Brisbane - Top Places to Visit With Your Car Hire

Before you head out and explore the rest of Queensland and Australia there are many must see attractions within the Brisbane itself. A nice place to start would be to check out Brisbane City Hall. This is probably the most significant landmark in the city and if you are lucky you might be in time for one of the number of free concerts they host there throughout the year. If not then a ride up to the top of the clock tower is recommended as the view is quite special. In the adjacent King George Square you can find the Museum of Brisbane where you can learn all about the history of the city and also see some art from local artists.

A great way to see the city with ease and in style is to take the CityCat river taxi and see most of the city sitting on the shores of the River Brisbane. The trip only takes a couple of hours and will cost you less that AUS$5 for the combo ticket! That same ticket is good for all the public transport in the city. Perhaps you could use this ticket to get you to Mount Coot-tha, Brisbane's tallest "Mountain". Here you will find a fine view over the city and it is also home to a Botanical Garden and a Planetarium.

One area that must be visited is the Queensland Cultural Centre, found in South Brisbane. Here you will find the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, the Queensland Museum, the Queensland Art Gallery, the Gallery of Modern Art and the State Library of Queensland. The Queensland Conservatorium and the Queensland College of Art are both located nearby as well.

And there is also the Southbank located across the river from the heart of the city. This was the site of the World Expo in 1988 and today you can find an artificial beach were you can swim for free on sunny days. There are also a number of shops, cafes, restaurants and a cinema in the area that make for a great place to hang out on a rest day.

What's to see in the Brisbane Area?

When you are done with the city there is still much to see and do in the surrounding areas. Brisbane is an excellent base from which you can explore Queensland and even into the neighbouring New South Wales. If you are travelling with children they may want to start with the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Here you can see Kangaroos and hand-feed them, you can cuddle one of the over 130 Koalas that make up the largest Koala sanctuary in Australia.

If you are willing to drive up the coast some 370 kilometres you will find the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest system of reefs in the world that stretches for 2,600 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres (that's bigger than the combined area of the UK and Ireland!). The reefs are a sources of great natural beauty and is a must see for any visitor to the area.

On your way north you can drop into the Sunshine Coast or Redcliffe which are popular with surfers and swimmers that prefer a nice beach that isn't overcrowded like some of the other more famous beaches in the south west. There is a small village in the area called Beerwah; here you will find the Australian Zoo which is run by the family of the late "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin.

For something a little different you can visit the Glass House Mountains National Park. This excursion will take you through the mountains which offer fantastic scenic vistas and the opportunity for a quick hike perhaps up Mount Beerwah.

An excerpt from an article at Ezine Articles Read more