One day, three ways: Brisbane

PENNY PINCH

Subscribe to bike share scheme City Cycle for $2 a day and the first 30 minutes from bike station to bike station is free (www.citycycle.com.au, $2). Grab a croissant-to-go from authentic French patisserie Chouquette (www.chouquette.com.au, $7). Cycle to New Farm Park by the river to munch down. Meet up with a Brisbane Greeter (www.brisbanegreeters.com.au) for a free walking tour of public art, city precincts, nature and heritage tours. Eat Asian street fare at the Wandering Elephant food truck, check Twitter for location (www.wanderingelephant.com.au, $10). Head south of the river to Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/visiting-us, free entry). Get to Govindas all-you-can-eat vegetarian dinner buffet for $12.90 (www.brisbanegovindas.com.au). Bed down at Chill Backpackers (www.chillbackpackers.com, $89 double).

TOTAL: $120.90

EASY DOES IT

Start the day with breakfast and Genovese coffee at local favourite Au Cirque in New Farm (618 Brunswick Street, $20) catch the river cat to South Bank (www.translink.com.au, $5.80) and board a gondola on The Wheel of Brisbane for a sky-high view (www.thewheelofbrisbane.com.au, $15). Head to the CBD and lunch at shared plate heaven Love Public (www.lovepublic.com.au, $50). Get your climbing shoes on and join a Story Bridge Adventure Climb (www.storybridgeadventureclimb.com.au, $99). Have an early dinner and a Tiki cocktail at foodie precinct Alfred and Constance (www.alfredandconstance.com.au, $50) then a gruesome Bloody Brisbane Crime tour of Brisbane (www.ghost-tours.com.au, $25). Sleep over at the lush Emporium Hotel in the Valley (www.emporiumhotel.com.au, $219).

TOTAL: $483.80

SPLASH OUT

Head to Shucked Coffee House at Newstead for Brisbane's best breakfast (www.shucked.com.au, $30). Park the beast at Brisbane's Archerfield Airport and take an hour-long helicopter ride over Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Moreton Bay (www.brisbanecityhelicopters.com.au, $299). Lunch is five courses with matching wines at two hat Urbane (www.urbanerestaurant.com, $170) followed by an hour mud, steam and shower journey at the Opal Rasul at Stephanies spa (www.stephanies.com.au, $159) at the Sofitel. Pull up a pew at three hat Esquire to finish the day (www.esquire.net.au, $200) then collapse into a swanky junior club suite at the Sofitel (www.sofitelbrisbane.com.au, $544.50).

TOTAL: $1402.50