Day one: Brisbane City

Welcome to Brisbane, Queensland’s thriving subtropical capital city. Enjoy year round sunshine and warm weather, embrace the city’s outdoor lifestyle and endless adventures, sip spritzes on a rooftop or picnic by boat. Fall in love with Brisbane’s rich culture, vibrancy and experiences on offer.

Eat & Drink

Are you ready to discover why Brisbane’s dining scene is attracting global attention? Sample Brisbane’s award-winning bars, bites and brews that have made their mark on the Australian foodie scene. Whether in The City, Howard Smith Wharves, James Street, South Brisbane or surrounding regions - there is an abundance of rooftop bars, hidden laneway gems and riverside delights to enjoy while reveling in Brisbane’s alfresco lifestyle. Looking for something out of the box? Join Kiff & Culture or the Vino Bus for a foodie journey like no other.

Make a connection

Make tracks for Brisbane’s beloved Cultural Precinct and visit the celebrated Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) to admire world-class art exhibitions, see Brisbane’s stories unravel before your eyes at the Queensland Museum or discover the ancient stories and cultural practices of Brisbane’s First Nations peoples with BlackCard Cultural Tours or Nyanda Cultural Tours.

Shoppers’ Paradise

Wander through one of Australia’s largest open-air malls, Queen Street Mall, to find over 1,000 stores including international and local designers. Head to James Street to peruse one of Brisbane’s newest retail and lifestyle precincts or for something a little quirky, Paddington is a must for designer fashion, antique treasures and retro homewares. For a glamourous city adventure, join Spree with Me, a curated and private shopping tour in fashionable locations with a friendly personal stylist as your guide; you'll be pampered with fashion, styling, food and wine.

Day two: island paradise

Visitors fly from around the world in search of islands as idyllic as those on Brisbane’s coastline. With paradise at your doorstep, what are you waiting for? From glistening white-sand beaches, native wildlife and breathtaking natural wonders, there’s an abundance of activities and tours available; your sense of discovery won’t go unsatisfied.

Jump on a ferry, charter a boat, join a day tour or set off on your own, two of the world’s largest sand islands; Moreton Island/ Mulgumpin and North Stradbroke Island/ Minjerribah await.

Moreton Island/ Mulgumpin

Cruise across to Moreton Island, the third largest sand island in the world, to discover this natural wonder. Take in the view from a scenic heli-flight, explore the island on quad bikes, kayak the crystal-clear water, toboggan down the sand dunes, or snorkel the shipwrecks for the ultimate fish-spotting playground. Keen for more than a day-trip? Stay a little longer at Tangalooma Island Resort to experience all that this island paradise has to offer.

To explore the natural wonders of Moreton island in a day, join a tour with River to Bay, Australian Sunset Safaris or See Moreton. Highlights include snorkelling the Tangalooma Wrecks, marine life encounters, guided walks, heritage experiences and adventure at your own pace. Tangalooma Island Resort also offer day cruises with access to resort facilities.

North Stradbroke Island/ Minjerribah

With seemingly endless white sandy surf beaches, scenic rocky headlands, quaint villages and the freshest of fresh seafood it’s easy to see why locals and visitors alike love the wonders of North Stradbroke Island/ Minjerribah. It’s the second largest sand island in the world and only a speedy 45-minute ferry trip from Cleveland, a 40 minute drive from The City. A haven for surfers, boaties and both thrill-seekers and chill-seekers, a ‘Straddie’ getaway will leave you wanting more. Stay for a day, or book from the ample accommodation options for a resort-style getaway.

Day three: Brisbane adventures

Brisbane is home to an abundance of thrilling adventures - from bridge climbing to river kayaking, wildlife encounters to culinary delights, the city offers a discovery in every direction.

River Adventures

Hop on board a River to Bay cruise to explore the city’s iconic cocktail, breweries or bars with picturesque river views. Get the adrenaline pumping onboard Jet Ski Tours Brisbane and ride along the Brisbane River at speed while taking in the iconic sights, or if leisure is more your speed, hop on board an electric GoBoat for a relaxing picnic on a boat or book in with Riverlife to explore the Brisbane River on a kayak tour.

If you're looking to party up the Brisbane River, the iconic superyacht, YOT Club, brings unique events to the water. For dining and entertainment, the Kookaburra River Queen is a Brisbane classic, a beautiful balance of old-school cool and modern dining - all aboard an old paddle steamer.

See Brisbane from new heights

Take in stunning views of Brisbane in one of only three bridge climbs in the world with Story Bridge Adventure Climb. If you're a real thrill seeker, take to the skies with Elite Helicopters or Pterodactyl Helicopters,or opt to rock climb the Kangaroo Point cliffs with Riverlife Adventure Centre, or take in the iconic South Bank precinct from the Wheel of Brisbane. 

Wildlife and nature adventures

Cruise the Brisbane River with Koala and Mirimar Cruises and visit Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary to meet over 130 koalas, experience kangaroos up close along with other native Australian wildlife before cruising back to the city and taking in Brisbane’s iconic attractions and historic landscapes.

Boasting two Botanic Gardens in which to explore and unwind, relax in the City Botanic Gardens with a picnic, or discover the Mt Coot-Tha Botanic Gardens before hiking up (or driving) the mountain for panoramic views of the city.

Foodie adventures

Enjoy the best seat in the house right under the Story Bridge at Howard Smith Wharves on the edge of the sparkling Brisbane River, where you are spoilt for choice with some of Brisbane’s best restaurants and bars; savour Greek tapas at Greca, down craft beers and wood-fired pizza at Felons Brewing Co, or pop champagne at Mr Percival’s overwater bar.

If you’re in Brisbane on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday evening, venture to Eat Street Northshore at Hamilton to graze from over 70 vendors serving global tastes from brightly branded shipping containers, eclectic boutiques, micro restaurants and live music.

Day four: explore the Scenic Rim

Named in Lonely Planet’s Top 10 regions to visit in the world for 2022, the Scenic Rim’s spectacular scenery of sweeping valleys and mountain ranges, combines the best of both worlds: brimming paddock-to-plate foodie experiences, eco-escapes and great outdoor adventure activities all within an hour of Brisbane city.

National parks and wilderness areas in the Scenic Rim

With national parks and World Heritage-listed rainforests, there’s no shortage of stunning scenery in the Scenic Rim. Formed over millions of years, the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area encompasses Lamington National Park, Tamborine Mountain, Mount Barney and Main Range National Park, and features dense forests, craggy mountains, vast lakes and cooling waterfalls.  

Whether you want to stretch your legs or relax with a picnic in tranquil rainforest surrounds, Tamborine Mountain has experiences for all. Choose a short hike (the Rainforest circuit and Caves track are popular), experience the Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk – a thrilling 1.5-kilometre adventure combining forest floor trails with soaring high-tech steel bridges. 

Scenic Rim farm and foodie experiences

Keen to meet a cuddly creature, and maybe even snap a selfie or two? The 70 alpacas at Mountview Alpaca Farm within O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley Vineyards are fluffy and friendly as can be. Or, out near Harrisville, the farming fun continues with Summer Land Camels, where you can say 'hi' to the camel's before heading to their cute Homestead Café for a range of dromedary-dairy treats.

Further afield, nestled in Scenic Rim’s Fassifern Valley, Kooroomba Lavender Farm is the perfect lunch stopover offering a cellar door, restaurant and lavender gift shop, where you can wander down to the lavender fields and get amongst the dreamy lavender scent.

For hidden gems at Tamborine Mountain, head to Witches Falls Winery to sip on handcrafted wines and sample artisan cheese with the vineyard and lush avocado trees as your backdrop. Witches Chase Cheese Co makes all its cheeses on site and it is well worth stopping in to sample a few flavours. Say cheers to a local beverage with Tamborine Mountain Distillery or get your creative juices flowing with an interactive Gin Blending Class at Cauldron Distillery.

Day five: take a day trip

Within just an hour’s drive of the city, explore Brisbane’s backyard and beautiful regions. Feast on local produce with food and wine regions abound, hike through tranquil world-heritage listed rainforests or seek out picturesque bayside villages.

Moreton Bay Region

Just a short drive from Brisbane’s City, Moreton Bay Region offers a natural playground of seaside villages, rugged mountain ranges, and thriving national parks. Venture to Ocean View Estates at Mount Mee to taste handcrafted wine and elegant dining, take in the views of the vineyard, lake and stunning surrounds. Join 4WD G’day Adventure Tours to experience the beautiful beaches of Bribie Island while safely onboard a 4WD all-terrain vehicle. Another family fave is Redcliffe, with its historic pier, renowned fish and chips and plenty of protected places to cool off with a dip. 

From June – November, join Brisbane Whale Watching to witness majestic humpback whales frolic across the bay performing acrobatic displays as they leap, roll and breach their way through the sub-tropical waters, you will be enchanted and captivated by their antics.

Redlands Coast

If picturesque wineries, wildlife encounters and a stunning coastline filled with island adventures are a holiday must, then plan a day trip to the Redlands Coast.

Get up-close and personal with the marine life of the bay and sail your way around the Redlands Coast with Aria Cruises or Brisbane Yacht Charters, or for an inland activity, head to award-winning Sirromet Winery – a must for food and wine lovers.

Ipswich

Head west towards Ipswich to start your day by discovering the lush and rolling landscapes from the skies above on a leisurely Floating Images Hot Air Balloon ride. Then journey to Spicers Hidden Vale for a luxurious country retreat, featuring hatted restaurant, Homage, as well as Hidden Vale Adventure Park with over 120km of mountain biking trails.