They get the most of their natural features around here. The cliffs are impressive viewed from…read moreafar. Up close, separated bike and pedestrian paths run across land and occasionally boardwalks over the length of the cliffs, passing picnicking sites and athletic facilities along the way. A couple of sets of stairs scale the cliffs if you want a workout, which the people of Brisbane seem to because there are tons of workout classes on the parklands atop the cliffs, as well as some broad views of the city. Transit access is a little weaker than some other local spots, with only one stop on the slower of the Brisbane boat services (the faster CityCat skips this area completely for some reason), and few buses to be had even on the top side. But if you want to traverse the area on the ground, you'll find nice things.

Things I would prefer to do when visiting the Kangaroo Point Cliffs:…read more1. Lay in a part shade-part sun grassy knoll overlooking the river on a picnic blanket. 2. Sip one of Brisbane's best iced coffees from the Cliffs Cafe 3. Stand at the top of Kangaroo Point Cliffs and look at the beautiful view of the city I call home and think, "You know what? We're pretty lucky." Things I actually did while recently at Kangaroo Point Cliffs and won't admit I may actually have enjoyed: 1. Run the infamous Kangaroo Point Cliff stairs along with other crazy (sorry, FIT) people on a Sunday morning. I only made it twice before my legs became an ad for aeroplane jelly and said, "heck no you're not doing that again." But somehow I find myself craving a visit again this coming Sunday to better my record. INSANITY. Jokes aside my points are this: Kangaroo Point Cliffs is one of our cities best vantage points to take it all in. To appreciate our beautiful city and see the views from Southbank to past the Story Bridge. To take in some outdoor activities including rock climbing if you're with a Riverlife group or to cycle your way along the river front. To gather the weekend papers, a picnic blanket and a take away coffee to lay on the grass and read the day away. It is also a pretty nifty spot to enjoy the NYE fireworks and/or listen to concerts happening at Riverstage.

The Moreton Bay Cycleway (while not fully completed) gets my vote for 'most improved'. The cycleway…read morewill eventually run from Bribie Island to Redland Bay which will be fantastic. Not quite done yet though but there are a lot of parts that are really enjoyable to ride on. I have cycled along the section that follows Rickertt Road at Ransome and Thornside. The best past is when you cross the bridge over Tingalpa Creek, it is just beautiful. Just as you come off the bridge (if you are headed towards the city) there is a parking area really popular for fisherman of a weekend. The view of the creek is gorgeous at almost anytime of day but it does get uncomfortably hot if you go in the middle of the day.

"A review of a bikeway, Lani?" I hear you say. But hear me out. This bikeway and walking track…read moretakes you (depending on what end you start) from Toowong to QUT at Gardens Point. Whether you're walking or cycling at lightening speeds it's a level trek along the river and at 6:30am - it's hard to be sarcastic and cynical looking over the water towards our CBD. Whatever you say I think this is a great part of Brisbane, and keep an eye out for a few pod cafes being installed now the major works are completed.

This is a must-see for anyone who visits Brisbane. I've used is as both a bikeway and a walkway,…read moreand it's a beautiful flat stroll for anyone wanting to see the city and river views. Though the bikeway is almost six kilometres long, those wanting a quicker stroll or just a glimpse of the view can enter from several entrances along the bikeway. You can enter via the nearby Coronation Drive, which doesn't interrupt the tranquillity of the bikeway as the bikeway is down several metres from the ground and further away from the street than a cursory glance from the road would suggest. Let's admit it: despite the post-cards suggesting otherwise, the Brisbane River's water is brown. I don't advise leaning on the railing and gazing down into the water for too long, lest you see some floating garbage or an oily slick of God knows what. Keep your head up and enjoy the view instead. Or rather, from floor-level upward: this board-walk type bikeway is attractively built. When I'm walking along it I feel like I'm on a cool suspension bridge over water - without the fears regarding sturdiness. Even if the water in the river is less than sparklingly azure, the experience of crossing this bikeway is a fantastic one. It's also a great way to enjoy the wind off the river and cool down on a hot day - just remember to slip, slop, slap and all that jazz.

One of the first things I noticed and found surprising, after moving to Brisbane, was the huge…read morenumber of open green spaces everywhere. Regardless of if I was in the suburbs or in the city, grassy parks and fields never seemed to be far away. Hanlon Park is tucked off Logan Road at Stones Corner. Although not the most relaxing suburb, I really like the park itself. It is sort of wedged in between Lincoln St, Cornwall St, Junction St. Feature wise, the park has a bike track, sporting fields and a playground. The bike track is the highlight for me. It is a really nice ride that you can take at a leisurely pace if you like or do a few laps around the park and backstreets if you want to push yourself a bit more. There is a high degree of tree cover so it is perfect for picnics too. There are a few different cafes to choose from on Logan road a couple of streets down. I have often grabbed a take away coffee then wandered down to the park to chill out for an hour or so.

So this park isn't a kids' playground type of park. It's a recreational one. Kids who want to…read moreride their bikes, rollerskate, rollerblade, rock climb and paddle ski it's all here. What's so great about this place? It has a killer bike path. It has a killer rollerskating path, it has a killer rollerblading path. Not many hills (thumbs up for this one) as well! It's the perfect place to learn, which is why they have people who hire skates and blades out on the top end of the path and teach people how to in droves. I love that this pathway can start from the top of Southbank when you cross the pedestrian bridge from the city and ends at the Story Bridge end or QUT for that matter over the Goodwill Bridge you go (warning, bit of a long uphill climb but you go down again!). It's one of the first places I got my rollerblades and learnt how. It's one of the first places I got my rollerskate on (for you roller derby people this is ideal for practicing) and besides the occassional bike passing you, the path is smooth, hardly any bumps, all good for minimising falling down. I won't lie, I have fallen a few times though (only when I was learning ahem ahem). It's great exercise, you can bring the family and rockclimb on the cliffs, bring a mate? You can run up the stairs from the bike path to the top of the cliffs (burn those calories) and it is a fantastic place to watch the fireworks from. Barbeque it up here, skate it up, it doesn't matter, they have paddle skis as well. Yelp! So you can park your car, ride your bike, rollerblade, rollerskate, climb a rock face and paddle ski then sit down and do a barbeque all in the one spot. Totally my fav.

This place is BEAUTIFUL. I think it's more beautiful at night because of the Brisbane city lights…read more I usually come here to exercise. This place is an exercise haven! I can see why though. Who doesn't want to run/exercise right next to the river and beautiful scenery? The stairs is such a killer workout!

Well, this turns out to be the end of the line for the bus, but then again pretty much all of the…read moresettlements on Stradbroke Island cluster around the northern end. It is also pretty high up as well, so you do sort of get some good views, at least of the ocean. The park is rather pleasant, and there are good facilities here, as well as a number of hiking trails that either go down to the beach, or just wander off to other parts of the island. It is a nice place, and there is definitely shade here as well.

Cornubia Forest Park is actually a paved walking track hidden in the back streets of Shailer Park…read more The path runs for 2-3kms and is popular with joggers and families who live in the area. The bushland is just gorgeous. The trees provide plenty of shade and block out a lot of the street noise. There are a few charming wooden bridges to cross the small creek that follows the walking track most of the way. If you are quiet and lucky, you'll see some wildlife on your walk from water dragons and turtles to bush turkeys and koalas. Check it out if you are in the area.

Tingalpa Creek track is a little known but beautiful walking track that passes through Ransome, on…read moreyour way out to the Bayside. There are two walking tracks,around 850m long, so a decent trek but manageable for most people. The area is usually really quiet, with only a few fisherman to keep you company. The track itself is a great walk. Surprisingly, there is a boardwalk for a section of the way. Some of the track winds around Tingalpa Creek, which is surprisingly wide and long for a creek. The trees block out the road noise and the peace and quiet means you can hear a whole range of birds and local wildlife on your walk. The area is fairly popular with fisherman, especially on the weekend. The section of the track that is closet to Rickertt Road has a jetty, type platform structure for fishing off plus there are a few wooden carved picnic tables under a shaded area. Perfect for a quiet afternoon on the weekend.