Perth (Western Australia) is often overlooked by more popular Australian metropolises like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, despite its stunning beaches and reputation as one of the safest and friendliest cities.
In all honesty, the city centre might not be as hip and happening as the other cities across Australia. However, there are so many exceptional places to visit around Perth for a wonderful nature experience, such as Rottnest Island, the sand dunes at Lancelin, or Pinnacles Desert. After spending a few days exploring, I gathered a list of the best things to do in Perth, along with what to skip, and an itinerary.
The city of Perth itself isn’t that big, so you can explore most of the main attractions in a couple of days. The best things to do in Perth CBD (city centre) are strolling through Kings Park and Botanic Garden, lunching at the Elizabeth Quay waterfront, exploring the lively historic port city of Fremantle (locally called “Freo”), and visiting the night market near the Perth Cultural Centre.
Insider tip: most coffee shops and bakeries close around 2 PM in Perth, something I learned the hard way when looking for tea-time snacks in the afternoon.
Perth is home to very beautiful beaches with bright blue waters, so spend at least a day exploring along the coast.
Do not miss Rottnest Island if you’re in Perth. Just a 30-minute ferry ride away, Rottnest Island is surrounded by coral reefs and offers some of the bluest and clearest waters, perfect for snorkelling and swimming. Rottnest is also where you’ll find the famous quokkas.
I wrote a comprehensive breakdown for visiting Rottnest Island, including info about how to get around the island, whether you need seasickness pills, and if you can stay on the island.
Insider tip: do not approach or feed the quokkas, as this can lead to diseases and other concerns. You will incur fines if you break the rules (check the official rules).
A 1.5-hour drive north of Perth will take you to Lancelin, an area full of high sand dunes where you can experience unique and thrilling activities like sandboarding. It’s also a great spot for sunsets or to go off-roading.
One of the best things to do in Perth is to explore the otherworldly landscape at Pinnacles Desert, where you’ll find giant limestone pillars rising from the sand dunes. Many people go around sunset to see the shadows reflecting on the sand, and wait for night to watch the stars sparkle against the dark sky.
Insider tip: Look for combination tours for Pinnacles Desert that take you sandboarding at Lancelin sand dunes and stop at Nilgen Lookout or Hangover Bay before heading to the desert, so you can maximise your time in Perth.
I didn’t do this activity, so I can’t really attest to it, but a popular stop on many Perth itineraries is Swan Valley, one of the oldest wine regions in Western Australia, where you can visit vineyards and breweries, do tastings, and even go on a cruise on the Swan River.
Insider tip: If you don’t mind a longer drive, head to Margaret River (about 3 hours south of Perth) for more wine tasting and nature activities like surf, kayak, and go cave exploring. It’s best to spend the night in Margaret River or the surrounding areas, as it will be too exhausting to enjoy for a day trip.
Between September and early December, you can see whales near Perth during their annual migration. You might also see dolphins and seals, and a variety of birds.
Insider tip: Many people will also recommend adding “swim with wild dolphins” to your Perth itinerary and even claim that the dolphins seem happy and playful. The reality, though, is multiple boats chasing dolphins and invading their space (just like in Mauritius), and I can’t imagine any being feeling happy about that (not to mention that speed boats aren’t exactly eco-friendly).
Did you know that you can see penguins in Western Australia? The world’s smallest penguins live on an island conveniently called Penguin Island, not far from Perth. Nearby is Seal Island, and you can kayak to both to see the sea life in a non-invasive way (kayaking is better than taking a speedboat).
Cappadocia in Turkey isn’t the only place to enjoy hot air balloons over a historic town. Avon Valley National Park, about an hour’s drive from Perth, has a charming small city with gorgeous landscapes and plenty of nature for outdoor activities like trail walks, picnics, and cycling, so if you’re not up for a morning sunrise from a hot air balloon, there’s plenty else to do.
Though a bit of a long journey from Perth (about 4 hours), Wave Rock is in the Outback, so this is your chance to explore Australia’s interior. Wave Rock is a huge granite rock that looks like a giant ocean wave, measuring 15 m (49 ft) in height and stretching 100 m (320 ft). It’s an impressive sight.
Insider tip: Don’t go for a day trip, it’s not worth the long drive. Spend the night at Wave Rock and explore the area, which has a salt lake to rival the Dead Sea, and you can float naturally. The area is also great for stargazing, seeing wildlife, and hiking.
This is a flexible itinerary for Perth to explore a bit of the city and the surrounding regions. This itinerary does not include faraway places like Margaret River or Wave Rock in the Outback, which would require long drives and at least 2 days at each spot to properly enjoy them.
If you absolutely want to visit Australian breweries and vineyards, add an extra day or half a day for Swan Valley, and if you’re visiting between September and December, you can also extend this itinerary to go whale watching.
Start your morning with a beach day at one of Perth’s beaches, or rent a car (compare the best car prices) and drive along the coast to see all of them.
In the afternoon, go for a casual stroll at Kings Park and Botanic Garden, before heading to Elizabeth Quay, finishing off at the night market.
Visiting Rottnest Island will require a whole day, and you will likely take the ferry from the Fremantle neighbourhood, which you can explore before or after (before is probably best, especially if you’re coming back from Rottnest late in the evening).
Spend a chill morning in Perth, and in the afternoon, go sandboarding at Lancelin before heading to the Pinnacles Desert for sunset and stargazing.
If you want to go hot air ballooning over Avon Valley, you’ll have to start really early to make it before sunrise. In the afternoon, go kayaking around Seal and Penguin Island to spot sealife.
Perth is famous for its laidback lifestyle, blue beaches, Rottnest Island where you can see quokkas, sandboarding at Lancelin, and Pinnacles Desert.
You’ll need at least 4 days in Perth to visit the city, beaches, desert, and Rottnest Island, but if you want to add whale watching (only between September and December) and wine tasting, you should add an extra day. To visit the Wave Rock in the Outback, or to go down south to Margaret River, add about 3-4 more days.
If you’re going to Perth just for the city centre, it’s likely not worth visiting, but if you intend to explore around, like Rottnest Island, Lancelin, Pinnacles Desert, Avon Valley, and the outback, Perth is very much worth visiting.
