It’s your first trip to Brisbane and you only have one weekend to see as much of this incredible city as possible. Here’s our West End and Toowong team’s tips for an unforgettable weekend (we popped in a sneaky Friday night to make sure you cram more in!).
Friday
Spend Friday night sipping cocktails at Fortitude Valley’s Eleven Rooftop Bar or check out Mrs Brown’s Bar and Kitchen in Newstead for a fab mix of bar food and top notch wines. For a relaxed night with market vibes, cool music and more food than you can imagine, Eat Street might be the go.
Saturday
Visit Brisbane’s inner city suburb of West End. Start early with a visit to the iconic Farmer’s Market with a huge array of local produce, fresh flowers and breakfast options you can enjoy while sitting by the river. Feel healthy as you watch the cyclists, runners and dog walkers go by. Then wander the cafes and boutique shops along Montague Road and Boundary Street (WholeLife Pharmacy and Healthfoods is located at 359 Mongtague Road!!). West End is a vibrant and eclectic suburb and we guarantee there will be plenty to keep you entertained as you walk the streets.
As lunchtime approaches, stroll over to Southbank and enjoy a meal and glass of wine in the sunshine at one of the many restaurants located along the river. Feeling intrepid? Get a bird’s eye view of the city by taking a spin on the Brisbane Eye. If you still have energy to burn, GOMA and the Queensland Museum are close by and always have something interesting on display.
This is a huge day but there’s no time to waste. There’s always a good show on at Queensland Performing Arts Centre or if you feel like something a little more low key there are plenty of suburban cinemas that offer the latest blockbusters or art house films.
Sunday
Head to Mt Coot-tha nice and early for a pre-dawn hike up the mountain. You’ll work off yesterday’s eat fest and seeing the view of Brisbane from the top as the sun rises will be worth the early start.
It’s mid-morning but there’s no time to stop as there is SO much shopping to do in Brisbane. The inner-west suburbs of Paddington and Toowong offer a mix of boutique and brand name shops that rival any major city (did we mention there is a WholeLife Pharmacy and Healthfoods at Toowong?!) and there’s plenty of riverside pubs and restaurants to stop at for lunch. We particularly love a Sunday session at Toowong’s Regatta Hotel.
Sunday night – you’re home to recover and plan your next weekend getaway to this bustling city.