Headed to the capital of Queensland with the family for a nice vacation? You will be pleased to know that there are a plethora of family attractions for you and the kids no matter their age or what they like. There is something for everyone in Brisbane like miles of beachfront parks, theme parks, zoos, and aquariums.
Be sure to bring swimsuits and sunscreen so you can enjoy the water sports and parks. You will also want to make sure you grab your camera out of your luggage before dropping it all off at a Brisbane luggage storage locker. Then you can enjoy the attractions and make memories to share on social media too.
Beaches
- Paradise Point
You can find Paradise Point Beach n Gold Coast, close to Brisbane where the beach is as blue as the sky and the sand is as white as the sky. You can have a picnic or BBQ, take a hike, watch the kids play at the playgrounds, and do some swimming. Nearby you can find several eateries and shops too.
You can find Paradise Point Beach n Gold Coast, close to Brisbane where the beach is as blue as the sky and the sand is as white as the sky. You can have a picnic or BBQ, take a hike, watch the kids play at the playgrounds, and do some swimming. Nearby you can find several eateries and shops too.
- Streets Beach
Located in South Bank Parklands, Streets Beach is a fantastic man-made beach with sparkling blue water and soft, clean sand. They have lifeguards to keep everyone safe and a visitor center in case you need a drink or snack. Also, right next door is the Aquativity Park and Boat Pool.
- Bongaree Beach
The gentle waves and shallow water make nearby Bongaree one of the best beaches for younger kids. Build a sandcastle, dig for shells, and splash in the water all day long. You can also rent paddle boats or kayaks if you want to. Don’t miss diving off the jetty into the deep water with the older kids.
Animal Parks
- Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Nobody can resist a cuddly koala bear. The 44-acre Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is the perfect place to see them as well as other animals like echidnas, wombats, Tasmanian devils, and kangaroos. You can even hold some koalas for free and feed the kangaroos that hop around the sanctuary. They also have some special bird exhibits.
- Wildlife HQ Zoo
Formerly the Queensland Zoo, this zoo at the Big Pineapple on the Sunshine Coast has nine species of primates including two kinds of lemurs, Hamadryas Baboons, black-handed spider monkeys, three types of tamarins, and two kinds of marmosets. They also have meerkats, servals, wolves, bears, and more.
- Australia Zoo
Made famous by Steve Irwin the Crocodile Hunter, whose parents opened the place in 1970, the Australia Zoo has over 1,200 animals on 700+ acres. See the Crocoseum, the Tiger Temple, Elephantasia, and the Rainforest Aviary. You can also feed the wallabies and other animals but don’t miss the Crikey Café.
Aquariums
- Sea World
This Sea World is more like a theme park than an aquarium with 10 rides and attractions including three roller coasters. Nickelodeon Land has several rides for the little tots and the Jet Rescue coaster is perfect for the older kids. See the polar bears, turtles, dolphins, seals, sharks, rays, and cool sea jellies.
- Dolphin Feeding at Tin Can Bay
Tin Can Bay is the best place to see Australian humpback dolphins in the wild. They have nine dolphins in the pod led by Mystique, the alpha male. Take turns feeding fish to Mystique and the rest of the pod right there in the bay. You will also learn about the dolphins and the threats that they face.
- Sea Life Sunshine Coast
At Sea Life, check out the only colony of Little Blue Penguins in the area and walk underneath the 262-foot-long Ocean Tunnel with over eight species of sharks. Seal Island has educational interactive fun in the lower seal viewing area where you will learn about the resident seals. And the tidal touch pools are fun for everyone!
Theme Parks
- Warner Brothers Movie World
WB Movie World has 28 rides and attractions to enjoy for everyone. The seven thrill rides for the older kids include the DC Rivals HyperCoaster, the fastest, longest, and tallest HyperCoaster in the Southern Hemisphere. There are also four rides just for the tiny tykes, eight shows, and a variety of eateries and shops.
- Dreamworld Gold Coast
Dreamworld is Australia’s largest theme park with over 200 acres of fun including 40 rides and even a zoo. It boasts four roller coasters, water slides, and tiger island where you can actually feed the tigers! Don’t miss the bilby house, dingoes, kangaroos, wombats, and crocs. And you can even hold a koala.
- Laserzone
More than just laser tag, Laserzone on the Sunshine Coast has fully interactive video and arcade games where the kids can win prizes as well as having fun. VR gaming is really popular too, bringing immersive games to life. But they also have laser tag too where you and the kids can shoot each other.
Museums
- Ripley’s Believe it or Not
With a 7D moving theater, laser race, and 15 galleries, Ripley’s is a fantastic place to spend the day with the kids. There are more than 300 artifacts as well as illusions, videos, stories, and life-sized oddities like the Tibetan skull and a wedding dress made of toilet paper. Be sure to grab some souvenirs at the gift shop.
- The Cube Qut at the Science Centre
Qut is the only program of its kind in the world. Let the kids learn science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) while they have fun with a giant cube of 48 multi-touch screens. They have six sections including the Retro Arcade, Code-A-Bot, Plasma Wall, Living Reef, Dino Zoo, and the Physics Observatory.
You have to eat while you are in Brisbane so make sure you find some family-friendly eateries. Betty’s Burgers & Concrete Company has several locations and lots of fast-food choices, 5 Dogs is a great place for hot dogs, and Eat Street Northshore has more than 70 eateries in one spot!
