This is my favourite beach in the world. THE WORLD. Nothing can match the idyllic beauty of this…read morespot. The sheltered little cove is all sparkling water and gentle, rolling cylinder waves. It's not loved by surfers, which is fine by me as I don't love getting hit in the head by surf boards. You're not meant to have your dog there, but no one ever gave us any stick when we took our puppy down on holiday recently. She's not a swimmer, however she had an awesome time guarding our towels and stressing out while I put myself in danger by going for a swim. The beach is patrolled during the day and is a family favourite. It's my version of paradise.

Suttons Beach in Redcliffe is one of the best places to spend a day with the family. It has plenty…read moreof shaded areas, gazebos with barbecues and a sandy beach for all to have a dip into on a hot day. It's also one the main area where most festivals are held in Redcliffe. So popular and picturesque is the Suttons Beach, on any weekends you can find a number of happy couples getting married. Because it gets very busy on the weekends be prepared to park a few blocks away. For those that do enjoy a good walk, there is a bike path that goes from one end of Suttons Beach all the way into the Redcliffe shopping district. Also, for those that enjoy a great cuisine, Suttons Beach is also home to a restaurant by the name of Sails. Sutton's Beach is definitely one of the highlights of Redcliffe you must visit.

When I discovered Suttons Beach, I thought- "why have I only just found out about this place". This…read morebeach absolutely beautiful and a great place to spend a day with the family or a loved one. I came here with my family during the low tide- around the middle of the afternoon. We dipped our feet in the water and walked towards the ocean for what felt like kilometres- the low tide here is phenomenal as you can just keep walking further and further from land and the water will only reach your ankle. During that walk we noticed millions of tiny soldier crabs hovering around and because the water was so clear, the occasional exotic looking fish made an appearance through the water. The beach was very calm and quiet which was refreshing compared to the beaches on the Gold Coast. After this walk, my family and I had a picnic by the beach, there was plenty of green grass available and even some BBQ for us to cook on. We stayed to watch the sunset, which was a breathtaking view. I am glad I have discovered this beach, it is one of the most pleasant beaches that I have encountered in a while.

Nudgee beach is (as I understand it) Brisbane's only "leash off" beach so you can let your dog off…read morethe leash and play ball, let them swim and basically whatever you want to do. There is also a large dog park where your pooch can run off-leash with other dogs. It is great for dog-owners and other people who enjoy the mud flats of Moreton bay (eg: fishing people). It is not great for children, in particular, small children playing in the off leash play area. This is dangerous and I cannot understand why parents cannot see this. My dog is a boisterous puppy who is not used to children and could injure one just playing (which is what puppies do..). If I see children in the off-leash area I will keep my dog on the leash or go play in the dog park. Not all dog owners are as sensible / sensitive. It is a great facility and a great joy for many people to see their dogs play together and take a dip in the water.

A good activity for kids under the age of 5 with a few caveats. Nice water features with spray…read moreelements, little wading pools, a waterfall, and more. Lots of shade and benches. Cafe nearby within the park as well. It's also near the Australia Fair Shopping Centre (which is very poorly laid out but at least it is close) if you need to combine a trip with shopping. My quibbles: 1. Parking isn't free - it's $AUS 1.90 an hour. Not a huge deal - worth it to help cover the expenses of the space. 2. There isn't a changing area directly by the play area. Most of these sorts of playspaces that are water-specific seem to have changing areas surrounding the pools, but this one you had to walk a bit too. When you are schlepping kids and gear, you really want it closer. 3. This pool is definitely geared towards little ones, but there's a lot of undulation in the ground surface and thus makes it prone to falls. We witnessed several kids injure themselves in the 45 minutes we were there. 4. It's a bit difficult to see exactly where this is from the road because it is hidden by trees. Go into the main broadwater parklands entrance and park. 5. There are also two playgrounds in this location: one close to the water area that's fine but in a bit of a wooded area and thus prone to bugs, and other that's a really big walk away. It's a pretty walk along the shore and there's a little beach en route past the large intervening field area, but with little kids, it's a bit too far. There's also no parking at that end of the park, so you can't start at the playground without some difficulty. The larger playground has some really cool elements for bigger kids and some nice elements for little ones, but not a whole lot in between for kids between the ages of 4-7 or so. It also has very limited shade in the zone above the slides and climbing structures, though good shade in other areas. All in all, we won't be going back while we are on the Gold Coast, but if you've got small kids and they need a break from the beach, you could do worse than a visit to the Rockpools.

Great little FREE water park best suited for kids under 5/6. Plenty of shaded and seating area with…read morea lifeguard on duty. A must see activity for families with young kids. There is parking and a drink kiosk right next to the rock pools. Plenty of fun to be had by the kids.

The name is self explanatory. The main beach covering the suburbs of Labrador, Southport and…read moreSurfers Paradise. Flagged patrolled and un patrolled sections. A large sandy shoreline and a footpath lining the length of it. Close to ample eateries, shopping and accommodation. A beautiful tourist destination. I am somewhat biased though. This beach will forever hold a special place in my heart as my partner proposed here only days ago. A picturesque setting for such a momentous occasion.

Main beach is a great beach to surf and catch some rays. It's clean, there's a lifeguard on duty,…read morefree parking, and a cafe a short walk away if you get hungry. You'll also get an iconic Surfer's Paradise picture as posted with the high rises and long stretch of beach in the distance.

'Ello chaps! Streets…read moreBeach is a 17 hectare park located on the Bank of the Brisbane river. It is an absolutely MUST VISIT. There is green space, restaurants, and a FREE man made pool area. There is the large concrete bottom pool that draws quite the crowd in hot weather, as does the neighboring beach (sand bottom) pool There is also a small kids pool and kids water playground. It's FREE! There are public restrooms steps away that give you a free space to change, plus lockers available for rent. It is easy to spend an entire day here, enjoying the public amenities and pool while having quick access to restrooms, lunch spots, and ice cream trucks. Overall I give Streets Beach Five Stars out of Five. It's a MUST VISIT.

When people come to visit Brisbane and ask me "what is there to do here?" sometimes I get stumped…read more I mean, I'm a local and I've got my places to go, but where are the really pop out kind of spots that are worth noting to a tourist? In recent months I've been building a list of "tacky, weird stuff to do" in Brisbane list. Streets Beach is right at the top of this list. A man made beach, complete with sand, life guards and umbrellas- right in the middle of the city! I used to think this beach was horribly tacky and I used to avoid it like the plague. It was always full of little kids who you could trust to pee in the water, or young buff couples getting sexy in the deeper waters. Am I selling this yet? In recent years however, I don't avoid it so much. I've grown fond of strolling down to the beach of a night time for a dip. You can float on your back and gaze out at the skyline, and watch the lights reflect off the water of the river below. It's actually really pretty. Just maybe take care to not put your head under water. You never know what's beneath the surface. Take this as you will. It's open until 10pm of a night time.

This is my absolute favourite park in Brisbane. Shady trees provide hours of entertainment for…read morechildren and their monkey-childlike fathers as they run around playing games and seeing who can climb the highest. Situated next to a park with play equipment such as see-saw boards, swings, a train, climbing pirate ship complete with climbing rope net, fireman pole and slide, and so much more. Fully fenced with plenty of bench seats and covered seating areas for those who are past the climbing stage and inclination to swing around the play equipment like a three year old aka mums. You can stop in here for a quick play or a longer adventure, with the beach a stone's throw away. Not the best for building sand castles but all you need for a splash in the waves on a warm day. Being situated so close to the beach means on warm days, you barely notice it thanks to the constant cool ocean breeze. If you're coming in winter, bring your jacket and your beanie, that breeze has a bite. However, these aspects are not why this is MY favourite park. Sand and climbing trees are not enough to woo this caffeine lover over, despite happy girlies tuckered out after hours of play with me enjoying the blissful silence and peace that comes with happily entertained children. It is the fact that a walk over the road opens me up to a world of great coffee shops, sandwich 'bars', fish and chip shops and other similar take away options. It makes it a full day adventure for them, and me.

Tucked away in a bend of Brisbane River is Colmslie Beach Reserve, aka the Octopus Garden Park…read more It's so much fun and has something for everyone. It's on the river, with a little sandy shore, so you can fish; there are quite a few picnic tables and barbecues (but get in early on weekends); there are wide open spaces for kicking a ball around and lots of shady trees to spread a picnic rug beneath. The funnest part, however is the kid's playground. The Octopus Garden has lots wood and rope climbing areas, big sandpit, water play features, giant colourful fish and octopus play areas and a flying fox. For kids and kids at heart, this place has a lovely vibe, with a backdrop of the river and the Gateway Bridge in the distance, Brisbane City Council's done a really good job here. Check it out.

A beautiful creek and a must see from both sides. A lovely walk all around the creek as well. Great…read moreplace for a dip after a hot walk too.

Sun, sun, sun! Swim and enjoy the beautiful warm water. Fish are swimming up the river and people…read moreare paddling on a variety of boats. The sand is so white and the shaded area has picnic tables for the sun conscious. There are excellent change areas near the grass. Change areas just for changing and then a toilet area with showers. All the a entities are well looked after. This is a very popular area but very safe for young families. There is quite a pull in the river current to be aware of. However the beach area is patrolled by lifeguards and there flags indicating the conditions of the water.