What to do on a footy-themed weekend in Brisbane

The city is brimming with craft beer pubs and breweries, from the riverside to inner-city neighbourhoods and friendly suburbs. Sample your way through a few of the best, or if you’re sticking to the Suncorp Stadium area, check out Newstead Brewing Co, or bars like The Scratch and Brewski that pour plenty of local favourites.

Real beer nerds should wander down Fish Lane in South Brisbane to find Saccharomyces Beer Cafe - and if it's your first visit to Brisbane, drink in a little history on the XXXX Brewery tour.

You can also get someone who knows their stuff to show you the ropes, like a half day or full day tour with Hop On, or even cruise to local breweries by boat with River to Bay.

Track down Brisbane’s best burger

Towering, loaded monstrosities and classic cheeseburgers: Brisbanites love a juicy burger. Remy's in Paddington is known for being one of the best, otherwise, wander down an unassuming Fortitude Valley laneway to discover cult favourite Ben’s Burgers.

Enter another world

Level up from your standard Xbox nights and enter virtual reality at Zero Latency: where video games get really active. Up to eight mates can compete or complete challenges together, from surviving zombie apocalypses to space battles.

Take the weekend to 12,000ft

Leave a little spare time in your footy trip itinerary to take advantage of Brisbane's proximity to adventures that’ll have your heart racing more than going into extra time.

Want to freefall from 12,000ft and land with your toes in the sand? See sun-soaked Queensland from a whole new perspective with Gold Coast Skydive.

Hang out in the home of football

Just steps from the action of Suncorp Stadium, Caxton Street heaves with energy on game day. You can’t go wrong at the classic sports pub The Caxton Hotel, but you’ll find a smorgasbord of restaurants and bars all along this bustling slice of the city.

After full-time, make your way back for a little live music: Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall is legendary for a reason – and so are the whisky apples.

Take a hike

Fancy a little fresh air and a workout before the game? Offering adventures that are part rock scramble, part hike, the Glass House Mountains are just an hour’s drive north of the city. Mount Ngungun is a popular summit hike, or try a trek around the base of Mount Beerwah or Tibrogargan. All are strikingly beautiful, and hold a special significance to the local Indigenous People - so be respectful and obey all signage in the area.

Discover these great day hikes from Brisbane for more.

Battle it out at a bar or games hall

Nothing beats a little friendly competition, especially when you can do it with a beer in hand. Fortitude Valley’s game bars will keep the crew entertained: there's pinball and retro games at Netherworld, darts at Oche, putt-putt at Holey Moley, or the glitzy arcades of B Lucky & Sons.

Or, hold off on the beers and unleash your inner Viking at Lumber Punks, West End's urban indoor axe throwing haven. Book a lane for your crew ahead of time and you’ll get 90 minutes to hone your skills with the help of coaches. Winner’s shout?

Go mountain biking

Grab your gang and get to the Scenic Rim to explore Hidden Vale Adventure Park by bike. Just an hour's drive west of Brisbane City, the park features over 110km of world class mountain biking trails that cater to all abilities - with bike hire and uplifts to make it a simple-to-organise but long-remembered adventure.  

Surf's up

Escape the city for a little coastal breeze and you’ll quickly be pulling up at one of the Gold Coast’s best beaches. There’s great breaks to catch all along this stretch of sand, but you can’t beat Snapper Rocks or Kirra at the southern end. Newbie? We’ve got you covered with these surf schools.

Go on a safari with a difference

Prefer to see the city sights with a dose of adrenaline? Race along the river with Jet Ski Tours Brisbane, an exhilarating and fully-guided experience where you'll be in the drivers seat as you blast up Brisbane River and past city icons - no licence or experience required (drivers must be 16 years or older, while passengers must be 8 years or older). Book the longer 'Safari' tour to jet ski from the river into pristine Moreton Bay where you can meet the local dolphins and turtles.

Have a swing

Swap rounds at the bar for one in the sunshine instead. Big hitters will love aiming for targets on the range at Top Golf Gold Coast. Or go for the real deal and tee off at one of these Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast golf courses.

Have a little extra time up your sleeve on your footy weekend in Brisbane? Jump on the ferry to Mulgumpin (Moreton Island) to dive the wrecks, quad bike, go off-the-grid and have an island adventure like no other.