I’ll be honest — Brisbane wasn’t the city I was most excited about heading into our Australia trip. But it didn’t take long for this incredible city to completely win us over. Traveling to Brisbane with kids turned out to be one of the best decisions we made the entire trip. From the moment we arrived we found a city buzzing with friendly locals, incredible playgrounds, a thriving food scene, and more to do than we could fit into a week. Add in our first adventure driving on the left side of the road and Brisbane became one of the most unexpectedly fun chapters of our entire Australia adventure. We are so glad we chose it.
Where We Stayed
After stepping off the plane in Brisbane we picked up our rental car from the airport and made a Woolworths run to stock up on groceries for the week. We happened to stumble upon one near the DFO Brisbane outlet mall — completely unplanned but a perfect find, more on that below.
Our home for the week was the Kooii Apartments in Fortitude Valley — a beautiful two bedroom apartment on the 23rd floor with floor to ceiling windows, a full kitchen, living room, two bathrooms, a washer and dryer, and a completely enclosed balcony with a table for four. The kitchen was fully stocked which was a wonderful surprise. Every morning Easton would sit on the balcony watching the trains go by in the distance — something we never could have planned for but that became one of his favorite parts of the whole stay.
The building also had a rooftop outdoor pool and hot tub, sauna, and gym. The pool ran a little chilly but the kids jumped in anyway and we enjoyed a few hot tub sessions. Parking was available at $25 AUD per day which worked well since we had a rental car for the week.
Why Brisbane Surprised Us
I went into Brisbane with almost zero expectations and came out completely won over. We left most of the week open for exploring and discovery — and what we found was endless. The playgrounds exceeded every expectation. The vegan food scene was a genuine delight. And the people were some of the friendliest we encountered anywhere in Australia — easy to talk to, helpful, and warm. Brisbane also had a vibrant and visible LGBTQ presence, especially in Fortitude Valley where our apartment was located. Pride flags flew openly and beautiful murals lined the streets. It felt like a city that just lets people be — which is exactly what we look for.
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Lone Pine is an absolute must — and don’t let the name fool you. Yes there are koalas everywhere and they are as adorable as you’d expect, but Lone Pine is so much more than that. This was hands down the highlight of our entire three weeks in Australia.
We drove out from the city — Lone Pine is a little outside of Brisbane so having a car made it easy — and arrived right as the sanctuary was opening. The kids started the morning feeding princess parrots before we wound our way through the trails spotting koalas up in the trees. We turned it into a game — who could spot one first — and the kids were absolutely in their element.
Then came the free range kangaroo area and honestly nothing could have prepared us for how incredible it was. We walked freely among red kangaroos, wallabies, and emus, and for a few AUD could buy food to feed them. We spent far longer here than planned — petting them, feeding them, watching them, just being completely present in something none of us expected to love as much as we did. The kids made me so proud with their curiosity, their calm, and the respect they showed these animals.
We had booked a koala meet and greet in advance and it was worth every cent. The keepers were incredibly knowledgeable, answered every question, and let us feel the koala’s fur and take a few photos. They run it thoughtfully — no holding, and each koala is only out for a brief time. At $39 AUD per person it felt completely fair for what it was.
After lunch — we packed our own and ate at tables surrounded by active koalas, which is as magical as it sounds — we explored the rest of the sanctuary. Tasmanian devils, wombats, crocodiles, platypus, and more birds than we could count. The kids loved talking to the cockatoos who talked right back. The barnyard area had a sheep dog show that was a perfect way to slow the pace for a bit and have a snack.
We ended the day with one more visit to the kangaroos. On our way out a feisty one had clearly had enough attention for the day — stood up and gave Easton a firm little punch before walking off. If you ask Milo what his favorite part of the entire Australia trip was, he will tell you without hesitation: Easton getting punched by a kangaroo. It still makes us all laugh every time — and it’s also a good reminder that these are wild animals and when they need their space, you give it to them.
We did not plan to spend the entire day here. We ended up staying from opening to nearly closing. I could easily see it being a half day for some families but we simply could not pull ourselves away.
At the time of writing: $63 AUD for adults, $45 AUD for ages 3-13, family plan $193 AUD for two adults and up to three kids. Koala meet and greet is an additional $39 AUD per person. Additional add-ons available. Check current pricing and book in advance at lonepinekoalasanctuary.com.
Bluey World — An Honest Review
If you are visiting Brisbane with kids who love Bluey, this is a must do — full stop. It is an immersive, interactive experience and both of our kids absolutely loved every moment of it.
I don’t want to give too much away because the discovery is part of the magic, but here’s what you need to know: you pick your ears at the door — Bluey, Bingo, Muffin, or Bandit — and you keep them. Then a guided tour takes you through the rooms of Bluey’s house, each with its own game or activity as you search for Bluey and Bingo. It feels straight out of the show and the joy on your kids’ faces will make it completely worth it. At the end there’s a gift shop, cafe, and playground where photos are very much allowed — and Bluey even came out a few times to visit.
Honest review: it’s a one and done experience for us. The price is steep — $59.90 AUD per person age two and up, or $199 AUD for a family of four — and an hour long tour at that price gives us pause. But our kids would have gone back every single day if we’d let them. With the exchange rate working in our favor it stung a little less, and we genuinely don’t regret it. Just go in knowing it’s a special occasion splurge rather than an everyday activity.
The Golden Crown Cafe inside has clearly labeled vegan options — we grabbed some fruit, fries, a vegan ice cream treat, and some baked goods. Easy and good.
South Bank and City Botanic Gardens
South Bank became one of our favorite places to just wander. We’d walk along the riverfront, pop into shops, let the kids play on the playgrounds, and take our time. The playgrounds here were smaller than Sydney’s but there were a few to explore and the whole area had a lively, relaxed energy that made it easy to spend hours without any particular agenda.
The kids waded into Street Beach — it was a little too cold for us adults but that did not slow them down. We also rode the South Bank Ferris Wheel which gave us views over the river and city on a day that was unfortunately a bit rainy so the views weren’t all that clear. Worth doing if the weather is on your side — on a sunny day the views would be beautiful. On a rainy day we’d probably skip it.
South Bank is free. Ferris Wheel at the time of writing: $22 AUD adults, $18 AUD children.
Across the Brisbane River we spent one morning wandering the City Botanic Gardens and found the Baldwin Lawn Playground which the kids loved — a few different play areas to bounce between before continuing through the gardens. A short walk away was the Sky Deck where you can take an elevator up to the 23rd floor and look down through a glass floor onto the street below. The kids had absolutely zero fear. We happened to be right nearby so it was a fun spontaneous stop, but we wouldn’t go out of our way for it specifically.
City Botanic Gardens and Sky Deck are free.
Queensland Museum Kurilpa and SparkLab
The Queensland Museum was a great leisurely morning. We wandered through Dinosaurs Unearthed — my personal favorite, seeing the sheer scale of those prehistoric skeletons put something in perspective that no book ever quite does — and through Wild State which showcases Australia’s unique wildlife from the outback to marine ecosystems. The Discovery Centre had over 1,300 touchable objects and artifacts spread through immersive displays that kept the kids genuinely engaged.
SparkLab was the real highlight and worth booking tickets for in advance as they do sell out. Forty interactive exhibits across three zones — Our World featuring a massive 1.8 meter floating globe projecting real time NASA data, a Perception Zone exploring light color and sound, and a Maker Space for hands on building and creating. Easton’s favorite was a presentation on tesla coils where the presenter played music through them while explaining the science behind it. Both kids also loved building bridges, constructing arches, and wiring circuits to power a fan.
Queensland Museum is free. SparkLab at time of writing: $16.50 AUD adults, $13.50 AUD children ages 5-15, $5 AUD children ages 3-4, free under three.
The Cube
The Cube is a large interactive STEM touch screen experience located at the Science and Engineering Centre on the Gardens Point campus. It’s completely free and worth a quick stop if you happen to be nearby — but we wouldn’t go out of our way for it. We didn’t spend long here but Easton really did enjoy trying to beat the games and checking out all the features. Milo was a bit to young to understand it, but he was amazed by giant screens. If SparkLab is on your list, that delivers a much richer STEM experience.
Mount Coot-tha
Mount Coot-tha is the highest point in Brisbane and if you’re a Bluey fan you’ll recognize the lookout from the episode The Sign. You can drive straight to the top, but we decided to make a nature day of it and hiked the J.C. Slaughter Falls trail — 4.2 miles round trip with a mostly uphill climb to the lookout and some steeper sections along the way.
The kids walked every single step without much complaint, though they’re used to being out on trails at home in Kauai. It took us about two and a half to three hours with plenty of stops to take it in. If you’re bringing young kids who aren’t used to hiking, factor that in before committing to the full trail — it’s a moderate hike and you want everyone to enjoy it rather than suffer through it. Pack snacks, water, and lunch if you’re planning to be out around midday. There’s a summit cafe at the top but we came prepared and didn’t need it.
Mount Coot-tha is free.
Rock Climbing
One afternoon we needed something easy and low key and stumbled upon Rocksport Indoor Climbing. It was the kids’ first time at a climbing gym — something we don’t have back home on Kauai — and it turned into one of those unexpected afternoon highlights that Brisbane kept delivering. Watching them figure out the walls, cheer each other on, and push themselves a little further each climb was genuinely fun. A great option for an active afternoon when you want something different from sightseeing.
At time of writing: $22 AUD per person plus $5 AUD for harness rental.
Getting Around Brisbane
Brisbane has an extensive public transit system of buses, trains, and ferries that would make it very easy to get around without a car if you’re staying in the city center. We rented a car for the week which gave us the freedom and flexibility to get to Lone Pine, hike Mount Coot-tha, and take our day trip up to Tamborine Mountain and down to the Gold Coast — none of which would have been as easy on public transit.
You can see our full blog post on this day trip below.
→ Tamborine Mountain Glow Worms and the Gold Coast — The Best Day Trip from Brisbane
At $33 USD per day including taxes and fees through East Coast Car Rentals, plus $25 AUD per day for apartment parking, it added up but was absolutely worth it for us. We used the car at least once every single day. If your Brisbane plans are mostly city based, public transit will serve you well. If you want to explore further out, a car gives you a different trip entirely.
Driving on the left side of the road was an adventure — especially those first few roundabouts. We adjusted faster than expected, though coming home to Hawaii and driving on the right again felt briefly very strange.
Vegan in Brisbane
We had a full kitchen at the Kooii Apartments which meant we cooked in more here than anywhere else on the trip — and the local Woolworths near our apartment had everything we needed for full meals and snacks throughout the week. That said, Brisbane’s vegan food scene still managed to impress us every time we went out.
Most of the major attractions had clearly labeled vegan options. At the Queensland Museum we grabbed oat milk hazelnut lattes — genuinely delicious — and the kids had an apple crumble and triple chocolate brownie. At Lone Pine we had lattes and fries after our packed lunch. At Bluey World we ordered fries, vegan gelato pops, and a Bluey-berry crumble bar.
5Dogs in Fortitude Valley near our apartment had a great vegan menu — chili dog, BBQ, and maple bacon options that were all delicious comfort food. Fair warning: the chili dog has some heat to it, which caught Easton completely off guard.
On our last morning before heading to the airport we stopped at Veganyumm — and we genuinely wish we’d found it sooner. A full vegan spot with sweet treats, baked goods, and sandwiches. The kids were thrilled and so were we. If you’re vegan in Brisbane, add this one to your list early in the trip.
Note: We also visited Yababa for falafel wraps and loved it at the time — however it appears the restaurant may have since closed. We’d recommend checking current listings before planning a visit.
Weather in Brisbane
Brisbane in June was a welcome change from Sydney’s chill. Highs sat comfortably in the low to mid 70s Fahrenheit with cooler evenings that called for a light sweatshirt or hoodie in the mornings. Coming from Kauai we still found the evenings on the cooler side but overall Brisbane’s winter weather was genuinely pleasant — warm enough to be outside all day, comfortable enough that you weren’t overdressing. Pack a light layer for mornings and evenings and you’ll be set.
Last Day in Brisbane — Bradbury Park and the Outlet Mall
We had an evening flight out of Brisbane which gave us one last full day to enjoy. After checking out of the apartment we loaded up the car and made our way to Bradbury Park — and I am so glad we did. This park has one of the best playgrounds I have ever seen. Anywhere. The kids were completely in their element and we spent hours there, exploring every corner of it while other kids ran and laughed all around us. We packed a picnic lunch from our leftover apartment food and ate on the lawn in the sunshine. Before we finally pulled ourselves away we spotted an enormous colony of bats hanging in a tree near the playground — the kids had never seen bats in person and these were massive. A completely unexpected and wonderful last Brisbane moment.
From Bradbury Park we made our way to DFO Brisbane outlet mall, which we’d been eyeing since our first Woolworths run nearby. This mall has an impressive lineup of surf and skate brands — Volcom, Rip Curl, Billabong — at outlet prices that were already steep discounts before factoring in the exchange rate. Matt and I aren’t big shoppers but we’d been looking for a few basics. I walked out with three t-shirts, two board shorts, and a pair of everyday shorts for about $60 USD total. At home in Hawaii those board shorts alone would have been $50-60 each. We also grabbed a few things for the kids. We could have gone overboard but we’re selective — mostly organic cotton and minimal synthetics — so we kept it intentional.
What We’d Skip
Brisbane delivered at almost every turn but a few things wouldn’t make our list on a return visit. The Cube was a quick stop that felt thin compared to everything else the city had to offer — if STEM experiences are on your list, SparkLab is the one worth prioritizing. The Sky Deck was fun as a spontaneous stop since we were right there, but we wouldn’t seek it out specifically. The South Bank Ferris Wheel was fine but the rainy day we went meant the views weren’t what they could have been — weather dependent for sure. And Bluey World, as much as we loved it, is a one and done for us at that price point — incredible experience, just not one we’d repeat.
Brisbane snuck up on us completely. We arrived with low expectations and left wishing we had more time. The city has a warmth to it — in its people, its neighborhoods, its pace — that made every day feel easy and full at the same time. Between Lone Pine, Bluey World, SparkLab, the playgrounds, the food, and the sheer amount of things we stumbled upon just by leaving room to explore, Brisbane earned its place as one of our favorite stops of the entire trip. If you’re planning an Australia itinerary and wondering whether Brisbane deserves a full week — it does. Give it the time and it will give it right back.
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