The Best Things to Do in Brisbane with Kids

Keeping the kids entertained without losing your mind is a full time job, isn’t it? Whether you’re dealing with feral toddlers or grumpy teenagers who refuse to look up from their phones, you've gotta have a solid game plan.

We’ve rounded up 10 of the absolute best things to do around the gorgeous river city of Brisbane that will burn their energy (meaning they might actually sleep tonight) and have them talking about the fun they had for days. Here’s your ultimate Brissie go to list!

1. Streets Beach at South Bank

Honestly, who needs to pack up the car and trek all the way to the Goldie when we’ve got this right in the middle of town? It’s a total lifesaver in summer. You get those gorgeous, resort style tropical pools with the white sand, and it’s completely free.

For the little ones: You’ve gotta park yourself right near the Aquativity splash pad. It’s packed with water fountains and shallow streams. Plus, there are two massive, shaded playgrounds right there when they're done swimming.
The food sitch: Don’t bother packing and lugging around a massive picnic. There are heaps of takeaway spots, cafes and ice cream shops right on the boardwalk. Easy casual lunch, sorted.

2. The Cultural Precinct (Museum & Art Galleries)

If it’s a rainy day or just too scorching outside, park yourself here. It’s right next to South Bank and it’s an absolute winner.

Queensland Museum: Take them straight to the dinosaur exhibits. The giant statues (including the 2 big ones out front) and interactive bits are always a hit.
Queensland Art Gallery (QAG): Brilliant for the older kids. Parent hack: There is a GREAT cafe here, outside under the trees in the courtyard. Momentary peace!
GOMA: Right next door to QAG. They often have awesome, interactive art installations specifically for kids to explore and discover.

3. Go on a Proper Playground Hunt

If you're sick of your local park, download the ROAM app and go on an adventure. Our suburban playgrounds are honestly next-level these days:

New Farm Park: A classic. Massive old fig trees that feel like a giant, magical treehouse world.
Bradbury Park (Kedron): Check out the 'Magic Forest' here. It’s got awesome, tricky climbing structures for the adventurous ones.
Bray Farm Park (Griffin): If your kids are obsessed with Harry Potter, you have to take them here, it’s fully themed!
Flagstone Adventure Park & Jimboomba: If you're up for a bit of a drive south, Flagstone has an epic water play area and tower, and Jimboomba has a giant slide that the kids will go nuts for.
Warrior Park (Guyatt Park, St Lucia): Got older kids? This one has a full-on outdoor ninja warrior course to exhaust them (plus another playground next to it for younger kids).

4. Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens & Planetarium

This is one of our favorite budget-friendly days out. The Botanic Gardens are totally free to walk around. Make sure you take the kids into the giant tropical glass dome - it feels like a spaceship full of banana palms. There's a great playground too, so pack a picnic blanket. Otherwise, there’s a good cafe on site too.

Right next door is the Planetarium. You can walk through the display zones and check out the sundial courtyard for free, but it's totally worth paying for a show at the Cosmic Skydome. It’s this massive, immersive dome theatre that projects the night sky - the kids will be completely mesmerised. Stop by the Galaxy Gift Shop on the way out for some space treats!

5. Animal Interactions (Daisy Hill & Lone Pine)

If the kids are begging to see some furry friends, you've got two top-tier choices:

Daisy Hill Conservation Park (FREE!): Yep, totally free. It’s about half an hour south of the city in a gorgeous eucalypt forest. You can do a bushwalk, have a barby under the trees, and visit the Koala Centre where you can get super close to the koalas without needing binoculars.
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary: If you want the full wildlife experience with farm animals, kangaroos to feed, and raptor shows, Lone Pine is iconic. Mum tip: If you’re a local, just bite the bullet and buy an annual pass. It pays for itself so quickly.

6. Mt Coot-tha Lookout

After you’ve done the gardens, drive (or bushwalk up if you’re feeling brave and the kids have energy to burn) to the very top of Mt Coot-tha. The views across Brissie all the way out to the bay are just epic. Grab a snack or an ice cream from the kiosk at the top and just soak it in. It's a classic for a reason.

7. Hop on a CityCat

Seriously, kids lose their minds over a boat ride. And since public transport fares across South East QLD are only 50 cents, it’s the cheapest entertainment in town! Park the car somewhere further out, hop on a CityCat, and cruise down the river into the city. It’s a great way to see the sights, and the wind in their hair usually quietens them down for a minute!

8. City Botanic Gardens

The perfect spot to hop off your CityCat ride! Right in the heart of the CBD, this is Queensland’s oldest heritage garden. It's got beautiful river frontage, heaps of history, and massive trees to climb under. There's a brilliant all-abilities children's playground, a lovely cafe, and tons of green space for them to run wild while you sit back with a cold drink.

9. Area 51 (Ipswich)

Okay, if the weather is miserable or you just need them to completely bounce off the walls somewhere else, head out to Area 51 in Bundamba. Calling it a playcentre is an understatement, it’s a massive $40 million indoor wonderland.

They’ve got insane multi-lane slides, a three-storey high ropes course, climbing walls, and an air coaster. But the craziest part? There's a 1000 square metre Snow World inside where it’s literally winter all year round. There's a great Toddler Zone for the little ones, and the big kids will just go absolute feral (in a good way) jumping and climbing.

10. The Hills of Rivermakers (Morningside)

This is a relatively new precinct down in Morningside, and oh my goodness, it’s a parent's dream come true. They’ve beautifully developed this old historic industrial site right on the river, and it has both an indoor soft play area and an outdoor playground.

The absolute best part? You can sit back and order amazing food and drinks from a bunch of local artisan spots right to your table via an app. We're talking a craft brewery, a pizzeria, a fresh seafood market, a bakery, and a dedicated gelato factory. Good food for us, plenty of play for them. Win-win!

The Best Things to Do in Brisbane with Kids