Visiting Brisbane with kids
Brisbane with kids centres on the river: South Bank's parklands and city beach, the museums across the water and koalas and lookouts a short drive out. Mornings are the time for outdoor stops; the middle of a warm day suits the museums.
Pick a day
Each plan is five or six stops in a sensible order, with the photo, price, ages and hours pulled from the listing itself. Mix and match: a rainy-day stop fits any day.
Your first day
Your first day in Brisbane with kids
A first day in Brisbane with kids: the Queensland Museum Dinosaur Garden, Queensland Museum Kurilpa, a UQ playground and Mt Coot-tha Lookout.
4 stops · starts at Queensland Museum - Dinosaur Garden
A rainy day
A rainy day in Brisbane with kids
A wet day in Brisbane with kids: Queensland Museum Kurilpa, Urban Climb West End, Archie Brothers Bowen Hills and Timezone Indooroopilly.
4 stops · starts at Queensland Museum Kurilpa
A beach day
A beach day in Brisbane with kids
A beach-style day in Brisbane with kids: Streets Beach lagoon at South Bank, Roma Street Parkland and Kangaroo Point Cliffs Park.
3 stops · starts at Roma Street Parkland
A free day out
A free day out in Brisbane with kids
A free day in Brisbane with kids: Museum of Brisbane, Roma Street Parkland, Streets Beach lagoon and Mt Coot-tha Lookout.
4 stops · starts at Museum of Brisbane
With toddlers
Brisbane with toddlers and under-5s
Brisbane with toddlers: South Bank Parklands, Dopamine Land, Spring Hill Baths and Play Maison in Wilston, with free entry for under-2s.
4 stops · starts at Play Maison Wilston
With teenagers
Brisbane with teenagers
Brisbane with teenagers: Fox In A Box escape rooms, The Wheel of Brisbane, Zero Latency VR, Kingpin Chermside and BOUNCE Inc Tingalpa.
5 stops · starts at Fox In A Box Brisbane Escape Rooms
Brisbane with kids at a glance
| Best for | Families who want a city base with day trips; good for toddlers and primary ages |
|---|---|
| How long | 3 to 4 days (South Bank day, animals day, bush-and-lookout day, day trip to the islands or the coast) |
| Best time | Winter (June to August) is sunny, dry and mild; avoid January's humidity if you can |
| Budget tip | The museum, gallery, lagoons, Roma Street Parkland and Mt Coot-tha are free; one koala sanctuary ticket is the usual paid day |
| Rainy day backup | The Cultural Centre precinct (museum, gallery, science centre) is under one roof |
| Getting around | CityCat ferries and the inner-city trains are the fun way; a car for the sanctuary, the bush parks and the island ferries |
When to go: seasons and busy times in Brisbane
The next school holidays run 12 Dec 2026 to 26 Jan 2027 (Queensland Department of Education); that is when the big-name places are busiest and accommodation costs most.
| Season | Months | Best for | How busy | Parent tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Dec–Feb | South Bank lagoon, splash parks, early walks before the heat | Packed | Hot, humid and stormy. Water play in the morning, a free museum or library after lunch. |
| Autumn | Mar–May | Mt Coot-tha, river walks, the big parklands | Steady | The weather settles and the outdoor season really starts. Easter holidays are the busy fortnight. |
| Winter | Jun–Aug | Bush walks, lookouts, picnics, every playground | Quiet | Sunny, dry days in the low 20s. Brisbane winter is the best time of year to be outside with kids. |
| Spring | Sep–Nov | Jacarandas at New Farm, gardens, river parklands, first swims | Steady | Warm but not yet oppressive. Watch for swooping magpies on bike paths in September. |
Worth the trip: what families rate highest in Brisbane
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Mt Coot-tha Lookout Mount Coot-tha
Mt Coot-tha Lookout is Brisbane's highest point, a heritage-listed lookout in Mt Coot-tha Reserve with views across the city and out to Moreton Bay.
★ 4.7 (15,237)
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Eat Street Northshore Hamilton
Eat Street Northshore is a riverside weekend food market at Northshore Hamilton with more than 60 micro-kitchens, bars and experiences, plus live music stages and…
★ 4.6 (15,685)
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Roma Street Parkland Brisbane City
Roma Street Parkland is a 16-hectare inner-city park in Brisbane.
★ 4.7 (10,660)
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Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary Fig Tree Pocket
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary at 708 Jesmond Road, Fig Tree Pocket is open daily from 9am to 5pm.
★ 4.6 (12,700)
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Queensland Museum - Dinosaur Garden South Brisbane
The Dinosaur Garden is a permanent, enclosed garden on Level 0 of Queensland Museum Kurilpa, on the corner of Grey and Melbourne Streets in South Brisbane.
★ 4.6 (10,235)
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Kingpin Chermside Chermside
Kingpin Chermside is an entertainment venue at Shop MM33, Level 3, Westfield Chermside, corner of Gympie and Hamilton Roads.
★ 4.8 (6,871)
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Queensland Museum Kurilpa South Brisbane
Queensland Museum Kurilpa, on the corner of Grey and Melbourne Streets at South Bank, is open daily 9:30am to 5pm and general entry is free.
★ 4.6 (9,822)
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Fox In A Box Brisbane Escape Rooms Brisbane City
Fox in a Box Brisbane runs escape rooms at Level 1, 150 Edward Street in the Brisbane CBD.
★ 5.0 (4,609)
The free days
Six free places parents rate highest. All free things to do in Brisbane.
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Point Lookout Gorge Walk (Minjerribah / North Stradbroke Island) Point Lookout
The Gorge Walk at Point Lookout on Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) is a 1.2 kilometre boardwalk circuit around the headland on Redland City Council land.
★ 4.9 (1,953)
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J.C. Slaughter Falls Picnic Area Mount Coot-tha
J.C. Slaughter Falls Picnic Area is one of nine picnic areas in Brisbane City Council's Mt Coot-tha Reserve, off Sir Samuel Griffith Drive.
★ 4.4 (976)
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Settlement Cove Lagoon Redcliffe
Settlement Cove Lagoon is a free, tropical-themed public swimming lagoon run by City of Moreton Bay on the Redcliffe Peninsula.
★ 4.5 (2,630)
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Orion Lagoon Springfield Central
Orion Lagoon is an Ipswich City Council public swimming lagoon in the Robelle Domain parklands at Springfield Central, about 30 minutes' drive from Brisbane's CBD.
★ 4.5 (2,620)
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Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha Mt Coot-tha
Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha are Brisbane City Council's 56-hectare subtropical botanic gardens at the foot of Mt Coot-tha, with free entry.
★ 4.7 (7,814)
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South Bank Parklands South Brisbane
South Bank Parklands is a public riverside precinct in South Brisbane managed by South Bank Corporation.
★ 4.8 (1,961)
If it rains
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Queensland Museum - Dinosaur Garden South Brisbane
The Dinosaur Garden is a permanent, enclosed garden on Level 0 of Queensland Museum Kurilpa, on the corner of Grey and Melbourne Streets in South Brisbane.
★ 4.6 (10,235)
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Kingpin Chermside Chermside
Kingpin Chermside is an entertainment venue at Shop MM33, Level 3, Westfield Chermside, corner of Gympie and Hamilton Roads.
★ 4.8 (6,871)
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Queensland Museum Kurilpa South Brisbane
Queensland Museum Kurilpa, on the corner of Grey and Melbourne Streets at South Bank, is open daily 9:30am to 5pm and general entry is free.
★ 4.6 (9,822)
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Fox In A Box Brisbane Escape Rooms Brisbane City
Fox in a Box Brisbane runs escape rooms at Level 1, 150 Edward Street in the Brisbane CBD.
★ 5.0 (4,609)
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Zero Latency VR Brisbane Newstead
Zero Latency VR Brisbane is a free-roam virtual reality arena at 20 Chester Street, Newstead.
★ 4.9 (1,961)
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Timezone & Zone Bowling Garden City Upper Mount Gravatt
Timezone & Zone Bowling Garden City is on Level 2 of Westfield Garden City (Westfield Mt Gravatt), Kessels Road, Upper Mount Gravatt, near the food court.
★ 4.6 (2,815)
Where families stay
Holiday parks and resorts listed on this site, with the pools, playgrounds and jumping pillows that matter to kids.
| Place | Kind | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Scarborough Holiday Village | Stay | Scarborough |
| Aussie Gardens Caravan Park | Holiday park | Eight Mile Plains |
Kids eat free in Brisbane: which night, where
35 pubs, clubs and restaurants in Brisbane give kids a free meal on set nights, each checked on the venue's own page. The full list is on the kids eat free in Brisbane page.
| Night | Where | When and who | Deals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Burpengary Community Club (Burpengary) Hog's Breath Cafe Ipswich (Ipswich) Mansfield Tavern (Mansfield) | 5pm-8:30pm · with an adult main All day · Under 13 From 5:30pm · with an adult main | 9 |
| Tuesday | Burpengary Community Club (Burpengary) Cleveland Sands Hotel (Cleveland) Fitzys Loganholme (Loganholme) | 5pm-8:30pm · with an adult main see listing 5pm-9pm | 5 |
| Wednesday | Burpengary Community Club (Burpengary) The Glen Hotel (Eight Mile Plains) | 5pm-8:30pm · with an adult main 5:30pm-9pm | 2 |
| Thursday | Burpengary Community Club (Burpengary) Dolphins Leagues Club (Redcliffe) Trader Dukes (Caboolture) | 5pm-8:30pm · with an adult main Dinner · dine in Evening | 3 |
| Friday | Waterloo Bay Hotel | see listing | 1 |
| Saturday | Sundowner Hotel (Caboolture) Virginia Golf Club (Banyo) | Lunch Evening | 2 |
| Sunday | Beenleigh RSL & Golf Club (Mt Warren Park) Carina Leagues Club (Carina) Beach House Bar & Grill | from 5:30pm dinner · with an adult main, dine in From 11am · Under 12 | 21 |
| Every day | Kickin' Inn (Spring Hill, Ipswich, Logan Central, Strathpine) | All day · 8 and under · dine in | 1 |
Questions parents ask
- Where should a family stay in Brisbane?
- South Bank or the CBD for walking to the Cultural Centre and lagoon; Kangaroo Point or New Farm for a ferry-and-park base; a holiday park on the bay side if you want a pool and a jumping pillow.
- Is Brisbane worth it with a toddler?
- Very. South Bank's lagoon and playgrounds, the free museum, the botanic gardens and the river ferries fill three days without a ticket. See the toddler day plan.
- Which day trip is best?
- North Stradbroke Island for a beach-and-whales day with older kids; the Gold Coast theme parks for teenagers; the Sunshine Coast hinterland for waterfalls. All are about an hour from the city.
- What about the heat?
- From December to February plan water in the morning, shade or indoors after lunch, and a park at dusk. The lagoons are free and the Cultural Centre is air-conditioned.