Day one 

Morning: River Cruise 

Enjoying the river is almost mandatory in Brisbane and there are many leisurely cruises designed for this purpose. Jump on board with Mirimar Cruises or River City Cruises to explore by water.  

Afternoon: Riverlife 

Get among the many outdoor green spaces in Brisbane’s inner city with Riverlife Adventure Centre at the base of the Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Grab some bikes and scooters or strap on some rollerblades and glide along one of the city’s many bike paths. Alternatively, the bigger kids will love getting on the river with kayaks and stand-up paddleboarding.  

Evening: Howard Smith Wharves 

Head to Howard Smith Wharves to catch a sunset over the Brisbane River and enjoy a delicious pizza or fish and chips on the Felons Lawn with the sparkling cityscape as your backdrop. 

To turn in for the night, choose from the range of spacious self-contained apartments available. From the centrally located Hotel Jen Brisbane on Roma Street to Rydges South Bank, located in the heart of South Bank Parklands, there’s plenty of top options to accommodate families of all sizes.

Day two

Morning: South Bank 

Explore Queensland Art Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art, State Library, Queensland Museum and the fantastic Sciencentre along with the state-of-the-art playground in South Bank Parklands, just a short stroll over the Victoria Bridge from The City. 

Take a dip in Streets Beach or join a free Brisbane Greeters tour of South Bank, departing from the South Bank Visitor Information & Booking Centre. Bookings are essential at least 24 hours in advance. Call (07) 3029 1797 or email [email protected] to book. 

Enjoy a bite to eat while you’re in South Bank. Choose from the many cafes and restaurants within the precinct or nearby Little Grey Street for an array of world cuisines. With everything from burgers to brewpubs, sushi and even a dessert lounge, there’s a venue to tempt even the fussiest eater. 

Afternoon: Wheel of Brisbane 

You’ve seen Brisbane City from the river, now it’s time to get sky-high with a bird’s-eye view from the Wheel of Brisbane. Located near the Cultural Forecourt in South Bank Parklands, it’s open until late so you can enjoy a panoramic view of The City and surrounds at different times of the day. 

Evening: fine dining 

Book a babysitter (ask your concierge) and experience Brisbane’s fine dining establishments on a date night out. The inner-city areas of Fortitude Valley and New Farm have a plethora of buzzworthy new restaurants to dine for. Book ahead for popular eateries such as the Italian-flavoured Etna, Agnes’ woodfired cuisine and the elegant Sushi Room, to name a few. Or venture to Eagle Street in The City to savour fine dining with exceptional waterfront views. 

Day three 

Full Day: Scenic Rim adventure 

Make a day of it in South-East Queensland’s Scenic Rim region, just one hour’s drive from Brisbane. Spanning World Heritage-listed rainforests, soaring mountains, gourmet produce and charming country towns, it’s a rural escape right on Brisbane’s doorstep. Littlies will love visiting the farms, such as Summer Land Camels and Tommerup’s Dairy Farm, while big kids will relish the more adventurous activities on offer. Get them out and enjoying the fresh air at Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk, TreeTop Challenge, O’Reilly’s and Binna Burra Lodge.

Day four 

Full Day: Moreton Bay swimming & snorkelling

Swap the hinterland for island time in Brisbane’s Moreton Bay. Hop on board River to Bay’s island cruises to enjoy a day trip on the bay. The full-day Best of Moreton Bay tour features snorkelling at Tangalooma Wrecks and adventures in nature and lunch at North Stradbroke Island/Minjerribah, and include a return cruise past St Helena Island and all the swimming, snorkelling, marine and local wildlife-spotting and good times you can pack in.

Sunset Safari’s Moreton Island Get Wrecked Tour is the ideal eco adventure for families with a full day of activities on Moreton Island/Mulgumpin, including sand tobogganing, snorkelling, swimming, beach 4WDing and paddling over shipwrecks in transparent kayaks. 

Other family-friendly things to do in Brisbane 

Brisbane Whale Watching 

Witness the majestic humpbacks on their migratory journey to and from Antarctica from June. Brisbane Whale Watching will net you 100 per cent whale sightings from the Eye Spy catamaran so you’re guaranteed a thrilling experience for the whole family. 

Escape rooms

Escape Hunt Brisbane in West End is an adventure like no other. Choose from six original themed rooms for an immersive activity that gets everyone involved. In The City, put your collective brains to the test at Fox in a Box Brisbane, Strike Wintergarden and Escape Manor for a puzzling experience. Become a real-life detective and crack the clues to escape before time runs out. 

Markets around Brisbane 

Pick up a bargain at one of Brisbane’s markets. Whether you’re after fresh produce, tasty eats, international flavours or the latest crafty pieces, there’s plenty on offer. Take a leisurely wander while listening to local performers and live music. Check out the Brisbane City Markets on Wednesdays in The City, Eat Street Northshore or the Riverside at the Gardens Market on Sundays. 

Nyanda Cultural Tours

Explore local First Nations culture and traditions on a two-hour guided tour through Brisbane’s Nudgee Waterholes, Bora Ring and the Bush Food Gardens site with Nyanda Cultural Tours. An immersive experience for the whole family, you can participate in a smoke ceremony and craft demonstrations, taste bush foods and listen to a bull-roarer at the sacred Bora Ring. 

Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium

Turn your attention to the stars at the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium. See recreations of Brisbane’s night sky in the cosmic Skydome, fragments of asteroids and spacecraft models in the Display Zone, short feature shows on astronomy and space missions in the Mini Theatre or stargaze with an astronomer in the observatory.

Go Karting 

Satisfy young speed demons with a trip to the track. Eagle Farm is home to the indoor Slideways Go Karting Brisbane, which features 425m of all-weather adrenaline-pumping action. Kingston Park Raceway on Brisbane’s southside also delivers the fun and thrill of go kart racing that’s suitable for all. Daredevils can take it up a notch on the 1.1km Le Mans international standard circuit track for the ultimate go karting experience.