Attraction
Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA)
Queensland's state art museum, split between two free riverside buildings at South Bank, with Australian, Indigenous and Asia Pacific art and a cinema.
The best things to do in Brisbane follow its river. The Brisbane River winds through the city, and the free galleries and museums of the Queensland Cultural Centre, the lagoon and gardens of South Bank Parklands and the City Botanic Gardens all sit along its banks. CityCat ferries link most of the inner city, so a river ride is both transport and sightseeing, and the Story Bridge, Kangaroo Point Cliffs and Mt Coot-tha lookout give the best views over the skyline.
The CBD holds City Hall and the main shopping streets, South Bank and West End are the cultural and laneway dining districts, and Fortitude Valley and New Farm are where many of the city's best restaurants, bars and live music venues are found. The food scene ranges from wood-fired dining and modern Greek and Cantonese restaurants to a 24-hour pancake house in an old church and a heritage pub pouring beer off the wood. Three or four days covers the main sights at a relaxed pace, with extra time for day trips such as Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.
Attraction
Queensland's state art museum, split between two free riverside buildings at South Bank, with Australian, Indigenous and Asia Pacific art and a cinema.
Attraction
Queensland's state museum at South Bank, with free galleries on dinosaurs, wildlife and the Anzac legacy plus the ticketed SparkLab science centre.
Attraction
A 17.5-hectare riverside park on the former Expo 88 site, with the free lifeguard-patrolled Streets Beach lagoon, a bougainvillea arbour and river views.
Attraction
Brisbane's oldest public garden, on a bend of the river beside the CBD, with 1850s bunya pines, a weeping fig boardwalk and free guided walks.
Attraction
Founded in 1927 at Fig Tree Pocket, the world's oldest koala sanctuary houses more than 100 koalas plus kangaroos and other native wildlife.
Attraction
A heritage-listed lookout and kiosk on Mount Coot-tha with sweeping views over Brisbane's skyline towards Moreton Bay, open around the clock and free to visit.
Café
The CBD laneway outpost of Kate Reid's Melbourne croissanterie, baking croissants, cruffins and morning buns fresh through the day until they sell out.
Café
The first cafe and roastery of Brisbane coffee roaster Bellissimo, opened in 2009 on Wandoo Street, serving its own coffee with brunch, toasties and sweets.
Café
A Woolloongabba cafe serving South-East Asian-inspired breakfasts by day and banquet dinners with cocktails from Wednesday to Saturday evenings.
Café
Brisbane's 1936 Tudor-style tea room, whose original fit-out was rebuilt inside City Hall in 2013, serving cakes, lemon meringue pie and butterscotch waffles.
Café
A James Street bakery and cake shop trading since 1996, known for bar cakes, tarts, cheesecakes, pies, sausage rolls and house-made sourdough sandwiches.
Café
An all-day riverside eatery inside Brisbane Powerhouse at New Farm Park, with sunny terraces, brunch dishes such as tacos and eggs Benedict, and a dog-friendly welcome.
Hotel
A resort-style design hotel on James Street by architects Richards and Spence, with a resort-style pool deck, day spa and Hellenika restaurant.
Hotel
A 143-suite luxury hotel on Grey Street in South Bank, with a rooftop infinity pool and bar, river views, a spa and several restaurants and bars.
Hotel
A modern YHA hostel on Upper Roma Street with a rooftop pool overlooking the city and river, about 600 metres from Roma Street station.
Hotel
A 312-room riverfront W hotel on North Quay with a rooftop WET Deck pool bar, AWAY Spa and views across the river to South Bank and…
Hotel
An Art Series boutique hotel in Spring Hill themed on abstract painter Michael Johnson, with 84 self-contained suites and a 50-metre pool.
Hotel
A long-running Fortitude Valley backpackers hostel in a former factory, with ensuite dorms and private rooms, a pool, bar and 24-hour reception.
Bar
A heritage-listed 1890 pub at the meeting of Breakfast Creek and the Brisbane River, famous as the only Brisbane hotel still pouring beer off the wood.
Bar
Brisbane's longest-running live music venue, hosting concerts since 1989 in a heritage-listed 1927 cake factory in Fortitude Valley.
Bar
An 1886 Kangaroo Point pub renamed after the Story Bridge in 1941, with a wartime air-raid shelter, a steak restaurant and famous annual cockroach races.
Bar
A West End whisky and cocktail bar behind a velvet curtain, pouring from a collection of more than 300 bottles with seasonal, locally sourced cocktails.
Bar
A riverside brewery and beer hall at Howard Smith Wharves, brewing lagers, IPAs, sours and barrel-aged stouts beneath the Story Bridge.
Bar
A late-night whisky and cocktail bar behind an unmarked orange door on Ann Street, with around 1,000 bottles and chandelier-lit booths.
Restaurant
A wood-fired restaurant in a heritage brick building in Fortitude Valley, where every dish is cooked over fire, with a wine bar downstairs and a terrace…
Restaurant
Jonathan Barthelmess's 210-seat Greek taverna in a former warehouse at Howard Smith Wharves, built around charcoal grilling and generous shared plates.
Restaurant
A modern Italian restaurant on the South Bank riverfront, serving seasonal sharing menus and signature dishes such as Champagne lobster spaghettini, with an award-winning wine list.
Restaurant
A modern Greek restaurant on the pool deck of The Calile Hotel on James Street, serving charcoal-grilled seafood and share plates from breakfast until late.
Restaurant
Tyron Simon's Thai restaurant on James Street, successor to the much-loved Longtime, with grilled meats, som tum and a 140-bottle wine list.
Restaurant
A Roman-style trattoria and wine bar opened in 2008 in an 1889 heritage-listed rubber works building in Woolloongabba, with an all-Italian wine list.
Thing to do
Heritage-listed 1930s wharves beneath the Story Bridge, reopened in 2018 as a riverside precinct of restaurants, bars, a brewery and the bridge climb.
Thing to do
Floodlit former convict quarry cliffs on the Kangaroo Point riverbank, used for climbing and abseiling and giving clear views across to the CBD.
Thing to do
A riverside night market at Northshore Hamilton with more than 60 micro-kitchens, themed bars and live music stages, open Friday to Sunday evenings.
Thing to do
Brisbane's fast public catamarans run along the river from UQ St Lucia to Northshore Hamilton, giving one of the cheapest scenic views of the city.
Thing to do
A 1920s riverside power station in New Farm reopened in 2000 as an arts centre for performance, music and free exhibitions, with restaurants and markets.
Tour operator
Guided climbs to the 80-metre summit of the heritage-listed Story Bridge, running daily at dawn, by day, at twilight and at night from Howard Smith Wharves.
Tour operator
An adventure centre at the foot of the Kangaroo Point Cliffs running river kayak tours, guided climbing and abseiling, Segway tours and bike and kayak hire.
Tour operator
A daily 75-minute river cruise aboard Mirimar II from South Bank to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, with onboard commentary and packages that include sanctuary entry.
Tour operator
Day cruises by catamaran from the Brisbane River to Tangalooma on Moreton Island, with options for snorkelling the wrecks, sandboarding, quad bikes and whale watching.
Tour operator
Free walking tours run by Brisbane City Council volunteers, departing daily from City Hall, with themed routes on heritage, art, gardens and wartime history.
Three or four days covers South Bank and its galleries, the CBD, a CityCat ride, Fortitude Valley and a visit to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary or Mt Coot-tha.
South Bank puts the galleries and parklands on your doorstep, the CBD is central for transport, and Fortitude Valley suits visitors who prioritise restaurants, bars and live music.
The Airtrain links Brisbane Airport with city stations including Roma Street, and airport shuttle buses and taxis are also available.
Accommodation and dining out can be costly, but many highlights are free, including QAGOMA, the Queensland Museum, the Museum of Brisbane, South Bank Parklands and Streets Beach, and both botanic gardens.
Brisbane is generally safe; take normal precautions with belongings at night in busy nightlife areas, and swim only in patrolled areas such as Streets Beach.