The 19 best things to do in and around Perth

Geographically, Perth (Boorloo in the Nyungar language) may be one of the most isolated cities in the world, but don’t expect some sleepy backwater. It’s laid-back, yes, but within this relaxed setting is a thriving city full of fun things to do and fascinating attractions to explore nearby.

When you’re in Perth, it’s the rest of the world that seems far-flung, and locals know just how good they’ve got it. Located in Western Australia, this destination is the country’s sunniest capital, home to some of the nation’s best city beaches. In the city itself, you’ll also find some outstanding cultural attractions – world-class galleries and museums featuring both Indigenous and contemporary arts. 

Perth also has a lot on its doorstep. Within 30 minutes, you’ll be among quokkas on Rottnest Island or sipping wines near the Swan River. Add in day trips to the Pinnacles, wildflower hotspots, and happening beach towns and it becomes clear: this is a region of Australia not to miss.

Plan your trip with this list of the top things to do in and around Perth.

1. See quokkas on Rottnest Island

The cute and furry cherub-faced marsupial quokka attracts most first-time visitors to Rottnest Island. The quokka’s popularity soared after Chris Hemsworth and Margot Robbie snapped selfies with them, resulting in an astronomical increase in the island’s visitors. These days, however, quokka selfies are very much discouraged. You can spot these little guys a few hops away from the visitor info center, which offers free “Meet the Quokkas” tours  – one of the best things to do near Perth. 

Though many assume these macropods (from the same family as kangaroos and wallabies) are only found on Rottnest, they also live on mainland West Australia’s southwest end. However, they’re nocturnal, so you’d be very lucky to see them there. Due to years of interacting with humans, quokkas on Rottnest Island are active during the day, mainly as a result of visitors feeding them.

Local tip: Don’t go in expecting a pristine wilderness encounter. Here, the quokkas have become very urbanized and after food.

2. Take a Kings Park walking tour

One of Perth's prettiest inner-city parks, Kings Park invites visitors on a walking tour of its many attractions. Start in the east and stroll alongside Fraser Avenue, with its lemon-scented gums and immaculate terrace lawns. Then, head to Kaarta Gar-up lookout for some of Perth’s best city skyline views. Next, visit Aspects of Kings Park Gallery Shop, a great place to pick up works by Western Australian designers, botany books and native flora seeds. Outside is the ornamental floral clock made from a colorful collection of native flowers, and the State War Memorial featuring a poignant Flame of Remembrance and superb vistas.

3. Wander the Western Australian Botanic Garden

Discover over 3,000 plants at the Western Australian Botanic Garden. Located within Kings Park, the garden is an essential stop for nature-loving travelers. Highlights include a 750-year-old giant boab tree, transported here in 2008 on a flatbed truck from the East Kimberley region. Surrounding trails take you to flora displays from across Western Australia’s regions, home to a third of Australia’s plant species. The property showcases several themed areas, including the Northern Sandplains, Acacia, Stirling Range and Conservation gardens. While you stroll through the garden, look for rare flowers like the Woolly Wattle, a fluffy yellow bloom that grows on shrubs.

4. Scope out Cottesloe Beach

Enjoy a range of experiences and activities at Cottesloe Beach, one of Australia’s most famous city beaches. With glorious soft sand that’s overlooked by a grassy foreshore and shady heritage-listed Norfolk pines, Cottesloe Beach is a popular, family-friendly swimming beach complete with a teahouse pavilion and coastal cycling trail. The main action takes place around the surf club, where you can swim in between the flags from October to March. There’s a shark net to alleviate any fears. It’s not really a surf beach, but around April you’ll find some waves, and other times it’s calm, with good snorkeling. While you’re in the area, visit Cottesloe Beach Hotel. This art deco beauty is a mix of pub, outdoor terrace, wood-fired grill and cocktail bar.

5. Sip wine near the Swan River

All it takes is a 20-minute drive from central Perth to find yourself immersed among the vineyards along the Swan River. Located in the Swan Valley, the river fuels Western Australia’s oldest winegrowing region and the second-oldest in Australia. Today, you’ll find 40 wineries throughout the region, and a visit can also take in microbreweries, distilleries, cideries and farm-gate produce – all the ingredients for an indulgent day out.

Planning tip: This is a region best explored by car, so toss the coin to see who’ll be the designated driver for the day. Cycling is another option – the Swan Valley Heritage Cycle Trail starts in Guildford and takes you to many of the region’s most popular wineries.

6. Search the waters for dolphins

People can see dolphins at several spots around Perth. Some of the best dolphin-spotting destinations include Swan River and Rockingham’s Shoalwater Islands Marine Park. Wild West Charters offer 90-minute Swan River cruises that often pass by a resident pod of dolphins. Meanwhile, Rockingham is famous for Shoalwater Islands Marine Park, home to colonies of penguins, seals and dolphins. For a more luxurious experience, join Mandurah Cruises’ popular one-hour Dolphin & Scenic Marine Cruise. Alternatively, you could book an excursion with Perth Wildlife Encounters for sightseeing and snorkeling tours to see dolphins and Australian fur seals.

7. See the Pinnacles at Nambung National Park

Plan a weekend trip to Nambung National Park and see the Pinnacles, a mesmerizing landscape of limestone pillars jutting from golden desert sands. One of Western Australia’s most captivating and surreal landscapes, the Pinnacles' otherworldly spires make for a spellbinding scene. Make the most of this day trip by including a visit to the Turquoise Coast beach towns of Jurien Bay and Green Head, just north of the Pinnacles. 

8. Peruse Museum Boola Bardip

Perth’s Western Australia Museum Boola Bardip is an unmissable attraction. After four years and AU$400 million in the “re-making,’” WA Museum Boola Bardip – the showpiece of Perth Cultural Centre – opened its doors in late 2020 and it lives up to the hype as one of Australia’s best museums. Translating as “many stories” in the Whadjuk Noongar language, Boola Bardip offers a deep dive into WA’s rich diversity of voices. Set over eight sprawling permanent galleries, it’s a massive site. If time is tight, then plan to join one of the twice daily highlights tours.

Planning tip: If you only do one thing, make it the ground-floor gallery Ngalang Koort Boodja Wirn. A celebration of WA’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, it’s a fascinating look into the diversity of ancient traditions and spiritual connections as told through creation stories and Songlines (a shared story that traverses the cultural landscape linking people and places).

9. Visit Elizabeth Quay’s waterfront precinct

Overlooking sparkling Swan River, the tourist precinct of Elizabeth Quay mainly attracts visitors  for its dining, and as a departure point for Rottnest Island and boat tours on Swan River. A well-signed trail provides background on the area including the area’s pre-colonial history. It takes you over bridges and past public sculptures. For kids, there’s the island playground, waterpark fountain and the Elizabeth Quay Carousel, an authentic Venetian-built piece that spins on Fridays and weekends.

10. Explore the WA Maritime Museum

The treasure-filled WA Maritime Museum is a world-class setup overlooking the port, with multimedia, interactive exhibits, including plenty of cool stuff kids will love. Highlights include the original Australia II yacht, with its winged keel, which won the 1983 America’s Cup; explorer Jon Sanders’ Parry Endeavour; and a rare megamouth shark washed up in Mandurah in 1988. Outside sits the Cold War–era HMAS Ovens submarine that you can scramble aboard on a tour. During WWII, this was the site of the largest submarine base in the southern hemisphere.

Planning tip: For more maritime curiosities, visit the nearby WA Shipwrecks Museum, with fascinating displays of maritime archaeology, including many ships wrecked along WA’s treacherous coastline.

11. Spend a night out in Northbridge

Northbridge’s nightlife may be famous for its exuberant party scene, but among the late-night debauchery, you’ll find some of Perth’s most sophisticated bars. Mechanics Institute Bar is a local favorite: a cool, unpretentious bar accessed via a graffiti-spattered lane with an outdoor terrace where you can sip cocktails and WA craft beers. Nearby are the conjoined alley bars of Alabama Song, a honky-tonk dive bar, and its rock ‘n’ roll counterpart, Joe’s Juice Joint. Continue your backstreet ramble to swing by Ezra Pound, an intimate, well-hidden bar. Meanwhile, Edward & Ida’s entices with its classy front bar and basement cocktails.

Planning tip: Nearby, Nick’s Alley hides Sneaky Tony’s, a speakeasy you’ll need the password to access (check its Facebook page). It gets even sneakier once you realize there’s a secret nightclub hidden within.

12. Say hello to koalas at Yanchep National Park

Western Australia is known for its wildlife, but there’s one notable absentee: the koala.  However, Yanchep National Park has a small colony of koalas that were introduced here in 1938. You can spot half a dozen or so koalas lazing in trees along a boardwalk within a gated area of the park. In recent years, numbers have dropped, many a result of old age. Plans are in place to replenish the koala population here. Other highlights of Yanchep National Park include the glistening limestone Crystal Cave, which can be visited on a tour; the Trees Adventure rope course; and, on Sundays, the excellent 45-minute Aboriginal Experience showcasing traditional Whajuk Noongar culture.

13. Jump on a board in Lancelin

Though only about 79 miles north of Perth, life in laid-back Lancelin is so lethargic it feels like you’ve arrived in an outback town by the coast. Offsetting its relaxed state is an outdoor adventure scene where its massive dunes take center stage. Home to Western Australia’s largest dunes system, you can clamber up to the ever-shifting steep apex, where blowing sands evoke scenes of the Sahara but with the bonus of stunning coastal views. At its base, Perth Quad rents out sandboards and runs ATV and buggy tours. 

14. Enjoy Jurien Bay’s outdoor attractions

Though first impressions may suggest Jurien Bay is more sprawling blue-collar working town than beach-holiday destination, don’t fret: once you head to its foreshore, you’ll discover why it’s so popular. Alluring powdery white sands and azure waters beckon for swims and underwater discovery, including snorkeling its 156m (531ft) jetty. Jurien Bay Adventure hires snorkeling gear along with bikes to cycle the Turquoise Way Trail that takes in Jurien Bay’s extended foreshore. As part of the Jurien Bay Marine Park, you’ll find the only breeding area for Australian sea lions on the west coast; for a closer look, Sea Lion Charters will get you out right among them.

15. Browse Fremantle Markets

Fremantle Markets is one of the city’s most beloved sights. Along with South Terrace (known as “Cappuccino Strip”), it’s probably the most popular spot to visit from Perth, but that doesn’t detract from the experience. With 150 stalls set inside a heritage-listed Victorian-era hall, you can stock up on everything from local single malts and artisan gins to jewelry by local designers. Food’s a highlight with a choice of Balinese, Brazilian and bratwurst among a plethora of global dishes to try. 

16. Walk bloomin’ lovely trails in Lesueur National Park

A 20-minute drive inland from Jurien Bay will land you among one of WA’s biodiversity hot spots within Lesueur National Park. A good variety of trails leads you through its astounding 900 species of flora. From late August through to early November, kangaroo paw, banksia and grass trees explode in a burst of color. For orchid hunters, species to tick off include pink and purple enamel, cowslip, white spider, blue lady and donkey orchids. The Yued Ponar Trail is Lesueur’s signature trek, but the Gairdner Trail Loop offers a good taster if you’re short on time, while the summit of Mt Lesueur provides panoramic ocean vistas.

17. Discover a Benedictine monastery in the Bush

If you thought the Pinnacles were surreal, wait till you stumble upon New Norcia, Australia’s only monastic town. Located in the Wheatbelt region north of Perth, it was founded in 1847 by Spanish Benedictine monks as an Aboriginal mission, and today, there are six monks in residence found each evening chanting from 6pm within its monastery. Guests are welcome to attend. The two-hour town tours are a good way to take in this complex of ornate Spanish-influenced architecture, including its palm-tree-fronted Abbey Church, monastery and historical boarding schools.

Planning tip: At the visitor center, you’ll also find a range of baked goods and port wine made by the monks and the New Norcia Museum & Art Gallery.

18. Meet penguins on Penguin Island

Found about an hour outside of Perth, many consider Penguin Island the region’s main attraction. The pristine conservation park features a small population of wild penguins and is a popular day trip for picnics, beautiful beaches, walks and swims. Most head out via the Penguin Island Ferry, but more adventurous types can paddle over in a kayak or wade out across the sandbar at low tide. Take care, however, as people have drowned attempting this crossing – always seek local advice.

Planning tip: The island's penguin population has decreased in recent years, making wild penguin sightings less common. If you spot one, give the animals plenty of space and stay quiet to avoid stressing them out.

19. Go on incredible guided tours

From Rottnest Island to Nambung National Park’s Pinnacles, Perth is a great base to head out on a guided tour to learn more about the city and the wider region. On Rottnest Island, free guided tours teach travelers about the island’s history, natural landscapes, quokkas and shipwrecks. Paul’s Eco E Bike Tours (a paid-for experience) covers similar topics while on a guided e-bike tour that also features stops for swims around Rottnest Island. Go Cultural Aboriginal Tours will give you an insight into pre-colonisation history. Several outfitters host tours of the Pinnacles, including Lumineer Adventure Tours, which offers stargazing tours with state-of-the-art equipment. You can also take a day trip from Perth for sunset tours of the Pinnacles with Australian Pinnacle Tours.

This article was adapted from the Australia guidebook.