Looking for hidden gems near Brisbane? Just 30 minutes from Brisbane CBD, Springfield in Ipswich City is filled with unexpected experiences, from championship-standard sporting events and scenic hiking trails to lakeside dining, mini golf, waterfalls and stunning sunset views. Whether you're planning a day trip from Brisbane or exploring more of the Ipswich region, Springfield offers the perfect mix of outdoor adventure, family fun, great food and local entertainment.Start with Mini Golf at BrookwaterKick off your Springfield adventure with a round of mini golf at Brookwater Golf & Country Club. Surrounded by beautiful fairways and natural landscapes, this hidden gem offers fun for all ages and is a great way to start the day with a little friendly competition.Photo: Brookwater Golf & Country Club Facebook

Feel like spending a long weekend indulging in delicious flavours, soaking up some heritage or just breathing fresh country air?  We've got you!Check out the Nicholas Street PrecinctThe award winning Nicholas Street Precinct features a movie cinema, restaurants and bars, activities for the kids and much more! The entertainment precinct has a MiniBounce for children 0-6 years old, a space for the bigger kids to enjoy with bowling and arcade games as well as great food and drinks at General Public and a Hoyts movie cinema.There's also a beautifully restored pub - Hotel Commonwealth that serves up tasty bites and drinks seven days a week. 

Before you head to Ipswich for an event, check out these 20 reasons why you should stay a little bit longer and explore Ipswich while you’re here.If you're looking for accommodation check our stay page.Soar high on a hot air balloon flightFloating Images Hot Air Balloon Flights offer a scenic one-hour journey over farmland and country landscapes.  Your blissful morning ends with breakfast at a popular local café.  Flights run most days but are weather dependent.

You can dial up the romance, or experience an adrenaline rush with these date ideas... Great for Valentines Day, anniversaries or just to spice things up a bit... Boho styled picnicsIf you're after something special and romantic then a hanging pod picnic at Soul Nook will tick all the boxes.Indulge in a packed and styled picnic with your love.

The Workshops Rail Museum has a new permanent attraction and kids are loving it.Tucked away in the right hand corner of the museum there’s now 20 interactive exhibits for big kids and little kids alike in the new Sciencentre.There’s fly wheels, a fluid coupler, sparks and air blasts to help you learn the science behind train travel, challenge your friends and solve puzzles.

  There’s a special feeling when you step on board a heritage steam train. The puffs of smoke, noisy engine and swaying carriages are an incredible way to experience a bygone era.

We can't deny that Ipswich can get hot.  So what do you do when it's sweltering and you need to cool off?  Head to one of these free water parks!Orion LagoonOrion Lagoon offers pools for all age groups with a toddler friendly 0.3m depth area up to 1.5m for proficient swimmers.  Checkout the fun squirting spouts and stepping-stones, barbeque areas and picnic tables.Robelle DomainKids will love the large tipping bucket in the zero depth water park at Robelle Domain.  There’s also jet sprays and spouts.  The water park is surrounded with shady picnic areas, boardwalks and playgrounds as well as land art pyramids and an early evening sound and light show.

Your teens might be too old to hang out with Thomas at the rail museum these days, but there are still plenty of things to keep them (and you) entertained in and around Ipswich.Brisbane Valley Rail TrailCycle Australia’s longest rail trail or just do a section or two and enjoy picturesque rural scenery and a warm welcome at friendly towns that are evenly spaced along the way. All you need is a mountain bike, plenty of water and your sense of adventure.  Find out more on the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail here.Floating Images Hot Air Balloon FlightsIt takes something pretty special to get a teenager out of bed before sunrise, but soaring over Ipswich in a Floating Images hot air balloon is definitely worth it. From the distant high rise of Brisbane’s CBD to a mob of kangaroos bouncing through the bush, it is amazing how much you can see from the air.

Are we there yet Dad? Dad? Hey Mum, are we there yet? Mum mum mum muuuuuum?If this sounds familiar, you'll be pleased to know there’s a south-east Queensland destination you can reach from Brisbane, Toowoomba, the Gold and the Sunshine Coasts without a monotonous long haul drive.Say g’day to Ipswich, the historic city with a big country heart, packed with fun things for adventurous families to do.

By footpath, tour coach or car, there’s plenty for history lovers to explore in the city of Ipswich.Call in at the Ipswich Information Centre as a starting point and grab some trail maps or ask about specific heritage landmarks you can visit.Besides entire streets lined with stately colonial Queenslanders across the city, there are plenty of public landmarks to take in and many are in use, including at Kholo Gardens, creating a character-filled backdrop for the events, organisations and businesses contained therein.