Honeymoon in Brisbane, Australia - A guide for newlyweds

Honeymoon guide to Brisbane

Do you dream of stretching out on golden sands and soaking up the sun, while listening to the waves crashing up against the shore? Brisbane is your beachside paradise and the ideal place to jet off to for a truly relaxing honeymoon experience.

Private infinity pool on the waterfront

When it comes to organising the perfect honeymoon for you and your partner, it’s important to determine exactly what type of holiday you’re in search of. 

Do you see yourselves jetting off and soaking up as much culture, history and sights as possible, or would you prefer to lay back on sandy shores of sunny beaches, taking off on leisurely shoeless strolls, digging your toes into the sand?

If it’s the latter, Brisbane is the ideal destination for you. From the famous Whitsunday Islands to Glasshouse Mountains and the golden beaches, these iconic destinations in and around Brisbane ensure a unique, exclusive honeymoon experience that you won’t forget anytime soon.

When’s the best time to visit?

Brisbane delivers warm weather all year round, however their rainy season happens to coincide with Summer. The hot, humid weather often brings with it thunderstorms and even occasional floods, making it a good idea to avoid between December and February.

If you have the luxury of choice, then aim to visit Brisbane around August-October to experience their beautiful climate, with ideal temperatures for swimming and soaking up the sun on their beaches.

Top attractions to visit

You can spend lazy days on their sandy shores, or hit the trail of museums for a little culture. There’s so many different things to do (or not do!) in sunny Brisbane. Here are our top picks.

Beaches

It would be remiss to head to Brisbane and not spend a couple of days visiting some of the pristine beaches to relax back on the shores and jump in the crystal clear waters.

Just 36km from central Brisbane, Suttons Beach at Redcliffe offers up calm waters and gentle waves with plenty of shady spots to lie back thanks to the trees dotted around.

25-minutes away you will find Shorncliffe Beach with calm waters and peaceful views that stretch on for days. Perfect location to try your hand at stand-up paddle boarding.

If you’re willing to travel a little further, then 40 minutes away you will uncover Raby Bay Foreshore Park in Cleveland. Within the park, there are five sections, with three of these featuring beach coves. These are perfect for swimming, enjoying a picnic and relaxing in peace.

South Bank

No trip to Brisbane is complete without a visit to South Bank. Stretching from the Queensland Art Gallery in the North to the Queensland Maritime Museum in the South, you will find everything from culture and leisure through to recreation and more.

Make a visit to GOMA, Australia’s learning museum of contemporary art and enjoy the many free exhibitions they have on offer. Make a pit stop at Streets Beach, which is the world’s only city beach, open all year for you to cool off and enjoy the infinity edged pool.

Settle back at River Quay Theatre to enjoy a picnic and watch as the sun sets over the city. Or simply enjoy museum hopping and discovering as much as you can about Brisbane’s history and culture in one day.

Insider tip: there are plenty of events run throughout the year in South Bank, so be sure to check ahead of time to plan your day.

Southbank Brisbane

Picnic in New Farm Park

It doesn’t get much more romantic than putting together a scrumptious picnic and setting off for one of Brisbane’s oldest and grandest parks. There are a number of stunning locations to choose from to relax back and enjoy your surroundings. There’s also lots to explore around the 37-acre park.

Take a walk to the bandstand rotunda, which is often host to free live music events throughout the year. Make the trip to the century-old rose garden, which is home to tens of thousands of roses and is simply stunning when in full bloom.

There’s even a number of interconnected treehouses that are worth taking a look at, which sit in the aged banyan trees and are quite the sight.

Check out Lyell Deer Sanctuary

Head to this beautiful hideaway in the countryside to get up close and personal with some deer! It’s a truly unique experience that will leave you mesmerised. Located at Mount Samson in Queensland just 30 minutes from Brisbane, it is home to a small herd of rescued deer.

During your visit you’re able to cuddle, sit with and hand-feed the deer, while also checking out the goats, cows, chickens, guinea pigs, guinea fowl, peacocks and even their pet lizard! You can bring a picnic and make a day of it (just stay out of the paddocks if you’re not willing to share) - and spend as long as you like exploring this gorgeous farm.

Lyell Deer Sanctuary

Day Trips

While Brisbane is a gorgeous city with a great mix of things for you to see and do, venturing out to the surrounding islands is a must-do during your stay for some incredibly unique and secluded experiences.

Bribie Island 

If you’re making your way downunder, then seeing some of the unique Australian wildlife should be top of your to-do list. Bribie Island is a great place to do this, while also working on your tan on its gorgeous shores.

Just 1.5 hours from the centre of Brisbane, it’s home to the Pumicestone Passage where you’ll find a protected marine park with dugongs, turtles, dolphins, birds and more. Spend your day venturing through the passage and even enjoying some kayaking or other water sports for a different vantage point. Make plenty of time to explore the stunning beaches from Woorim Beach to Bongaree and Ballara. 

For a unique experience, make your way to Bribie Island Butterfly House and surround yourself with these magical creatures. You can also try something truly romantic and take off on the Island Gondola to enjoy a sunset for two, bringing along your own drinks, or even having dinner arranged for you.

Bribie Island

Whitsunday Islands

You probably want to factor in a little more than a day trip for this adventure, but it’s a must-visit on your Brisbane honeymoon. The easiest way to visit is to jump on the 1.5 hour flight and head there for a night or two. Come armed with snorkels (or rent them there!) and get ready to explore the idyllic coral reefs.

Head to the soft sands of Whitehaven Beach in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, offering up turquoise waters that you can dive into. Protected by the Whitsundays Islands National Park, it is one of the world’s most unspoiled beaches. 

You can spend a day or two, wandering across the silky sand hand in hand, and enjoying a cocktail at the end of the day as you watch a magnificent sunset before your eyes.

Take things up a notch and rent a yacht for some romantic barefoot sailing to some of the secluded beaches nearby. 

Moreton Island

Jump on the ferry and make the 75-minute trip to Moreton Island just off the coast of southeastern Queensland. It’s known for the gorgeous beaches and steep dunes, with a dive site at Tangalooma Wrecks where you can see coral, tropical fish and the group of sunken boats.

Head to the Champagne Pools, where you can watch the waves crash over in an explosion of sparkle (leading to its name). While you’re there check out the bay between Cape Moreton and North Point, which is aptly named Honeymoon Bay (and well-worth a photo!).

Insider tip: If you stick around until evening, at sunset 10 wild bottlenose dolphins come in to visit the jetty at Tangalooma Island Resort, and you can take part in a dolphin feeding package to get up close with them in the water. An experience like no other!

Glasshouse Mountains

Just an hour from the city, this memorable National Park contains 12 distinctive peaks that are the remnants of volcanoes that once towered in the area. If you packed your walking shoes, then it's a great spot to make a day trip and take on some of the incredible hikes on offer.

One of the best walks on offer is the Ngungun trail that’s sacred to the Aboriginal people. It’s a 2-hour round trip, with 360-degree views from the top of the mountain, 253 metres above sea level. If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, you can even spend your day rock climbing or abseiling off the cliff faces, or jumping on a mountain bike to cover more terrain.  

Insider tip: be sure to stop off at Lookout Cafe for stunning views that can’t be beaten. From the cafe, you can walk a further few hundred metres to find the vantage point.

Glasshouse Mountains

How long do you need to spend in Brisbane on Honeymoon?

How does a year sound?! Once you set foot in sunny Brisbane and realise just how much there is to explore both near and far, you won’t want to leave. Around 5 days is all you need to check out the sights of Brisbane, while factoring in plenty of time to laze back on the sandy shores.

If you’re looking to make the most of your time downunder, then it pays to take advantage of a day (and night) trip or two during your visit. With this in mind about 7-9 days is plenty of time to truly immerse yourself in Brisbane, while taking time out to relax back

Saving for your Honeymoon trip

The last thing you want is to be stressing about finances on your honeymoon, so it pays to budget beforehand and work out how much you might need - with a little extra on top to really enjoy those cocktails on the beach.

For a week in Brisbane, you’re looking at about $3000 for accommodation, food and drinks for the two of you, without airfares. Of course, if you’re planning to head to Whitsunday Island, make sure you factor in any extra flights and overnight accommodation you might need.

Have we given you food for thought for your Brisbane bound honeymoon? Let us help with that!

Our Australia Honeymoon Packages and Itineraries are a great place to start or Contact Us to discuss a bespoke honeymoon itinerary developed with our expert travel consultants.

Felicity Frankish
By
Felicity Frankish
: 12 Dec 2022 (Last updated: 12 Dec 2022)

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