11 Things Tourists Should Never Do In Brisbane Ever

It’s a great city, so it’s not hard to find what you simply must do in Brisbane – the best coffees, nights out, desserts, museums and more. In the interest of fairness, here’s a quick guide to what you simply mustn’t do – ever!

Go out for a late dinner

Few of the city’s top dining spots stay open late, particularly during the week. Head out before 9:00pm, unless you like takeaway.

Plan a swim at Nudgee Beach

Brisbane forebears were fairly generous when describing this mud flat as a beach. If you want a luxurious beach escape, there are countless fabulous options an hour away at the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast.

Head to Chinatown for the best Asian meal

They’re not bad options, but the locals know that the best Asian dining is in Sunnybank. If you can’t escape the inner city, try Hardgrave Road in West End.

Take the Go Between Bridge

It’s named after one of the greatest musical exports, but this bridge doesn’t strike a chord with many locals. Avoid the toll by taking the William Jolly Bridge, just a few hundred metres further towards the city.

Underestimate the rays

By now, everyone should know to slip, slop, slap at the beach – slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen and slap on a hat. The reality is that the sun’s pretty strong wherever you are, so it pays to be sun smart even on a day out in the city. Don’t let cool weather or clouds fool you – you can still get badly burned if you’re not careful.

Leave the mozzie spray at home

The mosquitos can be a nightmare as the sun sets in summer, particularly if it’s been raining. If you want to enjoy an evening around the barbecue, pack the mosquito repellant.

Go out in a storm

Brisbane has a subtropical climate, which means the locals occasionally have to put up with wild storms. Don’t make big plans when a storm settles in – there’s the chance it’ll bring hurricane-level winds, heavy hail and flash flooding. Much better to wait it out inside with a couple of cold ones.

Take the Inner City Busway in your car

This complicated piece of inner-city infrastructure dramatically cuts travel times for bus passengers. But try tackling the labyrinthine network in your hire car and you’ll be hit with a hefty fine.

Skip the deodorant

A Brisbane summer is hot and sticky, guaranteed to give your sweat glands a serious workout. If you want to make new friends on your Brisbane trip, make sure to slather on a serious helping of your preferred armpit odour repellent.

Drive over the limit

This is serious advice. There are dire consequences for driving over the speed limit or over the blood alcohol limit in Brisbane, as in the rest of Australia. Take it slow and if you’re going out for a few brews, think about public transport or an Uber.

Bad mouth Brisbane

The locals have put up with Melbourne and Sydney’s put downs for four or five decades now. Sure, it might have been an overgrown country town half a century ago, but Brisbane’s now a vibrant city with incredible arts, dining, sports, events and more – so love it or leave it alone!

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.