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Because the planets move around the Sun, it really changes day-to-day, week-to-week, and year-to-year - and also, what time of the night you are viewing, and where you are viewing from.
Right now (May 2014, southern hemisphere), ignoring the Sun and Moon (which are both pretty obvious when they are up!):
Jupiter is the brightest object in the early evening; look for it in the north-west sky, but it sets around 8:30 pm (and it sets a little earlier each successive day) so you have missed the best chance to view it. However, as it is the largest object in the Solar System (and currently, the biggest "apparent size" as seen from Earth), it still looks pretty spectacular if you set up your telescope early enough to catch a look. (Current magnitude: -1.9, current apparent size: 33.6")
Mars is the brightest object overhead through the evening, so is an easy find (look for a bright red "star", more or less overhead and to the North), but it is relatively small, so you may not see much "Wow" detail unless you can get a fair bit of magnification. (Current magnitude: -0.7, current apparent size: 12.8", or about 1/3 the apparent size of Jupiter when viewed through a telescope)
Saturn is a moderately bright yellowish "star" in the eastern sky in the evening - but it has the biggest instant "Wow!" factor of all the night-sky objects currently visible. (Current magnitude: +0.1, current apparent size: 18.6", not including the spectacular ring system)
Venus is the brightest planet of all right now, but you need to get up in the pre-dawn to see it (rises at about 3:30 am, and sets at about 3:00 pm) (Current magnitude: -4.0, much brighter than Jupiter or Mars at present, current apparent size: 14.8")
Mercury is pretty much a "no show" right now, as it rises at about 8:00 am and sets at about 6:30 pm.
Hope this helps!
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