What to do in Brisbane with kids? Located in eastern Australia, Brisbane is a very nice destination to visit with the family. In the center you have several pools, playgrounds and museums that you can visit for free, and there is much more to do in the city for kids. In this blog, we list the best children’s activities in Brisbane!
Best travel time Brisbane with kids
You can actually visit the city of Brisbane with kids just fine all year round. Brisbane has mild winters, so even during May, June, July and August (the seasons are mirrored to those of Western Europe) it is still between 15 and 20 degrees. Maybe a little chilly to go swimming, but you can still do various children’s activities in the city just fine.
From October to April is summer in Brisbane, when temperatures can easily exceed 30 degrees. It’s nice then that there are plenty of opportunities in the city to cool off. Keep in mind that November through January is peak season and Brisbane can be very busy and hotel prices will rise. In terms of rain, there is about the same amount of rain every month and there is not really a rainy season in Brisbane.
Transportation in and to Brisbane
Brisbane has an extensive network of buses, trains and boats, allowing you to get around the city with the family just fine. To use public transportation in Brisbane with kids, you must purchase the Translink Go Card . You can buy this card at the stations, at various stores and the ticket machines at the various means of transportation. You can then put money on the card each time you use the card on public transportation.
For trains, it is also possible to pay by credit card to purchase a ticket. Brisbane also has the Uber cab, so you could possibly use that as well. Make sure you buy an Australian phone card at the airport, for example, so that you have coverage throughout the city and don’t have to rely on WIFI, for example.
In addition, of course, it is also nice to stroll around the city or rent a bicycle. We usually find this the relaxed way to explore a city. If you also want to see more of the Brisbane area or plan to explore the rest of Australia’s east coast with the family as well, then a rental car or motorhome might be nice.
In a city like Brisbane, then, it can be nicer to hit the road with a car, rather than a large RV. When you go to rent a car, we always recommend the rental cars from Sunny Cars. You pay one price and that includes all relevant auto insurance in the package. We have rented a car through Sunny Cars very often and it was always good! For more information on renting a car in Australia with Sunny Cars, take a look here.
Children’s activities Brisbane
#1 South Bank Parklands
This area located along the Brisbane River is the place you should definitely visit with the family in Brisbane. There is plenty to do here, and especially with kids, this is one of the most fun places in town. For example, it is very cool to go to Streets Beach in the summer months, where you can lie on the beach and swim in the pool.
In the process, you have a great view of the Brisbane skyline. They also have an area here for the smaller kids, where the water is a lot shallower. The South Bank Parklands consist of 15 acres of grassy fields, where you can bbq (there are bbqs to use), picnic and where kids can play in the park’s two playgrounds.
In addition to swimming pools and playgrounds, you can also visit a Ferris wheel here. In this Ferris wheel, you have a great view of the city of Brisbane. In addition, it is fun to take a picture with the letters of the city of Brisbane. Always a nice photo as a reminder of the city. You also have a pagoda in this part of the park that you can visit in Brisbane with kids.
#2 Bike Tour Brisbane
We always really enjoy exploring a city on foot or by bike, and you can book a bike tour in Brisbane with kids that shows the highlights of the city. With the organization Baja Bikes, you will then go on a 3.5-hour tour led by an English-speaking guide and see the various sights of the city.
We have booked such a bike tour in several cities through Baja Bikes and we always find it a very nice introduction to a city. In addition, you often get to places you would never have visited on your own. You can also easily do this tour with kids, as they have kids’ bikes and for younger kids (up to 22 pounds) also have seats for the back of the parent’s bike.
In total, the bike ride is 15 kilometers long, so be sure to weigh up beforehand whether your kids can ride this distance or if they would be better off riding with you parents in a seat, for example. We have experienced before that a kid found it too far to cycle by himself and then it can be tricky, since you are with a group of people and the tour goes on. For more information on these bike tours in Brisbane, take a look here.
#3 Queensland Museum
You can also go to several museums in Brisbane with kids. A fun museum to visit in Brisbane is the Queensland Museum. This museum is located in the South Banks Parklands, so these two activities are great to combine. The Queensland Museum is free to visit, so it’s a great place to stop by.
The museum really focuses on kids and has several exhibits on nature, science, dinosaurs and Aboriginal history. You have some exhibits like the Lego exhibit, where you do have to pay for a ticket. It is not a very large museum, but it is certainly fun to walk around for an hour (or 2). Of course, this is also a great option if the weather in Brisbane is less than ideal.
Another museum you can visit with the family in Brisbane is the Queensland Maritime Museum. This museum is also located in the South Banks Parklands and in this museum you can see several old ships. It is not a very large museum. If you don’t have a lot of time in Brisbane with kids and can only go to 1 museum, we would still recommend the Queensland Museum.
#4 Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
You can also go animal watching in the Brisbane area. The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is located just outside of town a 20-minute car ride from downtown. Of course, this park centers on the Australian koala. In addition to the koala, you also have several other animals to view here such as the crocodile and the kangaroo.
Kids can hold a koala or feed a kangaroo at this park. There are rangers walking around who can provide the kids with information. This park can get very crowded, so be sure to visit this park first thing in the morning. Then it’s a lot less crowded. There are also several animal demonstrations at the park.
Another animal park you can visit a little outside the city of Brisbane is the Daisy Hill Conservation Park and Koala Centre. At this park you only have koalas to watch. You can also go on several nature walks here with kids, and there are also plenty of picnic tables in the park to bring your own lunch.
#5 Brisbane Botanical Garden
If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, visiting Brisbane’s botanical gardens with kids can be a fun option. Brisbane’s botanical garden is located in the middle of the city by the river and has a fun playground for kids with several houses and a slide. There are canvases stretched over the playground so kids can play in the shade. You can visit this botanical garden for free, and you can also park your car in front of the garden entrance for free.
You can have a great walk through this botanical garden and in the garden they have different sections such as a Japanese garden, for example. Kids can walk a kid trail (Hide ‘n Seek trail) through this botanical garden in addition to the playground. You can get a booklet with this walk at the botanical garden’s visitors center. A fun way to really get the kids involved in the garden as well as let them learn a little about the flowers and plants in the garden.
Another great city park to visit in Brisbane with kids is Victoria Park. You can play a game of miniature golf with kids at the end of the day at this park, and it’s also a great place to watch the sun go down in Brisbane. This city park is also located in the middle of downtown Brisbane and is easily accessible.
Other children’s activities Brisbane
You can do several other activities in Brisbane besides the children’s activities mentioned above. We list the other children’s activities in Brisbane below.
#6 Warner Bros Movie World: In the Brisbane area, you can also visit an amusement park with kids. The Warner Bros Movie World amusement park is about a 40-minute drive from Brisbane and has attractions for both young and older kids. Keep in mind that the online reviews of this amusement park are not all good. The biggest complaint from visitors is that many of the major attractions are not open to the public and are under maintenance.
#7 Wet n Wild Water Park: you can also go to a great water park in the Brisbane area with kids. Wet n Wild Waterpark is located next to Warner Bros Movie World, so you can combine these two activities perfectly if you stay overnight in the area. At the water park you have several spectacular slides, which you may or may not go down with an inflatable tire. It does get very crowded at the slides and on busy days you may have to wait almost an hour for a slide.
#8 Australia Zoo: An hour’s drive from Brisbane, this zoo is located. This is a huge animal park where you can easily spend an entire day walking around with kids. The zoo has different areas (Asia, Africa and Australia), which contain animals specific to that continent. You can also get up close to animals like the kangaroo and koala here.
The zoo also has shows such as a big crocodile show. In addition to animal viewing, there is also a water park for kids, so be sure to bring swimwear to this zoo. If you don’t have a rental car and would still like to go see this huge zoo, book this tour with transportation.
#9 Bridgeclimb Brisbane: a spectacular activity you can do in Brisbane with kids is to climb a bridge. This activity is possible for kids 6 years and older (accompanied by one of the parents). This tour takes about 2 hours and you walk at an altitude of 80 meters. So your kids should not be afraid of heights if you want to book this activity.
#10 Whale and dolphin spotting: if you visit Brisbane during the months of May through November, it is possible to spot whales along the Brisbane coast. You can book a 5-hour cruise, where you will look for these huge animals. Lunch is then included in the tour and there is a guarantee with these tours that you will see the whales. For more information about this tour, take a look here.
#11 Aussi World: This is an amusement park aimed at young kids and is about an hour’s drive from Brisbane. The park is not super big, but you can have a good time for at least half a day, especially with young kids.
#12 City Hopper Boat Brisbane: a fun free children’s activity in Brisbane is this city hopper boat. In total, the boat has 7 different stops and departs every 30 minutes. You can see the city of Brisbane from the water for free this way.
#13 Cruise Brisbane River: you can also book several paid cruises on the Brisbane River. Often these tours then include lunch or the boat doesn’t leave until dark and then you can see all the lights of the city from the boat.
#14 Summer land Camels: a 15-minute drive from Brisbane is a camel farm, where you can take kids to see these animals. It is also possible to take a ride on a camel here.
#15 Thunderbird Park: you can also go climbing in the Brisbane area with kids. The Thunderbird Park is a climbing park that is a 50-minute drive from Brisbane and you can climb here with kids as young as 8 years old. At the climbing park, they have 8 different courses you can climb and they also have 14 different ziplines. In addition, you can play miniature golf, laser tag, feed birds, dig with an excavator and see a waterfall here with kids.
#16 Boondall Wetlands Reserve: this is a nature park that is a 20-minute drive from Brisbane and you can take several hikes in this wetland landscape, with the shortest hike already being a 15-minute walk. As a result, this is also a great place to go hiking with small kids.
Family-friendly restaurant Brisbane
You have several nice family-friendly restaurants in Brisbane. Brisbane is a big city and therefore the choice in the city is huge. We list in this section the family-friendly restaurants that also have a play area for the kids. That’s always kind of nice, especially with young kids.
Vend Cafe Virginia: this family-friendly restaurant is located downtown near the Vend Market Place (where they sell all kinds of goodies). This restaurant has an indoor play area suitable for young kids. You can visit this restaurant for breakfast and lunch. You can just fine after your kids have eaten a burger and fries here, go to the greengrocer located in the Market Place to buy some fruit for the kids to compensate ;).
Pinwheel Island Kids Cafe: This restaurant is located slightly outside the city center, fifteen minutes away by car. It’s really just a big indoor playground for young kids, where you can also get something to eat. You can eat various Asian dishes here, as well as the famous fish and chips. For kids, they have special dishes where they decorate the food very nicely.
Victoria Park Bistro: this family-friendly restaurant in Brisbane is located in Victoria City Park, and you can sit outside on the terrace with kids. They serve fries, pizza and burgers here, among other things, but definitely healthier options as well. On weekends, they have an area here for kids with an air cushion and various games.
Family-friendly hotel Brisbane
You can stay in Brisbane with kids just fine. There are plenty of family-friendly hotels in Brisbane where you can stay with the family. We have listed the top rated hotels for each price range. Click on the blue link for more information.
Budget hotel: Hotel Indigo Brisbane City Centre
Mid-range hotel: Jephson Hotel & Apartments
Luxury hotel: Emporium Hotel South Bank
If the above 3 options don’t include a suitable hotel, check out the full list of family-friendly accommodations in Brisbane.
