A weekend is enough to understand what Brisbane is about. Not everything — you'd need a week for that — but enough to feel the city's rhythm: the Saturday morning market culture, the river that connects the neighbourhoods, the outdoor evenings at clifftop parks and waterfront bars, the Sunday brunch that stretches into early afternoon, the unexpected lookout at the top of the mountain. Brisbane rewards visitors who move between suburbs rather than staying in one spot, and this itinerary is built around that — it takes you through five or six different neighbourhoods over two days, all connected by ferry, walking, or a short bus ride.
This guide assumes you're based in or near the CBD, South Bank, or New Farm. Everything here is reachable by public transport. Adjust the pace to your energy — Brisbane is a city that works better when you're not rushing.
Saturday: Markets, River & Sunset
New Farm → South Bank → Kangaroo Point → West End
Jan Powers Farmers Markets & New Farm Park
Start the weekend the way Brisbane locals do: at the Jan Powers Farmers Markets in New Farm Park. The market runs every Saturday from 6am to noon and is the city's best for quality produce, artisan bread, charcuterie, pastries, and prepared food. Get there by 7:30 for the best selection and smallest crowds. Walk the stalls, grab a coffee from one of the specialty roasters, and eat something good — the market food here is a significant step above standard market fare.
After the markets, walk through New Farm Park itself. It's a generous riverside green space shaded by enormous Moreton Bay figs and, in October and November, jacaranda trees that turn the park vivid purple. At the river end, the Brisbane Powerhouse — a converted industrial power station — hosts art exhibitions, theatre, and comedy, and has a waterfront bar that's open from mid-morning. The riverside deck at the Powerhouse is one of the most pleasant spots in Brisbane to sit with a coffee and watch the river traffic.
Riverwalk to Howard Smith Wharves
From the Powerhouse, pick up the Brisbane Riverwalk — a dedicated pedestrian and cycling path that follows the river towards the CBD. The walk takes about 25 minutes and is one of Brisbane's best urban paths: the river on one side, New Farm's leafy residential streets on the other, with the Story Bridge growing larger as you approach. The path ends at Howard Smith Wharves, a revitalised heritage wharf precinct nestled directly beneath the Story Bridge. Stop here for a mid-morning beer at Felons Brewing Co. (their riverside terrace is hard to beat) or continue across the bridge for the full panorama.
South Bank: Galleries, Streets Beach & the Cultural Precinct
Take the CityHopper ferry from Riverside to South Bank. Spend the early afternoon at GOMA (the Gallery of Modern Art) — Brisbane's best gallery, free to enter, with a strong permanent collection of Australian, Indigenous, and Pacific art and regularly rotating contemporary exhibitions. The Cinematheque inside GOMA screens arthouse films, and the gallery shop is one of the best in Australia. Next door, the Queensland Art Gallery offers more classical collections, and the Queensland Museum has interactive science exhibits at SparkLab (good for families).
After the galleries, walk through the South Bank Parklands — the Grand Arbour bougainvillea walkway, the Nepalese Peace Pagoda, and Streets Beach, where you can swim in a free, lifeguard-patrolled lagoon with white sand and palm trees looking across to the CBD skyline. Yes, it's a swimming pool in the middle of the city, and yes, it works. Bring a swimsuit if it's warm.
Kangaroo Point Cliffs at Golden Hour
Walk across the Goodwill Bridge from South Bank to Kangaroo Point — it takes about 10 minutes. Head to the clifftop park above the Kangaroo Point Cliffs: a grassy expanse with free electric BBQs, picnic tables, and an unobstructed view across the river to the full CBD skyline. This is one of Brisbane's best sunset spots — the city lights come on as the sky changes colour, and the atmosphere is relaxed and communal. Half of Brisbane seems to gather here on warm Saturday evenings. Bring food from South Bank or a bottle of wine, claim a patch of grass, and watch the light shift.
Why this works
Kangaroo Point Cliffs face west-northwest, which means direct sunset light across the river and the CBD. The 20-metre rock face below the park is lit from beneath after dark, adding to the scene. Free, no booking required, open 24/7.
Dinner on Boundary Street, West End
From Kangaroo Point, take the ferry or walk (about 20 minutes) to West End for dinner. Boundary Street is Brisbane's most multicultural and affordable dining strip — a long stretch of family-run restaurants serving Greek, Vietnamese, Ethiopian, Nepalese, Turkish, and Thai food. The approach here is simple: walk the strip, read the specials boards, follow the queues, and pick what looks good. The Greek tavernas have been here for decades and are reliably excellent. The Vietnamese pho joints are packed at lunch and dinner. The Ethiopian and Nepalese restaurants are the kind of hidden gems that food writers keep rediscovering.
If you want something more contemporary, walk a few blocks to Fish Lane in South Brisbane — a mural-covered laneway of wine bars, Southeast Asian restaurants, and bistros that's become one of Brisbane's most talked-about dining precincts. Southside does excellent Thai-inspired food, Marlowe is a polished European bistro, and there are several natural-wine bars perfect for a post-dinner glass.
Sunday: Brunch, Hilltops & Hidden Bars
New Farm → Paddington → Mt Coot-tha → Fortitude Valley
Brunch in New Farm or Paddington
Sunday brunch is a Brisbane institution. You have two excellent options: New Farm, where the streets around Merthyr Road are packed with specialty coffee roasters, bakeries, and all-day cafés with tables spilling onto the footpath; or Paddington, where Latrobe Terrace offers brunch with a hillside village atmosphere among heritage Queenslander homes, independent boutiques, and antique shops. Both neighbourhoods take their coffee seriously — this is not instant-and-toast territory — and both are walkable, leafy, and best enjoyed at a slow pace.
If you choose Paddington, build in time to walk the residential side streets afterwards. The Queenslander architecture — timber cottages on stilts with wide verandahs, iron lacework, and tropical gardens — is genuinely photogenic and gives you a sense of how Brisbane looked before the high-rises arrived. The Empire Revival building on Latrobe Terrace is a heritage-listed former cinema from the 1920s that now houses an antique and vintage market of over 50 independent sellers.
Mt Coot-tha Lookout & Botanic Gardens
From Paddington, Mt Coot-tha is a 15-minute drive or a bus (route 471 from the CBD, approximately 25 minutes). At 287 metres, the lookout gives you a panoramic view of the entire city, the river system, the Glass House Mountains to the north, and the Gold Coast hinterland to the south. It's free, open 24/7, and genuinely impressive — you understand Brisbane's geography immediately from up here. The Summit Restaurant, which reopened in 2025, sits at the top and serves a refined modern Australian menu with the view as backdrop, if you want to upgrade the experience to lunch.
At the base of the mountain, the Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha are worth 30 to 60 minutes. The Japanese garden is peaceful and beautifully maintained, the Tropical Display Dome houses rainforest species under glass, and the bonsai collection is one of the best in Australia. Entry is free. Most visitors go to the lookout but skip the gardens, which means they're rarely crowded, especially on Sunday mornings.
If you'd prefer a walk
Mt Coot-tha also has walking trails ranging from 1.5km to 7km through eucalyptus forest. The Kokoda Track Memorial Walk (2.8km) is a good moderate option with interpretive plaques and bush views. Or pick up the Summit Track for a steeper climb through open forest to the lookout.
City Botanic Gardens & CBD Laneways
Head back into the city for a gentler afternoon. The City Botanic Gardens — Brisbane's oldest park, at the south-eastern edge of the CBD on the river — are a shaded oasis of Moreton Bay fig trees, bamboo groves, and riverside lawns. Old Government House, a sandstone building from the 1860s at the gardens' entrance, is a free heritage museum and one of the most beautiful colonial buildings in Queensland.
From the gardens, walk through the CBD. The heritage Brisbane Arcade on Queen Street Mall is one of Australia's most attractive shopping arcades, with ornate tile work and a glass roof. Burnett Lane — a narrow laneway off Albert Street — has a small but developing café and street-art scene. The State Library of Queensland, back near South Bank, has free exhibitions and a dedicated children's space called The Corner. Sunday afternoon in Brisbane is best spent without a hard agenda — wander, sit, read, and let the city reveal itself at its own pace.
Fortitude Valley: Dinner & Live Music
End the weekend in the Valley. For dinner, you can go two ways: James Street for something polished (Agnes for fire-driven Australian cooking in a converted bacon factory, Bianca for refined Italian, Penelope for a glamorous supper-club experience), or Brunswick Street and Chinatown for something cheaper and more spontaneous (dumplings, hand-pulled noodles, Korean BBQ, late-night bakeries). Both are within a 10-minute walk of each other, and both are served by Fortitude Valley train station.
After dinner, the Valley is Brisbane's live music capital. The Fortitude Music Hall, The Tivoli, and The Zoo all host local and touring acts most nights — indie, rock, electronic, jazz, hip-hop — and tickets are often very reasonable. If you'd prefer drinks to a gig, the Valley's bar scene has depth: Death & Taxes is a basement whisky bar with over 200 bottles. Bakery Lane has craft-beer spots and rooftop bars. And Howard Smith Wharves — a short walk downhill towards the river — is the most atmospheric place to end an evening: Felons Brewing for casual beers, or Greca for a final glass of wine with the Story Bridge lit up overhead.
Make It Your Own
This itinerary covers the core Brisbane weekend experience, but there are several excellent alternatives depending on your interests.
Swap Markets for Wildlife
Replace Saturday morning markets with the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary river cruise — departs from South Bank at 10am, 75 minutes upstream, with over 130 koalas and Australian wildlife. Back by mid-afternoon.
Swap Mt Coot-tha for the Bay
On Sunday, head east to Wynnum and Manly instead — bayside suburbs with esplanade walks, the Wynnum wading pool, fish and chips, and views across Moreton Bay to the islands. Train from Central, 30 minutes.
Eat Street Instead of West End
On Friday or Saturday evening, Eat Street Northshore in Hamilton (70+ food stalls in shipping containers, live music, five bars) is a completely different energy. CityCat ferry from the CBD or South Bank.
Bookshops & Quiet Afternoons
Avid Reader in West End is one of Brisbane's best independent bookshops — regular author events and a curated collection. Pair it with the Institute of Modern Art in Fortitude Valley (free entry) for a culture-focused afternoon.