Arriving at Brisbane Airport in Brisbane puts regional highlights within easy reach. Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, follows the loops of the Brisbane River under a warm subtropical sky. It is friendly, sunny, and unfussy, with riverside bars, outdoor dining most of the year, and old Queenslander houses raised on stilts with wide verandahs.

Ways to fill a few days in Brisbane: - Swim at Streets Beach, a free lagoon in the South Bank Parklands - See the Gallery of Modern Art and the Queensland Art Gallery side by side - Meet koalas and kangaroos at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, the oldest of its kind - Climb or abseil the Kangaroo Point Cliffs, lit up at night - Ride the free CityHopper ferry along the river - Watch the city lights from the Mount Coot-tha lookout - Eat and drink around Fortitude Valley and James Street - Cheer at a rugby league game at Suncorp Stadium

Brisbane is bookended by some of Australia's most popular coastlines. The Gold Coast and its surf beaches are about an hour south, while the Glass House Mountains are an hour north and Noosa, on the Sunshine Coast, is under two hours. Ferries cross Moreton Bay to North Stradbroke Island, where you can spot dolphins, turtles, and migrating whales from the headland walk, and the rainforest of Lamington National Park is roughly 90 minutes inland. Grab a meat pie at the footy and try Moreton Bay bugs, a local slipper lobster. Come in spring, when the jacarandas turn Brisbane's streets and parks purple.