Things to do in Brisbane With Kids

The best things to do in Brisbane with kids split into three kinds of day: animals and wildlife, time on the water or up high, and indoor games for when the weather turns. Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Tangalooma and Australia Zoo cover the animals, the Brisbane River and Kangaroo Point cliffs cover the outdoors, and mini golf, escape rooms and a science museum cover the wet days. Everything here sits around Brisbane and the city's rivers, with a few day trips north and south.

Animal days out with kids in Brisbane

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is the obvious first stop. The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary general admission ticket lets kids hand-feed kangaroos and emus and catch the raptor and sheep dog shows, and the Lone Pine cruise from South Bank gets there by river, leaving at 9am and returning about 2.45pm.

Australia Zoo is a longer day, with zoo entry and Brisbane CBD hotel transfers leaving from about 7.30am and a 6-hour visit once inside. Closer to the city, Brisbane whale watching cruises run from June to mid October, and Brisbane zoos and aquariums has the full set of wildlife days.

On the water: Tangalooma, kayaking and wakeboarding

A day on Moreton Island makes a proper holiday outing. The Tangalooma day trip with a desert safari and dolphin feeding leaves Pinkenba at 7.30am or 10am, slides kids down the dunes on sand boards and ends with hand-feeding wild dolphins at sunset.

Closer in, the guided kayak tour of the Brisbane River paddles from Kangaroo Point, and a twilight version runs on Friday and Saturday evenings at 6pm. The kids wakeboard lesson at Bayside Wake Park in Carbrook is a 1-hour session on Sundays, run at a slower cable speed for beginners. More boat days are in Brisbane cruises.

Climbs and heights for older kids

Older kids can climb the Story Bridge on the Story Bridge Adventure Climb, a 2-hour climb from Howard Smith Wharves with views to Moreton Bay and the Glass House Mountains. A twilight version is a 90-minute climb timed around sunset.

At Kangaroo Point Cliffs, the cliff abseil drops kids 20m down the rock on Fridays and Saturdays at 4pm. The abseil runs from Naval Stores on Kangaroo Point Cliffs Drive.

Indoor things to do with kids in Brisbane when it rains

Indoors, Holey Moley mini golf in the Wintergarden on Queen Street Mall is the city option, with branches at Chermside and Mt Gravatt. At Chermside, Hijinx Hotel challenge rooms run quick collaborative games in Westfield, and Archie Brothers at Bowen Hills has bowling, bumper cars and arcade games.

For something that teaches, the Queensland Museum SparkLab at South Brisbane has more than 40 hands-on exhibits, live science demos and a Maker Space. More wet-day ideas sit in Brisbane rainy days.

Go karting south of the city

South of Brisbane, Kingston Park Raceway go karting has a 605m Monte Carlo track a half-hour drive from the city and closes on Mondays and Tuesdays. Camels and farm animals are covered in Brisbane animal experiences.

Planning a Brisbane day with kids

In the CBD and South Bank, the river cruise from the Cultural Centre pontoon, SparkLab and the Wintergarden mini golf fit a short day without a car. Kangaroo Point is a few minutes away for climbing and kayaking. The northside has Chermside's games and Lone Pine, the south has Kingston Park, and the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast bring zoos and theme parks within reach.

For ideas wider than Brisbane, things to do with kids across Australia shows other cities, and Brisbane attractions and Brisbane activities cover more of the same.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best things to do with kids in Brisbane?

The best things to do in Brisbane with kids are animal days at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and Tangalooma, outdoor sessions like kayaking and climbs at Kangaroo Point, and indoor options such as mini golf and SparkLab.

What can you do with kids in Brisbane when it rains?

Brisbane has indoor mini golf at Holey Moley, challenge rooms at Hijinx Hotel, arcade and bowling at Archie Brothers and hands-on science at Queensland Museum SparkLab. Escape rooms in the city also work for older kids.

Can kids climb the Story Bridge?

Children aged 6 to 16 can join the Story Bridge Adventure Climb when travelling with a guardian. The day climb is a 2-hour outing and the twilight climb a 90-minute one.

What is there to do with kids on Brisbane's northside?

Brisbane's northside has Hijinx Hotel and Holey Moley mini golf at Westfield Chermside, plus Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary at Fig Tree Pocket. Redcliffe, north of the city, is where whale watching cruises leave from.

Can children go to Australia Zoo from Brisbane?

Children can visit Australia Zoo on a day trip with return hotel transfers from Brisbane CBD. Pick-ups start from about 7.30am, and the visit gives a 6-hour stay at the zoo.

Which Brisbane activities have a minimum age?

Several Brisbane activities have a minimum age, and it differs by activity. Children can abseil from 8, join the day kayak tour from 8 and climb the Story Bridge from 6, all with the usual child ticket.

Brisbane gives kids a koala to feed, a cliff to climb and a mini golf course for the wet days, and most of it is a short trip from the CBD. Pick a day type and book it.