Beaches, Rainforests and Adventure Await in Brisbane, the Fastest Way Into Australia
Your Ultimate 72-Hour Brisbane Adventure Itinerary
A perfect blend of outdoor adventures, cultural experiences, koala encounters, and incredible food, with family adventure options.
Perfectly positioned as a traveler’s gateway to Australia, Brisbane offers travelers access to rainforest, beaches, and a tropical island all within 40 minutes of the city. It’s a destination that favors both the bold traveler and the family-friendly sojourner, where one is as likely to abscond in a hot air balloon as to befriend a Koala.
For US travelers, Brisbane is also the fastest entryway to Australia. Getting here in style is easy when you fly to Brisbane with United Airlines out of SFO. They say every epic adventure begins with a memorable port of call. The United Polaris Lounge at SFO offers business class and premium Star Alliance cabin long haul passengers every amenity a traveler desires, from shower suites to sit-down meals to private relaxation areas. Choosing United Airlines brings you directly to Brisbane, where three perfect days await welcoming you to the magical land down under.
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DAY 2: First Nation Adventures, River Hangs & Koalas by Night
The Aboriginal people of Brisbane have lived on this land for tens of thousands of years, with the Turrbal and Yuggera peoples recognized as the Traditional Custodians of the region. Brisbane proudly honors its First Nations cultural heritage and any visit to Australia is incomplete without a First Nations cultural experience. Brisbane offers some excellent activities for the whole family, including Blackcard Cultural Tours. Their Cultural Tour and Weaving Session ends with a Bush Tucker Tasting, giving families a chance to learn about the ancient art of weaving and sample bush foods.
In Nudgee, on Brisbane’s northside, explorers of all ages can take an interactive, guided ‘rite of passage journey’ through Nyanda Cultural Tours. While exploring the waterholes of Nudgee, visitors are invited by First Nations guides to participate in a smoking ceremony, fire making, boomerang and spear throwing, and a bush food tasting while learning about plant species and their uses.
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These 72 hours in Brisbane offer just a taste of what makes Australia's most livable city so special. From the thrill of climbing the iconic Story Bridge to the wonder of meeting koalas up close, exploring world-class art galleries to savoring cutting-edge cuisine, Brisbane delivers authentic Australian experiences with that famous laid-back charm. Plus, as your fastest entry point to Australia, Brisbane puts you closer to all these incredible experiences sooner than any other major Australian city.
Ready to start your own Brisbane adventure?
Your Brisbane Adventure Awaits
By Monica Vanover on July 3, 2025.
DAY 3: Scenic Rim Adventure & Local Markets
With its ideal location, Brisbane is the perfect launching pad for exploring some of Australia's most spectacular landscapes. The city sits strategically between the Gold Coast's famous surf beaches to the south, the Sunshine Coast's laid-back coastal charm to the north, and the breathtaking Scenic Rim's volcanic landscapes to the west. Within a 90-minute drive, you can find yourself in ancient rainforests, volcanic peaks, pristine beaches, world-class wineries or charming mountain towns. Whether you're craving whale watching at Moreton Island, wine tasting in the Granite Belt, or exploring the lush hinterland, Brisbane serves as your comfortable home base for countless day trip adventures across Southeast Queensland.
For your third day, discover The Scenic Rim. Stretching from Mount Tamborine to the volcanic peaks around Boonah, The Scenic Rim perfectly showcases Australia’s diversity, offering everything from alpaca encounters to unforgettable passages like the Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk to purveyors of artisanal food and wine, all easily accessible as a day trip from the city.
Where to Stay
Now that you've mapped out your perfect Brisbane adventure, it's time to choose the ideal home base for your 72-hour journey. Getting to Brisbane in style is easy—just fly United Airlines from SFO. Once you arrive, Brisbane offers accommodations to match any style, budget, or desire. Visit Brisbane offers a great resource, their guide to the best accommodations in the city. Highlights include:
DAY 1: Icons, Culture & River Life
When visiting a new city, the best way to start is with a good cup of coffee and some local cultural flair. Brisbane is home to some seriously good coffee, so finding a café near your accommodations is easy. If you’re close to Toby's Estate Newstead, stop in for a world-class coffee, fluffy ricotta pancakes or a croissant benny loaded with hot smoked salmon and poached eggs—that’s eating Brisbane style!
Next, get your cultural immersion on at QAGOMA—the Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) and Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), located side by side in the Queensland Cultural Centre. Here, explore a collection of more than 20,000 artworks from Australia and around the world. Travelers with families are encouraged to visit the Children's Art Centre at GOMA, presenting tons of fun, interactive artworks designed to inspire the imagination. Grab a bite to eat at the museum café while you’re there!
After lunch, it’s outdoor adventure time. Brisbane’s temperate climate means much of the day can be spent enjoying the weather. For those wanting a bird’s eye view of their new city, take the Story Bridge Adventure Climb, one of only three bridge climbs in the world. This unforgettable experience boasts breathtaking panoramic views of Brisbane's skyline, the mystical Glass House Mountains, Moreton Bay, and the Scenic Rim. This urban climbing expedition can be done in daylight, but for those looking for next-level adventure, enjoy the bridge by moonlight!
Families with young children can opt for a visit to Bluey’s World, the wackadoo capital of the universe, exclusively available to Brisbane. Located at Northshore Pavilion, this immersive experience brings the beloved TV personality to life in a way that will leave your kids mesmerized. Let kids play the Bluey way!
After a day of local fun, it’s time to go out Brisbane-style. Embodying Australia’s famous "no worries" attitude, Brisbane by night is sophisticated without being pretentious, with much of the action happening on rooftops and riverside terraces, and in outdoor beer gardens. Easily find yourself sipping cocktails under the stars or enjoying drinks with Brisbane River views. Get outside and enjoy the night—a perfect way to wrap up Day 1!
Brisbane offers a plethora of alfresco wining and dining options. Here are a couple of highlights.
Upscale Dining
Agnes Restaurant, the acclaimed spot headed up by head chef and co-owner Ben Williamson, is famous for their fire-focused cooking.
Alternative
Hellenika at The Calile, with its breathtaking location by the pool at the Calile Hotel, is perfect for Greek cuisine with rooftop pool views.
Even More Alernate
If you are in Brisbane on a Wednesday, join the free Beer Yoga at Howard Smith Wharves.
For lunch and afternoon activities, head to South Bank Parklands, Brisbane's cultural heart, dotted with several delicious eateries and tons of choices for everyone in your travel party. Take a swim at the famous Streets Beach, a picturesque city beach with unrivalled city skyline views, or relax on South Bank Parklands’ sprawling lawns, complete with free barbeques, licensed picnic areas and two playgrounds. For the adventurous, try rock climbing the sandstone cliffs at Kangaroo Point or kayaking along the Brisbane River through one of Brisbane’s several adventure activity providers.
Your second night in Brisbane opens the possibility of a once-in-a-lifetime experience: Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary’s Nocturnal Tour. Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is the world's first and largest koala sanctuary, home to over 100 koalas and more than 70 species of native Australian wildlife. By day, visitors can hang out with Koalas, hand-feed free-ranging kangaroos and meet dingos and wombats. By night, visitors are equipped with night vision equipment and led on a guided discovery of Australian wildlife after the sun sets.
For Thrill Seekers
Take on the Treetop Challenge at Thunderbird Park featuring Australia's largest zipline and high ropes attraction through World Heritage rainforest.
For Families
Experience the Tamborine Glow Worm Caves, where the family can explore a presentation cave with realistic stalagmites and stalactites, lit up by thousands of glowing creatures.
For relaxing
Lunch and wine tasting are on the menu at The Overflow Estate on the Lake Wyaralong shore. Stunning scenery and world-class wine await at this gem of Queensland dining culture.
After a full day of adventure, cap off your 72 hours in Brisbane with a memorable meal and a breathtaking Brisbane sunset. Stop at Hang Gliders Lookout or Rotary Lookout on Tamborine Mountain for spectacular sunset views. From there, it's about a 90–120 minute drive back into the city—just enough time to build up an appetite before dinner. Head to Supernormal Brisbane, recently named one of the best new restaurants in the world, or The Fifty Six for modern Cantonese cuisine at the historic Naldham House.
Emporium Hotel South Bank offering boutique luxury in Brisbane’s cultural epicenter
The Calile, a luxury hotel for art lovers mixing feel-good vibes with refined environs
CrystalBrook Vincent, a sustainable 5-star experience right on the river.
Tangalooma and these retreats for that island resort vibe
Sanctuary by Sirromet for those who want to be immersed in nature without sacrificing creature comforts
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Start Planning Your Trip
Discover more Brisbane experiences and begin crafting your perfect Australian adventure at Visit Brisbane.
Book Your Flight
Make Brisbane your gateway to Australia with direct service from San Francisco. Book your United Airlines flight to Brisbane and start your journey to the land down under.
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