Brisbane arrival guide
Your Brisbane Flight Lands at 8am. Hotel Check-In Is at 2pm. What Now?
A riverside breakfast, South Bank sightseeing and a relaxed lunch before your room is ready.
Arrange airport collectionAn early flight gives you something valuable: most of your first day in Brisbane. You don’t need to fill it with a packed sightseeing schedule. A leisurely morning beside the river is enough to get your bearings, enjoy the city and arrive at check-in feeling like your trip has already begun. This itinerary works best for visitors staying in the CBD or South Bank.
Your morning route
Brisbane Airport → hotel luggage drop, if available → South Bank → optional City Botanic Gardens walk → your hotel
Keep the first morning easy: breakfast by the river, a wander through South Bank, then a relaxed lunch before hotel check-in.
8am–9:30am
Arrive and collect your hire car
Allow time for baggage collection and your arranged pickup. Keep the morning flexible in case your flight or collection takes longer.
9:30am–10:30am
Breakfast in South Bank
Find a café around Grey Street or Little Stanley Street and settle in for breakfast.
There’s no need to rush straight to an attraction. Order a proper meal, refill your water bottle and decide how much walking everyone feels like doing.
10:30am–11:30am
Discover Brisbane beside the river
Walk through South Bank Parklands and along the riverside promenade. Enjoy the city skyline, stop for photos and wander past Streets Beach.
South Bank combines gardens, lawns and riverside spaces, making it easy to adjust the morning to your energy levels. Families can pause for a play break rather than pushing through a long walk. Explore South Bank ↗
11:30am–12:15pm
Choose a little more sightseeing—or a longer rest
Feeling fresh? Walk across the Goodwill Bridge towards the City Botanic Gardens for a change from skyline views to greenery. The bridge connects South Bank with the Gardens Point side of the city. Allow time to return if your car is at South Bank. Walking connections from South Bank ↗
Feeling tired? Stay in the parklands, find a shaded seat and enjoy a cold drink. That’s a perfectly good first morning too.
12:15pm–1:15pm
A relaxed South Bank lunch
Return for lunch around Little Stanley Street or Grey Street. Keep it casual and leave enough time to get back to your car without rushing.
This is a good moment to plan the afternoon—or decide that checking in and having a nap is the afternoon plan.
1:15pm–2pm
Head to your accommodation
Collect your car if needed and make your way to the hotel. Your morning has delivered river views, a taste of South Bank and a proper introduction to Brisbane before you’ve even unpacked.
Plan beyond the city
Start your Brisbane stay at your own pace
Planning to explore beyond the city during your stay? Find a Brisbane hire car that suits your trip and organise your collection in advance.