Perth is a great city to use as a base for exploring Western Australia, and there are lots of Perth day trips you can do to see more of WA without straying too far. Some day trips from Perth are best done as a tour so you can sit back and relax while someone else drives you the long distances, while others are easily done independently. Here are my favourite things to do near Perth for you to enjoy!
Where to Go 1 Hour From Perth
These day trips are within easy reach of Perth CBD, and most are accessible using public transport or are easy self-drive day trips from Perth. In most cases, I could have included them in a post about the best things to do in Perth, but as they take a bit more time I wanted to share them in a different post dedicated to day trips from Perth instead!
Looking to Hire a Car?
- Get a quote for car hire with Discover Cars who compare car rental deals from lots of different companies so that you can choose which is best for your trip. I've used Discover Cars several times on road trips around the world and I love how easy it is to find cheap car hire!
Rottnest Island / Wadjemup
This beautiful island is a ferry ride off the coast of Perth and definitely should be on your Perth itinerary. It is one of the best places in Australia to see quokkas, a very cute marsupial that looks a bit like a cross between a rat and a wallaby, and has beautiful beaches to enjoy too.
The name Rottnest comes from a Dutch captain who said the island was overrun with large rats – which were in fact quokkas. Getting a Quokka Selfie is now an Australia bucketlist staple thanks to celebrities like Roger Federer posting about it on Instagram.
Quokkas are everywhere on the island, although they are mainly nocturnal you’ll find some hopping around during the day too, but the best time to spot them is in the evening so take a late ferry back if you can. Remember that they are wild animals so don’t touch or feed the quokkas!
Rottnest Island also has great significance for Aboriginal people. The island used to be connected to the mainland and was inhabited long before Europeans arrived here. The Aboriginal name for the island is Wadjemup, and you should stop into the Wadjemup Museum to learn more about the history and the prison which used to be on the island.
I’d recommend buying ferry tickets and hiring a bike to explore the island on your own, or you can join a bus tour of the island (sit on the left-hand side for the best views). If you enjoy snorkelling, bring some gear or hire a snorkel set as there are some fabulous underwater spots around the island too.
Fremantle
Fremantle, or Freo to the locals, is an attractive town around 30 minutes south of Perth by train, or a scenic ferry ride along the Swan River. You can also take a ferry from Fremantle to Rottnest, which is a bit quicker than the ferry from Perth.
Try to plan your visit here on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday when the famous Fremantle Markets are open and the town comes alive. It is much quieter during the week but still pleasant to visit with plenty of independent shops, galleries, bars and restaurants to enjoy. I loved wandering around Freo, or you can take a walking tour to learn more about the city.
Fremantle Prison is a World Heritage Site and is now a museum about the history of the prison, which was built by convicts sent over from Britain. The prison closed in 1991 and you can visit part of it for free, or join a guided tour to see inside more of the buildings.
If you decide to spend the night in Freo and make a weekend of it, a unique accommodation is the Fremantle Prison YHA which is in part of the old prison buildings, with dorms in cell blocks and an additional area for private ensuite bedrooms.
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Penguin Island and Rockingham
Around an hour south of Perth is the seaside resort of Rockingham, and a bit further along the coast you’ll find Penguin Island. So-called due to the colony of little penguins who live on the island you can take a ferry to walk around the island and visit the penguins in the rescue centre.
It is very rare to see the penguins in the wild as they are shy creatures, and the ones in the visitor centre were injured and unfortunately wouldn’t survive in the wild. These penguins are fed regularly throughout the day when you can learn more about them from the keepers.
To get to the island you can take a ferry from the mainland, or join an hour-long Dolphin, Penguin and Sea Lion Cruise which takes in the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park around the island. I loved this, and although we sadly didn’t see any dolphins on my cruise we saw several sea lions and lots of birds including nesting ospreys.
The cruise ticket includes ferry transport to and from Penguin Island and the informative guides shared lots of fun facts and stories about the wildlife here. You can also snorkel and swim in some places around the island but there is no food and drink available, just basic toilet facilities.
There is a café on the mainland by the ferry terminal or head to Rockingham for a meal. Rockingham is also a popular place for divers, with a dedicated Dive Trail taking in several wrecks just off the beach.
Unfortunately, it isn’t very easy to get to Penguin Island without a car, but you can get a bus into Rockingham and then an Uber, or an Uber from Rockingham train station.
Mandurah
Mandurah is less than an hour south of Perth, and you can get there on the Mandurah train line – although with your own car you’ll be able to explore much more of the area around the city which is renowned for its nature reserves and dolphin watching.
Enjoy the harbour area, take a dolphin-watching cruise or even ride on a pirate ship, then head out into nature for hiking, biking and more around Collins Pool. You can also visit the thrombolites at Lake Clifton, where there is an observation boardwalk overlooking these living rock-like organisms.
In 2023 don’t miss visiting the Giants of Mandurah outdoor exhibition. Danish artist Thomas Dambo worked to create five large wooden giants that have been hidden in different locations around the area to help people to discover places they wouldn’t normally visit. The Giants are due to be in place until November 2023.
Swan Valley
One of the most popular day tours from Perth is a Swan Valley wine tour. Swan Valley is home to some of the oldest wineries WA and Australia and while it is easy to drive yourself, to make the most of the wineries in Swan Valley you’ll need a designated driver who won’t be drinking – so joining a tour is the best way to go if everyone likes a tipple or you’re a solo traveller like me.
I joined the Ultimate Swan Valley Wine Tour on Viator and had a great day at several wineries, sampling lots of different wines as well as cheeses, delicious chocolates, a cider at a local brewery and chomping down a tasty lunch with another glass of wine!
I met some lovely people on the tour and with our tour guide we could all relax and enjoy the drinks without having to drive back so I would recommend doing the same. The wine tour I chose didn’t include a river boat tour, but other Swan Valley wine tours like this one do, then you transfer to a mini bus to visit the wineries.
BOOK A SWAN VALLEY WINE TOUR
Hit the Beach at Cottesloe
Cottesloe Beach is one of the best beaches near Perth, and while there are sandy beaches all up the coast, south of the river at Fremantle and down to Rockingham and beyond, Cottesloe is a popular choice for good reason.
The beach is wide and sandy, and there are several excellent restaurants and cafes to get something tasty to eat for lunch or dinner. Alternatively, bring a picnic with you to enjoy on the beach.
Take care while swimming though, there is a shark net at Cottesloe and a quick search of Cottesloe shark attacks helped me decide to stick within the yellow buoys marking out the safest place to swim.
As well as the sandy beaches there are some grassy areas shaded by trees, and some grass terraces which are more sheltered if there is a wind blowing across the beach.
It’s easy to get to Cottesloe from Perth, you can hop on the Fremantle train line and get off at Cottesloe station then walk around 15 minutes to the beach, or take a bus or a combination of train and bus.
If you do pass through Cottesloe station, make sure you pop into La Bomb Cookies for a decadent cookie treat – they are soft, gooey and enormous with flavours like biscoff and Ferrero to choose from. YUM!
The last train back to Perth is in the early hours of the morning so you can also make the most of the nightlife in Cottesloe. The Cottesloe Beach Hotel Verandah bar is a nice place to watch the sunset with a drink, and they have events on like a pub quiz on a Friday night and a DJ over the weekend.
Cottesloe is also a lovely place to spend a night a two and perfect for a weekend getaway from Perth. I stayed at the Cottesloe Beach Hotel and loved going for a morning swim at the beach just across the street.
Caversham Wildlife Park
For animal lovers, this has to be one of the best things to do in Perth. Unfortunately, getting here with public transport takes forever and also involves a 40-minute walk from the closest bus stop so you really need a car or to use an Uber to get here. For that reason, I’ve classed it as a day trip from Perth as you’ll need at least half a day to visit.
I spent several hours here and learned a lot about the native wildlife in Australia. I even got to meet a wombat called Calli, a koala called Stevie and hand-fed a kangaroo as you can enter into the kangaroo enclosure as they hop (or lie) around.
Of course, I would rather see all of these animals in the wild and I don’t usually condone interactions with wild animals like this but the animals at Caversham are all rescues or were born in captivity to parents who were rescued.
For example, Calli’s mother was killed when she was hit by a car, but she was rescued from her mother’s pouch and hand reared so she is pretty chill around people. Caversham hope that allowing visitors to get close to the animals will help educate them on the plight of these creatures and teach us how to protect them.
As well as complying with State and local regulations for displaying captive animals, Caversham Wildlife Park are also members of the Zoo & Aquarium Association (ZAA) and have been successfully assessed under the rigorous ZAA Accreditation Program for positive animal welfare.
After doing my research I felt confident that the animals here are well cared for and that I wasn’t doing them any harm – obviously do not get this close to animals in the wild! You can learn more about the park and plan your visit here.
Where to Go 2 Hours from Perth
Nambung National Park & The Pinnacles
Nambung National Park is around 2 hours drive north of Perth, and is known for sandy beaches and unusual rock formations in the desert.
You can actually drive around the Pinnacles on a marked driving route, with parking spots where you can stop and get out to walk around and see the pinnacles up close.
Alternatively you can park at the Visitor Centre and head out on food.The Desert View Walk Trail is a 1.2km loop walk (allow 45 minutes to complete it), although there is no set path to follow as it is sandy underfoot there are markers along the trail to guide you.
Make sure you take plenty of water and precautions to avoid sunburn and heatstroke – this is a desert after all! There isn’t a huge amount to see or do at the National Park once you’ve seen the pinnacles, so allow about an hour for this and then combine your trip with something else on the way back to Perth to make a full day trip.
Hangover Bay is a nice place to stop for a picnic or a swim and snorkel before heading back to Perth. There are a couple of picnic tables with shade and toilet facilities here too.
If you don’t have your own transport there are Pinnacles tours from Perth like this one which also includes additional activities like sandboarding in the dunes at Lancelin and visiting Caversham Wildlife Park (although briefly), or this day tour which combines the Pinnacles with a Swan Valley wine tour.
Alternatively, a Pinnacles Desert Sunset and Star-Gazing tour is a fabulous option for an afternoon and evening trip from Perth, which also includes sand boarding and dinner, as well as learning about native plants at Hangover Bay beach.
I visited the Pinnacles as part of my 7-day Western Australia tour to Exmouth, which you can learn more about here. The Pinnacles are also a great stop off if you’re driving from Perth to Broome.
Longer Distance Day trips from Perth
These trips would be best to take a few days if you have the time, but there are day tours available if you’re in a hurry!
Margaret River Wine Region
Margaret River is a renowned wine-producing region, with more than 200 wineries – many of which have “cellar door” wine tastings available. To really make the most of the wine you’ll either need one volunteer who won’t drink to drive you around, or join a Margaret River wine tour.
There are day tours to Margaret River from Perth, but there is so much to do in the area that they tend to be a bit rushed once you’ve taken into account the 2 hours plus drive time from Perth then again on the way back.
A better option to explore Margaret River would be to spend several days in the region and take day trips from Busselton, Dunsborough or wherever you are staying. There are wine-tasting tours available or you could hire a car to explore on your own. I’d actually recommend doing both, especially if you’re planning a weekend getaway from Perth!
I joined a Margaret River wine tour from Busselton where I stayed, and it was fabulous. We went to 4 different wineries, each with a distinctive style and all with excellent wines to try. We also stopped off at the Margaret River Chocolate Company to snaffle some samples there and a brewery too.
Aside from wineries, Margaret River has some wonderful beaches, such as Hamelin Bay where you can swim or snorkel with huge rays which swim in the shallows, and Canal Rocks and Kathleens Seat which is a lovely beach with interesting rock formations. These areas could potentially be visited on one day tour, but hiring a car gives you much more freedom and flexibility to go at your own pace.
Wave Rock
I was really torn about whether to visit Wave Rock, but as I didn’t want to drive myself I finally decided it was too far to do on a day trip. You can take a day tour to Wave Rock from Perth, but it is a long drive – about 4 hours if you go directly from Perth.
This Wave Rock day tour from Perth stops off at the historic town of York along the way, with a couple of other stops en route, and takes around 13 hours in total, so it really is a full day trip! CHECK PRICES AND AVAILABILITY
If you have more time, I’d suggest hiring a car and turning it into a road trip from Perth to last two or three days so you don’t have to drive as far in one day, and don’t risk driving at dusk when there is a higher risk of animals crossing in front of you.
Looking to Hire a Car?
- Get a quote for car hire with Discover Cars who compare car rental deals from lots of different companies so that you can choose which is best for your trip. I've used Discover Cars several times on road trips around the world and I love how easy it is to find cheap car hire!
I hope this selection of the best day trips from Perth has given you plenty of inspiration to explore more of Western Australia, whether just for a day, for a weekend getaway from Perth or for a longer Perth road trip. There is plenty to see in WA, but don’t underestimate the distance between places. Especially when you head north from Perth, there is a whole lot of road before you find the next place to visit!
Wherever you’re heading, remember to take plenty of water and sun protection – enjoy!
Where to Stay in Perth
I’ve picked out some highly rated but great-value accommodation options for you.
Cheap Hotels in Perth
Pensione Hotel Perth
After flying for 16 hours plus, I wanted a good nights sleep and time to get over my jet lag, so booked this lovely cheap hotel in Perth. Pensione Hotel Perth is great value and gets great reviews too for the staff, with reception open 24 hours a day.
It’s in the CBD, a couple of minutes walk from the main shopping street in Perth, 5 minutes from the station and about 10 minutes from Elizabeth Quay. The hotel is clean and comfortable, and they are currently renovating the rooms floor by floor to make them even smarter.
There’s no breakfast available but with a fridge in every room you can buy snacks to keep cool for breakfast or other food on the go. >>>CHECK PRICES AND AVAILABILITY
Hostels in Perth
Hostels are the cheapest places to stay in Perth, and some get excellent reviews too.
Spinners Hostel
I spent a couple of nights at Spinners Hostel Perth and loved the vibe here. I had booked a mixed room but the guy on reception moved me into a 4 bed female dorm which was lovely. The room was clean with comfy beds, and 2 pillows per bed was pure luxury!
On Friday night the hostel arranged a BBQ night which was a great way to meet people and another bonus free food, so I had a great time here. It is about 10 minutes walk into the centre of Northbridge and another 5 to the CBD. >>>CHECK PRICES AND AVAILABILITY
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