Welcome to Brisbane. You’ve just touched down in one of Australia’s fastest-growing cities, with a vibrant cultural landscape that’s every bit the rival of its bigger siblings Sydney and Melbourne. Brisbane is fast becoming the place to be, as it tends to take the best elements of both Sydney and Melbourne, merges them together, and provides consistently nicer weather the whole while.
So once you’ve picked up your car from our convenient CBD location, you’re going to want to start exploring as quickly as possible. There’s a lot to discover in the Sunshine State capital.
The lay of the land in Brisbane
Brisbane is a city not just built on a river, but with the river woven into the very fabric of its cultural identity. Talk to locals and they’ll endearingly call it the “big brown snake”, and it’s essential not just to the city but to discovering it. In Brisbane public transport can be notoriously frustrating (good thing you hired that car), but the notable exception is the CityCat ferry system. This is not just some tourist-gimmick, but often the fastest and certainly the most enjoyable way of getting around town.
A great starting point of your ferry-centric explorations should be West End, where you can indulge in breweries and beer gardens, whilst absorbing a mixed vibe (think alternative meets vintage). The area is best known for its vegan markets, craft and produce vendors, and organic cafes and could easily be a suburb of Melbourne if it were located just a thousand kilometres or so further south.
Just across the river, lies one of Brisbane’s best advantages – all of the best nightlife can be found in just one location. This means that no matter what your scene from clubs to bars to beer cafes and everything in between, Fortitude Valley is the go-to destination for an evening out. Black Bear Lodge, the GPO, or the Zoo are a few names to try, but just wander the streets any time after dark on a Friday or Saturday night and you’ll find something to suit your tastes.
If arts and culture are more your speed, another river-side destination worth a look in is South Bank, where you’ll find all of the city’s museums, theatres, art galleries and more. It also offers some of the best cafes the city has to offer.
Lastly, if you’d like to take it all at once and get that perfect selfie, Mount Coot-tha lookout in Brisbane’s inner west offers a stunning view of the downtown area. This is just a 20-minute drive west of the inner city.
Shopping and culture galore
To appease cravings for a shopping spree, the recently renewed Queen Street Mall is a popular spot for browsing Australian and international brands. With a flourishing café and street art culture, take a stroll downtown (Archives Fine Books Store is a good start) and stop for a coffee in one of the various cafes popping up around the CBD.
To add an unusual element to your visit, check out a few of unique experiences:
- Embark on a Kookaburra Showboat cruise (for lunch or dinner) and enjoy a themed event.
- The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is also the oldest and largest koala sanctuary in the world, which makes visiting this sanctuary exceptional.
- The Brisbane Jazz Club hosts international artists, and hosts regular workshops or classes for the curious at heart.
A yearly calendar packed with events
What’s on throughout the year? Visit Brisbane’s Comedy Festival, the Gallery of Modern Art’s latest installation, Ekka, Oktoberfest, and Asia Pacific Film Festival for a taste of Australian artistry. We also recommend exploring the Botanic Gardens, Powerhouse Theatre in New Farm, The Gabba (Brisbane’s Cricket Grounds), or the Story Bridge Adventure Climb.
Brisbane is constantly changing and expanding, transforming itself into a cutting-edge urban metropolis. The development of cultural exhibitions in combination with an increase in international cuisine and creative talent makes the destination worth the journey.
