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Visiting Brisbane and the weather has turned? Even in the Sunshine State, you’ll occasionally get a rainy day, especially during summer storm season. If you’re wondering what to do in Brisbane when it’s raining, here are the activities I usually fall back on to stay dry, stay busy, and still enjoy the city.
Most popular things to do in Brisbane are outdoors, but there are plenty of indoor options once you know where to look. These are my favourite things to do in Brisbane on a rainy day.
Indoor activities in Brisbane
Visit the Brisbane Planetarium
Head to the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium at Mount Coot-tha to learn about the galaxy, catch an astronomy show or see the Brisbane sky as if it weren’t raining outside.
Explore Brisbane’s museums
South Bank is the best place to start on a wet day. Gallerie of Modern Art (GOMA) and the Queensland Museum are both free, and you could spend hours inside. The Maritime Museum is a short walk away and also has indoor exhibits.
If you’ve already ticked off the big ones, try the Museum of Brisbane in City Hall or the Institute of Modern Art in Fortitude Valley. For something different, the Opal Museum is a fun niche stop with interesting displays.
Get close to koalas
The Daisy Hill Koala Centre is a good rainy-day option for wildlife lovers. The indoor exhibition space explains koala conservation in Queensland and has intersting interactive displays. The koalas live outside in a natural enclosure, but you can still see them from the windows and the covered boardwalks, so you won’t get too wet while saying hello.
Enjoy cultural activities
The Brisbane Powerhouse regularly hosts comedy, concerts and exhibitions, and many of them are free or affordable. For bigger shows, check what’s on at QPAC in South Bank.
Visit Boggo Road Gaol
Join a night tours inside Brisbane’s old prison for a creepy but informative experience.
Watch a game
Queenslanders love their sport, and even on a rainy day you can often stay dry at Suncorp Stadium or the Gabba if you sit in the upper levels. Another option is to watch the match from a pub. Caxton Street and Pig and Whistle are reliable choices.
Food, drink and relaxing experiences
Eat your way around Brisbane
A rainy day is perfect for exploring Brisbane’s food scene. I often treat myself to breakfast at one of the French bakeries around town, or try a modern Australian fusion spot. If you don’t want to organise anything, you could join a foodie tour.
Go wine tasting
You don’t need sunshine to enjoy Queensland wine. Sirromet Winery is the closest option to Brisbane and offers tastings and long lunches with undercover seating.
If you’d rather stay in the city, City Winery has a cellar door where you can enjoy a relaxed wine flight* right in Fortitude Valley. They also run a wine blending workshop where you get hands-on with the winemaking process and take home your own custom bottle. Wineology is another fun urban option for anyone who loves trying something new when the weather turns bad.
If you’re happy to make a full day of it, Mount Tamborine is a great destination to discover boutique wineries in the hinterland and you can join a tour to enjoy them without worrying about the driving.
Discover Brisbane’s local breweries
Brisbane has a great craft beer scene, and a rainy day is the perfect excuse to explore it. Felons sits right under the Story Bridge with beautiful river views, XXXX Brewery is a Queensland icon, and smaller breweries like Green Beacon, Aether and Newstead offer relaxed indoor tasting spaces. You can even join a tour.
Hotels for a cosy rainy-day escape
When the rain settles in, I sometimes lean into it and book a night in one of Brisbane’s hotels with great indoor spaces. It’s a simple way to relax without leaving the building.
- FV by Peppers has a heated covered pool, plus private karaoke or cinema rooms.
- The Emporium Hotel offers beautiful city views, best enjoyed from your bath while the rain hits the windows.
- W Brisbane has enough design features, spa facilities and lounging areas to keep you busy for hours.
If you prefer to leave the city, a rainy weekend in the hinterland can make a great romantic getaway. We once stayed at Kondalilla Eco Resort during heavy rain and loved the cosy rainforest atmosphere.
Interactive and adventure options
Experience an escape room
There are several escape rooms in Brisbane, and they’re perfect for groups or couples who want something fun without getting wet.
Try indoor rock climbing
Both West End and Fortitude Valley offer indoor climbing gyms. If the weather clears, you’ll be ready to take those skills outdoors by climbing Kangaroo Point cliffs.
Challenge yourself at Planet Commando
This indoor obstacle course blends fitness and adventure. Expect climbing, jumping and a bit of adrenaline.
Get immersed in virtual reality
Brisbane has a couple of excellent VR gaming venues. Zero Latency VR offers large-scale, free-roam virtual reality where you’re moving through the space, not just standing in one spot. It feels surprisingly real and is great for those who love tech and gaming.
Another option is Free Space VR Arcade, which has a wide range of games and simulators, from family-friendly experiences to more intense challenges. Both are perfect places to escape the rain while doing something completely different.
Get nostalgic with arcade games
Brisbane has the largest free-play retro arcade in Australia, with hundreds of old-school games under one roof. It’s an easy way to spend a few hours out of the rain.
Outdoor options that still work when it’s raining
Visit waterfalls around Brisbane
A bit of rain makes many of our waterfalls look even better. When the weather isn’t too wild, I like heading out to Springbrook National Park or Lamington National Park for short walks to powerful falls. On the Sunshine Coast, Buderim Forest is a great option too. To stay a bit dry, The Falls Drive offers shorter walks with great falls.
Embrace the rain and get in the water
If the rain is light and the sea conditions are good, you can still enjoy Brisbane’s coastline. Rain doesn’t matter much when you’re already wet.
You might catch good waves for surfing, or calm conditions for snorkelling or scuba diving near Brisbane. You can see turtles at Cook Island or Flinders Reef, manta rays and sharks around Minjerribah, and further north the HMAS Brisbane wreck.
Do you have a favourite thing to do in Brisbane on a rainy day? Share it in the comments below.
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I also suggest shopping sucb as a big indoor centre like the revamped Indooroopilly Shoppingtown (west) Garden City (south) of Chermside (west). There are also cindmas at Paddington near food at Caxton St, Dendy Cinemas, lower cost independent cinemas at Graceville (eat at nearby Bar None), the Eldorado at Indooroopilly. Looking for a bargain? Check out DFO at Jindalee or Brisbane Airport. For families with mids the indoor trampolining centre at Messells Foad, Macgregor is good. My son often goes to a skateboarding place near Virginka all under covdr and there is one at Coomera.
Thanks Leonie! I am not a fan of shopping so I hardly think of this as an activity but surely some will like the idea! 😉