If you are planning a trip to Brisbane, you will want to ensure you make the most of the trip and explore all the best the city has to offer.

Here are three things not to be missed, even if you are only in town for a weekend. All made even easier thanks to your Brisbane CBD car hire from East Coast Car Rentals!

Climb the Brisbane Story Bridge

Whether you opt to climb this bridge at dawn, during the day or at twilight, you can enjoy beautiful views of the city.

This walk gives you the opportunity to stroll along a suspended walkway to the ‘halfway house’. Here you can learn about the history of the bridge’s construction and about its epic engineering.

After that you can ascend to road level – this is the steepest part of the climb. Here you will rise surprisingly quickly to the top where you can see the surrounding countryside as well as the beautiful Brisbane river and the city skyline.

Then you can head downwards toward the central platform to meander across the bridge, over six lanes of traffic.

Or choose to climb to the western cantilever arm and direct yourself back to the city side of the viewing platform for another look at the panorama.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is another one of the three bridges worldwide that you can climb, so make the most of the opportunity!

Cuddle a koala

Brisbane’s Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is located only 14 km southwest of the CBD, making it the perfect escape if you have half a day to spare.

Here, you can have a cuddle with a koala or hand feed a kangaroo! This is a wonderful opportunity for the kids.

As well as seeing these animals, you can also see possums, raptors, wombats, Tasmanian devils, dingoes, a platypus and sheep.

This is the original “Home of the Koalas” and is still the largest koala sanctuary in the world, with more than 130 of the animals onsite.

Visit the cultural centre

For a bit of culture, the museums located at the cultural centre are a must-see. This is an entertainment-rich area located in the South Bank of the city.

The Queensland Performing Centre plays host to a number of performances, including ballet and opera shows and everything in between.

You can also visit the Queensland Museum for insight into the history of the state. There are exhibitions on throughout the year, and these are located in a modern building constructed a few years back.

This is not all that’s on offer in this precinct though, with the Queensland Art Gallery showcasing pieces from the neighbouring Gallery of Modern Art also offering a contemporary slant.

No matter what you are after, there will be something here to suit everyone, and all these facilities are located within easy walking distance of one another, so you can park and get on your feet.