Are you planning your first-ever weekend trip to Brisbane, Australia? Well, buckle up, because you’re in for a treat! As the sun-soaked capital of Queensland, Brisbane is an absolute gem that effortlessly blends vibrant urban charm with laid-back Aussie vibes. Whether you’re an adventure seeker, a foodie, or someone who just loves to soak up the local culture, Brisbane has something special waiting for you.

On our most recent trip back to Australia Dennis and I explored Brisbane for the first time, and had a lot of fun! In this post, I’m going to be your virtual tour guide, walking you through an epic weekend itinerary that will make your first visit to Brisbane unforgettable too. From stunning riverfront views and bustling markets to lush botanical gardens and mouth-watering eateries, I’ve got all the insider tips to ensure you experience the best this amazing city has to offer.

So, grab your sunnies, slather on that sunscreen, and let’s dive into the perfect weekend in Brisbane!

Friday Night

Stay: Check in to Novotel Brisbane South Bank, Rydges South Bank or Riverside Hotel South Bank. Brisbane’s trendy South Bank is the ideal spot to base yourself during a visit, as it’s easy to get to other parts of the city via train or ferry but there is plenty of fun to be had right here, so why not be as close as possible?

Eat: Have dinner at Felons Brewing Co, Yoko Dining, or Greca at the Howard Smith Wharves. I know I literally just said you want to be in South Bank, but for Friday night I recommend actually leaving immediately and heading to the Howard Smith Wharves for dinner and drinks because you’ll have all of tomorrow for the South Bank! Located under the beautiful Story Bridge, the Howard Smith Wharves are packed with trendy eateries for a lot of different tastes. We had dinner at Felons on our first trip to Brisbane and it was very cool with tasty food and stunning riverfront views.

Drink: Go out for drinks at Fiume Rooftop Bar and/or Mr Percival’s. After dinner, why not head to one (or both) of these chic bars for some cocktails and more time to enjoy the views? The Story Bridge is all lit up at night making this a magical spot for your first night in Brisbane.

Saturday Morning

Eat: Have breakfast at Nodo Southbank. This is a very cool gluten-free donut shop and café – they serve more things at the South Bank café than just donuts though, including some epic milkshakes.

Do: Visit the Queensland Museum and/or the QAGOMA, then ride on the Wheel of Brisbane. Depending on how early you get up and how quickly you tend to move through museums or galleries, you might be able to squeeze in a visit to both the Queensland Museum and QAGOMA, but just pick one if you’d rather not be up at the crack of dawn! The Queensland Museum is great for learning all about the history of Queensland while QAGOMA is technically two galleries, the Queensland Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art.

If you have time afterwards, go for a ride on the Wheel of Brisbane for the best views of the city and don’t forget to look for The World Turns sculpture – which features an elephant face-planting into the ground!

Saturday Afternoon

Do: Walk along South Bank to see the sights including the Brisbane Sign, Rainforest Green, and South Bank Parklands, then relax at Streets Beach where you can even go swimming if you want! There are also markets here on the weekends if you fancy a bit of shopping.

Eat: Have lunch at Southbeach or the Southbank Beer Garden. These are both next to each other and look out over Streets Beach, with lots of yummy options for food and drink.

Saturday Night

Eat: Have dinner anywhere along South Bank/Grey Street. We ate at P’Nut Asian Kitchen when we visited and it was delicious but my friend Lucy who lives in Brisbane also highly recommends Ahmet’s Turkish, Olé and the Plough Inn.

Drink: Go out for drinks at The Charming Squire, Kiki and/or It’s Still A Secret. The Charming Squire is good for those who love their craft beers, while Kiki is a cute little urban jungle bar that’s the ‘little sister’ to the Southside restaurant. It’s Still A Secret is an eclectic pub with a lovely outdoor terrace and regular live music.

Sunday Morning

Eat: Have breakfast at Coffee Iconic, with its lovely little inner-city courtyard garden, Asian-inspired brunch dishes and excellent coffee.

Do: Explore Roma Street Parkland then walk into the city centre to see ANZAC Square, the Brisbane City Hall Clock Tower (you can actually go on a tour inside this if you have time), the Museum of Brisbane and the Cathedral of St Stephen. Since you’re now in the CBD you might even want to pop into some of the shops for a bit of retail therapy.

Sunday Afternoon

Eat: Have lunch at the Pancake Manor, a very cool pancake restaurant (they have other dishes as well) inside a former cathedral!

Do: Explore the beautiful Brisbane City Botanic Gardens and get some last photos of the river from the Captain Cook Bridge before you leave. Oakman’s Lagoon in the gardens is a highlight, with massive lily pads and giant lizards wandering about. There’s also the Riverside at the Gardens Market held on Sundays right by the lagoon.

Alternative Brisbane Activities for Your Trip

If you don’t fancy some of the activities I’ve included in this itinerary, never fear, there are plenty of alternatives to switch them out with! Here are some more great things to do in Brisbane on your first visit.

• Story Bridge Adventure Climb: Sure, you can look at Story Bridge on Friday night but if you’re more the adventurous type then you could also climb up on top of it for epic views of Brisbane!
• Kangaroo Point Cliffs Park: Across the river from the Botanic Gardens is this area which is great for walking along the river and you can even go abseiling off the cliffs here.
• Kayaking on the Brisbane River: For a different view of Brisbane, you could also kayak along the river with this guided tour.
• Queensland Maritime Museum: If you’re interested in Queensland’s maritime history then you might like to visit the Maritime Museum. There are several historic vessels you can explore, so kids would probably enjoy this!
• State Library of Queensland: You don’t need to sign up for a library card to visit this very futuristic building, which houses some fascinating collections like the Asia Pacific Design Library and the Australian Library of Art showcase. There are also regular exhibitions or events on so make sure you check out the what’s on page. There’s a shop and a café on site too.
• The Commissariat Store Museum: If you’re interested in the convict history of Queensland then head to this museum inside the state’s oldest habitable building.
• Old Government House: A beautiful 1860s mansion that’s now a museum housing landscape art by Australian expressionist painter William Robinson.
• QUT Art Museum: A modern art museum that’s part of QUT (Queensland University of Technology) and just around the corner from Old Government House.
• The University of Queensland Art Museum: Another university art museum worth a visit, although this one is further out of the CBD on the University of Queensland campus. You can get there via ferry although then you’d need to walk a bit from the ferry through the uni campus – but perfect if you want to have a nosey around!
• Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens: A bit further out from the South Bank area are some more gorgeous botanical gardens, which are also regarded as the best subtropical botanic gardens in Queensland. You’d need to drive or get a bus but the gardens (and views over the city) here are stunning and well worth the detour.
• Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium: The planetarium is located within the Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens so it’s also definitely worth checking out if you’re going to be there anyway.
• Brisbane Opal Museum: And finally, if you get the train out to the Brisbane suburb of Windsor, you can visit a cool little museum dedicated to Queensland’s opal mining industry, that’s fascinating on the inside and also features a stunning mural on the outside of the building!

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Have you ever visited Brisbane? Let me know if I’ve missed any essential activities for first-time visitors in the comments or pin one of these if you’re planning your own first trip soon!