5 days in Brisbane

Day by day

1. Day 1: South Bank Parklands and Streets Beach and Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA)

   South Bank Parklands and Streets Beach, Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and Queensland Art Gallery, then Story Bridge in the evening.

   1. Morning

      South Bank Parklands and Streets Beach

      Swim in the lagoon on a weekday morning; on hot weekends it is crowded by mid-morning. (Half a day, free).

   2. Late morning

      Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA)

      Check the programme for the Children's Art Centre and the cinémathèque, both included in or alongside the free collection displays. (2 hours, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Moreton Bay bugs

      Seafood restaurants along the river at Howard Smith Wharves and South Bank, and fish markets in Hamilton.

   4. Afternoon

      Queensland Art Gallery

      Start here, cross to GOMA, then have lunch at the riverside café between the two buildings. (1.5 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      Story Bridge

      Walk across at dusk from Kangaroo Point towards the Valley for skyline views, then descend to Howard Smith Wharves for dinner.

2. Day 2: Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and CityCat river ferry

   Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, CityCat river ferry and Queensland Museum Kurilpa, then Kangaroo Point Cliffs in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

      A river cruise from the city centre is a scenic way to arrive; otherwise take a bus from the CBD in about 40 minutes. (3 hours, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      CityCat river ferry

      Ride the whole route once, sitting on the outside deck at the front, and stop off at New Farm Park or Howard Smith Wharves. (1–2 hours, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Mud crab

      Seafood restaurants and Chinese restaurants in Fortitude Valley and Sunnybank.

   4. Afternoon

      Queensland Museum Kurilpa

      SparkLab charges separately; the main galleries are free and suit a hot or rainy afternoon. (2 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      Kangaroo Point Cliffs

      Book a guided climbing or abseiling session for a first try, or come after dark to see the city lights reflected in the river.

3. Day 3: Mount Coot-tha Lookout and Botanic Gardens and City Botanic Gardens

   Mount Coot-tha Lookout and Botanic Gardens, City Botanic Gardens and Howard Smith Wharves, then Eat Street Northshore in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Mount Coot-tha Lookout and Botanic Gardens

      Visit the lookout at sunset, then walk the short trails in the gardens earlier in the day when it is cooler. (Half a day, free).

   2. Late morning

      City Botanic Gardens

      Follow the riverside boardwalk from the gardens to Eagle Street Pier and the Riverwalk at New Farm. (1 hour, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Tropical fruit

      Farmers' markets at the Powerhouse and Davies Park, and greengrocers across the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Howard Smith Wharves

      Book a riverside table for sunset, when the Story Bridge lights come on overhead. (2 hours, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Eat Street Northshore

      Take the CityCat to the Northshore Hamilton terminus and arrive early before the queues build.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Gold Coast

   About 1–1.5 hours by train and light rail each way. Getting there: Train to Helensvale, then G:link light rail to Surfers Paradise.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Gold Coast

      About 1–1.5 hours by train and light rail (Train to Helensvale, then G:link light rail to Surfers Paradise); about 80 km.

   2. Day

      Gold Coast

      Surf beaches, theme parks and the SkyPoint observation deck at Surfers Paradise. Best for families, beach and nightlife.

   3. Evening

      Back in Brisbane

      Dinner: try Lamington.

5. Day 5: Brisbane City Hall and Museum of Brisbane and Roma Street Parkland

   Brisbane City Hall and Museum of Brisbane, Roma Street Parkland and New Farm Park and Brisbane Powerhouse, then Fortitude Valley in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Brisbane City Hall and Museum of Brisbane

      Book the free clock-tower tour on arrival at the museum desk; places are limited. (1–1.5 hours, free).

   2. Late morning

      Roma Street Parkland

      Bring lunch; the barbecues and lawns by the lake are rarely crowded on weekdays. (1 hour, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Lamington

      Bakeries and cafés across the city.

   4. Afternoon

      New Farm Park and Brisbane Powerhouse

      Time a visit to the Saturday market and stay for a picnic under the jacarandas in spring. (2 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      Fortitude Valley

      Clubs, live-music venues and bars around Brunswick Street Mall, Ann Street and Chinatown.

Before you go

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 nights, Brisbane CBD keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, South Bank ($$$) suits families, first-timers, culture and couples. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 28–33 hours of visiting over 5 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.4 hours in June to 13.9 hours in December.

More or fewer days

• One day in Brisbane
• 2 days in Brisbane
• 3 days in Brisbane

Questions travellers ask