Fun Attractions in Brisbane

City views as CityCat. travels down Brisbane River.

Whether you’re a local looking to explore the highlights of Brisbane or a visitor with a short amount of time wanting to see the main sights, we have done the hard work for you.

From iconic landmarks to breathtaking views, unique wildlife experiences to historical wonders, below is a list of fun attractions in Brisbane to visit with your family.

Climb a Bridge

Lady standing atop Story Bridge after climbing it.

IMAGE CREDIT: Story Bridge Adventure Climb on Facebook

The Story Bridge in Brisbane has to be one of the most iconic landmarks of the river city. Linking the north and south sides of the Brisbane River, the majestic historical structure is an attraction and one you can actually climb too!

For the adventurous thrill seekers, The Story Bridge Adventure Climb is one of only three bridge climbs in the world, with a summit which will gift you stunning views of the city and surrounding area.

The Fun:

Scale one of the city’s most famous landmarks
One of only three bridge climbs in the world
Breathtaking 360 degree views of the city and surrounding area
Summit is 80m above sea level
Unique experience

Address: 170 Main Street, Kangaroo Point

Visit South Bank Parklands

Lining the banks of the Brisbane River, Southbank Parkland was once the site of Expo ’88 but has since been redeveloped into one of the most entertaining family-friendly recreational spaces in Brisbane.

It would almost be a crime to live in or visit Brisbane and not explore this space. With a man-made beach, lagoon pools, playgrounds, walking paths, forests, restaurants, markets, and playgrounds, it is a one-stop shop of family fun.

The Fun:

Streets Beach
Lagoon Pools
Playgrounds
Riverside bike and walk paths
Picnic greens
Forest and gardens
Restaurants and cafes

Address: Clem Jones Promenade, South Brisbane

Explore a Museum

A scientific wonderland of knowledge, fun, activity and intrigue, the Queensland Museum Kurilpa in Brisbane is so much more than just fossils and antiques.

Overflowing with incredible collections and interactive exhibits, a visit here will introduce you to our unique Queensland wildlife, prehistoric creatures, historical artefacts and more.

You will also find the Sparklab, Sciencentre within the museum too, which is where you can see how science challenges our everyday life, watch live experiments and get hands-on in the Maker Space.

The Fun:

Interactive fun
Sparklab, Sciencentre
Dinosaurs Unearthed and Dinosaur Garden
Prehistoric exhibition
Wild State exhibition
Intriguing collections
Night tours and special events

Address: Grey Street & Melbourne Street, South Brisbane

Have Fun on The Brisbane River

There is a good reason Brisbane is also known as the ‘River City.’ Snaking its way through the centre of the city, the river is an attraction in itself, with thousands of people using it daily as a mode of transport and for recreation.

Jump on one of the City Cats that zig zag happily between the main riverside attractions, or float in one of the many canoes or boats that dot its surface to get a different perspective of our beautiful city.

The Fun:

Kayak or canoe the river
Boat hire
City Cat, KittyCat and City Hopper river transport

Relax in the Parklands and Gardens

Brisbane may have over 200 parks and gardens, but there are definitely some standout parklands that are more like attractions than simply parks. Roma Street Parklands is one of these. Located pretty much in the heart of the city, there are manicured gardens, playgrounds, an amphitheatre, lake, waterfall, and even a small trackless train that tranports visitors around it. Each December, the gardens sparkle with thousands of fairy lights at the annual Enchanted Gardens display.

The Fun:

Manicured gardens
Lake
Trackless train
Playgrounds
Vegetable Garden and Worm Farm
Amphitheatre
Enchanted Gardens

Address: 1 Parkland Boulevard, Brisbane City

Visit a Koala Sanctuary

Australia is known for its unique koala population, and Brisbane is home to one of the premier koala attractions in the country.

Not only is the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary the first and largest koala sanctuary in the world, it also houses many other native animals such as dingoes, platypus, wombats, barnyard animals, birds of prey, snakes, crocodiles and more. For your full fix of Australia’s native animals – both the cuddly and the dangerous – we definitely recommend visiting Lone Pine.

The Fun:

Koala sanctuary
Animal encounters
Live shows
Live animal feeding
Nocturnal night tours

Address: 708 Jesmond Road, Fig Tree Pocket

Discover Mt Coot-tha and the Planetarium

Mt Coot-tha may be the closest mountain to Brisbane and therefore an attraction in itself, but it also houses many other noteworthy smaller attractions upon its steep landscape.

Visit the mountain and you can climb to the summit and enjoy breathtaking views of the city and surrounding areas, discover the botanical gardens and children’s trail, and be truly mesmerised during a visit to the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium.

The Fun:

Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens
Children’s Trail
Planetarium
Summit tracks
Amazing city views

See Hologram Animals

Hologram Zoo giraffe hologram with girls.

IMAGE CREDIT: Hologram Zoo on Facebook

Its a little bit unusual and most definitely one of our more unique attractions in Brisbane. The Hologram Zoo is just like a normal zoo, except all the animals are hologram projections made out of laser light! Due to its unique design, the zoo can feature animals and environments that you would not always be able to experience in Brisbane – or in the world in some cases!

The Fun:

Different 20m-long holographic tunnel environments
Sky roof rooms
Discovering animals and landscapes you wouldn’t normally see in a ‘zoo’ environment.
Exotic locations and animals
Birthday parties

Address: Cannon Hill Shopping Centre, 1177 Wynnum Road, Cannon Hill

Visit a Conservation Park and see Koalas

If you want to meet some cuddly koalas in a more personal setting, learn about their conservation, and enjoy some interactive displays, then you will want to allow time to visit the Daisy Hill Koala Centre.

This attraction can be found within the Daisy Hill Conservation Park, which is also a great spot to do some bushwalking, wildlife spotting and picnicking with the family.

The Fun:

Koala encounters
Koala Education and Conservation Centre
Interactive displays
Bushwalks, bike tracks
Wildlife spotting

Address: Daisy Hill Road, Daisy Hill

Discover Local Farms

kids feeding a camel at summerland camela farm.

Summer Land Camels

Dotted in and around Brisbane are a number of different farms that are worth getting to if you love that country escape. For a more unusual animal encounter it may be worth venturing to visit the Summer Land Camels, or the delightfully graceful residents of the Lyall Deer Sanctuary.

The Fun:

Animal encounters
Animal Feeding
Farm activities
Fruit picking
Flower Farms

Walk to an Island

The walk to King Island from Wellington Point is a bit of a secret attraction that many locals are not even aware of.

On low tide, a natural sand pathway emerges which links the mainland to the island. The walk over will gift the kids bucketloads of shells, sightings of hundreds of small sand crabs and a small island hideaway waiting to be explored. Just make sure you head back before the tide comes back in!