What To Do In Brisbane When It Rains
You’ve planned the perfect Brisbane road trip itinerary, picked up your campervan from the GoCheap Brisbane branch in Virginia, loaded up your luggage and belongings, and then look out the window to find it absolutely bucketing down 🌧️
Classic Queensland!
Before you start deleting everything from your itinerary, don’t retreat straight back to the campsite. Brissie has heaps to do undercover, plus choosing a campervan rental instead of booking a hotel + car rental combo means you’ve always got a cosy backup plan parked nearby. There are plenty of free attractions where you can escape the weather, score a bargain meal or simply enjoy having your own little home on wheels for the day.
Thankfully, a few showers don’t have to put your road trip on hold. Here are some ways to enjoy Brisbane when the forecast is looking a little grey!
Get Cultured Without Spending A Fortune
A rainy day is the perfect excuse to swap sweaty outdoor attractions for a few hours of exploring indoors while being safe from the elements.
Head over to South Bank and wander through the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), the Queensland Art Gallery (QAG), the Queensland Museum and even the State Library of Queensland. Another indoor spot is Brisbane City Hall, with the Museum of Brisbane on the third level, as well as a free Clock Tower tour. Spots for the tour can fill up, so booking ahead is a much better plan than turning up soaked and hoping for the best. General entry to those spots and most of Brisbane’s major attractions is free (except for some seasonal exhibitions), which leaves more of the travel budget to the important stuff, like coffee afterwards!
Image: Drop-in and start drawing with free drawing materials at QAGOMA, Tourism Australia
Go Café Hopping Around Brisbane
Sometimes the correct response to bad weather is finding somewhere dry with a good feed.
Use the rain as an excuse to check out Brisbane’s café scene, and jump onto the EatClub app or First Table website to see whether any nearby restaurants and cafés are running dining deals of up to 50% off your total bill. It’s a handy option for budget-conscious travellers who want to eat out without watching the holiday fund disappear one smashed avo at a time. Pick somewhere nearby, wait out the worst of the weather and decide where you’re heading next over a solid coffee and pastry.
Image: Go on a mini foodie trail with the endless café options in Brisbane, Tourism and Events Queensland
Treat Yourself To A Budget-Friendly Spa Day
A gloomy day outside is basically permission to schedule a self-care day. Consider it road-trip maintenance, except this time it’s for you rather than the campervan.
The TAFE Queensland Skin and Body Spa at South Bank and the Torrens University Practice Wellbeing Clinic at Fortitude Valley offer beauty treatments to the public while giving students the chance to build their practical skills. Depending on availability, you could swap sightseeing for a relaxing treatment without paying luxury hotel spa prices. You get a little pampering session, an aspiring beauty therapist gets valuable hands-on experience, and the Brisbane rain can do whatever it likes outside.
Image: Turn a rainy day into a spa day, Tourism and Events Queensland
Do Some Retail Therapy
Rainy days and outlet shopping are a dangerous combination for the travel budget, but there’s something so satisfying about scoring a killer bargain.
Stop by DFO Brisbane just about 7km away from the GoCheap Brisbane branch, or visit the Harbour Town Premium Outlets on the Gold Coast. Op shops and vintage stores are also a good way to get some shopping in without spending a fortune, and there’s also the many malls and arcades around Queen Street Mall to wander through. It’s an easy way to fill a few hours if the rain has properly settled in, especially if you somehow forgot to pack for Queensland’s four-seasons-in-one-day tendencies.
Image: Swap the hiking boots for a shopping bag, Tourism Australia
Have A Campervan Night In
One major perk of campervan travel is that your accommodation comes with you. If the weather has ruled out sightseeing, head back to your powered campsite and stay sheltered indoors.
Bring a deck of cards or Uno, a compact board game or a few easy group games that don’t need much space. You could even sort through your holiday photos or plan the next few stops on your road trip. If everyone needs a bit of downtime, the rainy weather is also a good excuse to read, journal, edit photos or download a few shows for later.
GoCheap campervans include a TV (excluding the Hi-Tops), so you can put on a movie, make some snacks and wait for the rain to pass. Just remember that the microwave, AC/heating system and other small appliances in the campervan need to be connected to 240V power, so this is a good chance to recharge the campervan battery while you recharge yourself.
Image: Make full use of your home on wheels with a bonding session and movie night.
Put The ‘Rain’ Back In Rainforest
If it’s only drizzling and conditions are safe, places like the Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha are still worth a visit, especially when everything looks a little greener after a downpour.
If the rain picks up, duck into the Tropical Display Dome or head over to the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium nearby and keep exploring without getting completely soaked. Of course, stay indoors during storms, heavy rainfall or flooding, but if it’s just a light drizzle, there’s not much that an umbrella, raincoat and a decent pair of hiking shoes cannot handle. Check weather warnings and park alerts before you head out, and save the hike for another day if conditions turn rough. Queensland weather can change quickly, so be prepared to switch up your plans rather than letting a bit of rain boss your itinerary around.
Image: There’s plenty of Brisbane’s natural beauty to see indoors, Tourism & Events Queensland
Ready For An Amazing Campervan Trip in Brisbane?
Once the weather clears up, visit these Instagram-able spots and make the most out of your trip. Brisbane rain has a habit of disappearing almost as quickly as it arrived, so keep your camera nearby!
We have a bunch of resources, including itineraries, available on our website. You can find some holiday park recommendations in our travel blog, and check the amenities that are included in our campervans.
Call our friendly reservations team on 1300 664 485, send us an email at reservations@gocheapcampervans.com.au, or check out our website to see the campervans we have available at our Brisbane branch!
