I spent a good chunk of May in Brisbane, Australia. I have a few friends from my semester abroad that live there so it made sense that I got a really good taste of the city and surrounding area on my month long trip!
Before I left, I heard a lot of crappy things about this Australian city. The main thing I heard was DO NOT stay long, not much to do, kind of ugly… boring essentially. When I went and it was none of those things, I was SO surprised!
The main reason for my trip was to see friends, so I stayed in Brisbane for about 2 weeks. That was sliced up into chunks of as little as 2 days and up to a week. You absolutely do not need that long of a time to get a taste for the city. If you were in a rush, I think 4 days would probably suffice.
So lets get into the logistics.
Brisbane, Australia Travel Guide
Where to Stay
I stayed with my friends for most of the trip, but I would definitely recommend staying in the downtown core. Either right downtown or sightly out, like on James Street below.
ASOS Bathing Suit | Rayban Sunglasses
Mejuri Ring | Alex & Ani Bracelet
The Calile Hotel: My friend and I stayed one night at the Calile Hotel on James Street and it was AMAZING! We were so impressed. The rooms were stunning and the pool was what dreams are made of. It was heated too which let us pool it up all. day. long. Even after we had checked out!
They have a restaurant in the hotel which we ate at for brunch but also lots of options nearby. The location is probably one of my favourite parts of the hotel. It sits right on James Street which has a ton of Aussie shops, cool restaurants and just all around amazing vibes.
Related: What to Pack for Australia in the Winter
What to Do
Queen Street is an outdoor shopping promenade and so lovely on a warm day. This was one of our first stops and what made me really love the city. Although pricey, Jimmy’s on the Street is the perfect spot to grab a drink and people watch.
Maccs the Label Dress (on sale for $20!) | Aritzia Top | Birkenstock Sandals
Assembly Label Jeans (almsot identical) | Aritzia Top | Camelia Roma Bag | Rayban Sunglasses | Forever 21 Sandals
Head to James Street for lots of trendy Australian shops, good hotels and great food! My favourite shopping spots were Assembly Label, Wittner and Aēsop.
Southbank has a great walking path, pools and even a fake beach! Head over the river on a hot day to enjoy this side of the city. Make sure to snap a pic at the Brisbane sign or Lime you’re way down the paths! Lime is a rentable scooter that you can pick up almost anywhere in the city and leave almost anywhere when you’re done.
This street is also where you start the Brisbane Free Walking Tour with the local tourism agency. I wouldn’t say they gave amazing info, but definitely worth the two hours if you have some extra time. Make sure to book ahead though; they only let 8 people on the tour a day and usually fills up early. The website with more info and a number to call an be found here.
The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was a great stop for a few hours to see lots of Australian animals. You can even go into a huge area and pet and feed the kangaroos!
Drive or hike to the top of Mt. Coot-tha for amazing views of the city and surrounding areas.
Head to Kangaroo Point with some sausages and buns and have a sausage sizzle on the free use barbecues! It has an amazing view of the city and the perfect spot to have a relaxing evening. Make sure to head over early because the spaces fill up quickly with people who have the same idea!
The Southbank area is close by to the Museums of Brisbane. There’s a good strip of 3 to check out while you’re in the area. The two art galleries, Gallery of Modern Art and Queensland Art Gallery are both free and offer tours of the exhibits! I spent a few hours here on my last day and loved that afterwards, I could walk outside a be right on the water to enjoy views of the city.
From Brisbane, it’s so easy to slide out of the city and head down to the Gold Coast, or beaches both north and south of the city. We went to the Gold Coast and Byron Bay. Both were perfect spots for a little getaway. Since I was there in their fall, it wasn’t too packed, and not much time was spent in the water. I can definitely see how it could be super busy as the temperatures heat up (it was still around +20 degrees Celcius while I was there in the fall). Burleigh beach is where I went and it’s a favourite among the locals. Byron Bay Beach is also very nice, but much more touristy.
Where to Eat and Drink
Boulangerie la Bon Chouix is a French bakery in the heart of the city. It had a huge patio for sitting outside in the middle of the downtown action and tons of pastry choices.
Min & Co is a little hole in the wall slightly out of the downtown core. Great coffee (but where in Aus doesn’t have that, amiright?!) and really good food!
If you’re in downtown, Terra Firma is a cult classic among those working in the area. According to my friend that lives in the city, this spot has the BEST coffee around. I can’t attest because I had the chai latte, but with how many people came in and out of those doors, I’d say she’s not far off! You can also stop in for breakfast or lunch to eat in or take away!
Paw Paw is a breakfast place that seemed to be among the favourites of everyone in Brisbane. It was the only place in Australia I had to wait for a table! On that note, head over early to ensure you can snag a spot.
Another downtown hotspot, Nodo has great breakfast donuts! The only reason I say “breakfast donuts” is that they’re sold out if you go after lunch. So go early! Also, their iced chai is what dreams are made of.
According to my friend, Bare Naked Bowls is the best Acaí bowl you’ll ever have. I’ve got to admit, it was the best acaí bowl I’ve ever had! Make sure to get the cocoa nibs and peanut butter on your bowl, you won’t regret it.
If you’re looking for a quick bite in the city centre, grab a Cranberry Turkey and Brie sandwich from Necta Lunch! It was so good, I’ve been recreating it at home since being back. You can eat at one of the tables, but I recommend taking your sandwich outside to one of the cool spots around there.
Mejuri Ring
Close to the Aussie Football Stadium is Allpress, a cozy little café with amazing coffee and pastries. Careful though, this spot closes at 2:00pm!
Three Beans is a core hotspot for coffee and morning eats. They have a great chai and the rest of the food looked amazing!
Hellinika is the eatery inside the Calile Hotel mentioned above. I stopped in for brunch and although really good, I’ve heard their winner is dinner! Try stopping by at the end of a shopping trip to James Street!
If you’re in the mood for a caramel slice (a classic Australian dessert it seemed like), head right next door from Hellinika to Jocelyn’s Provisions. Lots of yummy snacks to take outside and eat in the sun (which is exactly what I did!)
Singh’s Asian Kitchen in Rosealie has amazing Thai food! My friend and I ordered through Uber Eats. Both the Pad Thai and Green Curry were so good, they rivalled my favourite spot at home (which is saying a lot!)
Rayban Sunglasses | Thrifted Bag via Goodwill
If you’re stopping at Queen’s Street on a nice day, sit down at Jimmy’s on the Mall for a drink and people watching! It’s pretty pricey and a tad bit touristy, but I honestly loved it. My friend and I sat for a drink and appetizer and enjoyed the warm weather.
Salt Meats Cheese is a great dinner spot in a really cool area. There are a ton of restaurants in the area so perhaps just head over once you’re ready for dinner and see what you feel like!
When you’re walking Southbank, stop at Cactus Republic for a quick bite of Mexican food. It’s located right off the walking path so park your Lime and stay a while!
If you’re in the mood for something sweet, and only something sweet, head to Max Brenner Chocolate Bar. It’s literally a chocolate lover’s paradise with all things chocolate. The hot chocolate and the chocolate fondue were 2 of my faves!
One of the best spots in the city is Felons Brewing Co. It’s right on the water, has a view of the Story Bridge and great pizza. That’s the trifecta if you ask me!
Right next door there’s the most beautiful bar over the water: Mr Percivals. With beautiful drinks and great music, it’s the perfect spot to grab a night cap.
If you’re in the mood for drinks out, head to Hello Gorgeous! It has great cocktails and awesome appetizers for a night out on the town. Plus, it’s totally instagrammable which is always a win in my books!
It took me 2 weeks to get through all these places and I loved every second of it. Like I said, you don’t need that much time to see the city, but it’s a great place to be if you’re in Australia!
Related: If you’re heading to other spots down under, check out my other travel guides for Melbourne, the Gold Coast and Sydney!
xx Victoria
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Brisbane seems super cool! And your pictures at absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for sharing your trip with us!
It was SO awesome! Definitely recommend if you’ve never visited before. Thanks for stopping by!
xx