The best free things to do in Brisbane where you won't spend a cent

Roma Street Parklands is hands down the best place to soak up the sunshine in Brisbane. The expansive city park is a horticultural gem, featuring spectacular flower gardens, multiple children's playgrounds, tranquil lakes, cosy cafés and even an amphitheatre. The rolling lawns are perfect for flopping down with a picnic rug, some homemade snacks and a refreshing drink in hand. If you've never been to Roma Street Parklands before, end your visit with a stroll around the Spectacle Garden – it bursts to life with more than 15,000 flowers in spring.

Who doesn't love a good market meander? With seasonal produce, spectacular street food, boutique arts and crafts, fresh flowers, live entertainment and stacks of atmosphere, they're like an open-air museum of local goodness. We love the vibrant West End Markets, held every Saturday from 6am to 2pm in Davies Park, but other favourites include the Brisbane City Markets, Northey Street Organic Markets and Jan Powers Powerhouse Markets. Hopefully, you have some spare change to spend on a warm doughnut or fresh bagel, but if not, we're sure there are plenty of tasters floating around. 

You know how sometimes you can visit a city and struggle to find its heart? In Sydney, you never have that problem because the main bit is obviously the Bridge and the Opera House bit. Well, Howard Smith Wharves is to Brisbane what Circular Quay is to Sydney. If you want to feel like you're really in Brisbane, just go here. The night will invariably be warm and electric. The 1930s Story Bridge will be spotlighted in iridescent colours. The restaurants will be full of people. You'll feel like you've found the city's beating heart, and then you can go home and say you’ve been to Brisbane.

As we just said, Brisbane doesn't have a beach, so they built this thing. It's a palm-fringed inner-city swimming beach along a lagoon with a picnic area. You might grimace at the idea of swimming at a fake beach (that’s a normal reaction), but then you get there and find yourself marvelling at the view over the city and the fact that the whole place is free. Plus, they’ve always got lifeguards on duty so it’s a safe place for kids to burn off energy while you cool down.

Hey, love is free, right? And so is some of the best art in the state. The Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) spans two airy buildings by the water in South Bank. While the Queensland Art Gallery has been here in all its brutalist grandeur since 1982, the Gallery of Modern Art annex was opened in 2006, and these days, the two galleries house an impressive permanent collection – in addition to hosting regular temporary exhibitions (which are usually not free, soz). Brush up on great Queensland artists, like Tracey Moffatt and Ian Fairweather, before you go and impress your squeeze with your kulcha.

Yes, entry to the Daisy Hill Koala Centre is free, and while patting or handling the koalas is not possible, there are ample viewing possibilities from two different boardwalks. Besides seeing the resident marsupials, kids and adults can learn about koala conservation in a hands-on exhibit. Daisy Hill is one of Brisbane’s hidden gems. Hiking, mountain biking and horse riding are some of the best ways to see the park, and there are trails to suit all levels.  

City Hall was built in the 1920s and opened in 1930, and until the late 1960s, it was the tallest building in town. You can take a trip back in time any day of the week by doing the Museum of Brisbane’s free 15-minute Clock Tower tour. Head up to level three to find the museum itself, and book in for the tour, which takes place multiple times each day. A guide will take you into the original cage lift that ascends to the tenth floor, up behind the stately clock faces to see their vintage mechanisms, and up to the viewing platform to view the enormous bells and the city itself around you. It's astonishing to think that maintenance staff have been riding this exact lift since the Gatsby era (relax, it's in exemplary working order). 

Need to reconnect with nature but don’t want to drive for hours? There are tonnes of easy bushwalks, all within Brisbane. You’ll still need passable walking shoes, a hat and a water bottle, but you’ll be on the trail within minutes of stepping out your front door – we're talking Morningside, Chermside, Nathan, Camp Hill, Mount Gravatt and Wynnum. As with any hike, check the weather conditions, glance at a map, walk with a friend and avoid the hotter part of the day. Don’t forget to stop, look around and listen. Soak up that bushy ambience! These local walks will rejuvenate your soul without losing your mobile signal, because that Map app will be useful when the trail gets confusing.

The larger-than-life Dinosaurs Unearthed: Explore Prehistoric Queensland exhibit introduces the remains of some of Queensland’s long-lost inhabitants including dinosaurs, giant marine reptiles and megafauna, most notably the towering skeleton of Megalania, the world’s largest lizard. Entry to the museum is free, although some special temporary exhibitions attract a charge, as does the Sparklab, an interactive science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) space ideal for curious six to 13-year-olds.

Only 15 minutes from Brisbane CBD, the Mt Coot-tha Summit offers panoramic views of the city, so close you could almost reach out and touch the skyscrapers. Plus, it's easily accessible by car or on foot. Take your camera and head up early to see the sun rise from Brisbane’s highest point. If mornings don’t agree with you, the sunset and evening views are equally impressive. Or make a day of it – the reserve is also home to extensive hiking and mountain biking trails, waterfalls, picnic areas, Botanic Gardens and even a planetarium.

OK, so not in Brisbane per se, rather an hour's drive south, but boy is it worth the journey. HOTA Gallery is a world-class fine art gallery housed in a six-level facility visible from kilometres away that in turn enjoys 360 degree views of the Surfers Paradise region. There are four levels of permanent exhibition space showing an entertaining and vibrant selection of Australian contemporary art. It's strong in 1970s abstraction, ceramics, photography and Indigenous art. Naturally, there is a strain of art inspired by the Gold Coast itself. The building too is fun to navigate with various views to enjoy as you climb the stairs. Go all the way to get to the top level which houses the Exhibitionist Bar, with an outdoor area and a menu of cocktails and sophisticated bites. 

Every week, the city puts on a range of free concerts called City Sounds. These shows have been going since 2000, and the idea is to get musicians who play every genre on the planet – from techno to opera – to give free public performances in parks, malls and the streets around the CBD. There's an ever-changing guide to find out what's on this week.

Love street art? Then you’ll find the mother lode in Fortitude Valley, New Farm and Newstead – it’s a veritable open-air art gallery for some of the country’s most talented artists. James Street, Wickham Street, Coniston Lane, McLachlan Street and Winn Street in the Valley are crammed with gems by the likes of Beastman, InstaGuss, Mik Shida, Treazy and more. Explore the Brisbane Powerhouse in New Farm Park for more, and head to Ross Street and Wickham Grove in Newstead to find works by Fintan Magee, Numskull and Rone. For more great street art, look in West End, Coorparoo, Stones Corner, Albion, Red Hill, Paddington and Milton. Indeed, once you start looking, you'll probably find you can't stop.

Cruising along this riverside bikeway is a great way to explore Brisbane. The bikeway is accessible to riders of all levels and ages, and the dedicated bike path means you don’t have to contend with cars. Start at Captain Burke Park, located under the Story Bridge, and you can either ride along the river towards the South Bank Parklands and West End, or ride over the bridge itself and loop around to the City Botanic Gardens. There are plenty of things to stop for along the way – from picturesque views of the river and the Kangaroo Point cliffs, to playgrounds, picnic areas and cafés. 

Brisbane may not have a Diagon Alley, but there is a place where a young witch or wizard can acquire their Hogwarts robes, Quidditch gear and of course their magic wand. This fabulous emporium for all things Harry Potter occupies a former church in picturesque Samford Village, 40 minutes drive from the city. It's the largest shop in Australia for official Wizarding World merch, with games, puzzles, mugs, posters, figurines, toys and costumes. The owners have gone all out to recreate the Hogwarts experience, including a school room and a replica of the Weasleys' sky-blue Ford Anglia out front. There are special editions of JK Rowling's books and enormous plush effigies of Fluffy the three-headed hound and Buckbeak the Hippogriff. The wand room is especially impressive, with unique designs based on the film's production design for each character; you half expect Mr Olivander to apparate in there and declare that "the wand chooses the wizard, Mr Potter". Did we mention it's also a café? Enjoy a chocolate frog and a butterscotch brew and peruse the pages of the Daily Prophet that adorn the walls. While you're in town, cross the road to explore the Samford Museum or ride your scooter on the hilly skate track in the park.  

Who says you have to put up with the stifling Brisbane heat? Down on the Wynnum Foreshore, there's a huge, shallow wading pool filled with seawater that's the answer to your prayers in summer. Built way back in the 1930s, it's more than 100 metres long and only 75cm deep at most – but that's plenty of H2O to lounge around in like a sleepy seal. Much safer than going into Moreton Bay, and as a bonus, there's a mini waterslide that will give kids hours of fun. If you've got little ones, then luckily the Wynnum Whale Park is next door with fountains and a big splash bucket. And if you suddenly crave fish and chips, there are two shops across the road to choose from. 

This spectacular green building lies on the riverbank in between QAGOMA, but shouldn't be overlooked by culture fans or families looking for fun things to do in the precinct. Yes, it's the repository of knowledge for the state, with the John Oxley Library and the State Reference Library collections housed here, as well as the Asia Pacific Design Library and the Australian Library of Art showcase, and people come here to work and research in peace and quiet. But there are also temporary exhibition spaces featuring art and historical artefacts; kids' books, storytime and baby play sessions; and an ongoing series of talks and events. There's also a very stylish gift shop and ground-floor café. A highlight is Kuril Dhagun – a gathering place promoting Queensland’s First Peoples' cultures, histories and stories.  

Who knew learning about nature could be like a ghost train ride? The top drawcard of the Karawatha Forest Discovery Centre is a dark room where you can sit and experience a night sky, a thunderstorm and finally a glorious sunrise. Lights flash revealing possums, lizards, and owls around you. Sound effects complete the experience. It's part of a modern pavilion filled with interactive displays exploring the entire local ecosystem. Press buttons to hear the calls of local frogs. Lie flat on a couch, looking down at a screen and feel what it's like to be a hawk in flight. You could easily spend a couple of hours here without even venturing into the bush, but if you do, there a several easy bushwalks to undertake.

We can't stress enough how incredible this place is. If Wes Anderson ever decides to make a film about a shopping mall, he won’t need to build any sets. Keri Craig’s is an immaculately preserved time capsule of 1980s design in the centre of town that, depending on your age, will feel both familiar and very bizarre. We’d highly recommend that you have a sandwich in the Licensed Fashion Café, which does cucumber sandwiches and Devonshire teas along with Champagne. It’s quite bizarre, and all just a bit fabulous.

Ask anyone to describe their ideal tree and they’ll invariably end up describing a Moreton Bay fig. Green leaves? Check. Trunks that kind of sprawl outwards instead of just going up? Check. Cool root systems that also do some sprawling? Double check. And now we’ve agreed that Moreton Bay figs are objectively perfect trees, you should probably know that Brisbane’s best Moreton Bay figs are tucked into the side of an embankment beneath a busy road opposite Suncorp Stadium. Go to Caxton Street in Paddington and you’ll find a little staircase leading down to a dog park. The dog park is underwhelming, but it’s presided over by a century-old fig with roots like a spider’s web. It’s huge and definitely enchanted. There's a whole subculture of Brisbane fig-fans who love this spot and we once even heard it referenced on ABC Radio National. You’re now very lucky to know about it too.