My favorite place in Brisbane is Southbank, which is this amazing artificial beach in the city. There are a few different areas to swim, and children are in a shallower area. The water was nice and warm and the beach was relatively busy, but everyone was really relaxed and doing their own thing. There are quite a few great restaurants in the area, I ate at a few different ones on different days because my husband was lecturing across the bridge at QUT; the prices were reasonable and the food was great. One day when I went the streets around the beach were filled with tents where people were selling all kinds of arts and crafts, I'm not sure if that happens every week or if it's just a once-a-season thing, but prices were pretty reasonable for the art, as well.

I lived in Brisbane 6 months and I never got tired of taking a walk down to the southbank....there are always something to see and do! You can go see a very cheap movie in the cinema, go visit the lifestyle market, enjoy the man-made beach or just sit and watch the river go by with the rest of the city in the background!! It is a wonderfull place and I sure wish I was still there...

It seems to always be sunny and gorgeous in Brisbane, and there's no better way to take advantage of that than to stroll through South Bank. It's got a stunning river-walk, a park full of greenery, and an interesting artist's market on weekends. There are lots of restaurants, cafes, and a cheap theatre as well, so there's lots of relaxed fun to be had!

South Bank is a great place to socialise and spend a day out with the kids or a night out with friends. There are poolside barbecues, beaches, parks (and playgrounds), restaurants, cafes and a cinema. Go for a walk along the river from the Cultural Centre and explore South Bank Parklands.

A great way to get a perspective on Brisbane and its winding river is to take the CityCat Ferry. It is fun to stand up the front as it cruises up and down the river past the city, Southbank, down to New Farm Park (great for coffee and smelling roses), mangrove swamps and under the bridges.