Brisbane is a fantastic city in which to live and travel. Although it’s informal and relaxed back, there are opportunities for culture, fantastic culinary experiences, and more. With our list of the top day trips from Brisbane, you may learn about locations to see nearby the capital of the sunny state.
Why should you have day trips from Brisbane?
There are several options for day trips from Brisbane for tourists. Just offshore, three of the biggest sand islands in the world with stunning white beaches and unusual wildlife glisten. Nature lovers can also enjoy hiking paths through wilderness areas with jungles, rivers, and spectacular waterfalls classified as World Heritage sites in the lush hinterland.
Do you enjoy animals? The focus of many of these expeditions is wildlife. A trip to Australia Zoo is one of families’ most well-liked Brisbane day activities. You can see kangaroos, koalas, king parrots, pademelons, and a stunning variety of birds, just a few Australian creatures.
Besides, Brisbane serves as a fantastic starting point for thrilling Queensland excursions. The picturesque mountain villages, the golden beaches of the carefree Sunshine Coast, and the glamorous Gold Coast with its fancy boutiques and well-liked theme parks.
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12 Best day trips from Brisbane
Obi Obi gorge
On the Sunshine Coast, close to Maleny, there is a rich natural region called the Obi Obi gorge. It is situated near the Baroon Pocket Dam. You may also walk the Baroon Lookout track, which is 7 km long in total, from here. The views are spectacular, and you frequently observe a variety of birds along the track. There is a side trip down to the gorge and swimming hole not far from the parking lot. Rock-hopping along the gorge is another option, but be prepared to get wet in some places.
Besides, there are picnic and barbecue areas at the lake’s edge and across the dam wall. You may also go back up the road into Maleny for a range of cafe alternatives.
Australia Zoo: Day trip from Brisbane for your family
Animal lovers must visit Australia Zoo, about a 45-minute drive north of Brisbane. It is especially popular with admirers of the late Australian “Wildlife Warrior” Steve Irwin. Steve’s work is carried on by Australia Zoo, with a heavy emphasis on conservation and instruction.
The 110-acre Australia Zoo is home to a variety of adorable Australian creatures and several exotic beauties. Some of the most popular species include Sumatran tigers, elephants, cheetahs, zebras, and rhinos.
The solar-powered Crocoseum features amazing animal displays. It often presents well-attended live performances, such as crocodile feeding demonstrations and animal shows with snakes and vibrant parrots. With all this entertainment, it makes sense that visiting here is one of the Sunshine Coast’s most sought-after activities.
A highlight is encountering animals. For exclusive interactions with your favorite animals, including tigers, koalas, red pandas, cheetahs, meerkats, rhinos, and the Leapin’ Lemur Encounter on Bindi’s Island, make reservations in advance and pay an additional fee. Kangaroos can also be hand-fed for the cost of a bag of “roo” chow.
For the best possible experience, give this place at least a full day of your time. You can also add a visit to the animal hospital for an additional cost; the money goes toward the hospital’s therapeutic efforts.
Wear your walking shoes, and don’t forget to pack a rain jacket, hat, sunscreen, and a refillable water bottle.
Relax on Surfers Paradise Beach
In the center of the Gold Coast, about two hours’ drive south of Brisbane is Surfers Paradise, which is constantly busy. True to its name, board riders love to hang out in this sunny tourist hotspot. Water activities are among the top things to do in this area as surf breaks lap the golden shoreline.
Surfers Paradise Beach is one of the most popular destinations on the Gold Coast. The sun-kissed sands are lined with high-rises and hotels. If you need to shop, head to the designer malls a few blocks away. The hub of entertainment and shopping is Cavill Avenue.
Taking a family vacation? Popular theme parks like SeaWorld, Warner Bros. Movie World, and Dreamworld in the neighborhood entice families seeking an adrenaline rush. Additionally, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary allows visitors to get up and personal with their favorite Australian animals if wildlife encounters are a priority.
At SkyPoint, the tallest residential tower in Australia, more adventures are in store. Zoom up to the SkyPoint Observation Deck or join up for the exhilarating SkyPoint Climb for stunning bird’s-eye views of the shore.
On the Aquaduck City & River Tour, you may see Surfers Paradise in a rewarding way. An amphibious vehicle transports you on this hour-long excursion both on land and at sea. View the stunning beaches of the Gold Coast from the ground, then hold on tight as the car changes into a boat for a tranquil river trip. You’ll learn about all the famous monuments as you travel and pass the extravagant homes on Millionaire’s Row.
Springbrook National Park: Breathtaking natural beauty
About 100 kilometers south of Brisbane, Springbrook National Park is a wonderland of breathtaking natural beauty, historic flora, and animals. The park is a piece of Australia’s Gondwana Rainforests World Heritage Area. The ideal antidote to a stay in a metropolis is gushing waterfalls, chilly rivers, craggy volcanic gorges, rainforests, and scented eucalyptus trees.
The ideal locations to visit to appreciate the park’s splendor are panoramic views. The fittingly called Best of All Lookout provides breathtaking vistas of New South Wales and a glance at a stand of old Antarctic beech trees. Canyon Lookout gives views of the entire Gold Coast.
Another excellent method to enjoy the park is hiking. The park’s hiking paths range from quick 300-meter jaunts along cliff tops lined with cycads to lengthy circuit hikes. They provide stunning views of the volcanic gorges and valleys. The four-kilometer Twin Falls Circuit, which features two waterfalls that flow like bridal veils, is a favorite.
A colony of glow worms, the magnificent Purling Brook Falls Lookout, and the Natural Bridge, an eroded rock bridge and cave through which a creek and cascade flow, are further highlights of the area.
In addition to hiking, other well-liked activities in Springbrook National Park include horseback riding, picnics, and birding. Try taking a different route home to take in as much of the landscape as you can.
Moreton Island: One of the best day trips from Brisbane
A stressed-out city dweller’s paradise, Moreton Island is only around 75 minutes by ferry from the center of Brisbane. As soon as you board the ferry or private tour boat and bid the city traffic farewell, the stress detox process starts.
Third-largest sand island in the world and one of the most well-liked island day tours from Brisbane is Moreton Island. Approximately 98 percent of the island is protected as a national park. It entices nature enthusiasts with its magnificent freshwater rivers and lagoons with dune backing, long blonde beaches, and vibrant wildflowers.
On their sleek, fast boats, River to Bay provides a variety of themed day trips from Brisbane to Moreton Island.
The 15 shallow-water wrecks immediately off the beach are one of Moreton Island’s most well-liked activities, like snorkeling and diving. Other highlights include hand-feeding wild dolphins at the Tangalooma Island Resort, admiring stunning views of the ocean from the lighthouse on Cape Moreton, quad riding, and a variety of water-based activities like fishing, sea kayaking, and whale-watching cruises.
Four-wheel drive excursions and sandboarding down the towering dunes are also popular. On the Moreton Island 4WD Day Trip from Brisbane, you can try these things. This full-day, small-group tour also includes a snorkeling tour of some of the wrecks, time to relax on the lovely beaches, and a picnic lunch.
Visit Noosa Beach
Noosa, on the Sunshine Coast and roughly two hours north of Brisbane, is a popular vacation spot for Australians looking for a tranquil beach getaway. Some of Noosa’s best tourist destinations include magnificent golden beaches, wilderness adventures, and superb shopping and restaurants.
Surfers, swimmers, and sunbathers congregate at Noosa’s Main Beach to enjoy the beach’s fine sands and turquoise waves from Laguna Bay. Walking trails wind over the rocky headland of Noosa National Park, which overlooks this attractive stretch of coast and offers breathtaking ocean views.
Are eating out and shopping at the top of your to-do list? You may also do that here. Five minutes’ walk from the beach is a number of outstanding eateries, coffee shops, boutiques, and art galleries along posh Hastings Street. Along the Noosa River in Noosaville, there are even more possibilities.
Paddling through the Noosa Everglades, boating and fishing on the lovely Noosa River, and shopping for trinkets and locally grown food at the well-known Noosa Farmers Market are some of the other popular local pastimes.
North Stradbroke Island: Favorite tourist place in Australia
North Stradbroke Island, affectionately referred to as “Straddie” by the locals, is home to many of the attractions that tourists adore about Australia, including stunning beaches, excellent surf, and typical Aussie wildlife. It is located about an hour from Brisbane across the clear seas of Moreton Bay and is the second-largest sand island in the world (after K’Gari Fraser Island).
The picturesque North Gorge Walk, a boardwalk and beachfront trail that circles the headlands to Point Lookout, is a terrific site to begin a visit here. From May through October, this panoramic vista is a great place to search for marine life, including dolphins, sharks, turtles, manta rays, and even whales.
Kangaroos and koalas that live on the island may also be seen on land. After your hike, you can take a plunge into one of the island’s expansive freshwater lakes or white-sand beaches to chill off.
Aside from surfing and SCUBA diving, other popular activities on North Stradbroke Island include deep-sea fishing, beach and rock fishing, snorkeling, sea kayaking, and surfing. If you can drag yourself away from the beach, three tiny municipalities on the island provide eateries and a scattering of historical sites.
You may experience a majority of the island’s varied attractions on the small-group Stradbroke Island Day Trip. Along with swimming, tanning, and exploring the island’s little communities, you can search for animals on land and in the water.
Lamington National Park: World Heritage Site
Lamington National Park, on the World Heritage List and about a two-hour drive from Brisbane, is a haven for birders and wildlife enthusiasts. The park is located in Queensland’s Scenic Rim, a scenic region of lakes, mountains, rainforests, and lovely little towns. It is snuggled between the green peaks of the Borders Ranges. One of the most well-liked Scenic Rim days trips from Brisbane is to Lamington National Park.
A diverse range of fascinating fauna may be found in the lush rainforest, which is dotted with waterfalls and offers the ideal environment for trekking paths. The park is renowned for the bowerbirds that live there. In order to impress the females, they construct complex arches decorated with things that are vivid blue. About 190 other bird species live here, such as flocks of vividly colored king parrots and scarlet rosellas that pounce on anyone who dares to extend their arms.
Small marsupials like long-nosed bandicoots and red-necked pademelons are some more animals that are regularly seen.
To reach O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, a guesthouse, spa, and restaurant, most guests take the winding road up. O’Reilly’s Tree Top Walk, a network of suspension bridges and walkways strung through the canopy about 16 meters above the rainforest floor, allows you to explore the park from this point.
Tamborine Mountain: Great day trip from Brisbane to help you escape from the city
The Gold Coast Hinterland’s Tamborine Mountain offers a pleasing harmony of nature and culture. A 45-minute journey from Lamington National Park and located in Queensland’s Scenic Rim, Tamborine Mountain is also accessible by car from Brisbane.
Calming rainforests, eucalyptus woods, and waterfalls may be found in Tamborine National Park, which offers a welcome taste of subtropical wildness. The nearby town of Mount Tamborine is teeming with artisanal stores, boutiques, and art galleries.
On the 45-minute Rainforest SkyWalk guided canopy tour, you may start your day with a bird’s-eye view of the beautiful rainforest; keep a lookout for lyrebirds. Following that, a little bushwalk to Curtis Falls unveils the tranquil sounds of these cascading waterfalls.
For culinary lovers, Mount Tamborine is a paradise. Stop by one of the town’s cafés or tearooms to indulge in delectable fresh local fare, and finish the day with a cooking class, some gallery hopping, or a relaxing spa treatment.
The Tamborine Mountain Botanic Gardens and the Mount Tamborine glow worm tunnels are both well-liked side trips for nature lovers. One of the most well-liked day trips from Brisbane’s hinterland is to this region, which is full of attractions.
Montville and Maleny: A touch of rural charm
A cool mountain retreat is available in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland in Montville and Maleny. Less than 90 minutes separate these two adorable villages from Brisbane, and each provides a taste of rural charm, adorable craft stores and cafés, and a gourmet fix.
Town of dairy farmers and hippies, Maleny. Here, you can enjoy some delectable goodies, including cheese, chocolate, and vintage lollipops (candy). Maleny Dairies’ farm and factory tour, as well as the Maleny Botanic Gardens and Bird World, are additional well-liked tourist destinations in the area. If you enjoy nature, spend some time strolling around the Obi Obi Boardwalk to look for platypus.
Montville is a stroller’s paradise. As an excuse to stock up on souvenirs, craft shops, art galleries, boutiques, carpentry shops, and other specialty businesses are available, and the Bavarian and English-style cottages add to the old-world atmosphere.
Bribie Island: A one-hour day trip from Brisbane
A one-hour trip from the city, Bribie Island offers an amazing 4WD beach excursion. The only sand island off Brisbane with a bridge connecting it is this one, which is also the smallest of the three.
It’s a local hobby to drive around the eastern beaches, which are frequently washed by the ocean. Lacking a 4WD? Not to worry. It is not necessary to have four-wheel drive cars to visit the island.
Other popular activities on Bribie Island include swimming and sunbathing in the tranquil, sandy bay on the island’s western side, as well as kayaking, windsurfing, fishing, and kitesurfing.
With stunning vistas of the Glasshouse Mountains, the Pumicestone Passage divides the island from Caloundra on the mainland. It’s a well-liked destination for animal viewing, boating, and other water sports. These waterways, which are bordered by mangroves, frequently attract dugongs, dolphins, turtles, and seabirds.
On land, Bribie Island National Park is home to more than 350 different bird species, in addition to kangaroos, emus, and dingoes. Visit the free Bribie Island Seaside Museum for a succinct history of the island.
Don’t miss Redcliffe Peninsula
The Redcliffe Peninsula is alive with weekend adventurers following an intensive revitalization project. This beautiful peninsula is the ideal destination for some rest and leisure by the sea, and it’s only a 40-minute drive from Brisbane’s central business district.
For day trippers from Brisbane, Redcliffe boasts a number of accolades. You can take a leisurely stroll down Bee Gees Way and relive the Bee Gees’ formative years. As you stroll down the walkway admiring their artwork and memorabilia, dance to their catchy tunes and take in little-known anecdotes about their brilliant career. For lovers of music, this is a must-do.
One of Brisbane’s original communities is Redcliffe. The free Redcliffe Museum has some information on its past. The exhibits cover everything from the region’s Aboriginal history to tales of the illustrious citizens of the Redcliffe Peninsula.
Visit Scarborough Park, which has two playgrounds, Railway Place and Pirate’s Place, along with many picnic tables and towering trees to climb. Kids will also enjoy cooling down at Suttons Beach or the turquoise-hued Settlement Cove Lagoon, located right on the bayfront.
There is a lot for adults to enjoy as well. Take a leisurely stroll along the Clontarf-Redcliffe coastal promenade and the Woody Point Jetty. Cast a fishing line, explore Moreton Bay in search of whales and dolphins, and, if you’re there on a Sunday, browse the Redcliffe Farmers and Artisans Market (8 am to 2 pm along Redcliffe Parade).
Here are the 12 best day trips from Brisbane that we compiled for you. So, come here immediately to begin your fantastic journey! Please share your thoughts by posting a comment below!
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