The capital of Tropical Queensland is laid back, quirky and a melting pot of everything wonderful. If you’re a penny-pincher, a freebie-fanatic, or are downright unashamed about your money bludging habits, never fear because Brisbane is the place you want to be. Situated on the banks of the Brisbane river and rarely dipping below 20 degrees, it’s an outdoorsy city which lends you a helping hand in ninja-dodging those holiday price tags. Explore Brisbane without breaking the bank with our top 5 to-dos in the Sunshine State.
1) People watch at West End Markets
The Davies Park Markets are held every Saturday and runs along Boundary Street, straight through Brisbane’s quirky West End. While the markets themselves are great, showcasing the best of Brisbane’s fresh produce and home-made knick-knacks, it’s the locals we’re recommending. If you want vibe, West End is the place. Think bearded men (the good kind), hipster coffee houses and a mismatch of shabby-chic that goes for both its buildings and its inhabitants. It shouldn’t work, but somehow it does. Grab an organic juice and kick back in the sun for a quality day people-watching.
2) Soak in some seriously stunning city views
Mount Coot-Tha is Brisbane’s highest peak, hanging out at around 287 meters above sea level. Whether you’re after a killer pano, some fresh air or a romantic cityscape sunset snap, these are totally the best views in town. Bonus? If you’re of the tree-hugging kind, the Botanic Gardens are worth a browse for some local fauna and fora.
3) Get artsy in South Bank
Tip: If you sleep in last night’s makeup, you wake up with free Picasso. For those of us who are slightly more artistically minded though, there’s a trip to South Bank’s galleries. Gallery crawl your way through South Bank starting with a selfie at the iconic ‘Brisbane’ sign, making your way through traditional pieces at the Queensland Art Gallery, before finishing up at the Gallery Modern Art where you can find everything from true inspiration to questionable head-scratchers.
4) Cycle New Farm Park for some feel-good exercise and photo-ops
It may distress some of you to learn that Goon does in fact not count towards your daily fruit intake and dare we break it to you, is alarmingly heavy in calories… But if you’ve had some big nights out and are down to your last pair of stretchy pants, never fear. Get exercising on as you cycle through New Farm park. Think flowering trees, city brunch vibes and 10/10 river-side views.
5) Get thrifty at the Suitcase Rummage Markets
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Suitcase Rummage Markets involves people, suitcases and lots of rummaging… Welcome to Brisbane ultimate pre-loved junk store where you can find everything from that Spice Girls singlet you chucked out in the 2003 to vintage goods and OTT accessories. For some seriously fine op shopping opportunities and free people watching, this market is your golden ticket. Although prices are usually decent, if you’ve already declared bankruptcy 2 weeks into your Aussie adventure, haggling and a good old-fashioned trade-off are also possible.
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