Brisbane Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Brisbane tours and things to do in Queensland’s sunny river city: cuddle a koala at the Lone Pine Sanctuary, cruise to Moreton Island to feed dolphins and sandboard the dunes, meet crocodiles at Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo, day-trip to the Gold Coast and the rainforests of Tamborine, explore North Stradbroke Island’s wildlife, and glide the river past the Story Bridge. Compare top-rated experiences and plan the perfect trip.
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Explore Brisbane by interest
Whatever brings you to Brisbane — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Top attractions in Brisbane
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Lone Pine Koalas
Koala sanctuary.
Moreton Island
Dolphins & wrecks.
Australia Zoo
Steve Irwin’s zoo.
Gold Coast
Surf beaches.
Stradbroke Island
Sand & wildlife.
Story Bridge
City icon.
Brisbane River
CityCat cruise.
Glass House Mtns
Hinterland.
Brisbane wildlife & nature
- 1Lone Pine
- 2Australia Zoo
- 3Stradbroke
- 4Rainforest
1 hr awayAustralia Zoo
Steve Irwin’s zoo.
Ferry awayMoreton Island
Dunes & dolphins.
1 hr awayGold Coast
Surf beaches.
Ferry awayStradbroke Island
Sand & wildlife.
Day awayTamborine
Rainforest.
40 min awayLone Pine
Koala sanctuary.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Brisbane visitor asks before booking.
Spring (Sep–Nov)
Warm, sunny and blooming — ideal for touring.
Summer (Dec–Feb)
Hot and humid, with occasional storms.
Autumn (Mar–May)
Warm, dry and comfortable — beautiful.
Winter (Jun–Aug)
Mild, dry and sunny — a great time to visit.
For whales
Whale watching runs from June to November.
Best overall
Autumn and spring are ideal.
One day
The city and Lone Pine koalas.
Two days
Add Moreton Island.
Three days
Add Australia Zoo or the Gold Coast.
For wildlife
Lone Pine and Australia Zoo.
For islands
Moreton and Stradbroke.
With kids
Koalas, the zoo and dolphins.
CityCat
The river ferry is a scenic way around the city.
On foot
South Bank and the city centre are walkable.
Tours & trains
Tours and trains reach the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.
Car & taxi
A car or rideshare helps for zoos and hinterland trips.
Where to stay
Stay in the city centre or by South Bank.
Australian dollar
Australia uses the dollar; cards are widely accepted.
Book Lone Pine
Koala cuddle sessions and river cruises fill up — reserve ahead.
Island trips
Book Moreton Island ferries and tours in advance.
Sun protection
The subtropical sun is strong — bring sunscreen and a hat.
Australia Zoo
Time your visit for the famous Crocoseum shows.
Whale season
Visit June–November for whale watching.
Winter sun
Brisbane’s mild, dry winter is a great time to visit.
Lone Pine
River cruises and koala cuddles sell out — book ahead.
Moreton Island
Day trips fill up — reserve early.
Australia Zoo
Zoo day trips book out — reserve ahead.
Gold Coast
Theme-park trips fill up in holidays — book early.
Stradbroke
Island tours have limited spots — reserve ahead.
School holidays
Holidays are busiest — book everything ahead.
Lone Pine
Around €45–80 for a river cruise and koala sanctuary.
Moreton Island
About €110–170 for a Moreton Island day trip.
Australia Zoo
Roughly €90–140 for an Australia Zoo day trip.
Gold Coast
Around €80–130 for a Gold Coast day trip.
City tour
About €40–80 for a city or river tour.
How to save
Join group day trips and combine the city with Lone Pine.
Brisbane through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Sunny & blooming.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Ideal.
- Best for
- Beaches.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Humid.
- Best for
- Warm & dry.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Lovely.
- Best for
- Whales & sun.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Mild.