Brisbane Area Guide
For an urban getaway with plenty of relaxation, you can't go past Brisbane. Located on a sleepy bend in the Brisbane river, this is not a sleepy town, Brisbane is a vibrant and exciting city that hasn't forgotten its easy-going lifestyle.
The beating heart of the city lies in Queen's Street Mall. This is one of the premier shopping destinations in the country, with millions of visitors walking this boulevard every year. With over seven hundred shops, ranging from international brands to local couture, from large chain stores to intimate boutiques, you can buy whatever you can imagine on Queen's Street. This street is about far more than just the shopping, with over a thousand events running throughout the year, you donÕt need retail therapy as an excuse to visit, there's even a cinema and a casino on Queen's Street Mall. Step off the Mall and you'll find it surrounded by parks, museums and day spas to pamper your tired feet. The Queen's Street Mall are is truly the place to be in Brisbane.
For shoppers who prefer the market stall experience, head to the nearby suburb of Fortitude Valley and explore its Laneway Markets. Open Sundays 10am till 4pm, the laneways of Fortitude Valley are filled with over a hundred stalls selling handmade and vintage clothing, shoes and keepsakes.
Brisbane is not just about the shopping, with a strong arts scene Brisbane is host to several theatre and dance companies and artistic festivals can be enjoyed throughout the year. For a theatre experience like no other in Australia, go to La Boite Theatre Company in Kelvin Grove and see the only theatre purpose built in the round. Music Concerts, theatre productions and dance companies all perform in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, the hub of the artistic community in Queensland, and there is always something worth seeing a the QPAC.
For some before or after theatre dinner, Brisbane has loads to offer the foodies of the world. Above the Casino floor is the Marco Polo restaurant, with five star food matchings its five stay views of the city, experience elegance and sophistication in one of Brisbane's best restaurants. The city is full of new and upcoming chefs and bartenders too - for something a little difference check out The Lab Bar + Restaurant, which blends old and new decor, cocktails and food for a unique experience, you can expect the unexpected here.
A little further afield in the up and coming suburb of Tenerife is The London Club. With chilled out music, divine cocktails and a menu to make your mouth water, the main attraction of the London Club is its interior design that has somehow taken plush Victorian with a dash of just old fashioned to take retro to a whole new level of chic.
A night wouldn't be complete in Brisbane without joining the Lights Tours, a walking tour round Brisbane by night and gazing at the spectacular display that is the city by night. After all the shopping, theatre and nights-out, take some time out and take a river cruise up the bends of the Brisbane River. Kookaburra River Queens use original Paddle- wheelers to take travelers on a luxury river cruise pointing out the sights of Brisbane. To escape the city, take Dolphin Island Tours up on their offer of free transfers and head out to Moreton Island for a day beachside snorkeling and watching the wild dolphins, dugongs and turtles play.
For those with a bit of adrenaline left in them, walk up the Story Bridge with Story Bridge Adventure Climb, at up to eighty meters above the city, see some of the best views in Brisbane.
Brisbane has lots to offer even the most discerning of tourists, this city has a strong urban beating heart, but isn't afraid to show its softer sub-tropical side.