What Are Brisbane's Must-Sees?

I had a cup of tea with another Couchsurfer on Saturday and she asked what I showed my in-laws while they were here because she has trouble answering the question "so, what should I see while I'm in Brisbane?". I've heard other people struggle with that question too.

You don't come to Brisbane to 'see' things. You come to Brisbane to enjoy the pace, to enjoy the lifestyle.

Take a stroll down the pedestrian Queen Street Mall and stop for a beer at one of the outdoor restaurants while you people-watch.

Take the hop-on/hop-off bus for the (frankly, too fast) tour and get off at the top of Mt. Coot-tha just for the views and the breezes. Have a coffee.

Hop on the river ferries that are part of the mass transit system (!) and ride the length just because it's such a damned pleasant way to get around. Notice how each of the 6 or 7 bridges you go under are of completely different designs. Notice that the major pedestrian bridge has a coffee cart stop in the middle of it. What does that tell you about this town?

Walk the Southbank parklands because they're pretty. Check out the Nepalese Temple left over from the World Expo 88 because it's beautiful. Walk through the flowered promenade and notice how the shape and design of it flows and alters as you go along. Stop at the manmade beach and stick your toes in the sand. Take the ferris wheel ride at night to see the CBD across the river all lit up.

Meander through some large and small parks that are delightful. Roma St. Parklands. ANZAC Square. Cathedral Square. Botanical Gardens.

Walk along the river around Kangaroo Point. Appreciate the raw-ness of the bluffs above you and the water at your feet. Notice how the city has the sense to have shade, water, and places to rest all along the way. Do so. Jump the ferry back across the river and grab a beer or coffee at the Eagle Street Pier and watch the bluffs from the other side and let your internal clock start to match itself up with the slow flow of the river.

Walk the bike path/trail along the river from Teneriffe to Towoonga (or some chunk of it). What a great thing! Just....walk. (And watch out for cyclists.)

Wander over to New Farm park on Sunday afternoon and see who's playing around in the gazebo. Salvation Army band? Brazilian drumming practice group? See if there's anything free on at the Powerhouse.

And, yes, go to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and cuddle a koala (they're really soft), feed a kangaroo, handle a snake if you're up to it, and watch sheep dogs herd in that scary "I think they can read my mind!" kinda way. Check out the platypus because you're going to have a hard time spotting one anywhere else. Notice how large, furry, and kinda friendly-looking the Flying Fox bats are. Especially how large. Be entertained by the resident peacock in the food court.

And sure, use Brisbane as your jumping-off point for the Gold or Sunshine Coast, for the islands just off the coast, for the Australia Zoo, for the Glass Mountains, for the Eumundi Market, for the "must sees" of SE Queensland. Why not? They're cool too.

Brisbane is a city in which to rest, relax, to become re-aware of your senses. Sight. Sound. Touch. It's the city you promise to take your body and soul to in payment for slogging through all the "must-sees" of Australia (which are worth it).

It's a quieter slower gift you give yourself. Oooh'ing and awwwww'ing optional.