Joanna James
Brisbane is a city which is not intent on putting a dent in your wallet. The place, in fact, offers a range of interesting escapades which one can indulge in without putting a strain on your budget.
Affiliated to the New York 'Greeter Programme', the Brisbane Greeters, offer tourists a free walking tour of the city's best attractions. Discover some of the places, best kept secrets, which indulge tourists passionate about the arts, WWII, architecture and much more. Indulge and take on these marvellous treasure hunts which never fail to impress, simply hook up with the nearest 'greeter' and let them know your interest, and there will always be an awesome place to visit. The cost, in most instances, is limited to a bottle of water, and a relaxing coffee after; you could splurge and indulge your taste-buds to ice cream choices are endless, while the tour is of course, totally free of charge.
If you fancy yourself a bit of a sailor and have no yacht, head over to the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron on a Wednesday afternoon and indulge the wanna-be sailor in you. Be a part of the 'Wednesday Afternoon Go Sailing Club' conducted on Wednesday at the Manly Yacht Club, where willing deck-hands are taken on board, provided there is room; so, get there early to avoid disappointments and you could be sailing around Moreton Bay for free. The clubhouse is a good venue too for settling in during the afternoon, to sip a few drinks and savour the little bites on offer; perfect for enjoying, before heading back to your Brisbane hotel accommodation.
Decide to spend a day exploring the lane-ways of Brisbane and you won't regret it. Although they are not as complex and vibrant as those in Melbourne, these little precincts hold a charm of its own. Easy to reach from most Brisbane city hotels like Oaks Charlotte Towers, the lane-ways are perfect for indulging the foodie in you without draining the wallet. Bakery Lane, Fortitude Valley and Winn Lane are some of the most popular. Explore the well-stocked magazine stores and indulge in delicious hand-made brownies, while lunch in the CBD, will be the best end to a low-cost awesome scout of the city.
Brisbane's CityCat service offers the best and most scenic tour of the city across the river. While the blue catamarans cover a number of attractions such as, New Farm, University of Queensland, Toowong, South Bank, Bulimba and Portside Wharf for a very nominal fee, the red ferry, named City Hopper, covering the districts of Sydney Street to North Quay is totally free; one departs every half hour and operates on all seven days of the week.
The Gallery of Modern Art (GMOA) will not disappoint the culture buff and art lover. It is a place not to be missed with free entrance, to most parts, exempting some special exhibits. The place is deemed one of Australia's most innovative art centres and is indeed impressive, boasting a collection of over 16,000 pieces.
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