First Time Visiting Brisbane? Here Are 6 Activities You Should Try There

Sydney and Melbourne are frequently mentioned when people discuss Australia. However, how about Brisbane? Despite the fact that there are many reasons to visit, the capital city of Queensland is one of Australia’s most underappreciated cities. Brisbane is a river town that offers a thriving nightlife, a thriving art scene, a stunning riverside, as well as a fantastic restaurant and coffee shop culture. It also serves as a jumping-off point for exploring the Granite Belt wine area, amazing wildlife locations, and the Sunshine and Gold Coasts, – they are all within driving distance from there. Here are six activities in Brisbane that are a must if this is your first visit.

View Brisbane’s skyline from the Wheel of Brisbane

A ride on the Wheel of Brisbane is the best way to enjoy Brisbane’s stunning skyline, famous river, and well-known monuments (above). Each of the gondolas rides on a 60-meter-tall wheel, and each ride takes 10 to 15 minutes. The wheel was constructed in 2008 to mark the 20th anniversary of Brisbane’s World Expo in 1988. You may choose a private gondola with food platters and wine sampling if you want the real VIP experience. In Brissy, dining on exquisite dishes while taking in breathtaking city views is an experience you won’t soon forget.

Explore Botanic Gardens

The Brisbane Botanic Garden at Mt. Coot-tha is a stunning green haven inside the city. This renowned botanic garden provides a day’s worth of activities and exploration in addition to being a great spot to unwind and breathe some fresh air. You may get to it with your own car from car rental Brisbane Airport or by public transportation. You will be taken on a tour of 128 acres of horticulture via several themed gardens. The stunning Japanese gardens, as well as areas devoted to bamboo, cacti, and aromatic and indigenous plants, are some of the main things to see.

Go Shopping at Brisbane’s CBD

The Central Business District of Brisbane is the center of activity. Brisbane offers a wide variety of neighborhoods, each with its own distinctive personalities and vibes, but the CBD is the one that never sleeps! On a weekday, if you get there around noon, live music will be playing, adding to the enjoyment of your shopping. 

Dive Into History at the Queensland Museum

One of the finest things to do in Brisbane if you want to learn more about local history is to visit the fantastic Queensland Museum. You can locate this top-rated museum in Australia on the South Bank, adjacent to Victoria Bridge. Since this is Queensland’s state museum, as its name implies, you’ll discover exhibits and displays that span state history rather than just local history.

Take a Free Ferry Ride

Amazingly, Brisbane offers free ferry rides. This implies that when traveling down the Brisbane River, you may view the city from a fresh perspective. You may jump on the tiny red boats at the North Quay, Maritime Museum, Eagle Street Pier, or any of the many other locations. The ferries operate about every 30 minutes, every day of the week, from 6 a.m. to midnight.

Visit North Stradbroke Island

Do residents of Brisbane actually appreciate how fortunate they are to live so close to the second-largest sand island in the world? This amazingly pure and captivating landscape can be reached by ferry. On a day trip to North Stradbroke Island, you may see some of Brisbane’s greatest beaches, surf remote breaks, see whales, go below the surface, and get to know the underwater world, or just stroll around.

As previously indicated, visitors frequently travel to the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast, skipping Brisbane entirely. But if you don’t go to Brisbane, one of Australia’s most distinctive capitals, you’ll be missing out on a spectacular experience.