Best Weekend Away and Day Trip Ideas From Brisbane

Best Weekend Away and Day Trip Ideas From Brisbane

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Posted 2016-04-22 by Roy Chambersfollow
When the weekend comes there is often the temptation to get out of town. Here are 10 great ideas on what to do on a day trip or weekend away.



1. Go to a beach

Brisbane is has great beaches to the north, to the south and on the various islands of Moreton Bay . It is not hard to find the beach for you. Many people avoid the Gold Coast because Surfers Paradise is too busy, but there are a range of other beaches to visit with my favourite being Burleigh Heads. To the north there are amazing beaches from Caloundra all the way up to Noosa. But I like to pop into Bribie Island for the easily accessed secluded beaches on the Island.



2. Swimming holes

If you want to swim, but don't like the beach, there are many other places around South East Queensland to swim . The nearest being Lake Enoggera , which is still within the Brisbane area. Further afield there are plenty of great natural swimming spots that are easy accessed around the countryside and others that you have to hike to reach the swimming hole . I am always finding new spots to swim as they are not widely advertised such as Boonoo Boonoo Falls in Northern NSW.



3. Lookouts

Normally you find lookouts by driving along and then there will be a sign on the side of the road informing you that there is a lookout there. You have to decide whether to slam on the brakes, keep going and find a safe place to do a u-turn, or just promise yourself to visit the lookout on the way back. It is worth researching the lookouts you want to visit as some require a short walk and others are down roads you might not normally visit. Some of the best lookouts are on the Boonah to Killarney scenic drive with 4 major lookouts on the drive plus many other scenic spots you can stop at.



4. Short or Easy Walks

A welcome break from a drive is a nice short walk. There are plenty of great hikes around South East Queensland that are not too long. Some of my favourites include the ones at Cunningham's Gap and Queen Mary Falls . Mt Tamborine is full of nothing but short walks with rainforest, views and waterfalls. Check out this list for the best short walks in South East Queensland , this list for some easy hikes closer to Brisbane and this one for some more easy hikes in the area .



5. Go for a hike

Speaking of hiking, there are plenty of great day hikes in the area. There are several essential hikes in the area such as Bare Rock Track and Daves Creek Circuit . These are usually not too difficult, but long enough to take a lunch with you. There are also plenty of hikes within one hour of Brisbane . Then if you want a challenge, try a hike with a climb , especially at the Glass House Mountains . There also many longer hikes including the Warrie Circuit at Springbrook National Park . You can also head up a number of amazing peaks in the area. If you want to challenge yourself, then Flinders Peak or Mt Maroon are great hikes. There are plenty of hikes around that should be on every hikers bucket list .



6. Islands

Morton Bay is full of islands . Some you can drive to such as Bribie Island , others like King Island are a popular place to walk to at low tide. North Stradbroke is often the key attraction on the bay while Moreton Island is more of a tourist destination with most people visiting as part of a tour. However, there are a number of little islands to visit as well. St Helena has historic tours and this is really the only way to visit the island, while Coochiemudlo describes itself as Brisbane's best kept secret and is perfect place to go with young families.



7. Find a country cafe

There are plenty of country cafes that are well worth visiting. The UpFront Club in Maleny is one of my favourties that isright in town. But there are plenty that are out in scenic locations. Popular spots like the Spring Creek Mountain Cafe has amazing food and great views. For something more down to earth there is The Falls Cafe at Queen Mary Falls, which is a great place to go for filling country meals. There are also places that are both shops and cafes, such as The One Stop Cafe in Aratula or the Flaxton Barn near Mapleton. Lamington National Park features two of the best cafes in South East Queensland. The Lamington Tea House not only has lovely lamingtons, but nice meals and fantastic views. While O'Reilly's Mountain Cafe on the other side of the National Park also has nice views and good food.



8. Shopping

Many weekend destinations are also popular shopping locations. Maleny and Mt Tamborine are two places where you could spend hours shopping, eating in cafes, and sampling the local fudge and ice cream. Even outside these centres you will find shops full of local crafts with a cafe attached. Here is a suggested list of items to shop for around South East Queensland .



9. Wineries

South East Queensland wineries are rapidly makings their mark. The main winery regions are Montville, Mt Tamborine and Stanthorpe. There are also a number of wineries just over the NSW border in Tenterfield . My feeling is that Montville's Wineries are the most scenic, while Stanthorpe has the better wine thanks to all the granite.



10. Fine Dining

One reason to head out of town is to search for the perfect restaurant. These can be somewhere simple like the Spring Creek Mountain Cafe that specialises in great meals made with local produce, The Flame Hill Vineyard which has a fine dining restaurant attached to the winery, or Songbirds which is set in beautiful rainforest in Mt Tamborine. Some of the best restaurants are out in the countryside and are often worth the drive.



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169761 - 2023-06-15 05:46:36

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