I’ve lived in Brisbane for two years but to be totally honest – I’m not really a city girl.
Any weekend I get, the car is packed and I’m off on an adventure.
Lucky for me (and everyone else looking for a weekend getaway from Brisbane), there are so many places to choose from.
Beaches in both directions, rainforest and waterfalls in the hinterland, and a wine region a few hours south. Some of these weekend trips can be done as an overnighter. Others are better with a Friday off.
This guide includes my favourites and a few more. Yes, I’ve done them all – mostly with two small kids in tow.
My favourite weekend getaways from Brisbane
Mount Tamborine
Travel time | 1 hour
Mount Tamborine sits in the Gold Coast hinterland, an hour south of the city. If you only have a single night to spare, then this is a great option (but two is better).
We did both the Curtis Falls and Witches Falls walks, and the kids loved the Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk.
The Gallery Walk is the main strip in town, lined with boutique shops and small cafes. Don’t miss the clock shop. The cinnamon scrolls at Cinnamon Bun Cafe are a big hit too.
We also managed to squeeze in a few wineries during our visit – order a cheese board and do a tasting.
Stanthorpe and the Granite Belt
Travel time | 3 hours
Stanthorpe is my favourite winter weekend getaway from Brisbane. It’s south of the city in the Granite Belt wine region, and it’s the coldest part of Queensland (which is exactly why I love it.)
We first visited on a romantic weekend away but took the kids with us on our recent trip.
My toddler had the best time feeding the animals at Ridgemill Wine Estate and we loved the festive vibe at Dear Vincents winery.
There’s also Girraween National Park nearby, which is home to some incredible walking trails. The Pyramid is the most iconic one, but the last section of the hike can be a bit of a scramble.
We stayed at this cosy cabin with an indoor fireplace which was an experience on its own.
Here’s my guide with all the things we did during our weekend trip to Stanthorpe.
So, what’s the catch?
Stanthorpe is three hours from Brisbane, which makes it one of the furthest places on this list. I’d take the Friday off and turn it into a long weekend rather than squeezing it into two days.
Coolum (Sunshine Coast)
Travel time | 1.5 hours
There are a lot of places to base yourself on the Sunshine Coast, but Coolum is my favourite. It’s a smaller town with a relaxed vibe and stunning beaches.
We went up with the kids and they had a great time.
The Coolum Coastal Walk runs along the water and we took a stroll down to the beach from our accommodation every single day. We had a picnic at Tickle Park, and my son spent most of the trip searching for crabs at First Bay.
If you’re looking for more going on, head to Noosa instead. High end hotels, bougie restaurants, better shopping. It’s about 20 minutes further north.
If you plan on visiting either Coolum or Noosa, I suggest spending two nights. If you only have one night from Brisbane, you may want to consider staying somewhere on the southern end of the Sunshine Coast, like Caloundra.
Scenic Rim
Travel time | 1 hour
The Scenic Rim lies an hour south west of Brisbane and it looks nothing like the hinterland.
No rainforest, no waterfalls. Just rolling farmland and big open fields with mountains sitting behind them.
We spent a weekend in the town of Boonah and that’s where I’d tell you to base yourself. We fed the camels at Summerland Camels, which is the largest camel farm in Australia, had breakfast at Scenic Rim Farm Shop, went flower picking at Elderflower Farm and did a tasting at Bunjurgen Wines.
It’s a good one with kids given how close it is to the city and how much there is to do.
If you’re after a romantic weekend getaway, check out Ketchups Bank Glamping. We stayed here on our first trip and it was incredible!
Montville and Maleny
Travel time | 1.5 hours
Montville and Maleny sit up in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, about 20 minutes apart from one another.
Both towns are full of character, with quirky little shops and small cafes lining the main streets. Don’t miss the Kondalilla Falls walk near Montville. It takes you down through the forest and you can swim in the upper waterfall.
Over in Maleny, the rainforest walk at Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve is an easy one, and Gardners Falls is a short walk with another swimming spot at the end. Maleny Dairies runs tours too, which is a good one with kids.
This is cabin country. Indoor fireplaces, forest views, cosy hideaways. It’s the one I’d book for a romantic weekend away.
North Stradbroke Island
Travel time | 45 minute ferry
The ferry to Straddie leaves from Cleveland in Brisbane, and takes 45 minutes.
The roads on the island are sealed, so you can bring your car over and drive yourself around. Or you can take the passenger ferry and use the local bus instead.
Having your own car is more convenient, but getting it over isn’t cheap. Expect to pay $250+ for the return ferry for your vehicle.
The island is known for its impressive dive sites and the beaches are beautiful. Don’t skip the gorge walk at Point Lookout.
But my favourite thing about Straddie is the beach front campsites where you can have open fires and wake up with ocean views.
We camped at Flinders Beach, but there are houses, units and holiday parks all over the island.
Straddie has shops and restaurants, so it’s not as rugged and raw as its neighbour, Moreton Island. That makes it the easier of the two for a weekend getaway.
Moreton Island
Travel time | 90 minute ferry
I loved my trip to Moreton Island. The beach honestly feels like you’re in a tropical paradise, not somewhere an hour from a big city.
Visiting here is a very different experience to North Stradbroke Island. It’s much smaller – the whole island is sand and there are no tarred roads.
Unless you’re staying at Tangalooma Resort (check prices here), you need a 4WD to get around. Most people take the passenger ferry over and stay at the resort for the weekend.
You could also do a day trip like this, but I honestly feel that Moreton is worthy of a weekend away, and not a day trip.
The biggest draw is the Tangalooma Wrecks. You can snorkel or kayak around them, and on our trip we watched a whale swim between the wrecks.
If you’ve got a 4WD, bring it across and camp at one of the beachfront sites instead. This is what we did and absolutely loved it. Just know that there are no shops on the island. You need to arrive with all your food, water and fuel sorted.
Byron Bay
Travel time | 2 hours
Byron is two hours south, just over the NSW border, and it’s a popular beach getaway from Brisbane.
It’s one of those places you have to visit – but maybe once is enough as it’s extremely touristy.
The food scene is next level, the craft breweries are impressive, and the boutique shopping is worth a morning.
There’s great scuba diving and snorkelling at Julian Rocks too.
It does get really busy during school holidays and accommodation is expensive. I’d rather stay at one of the smaller beach towns nearby, like Brunswick Heads or Lennox Heads and drive into Byron for the day.
Burleigh Heads (Gold Coast)
Travel time | 1.5 hours
The Gold Coast is one of the most popular weekend getaways from Brisbane, mostly because you don’t need a car to get there.
Beautiful beaches, great restaurants, and Tallebudgera Creek is a good one with kids.
The train runs straight from Brisbane to Gold Coast and then you can hop on the bus or tram to your final destination on the coast.
If you’re driving, I suggest heading as far south as you can (away from Surfers Paradise). Broadbeach is a popular pick, but Burleigh Heads is another 15 minutes down the road and it’s much better. I used to live here and miss it so much.
The Gold Coast has got a lot more built up over the last few years and weekend traffic can be crazy. These days I’d choose the Sunshine Coast over it for a weekend away.
Mt Glorious
Travel time | 1 hour
Mt Glorious is the closest you’ll get to properly escaping without going far.
It’s quiet up here. Not much happens, which is the point. This is a great option for an overnighter.
The drive up is beautiful on its own, winding through rainforest with places to pull over the whole way.
The Maiala Walking Track took us about 45 minutes. It’s a loop through dense rainforest, and you can keep going to Greens Falls from there. Afterwards we stopped at Mount Glorious Cafe for tea and cake.
We went up in winter and booked a cabin with a fireplace. It was the best weekend away.
Long weekend getaways
One destination didn’t make the list above, and that’s because a weekend isn’t enough for it.
K’gari (Fraser Island)
Travel time | 3 hours + ferry
K’gari is the largest sand island in the world and a lot of people try to squeeze it into a weekend getaway from Brisbane.
You can, technically.
Drive 3.5 hours to Hervey Bay and take a day trip across from there. This day tour will need to be booked through a registered tour operator. Find out more here.
But the island is pretty big, and a day gets you almost nothing. I’d give it three nights minimum.
There are so many things to do on Fraser Island including swimming in the Champagne Pools, floating down Eli Creek and spending an afternoon at Lake McKenzie.
Unless you book a tag-along-tour like this one, you’ll need a 4WD as the whole island is sand, and camping is the best way to do it.
Here are a few of my posts on Fraser island
My favourite weekend trips from Brisbane
For a summer weekend, head to Coolum on the Sunshine Coast. And if you’ve only got one night, you can’t go wrong with Mount Tamborine or the Scenic Rim.
But Stanthorpe is my top pick overall. However, it’s not as close to Brisbane as the other places I’ve been to.
If you’ve done a weekend getaway from Brisbane that I haven’t included here, let me know in the comments section below.
Planning an adventure around Queensland? Check out my other posts!
- The Best Gold Coast Travel Itinerary
- My Favourite Day Trips From Brisbane
- Where To Stay In Brisbane (From A Local)
- My Top Weekend Getaways From Gold Coast
- Where To Stay On The Gold Coast
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