Visiting Brisbane for The Ekka?:
Here's where to stay, eat, drink and explore
Roll up, roll up! Brisbane's greatest show turns 150 this August, and it’s returning for another week full of thrill rides, carnival food, showbags, exhibitions and live entertainment. But the fun doesn't end at the showground gates. With riverside adventures and family friendly activities, to day trips to the islands and road trips to the hinterland, Brisbane has plenty up its sleeve to keep you busy, long after the fireworks fade.
Here’s how to make the most of your trip to Brisbane for The Ekka.
Where to stay
With The Ekka drawing thousands of visitors from far and wide, locking in your home base early is a smart move. The good news is, no matter where you stay in Brisbane, you're never far from the action.
For those who want to minimise travel time and maximise their showground experience, look no further than Rydges Fortitude Valley and Belise Apartments, both which put you within walking distance of the front gates. Code Apartments and Oaks Brisbane Mews Suites are also great options, offering a combination of family friendly and self-contained accommodation options.
Fortitude Valley is another great suburb to make your base for the week. A mix of bars, restaurants, live music venues and entertainment options, combined with easy access to the showgrounds via 50c public transport makes it a strong choice. The Alva Hotel Brisbane and Ovolo Brisbane both bring plenty of character to their respective corners of the suburb, while Alpha Mosaic Hotel Fortitude Valley offers something polished and boutique. For a quieter, more refined place to stay, the iconic Spicers Balfour is your answer. Nestled among the leafy streets of New Farm, this charming hotspot offers everything from a sunset-filled rooftop bar and leafy garden courtyard to thoughtful, modern suites. Also in the area, located at Howard Smith Wharves, is Crystalbrook Vincent, a modern hotel providing guests with one of the city’s most sought after views.
For those after the full Brisbane experience, The City puts world-class dining, some of South East Queensland's best shopping and quick connections to every corner of Brisbane right on your doorstep. Four Points by Sheraton Brisbane offers reliable comfort in the heart of it all, while The Star Grand Hotel, Stamford Plaza and InterContinental Brisbane step things up for those wanting a more premium base. And for travellers looking to keep life simple, Ibis Styles Brisbane Elizabeth Street is well-priced without compromising on location.
South Bank also offers beautiful accommodation within the cultural hub of Brisbane. Home to Streets Beach, the Queensland Cultural Centre, an unbeatable stretch of parklands and easy access to Bluey’s World via the ferry, South bank is perfect for families. Emporium Hotel South Bank is the neighbourhood's flagship, a genuine Brisbane favourite known for its rooftop pool and exceptional dining. Mantra South Bank Brisbane, Rydges South Bank and Novotel South Bank all offer comfortable, well-located alternatives in the same vibrant precinct.
Things to do
You've eaten a dagwood dog. You've felt the thrill of sideshow alley, and your arms are filled with showbags. But the excitement doesn’t have to end there. Brisbane has an endless list of experiences, adventures and family friendly activities waiting either side of your Ekka holiday.
If you're an animal lover, and the animals at The Ekka left you wanting more, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary offers a longer, more immersive version of that experience. The world's largest koala sanctuary, set along the river at Fig Tree Pocket, allows visitors to get up close with koalas, dingos, emus and kangaroos at your own pace.
At the other end of the Brisbane River, Bluey's World at Northshore Hamilton is its own kind of magic; a fully immersive experience allowing fans to step inside the Heeler family home and play their way through fan-favourite games, including Musical Statues, The Floor is Lava, Copycat, and Keepy Uppy.
Thrill-seekers are also well catered for in Brisbane. The Story Bridge Adventure Climb puts you on top of one of Brisbane's most iconic structures, with views stretching far and wide. At Riverlife Adventure Centre, the Kangaroo Point Cliffs become a playground for kayaking, abseiling and rock climbing. Go Boat offers a more self-directed kind of adventure, where you can hire a picnic boat and make your own way along the Brisbane River, city skyline on one side, breeze on the other. And for something truly unique, The Cube is one of the world's largest digital interactive learning and display spaces, consisting of 26 multi-touch screens soaring across two storeys in QUT's Science and Engineering Centre.
Culture runs deep in Brisbane, and on the days spent outside of the Ekka are the right time to slow down and find it. QAGOMA (Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art) spans two landmark buildings on the South Bank cultural precinct, housing an outstanding collection of Australian and international art that's free to explore for most exhibits. The Queensland Museum Kurilpa also sits right next door, and as one of Queensland's most visited institutions, this family friendly location covers natural history, science and the stories of the state. The Museum of Brisbane found in The City Hall, keeps the cultural immersion going, offering a more intimate look at The City itself.
And for those that love an incredible view, The Wheel of Brisbane rises at the southern end of South Bank, offering sweeping river and skyline views from its gondolas, while Mount Coot-Tha provides visitors with a full panoramic view of Brisbane, as well as botanic gardens to explore at the bottom of the mountain.
Where to eat & drink
For those moments you're not sneaking treats from your showbags or working through a strawberry sundae at the showgrounds, Brisbane's food scene is more than ready to step in and keep you fuelled up. From neighbourhood cafés serving serious breakfast plates to lunches with river views, Brisbane is a city that eats well, and it does it from every corner.
When it comes to starting the day, NODO in South Bank is a reliable favourite. The gluten-free café has built a devoted following for its doughnuts and all-day breakfast menu, and it's perfectly placed for both a pre-Ekka meal, or post-Ekka chill session. Slightly further west, in the uber-cool heart of West End, both Picnic and Morning After have carved out strong reputations as neighbourhood staples; Picnic for its relaxed vibe and a menu filled with classic Australian brunch favourites, Asian-inspired specials and house-made pastries, and Morning After for its no-fuss approach to all day breakfast.
In The City, Mulga Bills delivers hearty, no-nonsense café fare right on the riverfront, stunning views of the Story Bridge, and an incredible menu, while other City breakfast hot spots worth your time include Felix For Goodness, The Hideout Specialty Coffee and Brew Café & Wine Bar.
Come lunch and dinner, you’re absolutely spoiled for choice. Eat Street Northshore at Hamilton is one of Brisbane's most distinctive dining experiences. Located just 15 minutes from The City, this family friendly location features over 70 different traders, 5 themed bars, a collection of eclectic shops, stages for live entertainment and food offerings from all over the world. And if dining precincts are your thing, Howard Smith Wharves is also worth a visit. One of Brisbane’s most exciting hubs, this riverside location hosts multiple restaurants, bars and a massive kids play area, all with stunning views of the Story Bridge and The City.
For something more neighbourhood in feel, West End's Layla brings bold, Middle-Eastern flavours to a buzzing dining room, while Southside in Fish Lane and Supernormal in The City both offer memorable Asian dishes worth coming back for.
For a full list of incredible, family friendly dining locations throughout The City, check out our dedicated guide here.
Beyond the city
The showgrounds might be where The Ekka happens, but just beyond the city is where some of Brisbane’s best kept secrets are hidden. Just an hour or so in any direction opens a different world of possibilities that are worth a longer stay in Brisbane.
August is prime time to visit Moreton Island/Mulgumpin, with humpback whales making their annual migration north, right past the island's shores. For the best chance of a sighting, jump aboard a Tangalooma Whale Watching Cruise. Or, if you prefer to keep your feet on solid ground, why not take a trip to Cape Moreton at the island's north-eastern tip, where you’ll find one of the best land-based whale watching spots around?
Beyond whale watching, the island is a playground of its own: take on the towering dunes with sand tobogganing, snorkel the famous Tangalooma Wrecks for a colourful underwater world of fish and coral, or simply post up on the beach with a good book. For a full list of things to do on Moreton Island/Mulgumpin, check out our dedicated guide here.
If you’re looking to switch up sand-based activities with something more lush and green, just an hour’s drive from Brisbane is South East Queensland’s World Heritage-listed backyard, the Scenic Rim. Home to dense rainforests, spectacular mountain ranges and incredible lookouts, the Scenic Rim is a haven for bushwalkers, outdoor lovers, families and foodies alike.
The region's six national parks form the natural backbone of any visit. Lamington National Park offers everything from gentle rainforest circuits to full-day mountain treks, with ancient Gondwana rainforest, cascading waterfalls and an extraordinary diversity of wildlife at every turn. While you're there, the Tree Top Walk at O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat is a genuine bucket-list experience.
On Tamborine Mountain, the famous Rainforest Skywalk delivers its own brand of wonder across a short trail combining forest floor walking and high-tech steel bridges through the canopy, while the short hike to Curtis Falls rewards with a beautiful natural rock pool at the end. The broader area is also laced with waterfalls well worth exploring if you have the time.
For something at altitude, Floating Images Hot Air Balloon Flights launches from the Ipswich region at sunrise for one-hour drifts across the valleys, farms and ranges that define this part of Brisbane. And tucked in the Fassifern Valley near Boonah, Kooroomba Vineyard and Lavender Farm is one of the Scenic Rim's most beautiful stops, with six hectares of lavender fields and an award-winning restaurant serving locally sourced food, alongside an excellent cellar door.
Sitting just 40 minutes from the Scenic Rim and under an hour from Brisbane, Ipswich makes for a natural addition to any trip south. Start at the Workshops Rail Museum, one of Australia's oldest working railway workshops. Home to restored heritage carriages and the largest model railway in Queensland. History lovers will also find plenty to explore at the Cooneana Heritage Centre, with six architecturally significant buildings dating to the 1860s, while the Ipswich Art Gallery is one of the country's most visited regional galleries, running a strong program of local, national and international exhibitions. Vintage and antique shops can also be found scattered throughout the area, as can a longlist of incredible places to eat and drink.
Brisbane is ready to put on the show of a lifetime for you. All you have to do is turn up.
