Looking for free things to do in Brisbane?
Short of a few bucks and still want to have some fun? Brisbane is a good place to be as there are plenty of fun free and cheap attractions to enjoy.
Whether you are looking for something free to do with friends kids or on a date in Brisbane, we have you covered. The best free activities in Brisbane right here.
Free Things to do in Brisbane
Free family activities in Brisbane
Go for a bike ride along the Brisbane River – Grab a bike from the city bike racks and get your heart pumping with a bike ride along the Brisbane River. With several paths to choose from, you will never be bored while you are alone.
Jan Powers Farmers Markets – Farmers markets are such a fun activity to do in Brisbane. If you want to visit, wake up early because they’re open from 6am to 12 noon. Each market does have different days of operation, with Powerhouse being open every Saturday, Mitchelton being open the first Sunday of each month, and Manly being open the first and third and Saturday of every month.
Watch the sunrise at Mt Cootha – Mt Cootha is such a beautiful place and watching a sunrise is entirely free. Once you see this you will totally agree that the best things in life are free.
Bushwalk at Brisbane Forest Park – Just West of Brisbane is the Brisbane Forest Park, now called D’Aguilar National Park. Get in touch with nature and go bushwalking, exploring the natural beauty of the forest and pack a swimsuit so you can cool off in the reservoir.
Picnic by the Brisbane river –One of the best things to do in Brisbane is go for a picnic by the Brisbane River. It is entirely free to picnic just BYO your own food. There are also BBQs that you can use for a fry up.
Enjoy River Fire – Talking about the river, in September each year the Brisbane river comes to life through the annual event known as River Fire. The event is entirely free and includes fireworks as well as a flying display.
Streets Beach in South Bank – If you want to head to the beach without leaving the city, this gem is the perfect location. Lay on the sandy beach, or soak in the refreshing water while having a beautiful view of the city. A great place to go if you have kids as they can go swimming here at the beach for free.
Nepalese Pagoda South Bank – If you’re looking for a unique piece of non-aussie centric history, the Nepalese Pagoda is perfect. This contribution to the World Expo 88 from Nepal is an amazing piece of architecture, history and beauty. Get up close to see and appreciate the magnitude of the size and detail.
Shop In Queen St Mall – Whether you want to actually shop or just window shop, Queen St Mall is a cool place to go. Theres always lots to see and do in Queen Street and even sometimes some buskers to enjoy.
Visit GOMA – Goma is a pretty cool museum and definitely one to check out even if you typically aren’t a fan of museums. Some of the exhibits inside are pretty wacky and futuristic. There is also a weird giant elephant sculpture outside to take pictures with. If you have a few bucks to spare, there are often limited edition exhibits that cost a few $$ to enter.
Queensland Museum – Another good museum to visit in Brisbane for free.
Have a picnic or sun-bake at New Farm Park – One of the nicest parks in Brisbane is undoubtedly New Farm Park. Many locals go there to have a picnic or just lie on the grass and watch the world go by. If you have kids there is a cool kids playground there to enjoy.
Visit Roma Street Parklands – Roma Street Parklands is another good spot to go. You can have a picnic or there is a lot of nice walks to enjoy.
City Hall – Probably one of the nicest buildings in Brisbane. Brisbane isn’t an old city and doesn’t have particularly nice builds but city hall is somewhat of an exception. The annual Brisbane city Xmas tree always goes in front of city hall. They always do a nice tree so if you are in the area at Xmas it is worthwhile checking out. You can also take a free tour to the top of the clock which is worthwhile as it prevents some lovely views of the city.
Take a ride of the FREE city hopper from Eagle Street Pier – Have you ever seen the little red ferrys that travel all over Brisbane? They were inserted for tourists and are entirely free. You are looking for the little red ferrys here not the CityCat (that will cost you $5+ a trip). If you manage to find the little red ferrys you can travel all over Brisbane on those.
Go for a drive – There are plenty of places nearby Brisbane which are fantastic to explore. There are some great free beaches within a 1.5 hour of Brisbane as well as some awesome waterfalls to check out. We would recommend the following places if you feel like a weekend drive:
- Caloundra (great free beaches)
- Mooloolaba (great free beaches)
- Maleny (good free waterfalls + hikes to check out)
Free things to do in Brisbane at night
Check out the sparkling lights from Mt Coot-Tha view – One of the nicest things to do in Brisbane at night. Mt Coot-Tha is part of the Taylor Range and is the one of the best places in the city to go to if you want an all-encompassing and panoramic view of the city and the surrounding area.
At night, you can even catch a sparking lights view – due to the lights in the city – from the mountain. Other than taking in the views, you can also grab food from Kuta Hilltop Café – there ice cream is worth a try. To make it an outing your family or friends will remember, you can plan a BBQ or picnic.
Explore West End – West End is a great place to visit at night. Even if you don’t want to spend $$, feel free to walk around and check out all the weird and wonderful people who live or visit West End. People watching is entirely free!
Movie under the stars at Roma Street Parkland – The Moonlight Cinema in Roma Street Parkland is a good place to go if you want to experience watching movies under the stars instead of a closed room.
It’s an interesting experience and you can take advantage of the other things the park offers. Be sure to pack a picnic with you to enjoy during your screen time while you sit on the grass atop blankets and watch your favourite movies.
You can also buy food from the food trucks at the park. The best time to visit is from December to march when the weather is just right.
Explore Brisbane’s laneways – It is not just Melbourne and Sydney that have cool laneways that come alive at night, Brisbane has some pretty cool laneways of their own. Checking out and exploring the laneways is entirely free and even if you don’t want to go to any restaurants or cafes, they are worth checking out.Some of the best laneways filled with bars and restaurants to explore in Brisbane at night include:
- Fish Lane, South Bank
- Albert Lane, Brisbane City
- Winn Lane, The Valley
Go for a night lights walk at Kangaroo Point Cliffs – Be like a local and go for a night stroll along the Kangaroo Point Cliffs.
The Kangaroo Point Cliffs are an iconic attraction with a rich history. What makes the walk really magical is that the rhyolite rocks light up at night, giving the area a charming and otherworldly feel.
A walk amid the night light of the cliffs is romantic and worth seeing so mark it up on your bucket list. Besides walking, rock climbing is a popular sport over there and the Captain Burke Park is the best spot in the city for a night BBQ or picnic.
The Museum of Brisbane (Free on a Friday night till 7pm) – Located in the City Hall, the Museum of Brisbane is a place where the historic and modern culture of Brisbane is kept and illustrated to it fullest for the people. The Museum offers many tours, workshops and program like the dark Cloud Tower tour and exhibitions like The Storytellers, Brisbane City hall LEGO Build, Artist-in-Residence: Kim Ah Sam and others.
The Museum is open all week from 10:00am to 5:00pm and Friday timings have been extended till 7:00pm so you can explore the museum to your hearts content.
Image credit: Musuem of Brisbane
Brisbane Twilight Markets – In the King George Square, the Brisbane Twilight Markets make their appearance a couple of times every year.
The market features homemade goods made, prepared and crafted by local artists and designers. You will find anything from summer dresses, wall hangings, cushions, resin jewellery to kimonos and typewriter keys. Basically, the market has everything you can imagine and its worth a shopping visit.
If you don’t want to spend much money it is a good place to window shop.
Eat Street Markets – Free to walk around and check out the stalls and pretty cheap to eat too at one of the 70 food stalls.
Watch the trots Saturday night at Albion Park – Visit Albion Park to watch harness races, and if you’re feeling lucky, place a wager. It is totally free to watch but bets come at an extra.
Howard Smith Wharves – With a rich history in Brisbane, HSW is a great place to explore. The massive site has four bars, five restaurants, and a gelato shop. Again, you might want to spend a few bucks here but if not, it’s still a cool place to walk around and check out!
Visit the Casino – On the edge of Queen St Mall, is Brisbane’s iconic casino. You surely can’t visit “Bris-vegas” without spending some time at the Casino! It’s obviously not free to gamble but its fun to watch other people gamble.
South Bank Markets – Perfect for an evening out, the South Bank Collective Markets boasts a wide range of goods. It’s fun to simply just window shop but if you also have a few bucks pair there are some cool things you might like to splurge on.
Watch some free comedy on a Friday – If you are up for a good laugh, every Friday night you can enjoy an hour of free comedy at the Brisbane Powerhouse from 6pm.
More Brisbane fun: