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South Bank Parklands

South Bank Parklands

South Bank Parklands
4.5
6:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
6:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
6:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
6:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
6:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
6:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
6:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
6:00 AM - 11:59 PM
About
South Bank Parklands is Brisbane's premier lifestyle and cultural destination. Located on the southern banks of the Brisbane River, its 17 hectares of lush parklands, world-class eateries, stunning river views and hundreds of delightful events all year round make it the perfect place to relax and unwind.
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  • ItchyFeet
    Camarillo, California11,581 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice walking area
    We walked to the area from the W Hotel and wandered through the area, the beach, rain forest, rode the wheel and saw the Brisbane sign. There are bats in the trees by the sign so be careful. My wife got bat pooped on while walking under the trees. We walked around the area both in the daytime and at night.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written October 28, 2023
  • Aussie_2012
    Melbourne, Australia962 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stunning foreshore area in the heart of Brisbane
    Stunning foreshore area in the heart of Brisbane. This area is over 30 years old but it is truly a beautiful place filled with so many places to visit from vegetarian gardens, a beach and pools, bars and cafes, stunning gardens, markets, cultural and exhibition centres and walkways. Takes about 20 minutes to walk the length but you'll be stopping so frequently so you could easily spend hours here. It's clean, peaceful and amazing to visit right in the heart of the city.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written November 26, 2023
  • AllanJGJ
    Wellington, New Zealand4,210 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Central are to stay in Brisbane
    The whole of the South Bank is interesting, not just the Parklands and the cultural precinct. If you're in high-rise accommodation as were there's great views across the river to the CBD. Also some interesting buildings and good cafes around Fish Lane. And of course the area is very central; easy to get to Paddington and the West End as well as downtown.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written December 10, 2023
  • Spotty Man
    Jimboomba, Australia195 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A wonderful place for everyone in the centre of Brisbane
    I have been spending time at Southbank for more years than I care to recall and love the place. It has been a thing for me to drop off my wife at an event somewhere in the City and then go for a wander through Southbank (almost always with our dogs) for many, many years. I love the relaxed nature of the place and feel that it mirrors the lifestyle in Qld quite well. Chilled, unpretentious and suitable for whatever folks want to do whether it be riding a bike, reading a book, jogging, playing with kids, strolling, having a swim or a BBQ. Did I mention that puppies on leads are welcome ? Plenty of food outlets, transport options and hidden delights like the sensory garden and the little boardwalks..... Not to mention the easy access across and along both sides of the river for many kms. A wonderful way to spend as little or as long as you like.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written April 21, 2024
  • geelongexpat
    Melbourne, Australia1,250 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice place
    Nice place to spend an Arvo. Lots of interesting things to see like the Nepalese pagoda. There was free live music playing on a Sunday Arvo and lots of restaurant options nearby
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written June 24, 2024
  • GregTrav28
    Orlando, Florida685 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very nice walk, very busy playground
    On a warm day I'm sure the pool and lagoon are both tons of fun and slammed with people.  It was a cooler day in winter so too cold for water and the playground is alright.  Still nice views of the water and worth checking out. Plenty of food options nearby
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written July 22, 2024
  • Ian L
    Kent, United Kingdom50 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A snapshot of vibrant city
    Well laid out and completely accessible. Beach was inviting, rainforest walk and Nepalese peace pagoda worth a visit. Couple this with a river cruise, Brisbane Wheel, great views across the river, theatre, cinema or eating out you have a complete snapshot of Brisbane.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written August 14, 2024
  • Simon H
    8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Best part of Brisbane
    I used to live in Brisbane for two years when this part of town on the south bank of the Brisbane river was nothing more than a small paddling pool that no-one much used. Now it's a bustling place with a couple of large swimming areas complete with lifeguards and sand. There' s a huge Ferris Wheel, a cultural centre, a Japanese pagoda, a rain-forest walk-through and, presumably in honour of the 2024 Paris Olympics, a miniature Eiffel Tower. A great place to amble through with lots of photo ops.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written August 26, 2024
  • Morney T
    Sydney, Australia6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth a visit dor family day out
    Great place to relax with family with great facilities. Very good restaurants and swimming facilities. Spend a couple of days in the sun along the south bank and with easy ferry access.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written September 1, 2024
  • C M
    Auckland Central, New Zealand844 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    My favourite part of Brisbane
    For me this is the best part of Brisbane. It has everything you need: galleries and museum, great views across the river, plenty of eateries, a great walk and running path all along the water and plenty of bridges that make it an easy walk back to the CBD. It has a nice and relaxed feel and it definitely a popular area at all times of day and for people of all ages. Definitely check it out.
    Visited September 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written September 9, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles11,653 reviews
Excellent
8,221
Very good
3,078
Average
287
Poor
37
Terrible
30

Dean
Brisbane, Australia14 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Family
Bad- ffs people put your phones away while swimming all you stuck ups taking photos while in the water.We don’t want our kids in the back ground of your photos.
So many people doing this pissed me off

Good- Great water temperature in a great spot
Written January 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jonique Life
Australia1,604 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020 • Couples
Southbank has amazing restaurants with such a chilled out vibe with an awesome ferris wheel also ( fee is involved!)

There is also a lovely swimming area. This is hands down the best free public lagoon we have found so far on our travels.
It has several pools with a variety of functions/ages. There are shallow pools for the kids and a deep beach section with real sand giving it a beach feel in the middle of the city.

“Jonique Life”
Follow our journey around Australia on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube as we highlight wonderful experiences and magical places you can add to your ever growing bucket list.
Written April 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Fiona S
Canberra, Australia75 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Friends
Great place to pick up some handicrafts, art and clothing at the markets - Friday to Sunday. Multiple bars, restaurants and cafes. The parklands are lovely to walk around, perfect place to bring a picnic and watch the life of the river. Check out the kitchen garden to the east and the Tibetan temple to the western side. One of the best things is the man made beach and free form pools - there is also a water park for littlies. There are toilets, showers and lockers available. The large Ferris wheel is to the west. Also walking distance to the art galleries and museums. Just be warned that parking is expensive but if you park in the Arts Precinct to the western side it is cheaper at $17 per day. Better yet catch the train, citycat, free city hopper or an Uber
Written February 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

saronic
Zurich, Switzerland28,960 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019
Crossing over the pedestrian Kurilpa Bridge to the South Bank I walked past several cultural institutions to the Parklands area, always with great views over the river to the CBD with its skyscrapers. En route I saw the Ferris Wheel, the Nepalese Peace Pagoda with its intricate woodcarvings and the Streets Beach with swimming pools and sandy beaches.

It was a beautiful sunny day and a lot of people seemed to have a great time, also at the many restaurants, bars and cafés. I don't remember having seen a similiar set up, especially with the beaches, anywhere so close to a city center. For nature lovers there is a small rainforest left and I saw quite a few - for an European - interesting birds. Back to the northside I went over the also pedestrian Goodwill Bridge.
Written February 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jan N
6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Swimming lagoons are supervised by trained lifeguards even at night, I was surprised to see. With eateries for all budgets, walking trails along the river, transport on cute little ferries, dramatic cityscape views,exciting climbing activities, market stalls, lovely vegetation and even an authentic exotic wooden temple leftover from the old Expo. South Bank has it all.
Written March 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

margaret f
Coolangatta, Australia11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019
I had great day strolling around Southbank before and after a show at the Lyric Theatre. Caught the City Hopper from Eagle St Pier to Southbank and wondered through the market and a festival that was on at the time. The Bouganvilea was in flower that covers the arched walkway and it was so beautiful. the gardens were so lush and green at the time and it was a lovely sunny day. lots of families were about enjoying the bike ways and picnic areas and festival. After our musical at the Lyric Theatre we walked back to the Emporium Hotel overlooking Southbank and the River and had a cocktail the rooftop bar and took in the beautiful city and river lights
Written February 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Luke Hauritz
Brisbane, Australia232 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
One of my favourite places in Brisbane is South Bank, Grey St & Little Stanley St will definitely be a great day out for you and your family.

Huge pool that attracts hundreds or people during the holidays and so many places to eat whether it's a restaurant, confectionery, ice cream and drinking.

There is an outstanding lolly shop for the whole family with lots of American stuff in that you probably haven't seen before, they come up with some crazy stuff.

Also a NZ Natural ice cream and sorbet place near a Subway.

Bavarian Brauhaus if you want some pub grub and beers.

A couple of my favourite restaurant there include Yellowfin Seafood and grill, Ahmet's & Harajuku Gyoza.
Written January 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brad Sawyers
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2021
I had a lovely day in Brisbane made so by the South Bank Parklands. Breakfast, followed by a swim in the lagoon, an afternoon stroll under the arch trellis, followed by an ice-cream and relaxation under a big shady tree in the park. This area has it all.

I was so impressed as I don't really like cities and find them a bit too busy and overwhelming. Not the case with South Bank Parklands. It is a calm, relaxing, inviting space that breathes life into and revitalises the city of Brisbane. I can't wait to visit again one day.
Written March 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

STEPHEN N
Brisbane, Australia23,157 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020
During our 2 wk holiday in Brisbane from Cairns we spend a considerable amount of time exploring South Bank Area, some new construction work going on & unfortunately the Brisbane Channel 7 Wheel wasn't operating. Many Cafe's Restaurants open for all tastes & budget. Overall a beautiful area to explore for all ages.
Written July 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Carol R
Brisbane, Australia50 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Each time I stroll through Southbank, I seem to discover something new. The man-made beach is always popular, and it's setting is just lovely and there are life guards. There are casual eating areas abound, as well as dine in restaurants, whatever your choice happens to be. With plenty of beautiful grassed areas, you can sit and watch the comings and goings while having a picnic lunch, and watch the boat traffic on the lovely Brisbane River.
Written January 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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SOUTH BANK PARKLANDS - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2024)

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