Ace Rental Cars Blog

Embrace the scenery of the regions that surround Brisbane/Meanjin on a road trip out of the city and prepare to make some memories. Situated on the southern coast of Queensland, Brisbane is close to a range of adventures that are easily accessible by your Ace rental car, which you can conveniently pick up from the branch at Brisbane Airport.

• Toowoomba
• Coolangatta
• The Scenic Rim
• Sunshine Coast Hinterlands

Embrace the Scenic Drive to Toowoomba

• Cobb & Co Historic Museum
• City Street Art
• Queen’s Park and Laurel Bank Park
• Table Top Mountain

Queensland’s largest inland city can be found just two hour’s drive west of Brisbane City and is a great place to explore all the offerings of small-city charm. A historic region known for its heritage buildings and old-world architecture, the famous Cobb & Co Museum is where you can find out more about Toowoomba and how it has transformed into the quaint city it is today. The Russell Street Historic Walk will lead you through the city and past traditional buildings of yesteryear, including your fair fix of the iconic Queenslanders. Architecture isn’t the only thing you’ll find walking around Toowoomba; the city is filled with murals and street art, a lot of which can be found on the Street Art Trail. In the heart of Toowoomba is Queen’s Park, a heritage-listed garden that boasts over 26 hectares of greenery. The beautiful Laurel Bank Park is also a great garden space to visit if you’re on the hunt for more manicured gardens and impressive flora. If you’re seeking nature in the bush, the nearby Table Top Mountain/Meewah is an unmissable stop no matter your hiking abilities.

Relax on the Beach at Coolangatta

• Coolangatta Beaches
• Mexican-Hawaiian Feed
• Coolangatta Surf Club

Just a little over an hour’s south drive from Brisbane on Queensland’s Gold Coast is the famous Coolangatta beach and township. Loved by surfers, swimmers and sunbakers alike, Coolangatta Beach is a pristine paradise filled with golden sands and dreamy surf breaks. You can also check out Greenmount Beach, Kirra Beach and Rainbow Bay for more options of peaceful relaxation on the sand. As well as the beaches, make sure to check out some of the waterfront eateries and iconic Surf Club restaurants to make the most of the stunning outlook. Tupe-Aloha in Kirra dishes up Mexican-Hawaiian-inspired affordable eats and is right near the foreshore of Kirra Beach, otherwise the Coolangatta Surf Club with its beachfront dining is a great venue to spend an evening with a wine, a meal and a view.

Lose Yourself in the Scenic Rim

• Tamborine Mountain
• Canungra Town
• Lamington National Park

Only an hour’s drive south through the rainforests and bushland of Brisbane sits the stunning Scenic Rim of Southern Queensland. Nestled in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range, the Scenic Rim region is home to a range of national parks, sweeping landscapes, wildlife and lakes. Tamborine Mountain on the north-east corner of the region is a great town to set up camp and explore the surrounding area, such as the Tamborine National Park and its walks and waterfalls. For more natural wonders, head to the township of Canungra, only a fifteen minute drive from Tamborine Mountain. Despite being a bustling hub of small-town charm, Canungra is also a great way to explore the nearby Lamington National Park/Woonoongoora. With tree top walks and accessible foot trails, Lamington National Park is perfect for anyone and everyone wanting to spend some time in nature and be awed by the magic of the rainforest.

Explore the Sunshine Coast Hinterlands

• Glass House Mountains
• Caloundra Beach
• Maleny Township

A road trip to the Sunshine Coast Hinterlands from Brisbane will deliver you the best of the bush and the sea. The Glass House Mountains are a must-see of the Hinterlands. Stop by the Glass House Mountains Visitor and Interpretive Centre to gather all the information you need of the area, or map your own journey and start exploring the volcanic rock and surrounding forests. Once you’ve been refreshed by the rainforest and its mountains, if you’re keen for more beach time you can head back to the coast and toward the town of Caloundra. With stunning white-sanded beaches and collections of rock pools to explore, Caloundra is perfect for a sprawl in the sun on the sand. Back in the Hinterlands of the Sunshine Coast, make sure you check out the small town of Maleny, about half an hour inland of Caloundra. A quaint town that offers everything from rolling hills to rockpools, as well as some brilliant cafes and a brewery, Maleny is a great spot to spend some time in when you’re moving through the Hinterlands.

Positioned in prime location on Queensland’s southern coast, Brisbane makes for the perfect place to start your road trip. Whether you’re looking for bush walks through mountains, swimming at the beach or small town charm, a road trip through the area surrounding Brisbane City means that you can see it all.