The fourth most populated city in Australia, Perth has been ranked before as one of the worlds most liveable cities. The city itself has some wonderful things to do and just outside are some really special places too. There is more than enough to keep you entertained so read ahead to find out how to see Perth in a weekend!

Explore the city and the famous Kings Park.

The first thing to do in Perth is head to the city, find some breakfast, and do some shopping. The actual city centre of Perth isn’t super interesting, as most city centres aren’t. However Hay Street Mall is an open air strip and is a good place for shopping. There is also a great little street off Hay Street called London Court. Built in 1937 this street has Tudor style architecture and has some great little shops on it.

Next head down to Elizabeth Quay which is a beautiful area around Perth Water that is part of the Swan River. It was named in honour of Queens Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee and was officially opened in 2016. There are lots of cafes and restaurants around and this is also where a lot of ferries depart from and arrive to.

It also has a great bridge and some public art including one that’s 29 meters tall called Spanda. On the end of the bridge is an area called the island which funnily enough isn’t actually an island. On the island is a playground, a restaurant and a great view back to Spanda. It’s just such a lovely area to walk around and admire the city and the Swan River.

Next head to Kings Park and if you’ve read any of our other blog posts, you know we LOVE a park. Kings Park and Botanic Garden is an amazing park, and easily one of the best things to do in Perth. The park is a mixture of botanic garden and natural bushland that covers 400 hectares of Mount Eliza. Being on top of a hill there is a wonderful view of Perth city and the Swan River as well.

The park is located South West of the city and there are multiple ways in and up to it. The first and hardest is Jacobs Ladder, a steep set of 242 stairs that’s a popular exercise spot. Nearby there are is an easier way up along Mount Street that meets the top of Jacobs Ladder. Further around the water there is also an entrance at the Kokoda Track Memorial Steps and Walk.

There are also other entrances around the other sides of the park but those three are the closest to the city. Alternatively, if you’re driving to the park there is free parking inside!

Apart from wandering around the garden, there are lots of great attractions to see there too. Firstly near the Wadjuk Car Park is a main building with a little art shop, an event space, a restaurant and a café. Right next to the building is the State War Memorial and the floral clock. Further into the park is the DNA tower which is great to walk up and the Lotterywest Federation Walkway bridge.

Something cool to see is the Giant Boab tree which is over 750 years old and there is the Poolgarla family area too. Of course there’s also lots of lookouts to see the wonderful view from that make for great photos spots! There really is so much to keep you entertained on your walk around this wonderful park and garden.

Head out on a day trip, we have 4 to recommend!

Fremantle (Or Freo) is a port city located South West of Perth. It can be easily accessed in an hour from Perth via the Fremantle train line or several buses so there are lots of options. It’s a lovely place to spend a night or two or is a great full or half day trip from Perth. Freo has such a different vibe to Perth and feels more relaxed. It has a little city centre where you can find the Fremantle Markets. They’re open 9am to 6pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday and sell food, art, crafts, fresh produce, clothes, jewellery and homewares.

Along the water is Esplanade Park which has a Ferris wheel and is a nice place to sit or walk through. Next to the park is the Little Creatures Brewery that is a very cool place to get some good food. Around the brewery is the harbourside which is a nice place to walk along too. Back along the water is the Round House which is an old prison built in 1830 and can be entered by donation. You’ll also find the South Mole lighthouse, the WA Maritime Museum and the WA Shipwrecks Museum.

Lastly, a popular attraction in Fremantle is Fremantle Prison which is open 9am to 5pm every day of the week. The prison was built by convict labour in the 1850s and remained in use until 1991. There’s 5 tours to choose from including a true crime tour, a tour of the tunnels under the prison and a tour at night. They range from $23 to $76 depending on what kind of tour you’d like to do. If you’re interested in prison tours this could be a really great one to do while in Fremantle!

Rottnest Island is a small island a short ferry ride from Perth, that is popular for day trips or overnight stays. Its popularity is partly due to the beautiful landscape, but mostly because of the adorable smiling quokkas that inhabit the island. It is easily accessed via public ferry, with Sea Link and Rottnest Express leaving from the centre of Perth or Fremantle daily. The journey takes about 1 hour 45 minutes each way and tickets range from $26-$52 each way depending on port and season.

The ferry gets in right in front of the visitor centre, and right behind it is Thompson Bay square where you’ll find shops and restaurants. This is where most of the quokkas hang out as they’re cheeky and love to steal food off tourists. Make sure not to touch or feed them as you can be fined, so take your selfies from a distance! There are also some accommodation options here if you’d like to stay the night which can be booked on Stay Rottnest.

As for what to do, the best way to see the island is by bike. The bikes can be booked with ferry tickets, or on the island from Pedal and Flipper. There are different loops, the shortest taking only 30 minutes and the longest taking 3-5 hours to complete the 22km loop. The lighthouse loop is a great middle option at around 10km and you get to see some incredible scenery. There are also public buses and bus tours around the island if you want that option too!

Two hours drive north of Perth is one of the most incredible natural landscapes. The pinnacles are limestone structures (Some up to 5m high) that are between 25,000 to 30,000 years old. They formed from sea shell deposits left behind from the ocean, which were then battered and carved by the wind over time. There are now thousands of structures covering 190 hectares and it is such a cool sight to see.

As the pinnacles are in the Nambung National Park, there is a park entry fee of $15 per private vehicle. You can drive around the Pinnacles and there are places along the drive to park and get out. However we parked at the Pinnacles Desert Discovery Centre for free and walked around instead which we loved. We got to walk through the structures and even saw a wild emu walking around!

If you don’t have access to a car, don’t fret! Get Your Guide have so many different tours from Perth. These include sunset and stargazing tours, sandboarding tours, and tours with stops at nearby attractions like the Yanchep Lavender Farm. So definitely worth a look if you have time as the pinnacles is truly a sight worth seeing!

While north of Perth is the Pinnacles, the south also has so much beauty to offer. Bunbury is a coastal town with some great beaches and a skinny black and white lighthouse that’s great for photos. Busselton is further south and is another coastal town with a great foreshore area. It also has the longest timber-piled jetty in the southern hemisphere at 1.8km long which costs $4 to walk.

Margaret River is a cute town almost at the bottom of the country. It has some really great restaurants and shops and the Margaret River Bakery is absolutely worth a visit. However what makes the area so famous is its wine. Stretching over 55 square kilometres, the 138 wineries are responsible for over 20% of Australia’s wine market. So if you’re a wine fan, this is the place to visit! If you’re not a wine fan, another great thing to do in the region is explore the caves. The Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park is home to several hundred caves, with 6 open to the public.

If you don’t have a car, it’s still possible to explore these southern towns. South West Coast Lines does the journey from Perth to Margaret River via Busselton on a coach. And TransWA does the journey from Perth to Margaret River via Bunbury on a train and a coach. The only downside to these options is that exploring the Margaret River region outside of the town is almost impossible without a car. However the town itself is lovely and could definitely be a great overnight stay. Of course if you want to see more of the area without a car there are also one and multiple day tours with Get Your Guide.

Whether you’re only visiting Perth, or exploring the surrounding area, there are so many beautiful things to see in WA. From Kings Park to Fremantle, there is more than enough to keep you entertained while you see Perth in a weekend. Furthermore, the Pinnacles and the Margaret River region are well worth a visit if you’ve got extra time. Either way no matter what you do, you’re sure to have a great time exploring the beautiful Western Australia!

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