Western Australia
Things to Do
in Perth
Perth, Western Australia · 31.9505° S, 115.8605° E
The most isolated major city on earth is also one of its sunniest — perched on the edge of the Indian Ocean with pristine white beaches, ancient bushland, world-class food, and a pace of life that makes every other city feel like it's trying too hard.
Perth's Finest
Beaches & Indian Ocean
Perth's metropolitan coastline stretches for 30 kilometres of golden sand and turquoise water. Whether you're after a surf break, a family swim, or a sundowner with a view, there's a beach for that.
Perth's Icon · Must-See
Cottesloe Beach
The jewel of Perth's coast. Cottesloe's brilliant turquoise water, Indiana Tea House perched on the hill, and sunset drinks culture make it as much a social institution as a beach. Swim between the flags, catch the Sculpture by the Sea festival in March, or simply watch the sky turn apricot over the Indian Ocean.
City Beach
Broad, sheltered, and accessible — City Beach is the closest surf beach to the CBD with excellent facilities, a popular pavilion, and reliable swell for boardriders.
Mettams Pool
A natural limestone reef creates a calm snorkelling lagoon teeming with marine life — including blue gropers, octopus, and reef fish. Perth's best in-metro snorkel spot.
Scarborough Beach
Perth's liveliest beach strip — redeveloped foreshore, sunset markets, good surf, and a buzzing bar and café scene that keeps things humming long after sunset.
Bushland & Wildlife
Nature & Parks
Perth sits on the South West Australian Floristic Region — one of the world's great biodiversity hotspots. Ancient banksia woodland, wildflowers, black swans, and quokkas are all within reach.
Kings Park & Botanic Garden
One of the world's largest inner-city parks, Kings Park overlooks the CBD and Swan River from a ridge of natural bushland. The Western Australian Botanic Garden showcases over 3,000 plant species, including spectacular wildflowers September through November. The Lotterywest Federation Walkway takes you into the forest canopy.
Perth Zoo
A world-class zoo in South Perth, accessible by ferry across the Swan River. Wander the Australian bushwalk to see numbats, bilbies, echidnas, and the endangered Western swamp tortoise in natural-style habitats.
Swan River & Foreshore
Perth's beating blue artery. Hire a bike and ride the flat riverside path from the CBD to Fremantle, kayak at dawn, or simply walk to Elizabeth Quay and watch black swans glide past the city skyline.
Museums & Galleries
Arts & Culture
Perth's cultural scene has quietly grown into something remarkable — from a reimagined museum precinct to one of the Southern Hemisphere's great science centres.
WA Museum Boola Bardip
Opened in 2020, this stunning new museum weaves six heritage buildings into a single modern institution. Five floors cover Western Australia's natural history, First Nations cultures, and frontier stories — all free, all exceptional.
Scitech
Over 160 hands-on exhibits make Scitech one of Australia's leading science discovery centres. Catch a show at the planetarium and gain a deeper appreciation for the Southern Hemisphere's extraordinary night sky.
Art Gallery of Western Australia
The State's premier visual arts institution holds an outstanding collection of Australian, Aboriginal, and international works spanning centuries — including a significant collection of works by Aboriginal artists from WA's remote communities.
Eat & Drink
Food, Wine & Nightlife
Perth's food scene has arrived. A wave of talented chefs, exceptional local produce from Margaret River and the South West, and a warm outdoor culture mean eating and drinking here is genuinely world-class.
Fremantle Markets
A legendary WA institution — 150 stalls of fresh produce, street food, artisan goods, and live music every weekend since 1897.
Northbridge
Perth's entertainment district — dense with restaurants from every cuisine, rooftop bars, live music venues, and the best late-night ramen outside Tokyo.
Swan Valley
Australia's most accessible wine region — just 25 minutes from the CBD. Wineries, boutique breweries, chocolate factories, and honey farms line the valley floor.
Leederville & Mt Lawley
Perth invented the flat white long before Melbourne claimed it. These inner suburbs are the spiritual home of WA coffee culture — try Sayers, Tarts Anon, or Mary Street Bakery.
Beyond the City
Day Trips & Escapes
Perth's isolation is also its superpower. Within an hour or two, you can be on a quokka-filled island, exploring limestone pinnacles, swimming in a remote gorge, or walking through ancient tuart forest.
Rottnest Island
Just 19 kilometres off the coast, Rottnest (Wadjemup) is a car-free island paradise of sheltered turquoise bays and pristine beaches. Famous worldwide for the quokka — a small, perpetually-grinning marsupial found almost nowhere else on earth. Hire a bike, cycle between 63 beaches and bays, snorkel in the Basin, and spot an obliging quokka for the obligatory selfie. The ferry from Fremantle takes 25 minutes; from Perth, around 90 minutes.
Fremantle
Perth's bohemian sister city — Victorian architecture, world-famous markets, Little Creatures Brewery, the WA Maritime Museum, and a waterfront espresso culture that sets the standard for the state. Catch the train (30 min) or cycle the river path.
Pinnacles Desert
Two-and-a-half hours north of Perth, thousands of ancient limestone pillars rise from golden sand in Nambung National Park — an alien landscape best experienced at sunrise or golden hour.
Where to Explore
Perth's Neighbourhoods
When to Visit
Best Time to Visit Perth
With over 3,000 sunshine hours per year, Perth is genuinely good year-round. But each season offers something different.
Long days, busy beaches, and occasional 40°C scorchers. Book ahead. The Fremantle Doctor afternoon sea breeze is a saving grace.
Perth's golden season — warm, settled weather, thinner crowds, and the Sculpture by the Sea festival at Cottesloe in March.
Mild and green — ideal for wildflower drives (Aug–Oct), whale watching off the coast, and exploring Kings Park in bloom.
Wildflower season peaks — Western Australia's most spectacular natural event. Perfect beach weather returns, with none of the summer crowds.
Need to Know
Getting Around Perth
Transperth Trains
- 5 train lines cover the metro area from Joondalup to Mandurah
- Fremantle line: 30 min from Perth station — stops at Cottesloe
- All services free within the Free Transit Zone (FTZ) in the CBD
- SmartRider card or tap-on with contactless card
Ferries & River Cruise
- Transperth ferry: Barrack St Jetty → Mends St (South Perth Zoo)
- Captain Cook Cruises: scenic Swan River cruise to Fremantle
- Rottnest Express & Sealink: departures from Perth & Fremantle
- Book Rottnest ferries well ahead in summer
Cycling & Active
- Perth has over 1,000 km of dedicated cycling paths
- Flat riverside cycle path: Perth CBD → Fremantle (28 km)
- Nextbike and Lime Scooters available across the metro area
- Most major beaches are accessible by path from the city
Common Questions
Perth Travel FAQs
Perth is best known for its stunning Indian Ocean beaches, extraordinary sunshine (averaging over 3,000 hours per year), Kings Park — one of the world's largest inner-city parks — the historic port of Fremantle, and quokka-filled Rottnest Island. It's also one of the world's most geographically isolated major cities, which gives it a uniquely self-contained, unhurried character.
Three to five days covers the highlights comfortably. A rough itinerary: Day 1 — Kings Park, CBD, Elizabeth Quay; Day 2 — Cottesloe Beach and Scarborough; Day 3 — Rottnest Island full day; Day 4 — Fremantle; Day 5 — Swan Valley or Pinnacles Desert. Add extra time for the wildflower drives north of the city in spring.
Absolutely — it is one of the finest day trips in all of Australia. The ferry from Fremantle takes 25 minutes. The island is car-free, so you hire a bike and cycle between 63 pristine beaches and bays. The quokka — one of the world's friendliest wild animals — lives almost exclusively here. Book your ferry well in advance during summer school holidays.
Autumn (March–May) and Spring (September–November) are the sweet spots — warm and settled with fewer crowds than summer. Spring is particularly special for the WA wildflower season. Winter (June–August) is mild and green, excellent for whale watching (humpbacks pass close to shore) and long drives through wildflower country. Summer is very hot with days occasionally exceeding 40°C, but the beaches are glorious and the Fremantle Doctor (afternoon sea breeze) saves the day.