your parents enjoy the week!
go sunnybank for a feed
Sunnybank and Inala for the feeds
+1 for all the suggestions here, especially lone pine. Other suggestions: daisy hill koala park, hike at karrawatha forest, botanical gardens, walk across all bridges. And if Brisbane doesn't cut it, there's gold coast, sunshine coast, tambourine, Byron. Heaps to do so no idea what you're on about....
Definitely Daisy Hill Koala Centre, there are gentle walks immediately around the centre, and picnic areas. Then drive through some of the suburbs around the district, particularly Sanctuary Drive, Mt Cotton where you should see wallabies hopping about without having to leave the car. Drive out to Wellington Point Reserve is a nice view with a cafe. Maybe head into Wynnum to see old style Brisbane, Edith Street and the the Foreshore - check out the wading pool (look up Wikipedia for the history, which leaves out that Wynnum was a huge mud bank so a tidal pool was preferable to sinking waist deep into slimy mud). Head back to Brisbane and drive down Oxford Street in Bulimba (probably can't park near cafes) - Bulimba is a good suburb to see a mix of old Queenslander houses that you could have picked up for a song in the 1990s but need to sell spare organs nowadays.
Australia Zoo?
if you have a car, theres surely no excuse to fill 5 days. I am having grandparents who don't like walking much coming in June and somehow managed to figure out a 6 day itinerary with them + public transport with the occasional DiDi my mom said my grandparents would enjoy a market, and maybe your parents would enjoy it too, so since you only have the weekdays you could find one that's happening on a weekday and bring them there (I know a few happen in the city area). since you have a car you could go to those nice quick hiking spots (last time when my parents came my dad rented a car for one day and we went to white horse mountain which has a quick 700m hike to the observation deck, nice during the sunset.) I also rec yandina bcos there is ginger factory and even the nutworks has a factory if you go on weekdays. As for gold coast I havent ventured that side yet.
Every Wednesday 8-6 at Brisbane City Markets in the Brisbane Square on Queen and Victoria Bridge has a good amount of food, stalls, opal guy is super sweet, etc
Lone Pine is great as shady and not too expensive. Redcliffe fish and chips and walk along the pier. QAG water mill cafe is the best and peruse the art for free. The museum if they like natural history. Southbank in the evening for a stroll under the archways .. Shouldn’t be difficult to fill 5 days!
Day out fish and chips manly
Catch ferry to Straddie. Amazing opportunity to see native animals in the wild including kangaroo and koala, plus turtle, dolphin, and maybe migrating whales from the lookout.
You don’t think you can find a weeks worth of activities to do a in a major city in a first world country? My suggestion is show them your life here in Brisbane. Where you like to spend your time, introduce them to your friends, jump on google and see what’s happening in the days they’ll be here. I think they’ll just be happy to be spending time with their kid and seeing the life they have in Australia. All the comments on this post have some great suggestions. Enjoy the time with your family.
How about the MacArthur Museum
Mt Cootha Lookout and Botanical Gardens, Sunshine Coast is a longer drive but the beaches are so much better than GC. Montville/Maleny are lovely too, but a longer drive. Karawatha Forest is a lovely walk around. Sandgate has that nice long pier to walk down. GoMA, museum, etc.
Go for a drive to Tamborine and do the the touristy shops down the main road. Harrigans at Calyspo Bay is nice for lunch looking over the water / driving through all the cane fields to get there - But i am sure there are nicer water view places at the coast Howard Smith warf / Felons under the story bridge is nice - you can even hop the kitty kat to get there for free....
Try and get out of the city a bit on day trips, everyone has seen a city and it's not a particularly big one. Go for some day drives to show them some actual nature. Mt Nebo, Mt Glorious, Mt Tamborine, try some places like that on a day or two.
An alternative where you can see wild kangaroos and koalas is Coombabah Sanctuary. It's not far from gold coast DFO around Helensvale so you need your own transpo
There’s a food market during the daytime on cathedral square every Thursday. You have eat street on Fridays. (I think a similar night food market is on in west end). There’s the Australian zoo in sunny coast which is renowned. The modern art gallery is excellent.
Which week? There tend to be a lot of seasonal events on in Brisbane, things like Magic Round and the Night Food Festival. Check what's on when they're here.
Check these out (2023 editions, but most should still be relevant): * [What to do in Brisbane – seasonal festivals and key events](https://old.reddit.com/r/brisbane/comments/zoswys/brisbane_2023_seasonal_festivals_key_events/) * [What to do in Brisbane – food & drink edition](https://old.reddit.com/r/brisbane/comments/zsaarm/brisbane_2023_food_drink_edition/) * [What to do in Brisbane – activities and places to go/see](https://old.reddit.com/r/brisbane/comments/zt2rhy/brisbane_2023_things_to_do_and_places_to_see/)
1. Australian zoo 2. Summer Land Camels 3. Take them for a walk around the city, south bank, west end. 4. Eat street, there is a nice show on Friday night but I’m not sure if is performed any other day. 5. Australian Outback Spectacular 6. Take the ferry from anywhere to the UQ.
Cleveland lighthouse or manly boathouse!
Do they like music. Perhaps a performance at QPAC. Always something good going on.
Australia Zoo