Perth Travelers Recommend

Three days in Perth means you’re lucky enough to fully experience it, especially if your itinerary includes tours that combine the sights, culture, and adventures of the city plus Western Australia’s southwest coast. Here’s how to spend a fun-filled 72 hours in Perth, replete with a day trip to the wine country or the Pinnacles.

Day 1: City Sightseeing

Start today getting oriented with a walking tour of Perth’s art, cultural sights, coffee scene, and chocolate industry, and then explore the city independently on a leisurely hop-on hop-off bus tour. Wildlife lovers will want to check out the Perth Zoo or Aquarium of Western Australia, while those looking for a more relaxing way to see the city should opt for a cruise on the Swan River, the flowing heart of the city that separates central and western Perth from the southern suburbs. Lunch and sightseeing cruises are available to admire the riverfront scenery, which includes King’s Park, yacht clubs, and upscale homes. The evening offers another chance to get out on the river with a dinner cruise, where you can admire the lights of the city while enjoying a full meal and sipping Australian wines. Or perhaps discover the local bar scene on a walking tour of Perth watering holes.

Day 2: Surrounding Experiences

After breakfast, head out onto the Indian Ocean with a ferry ride from either Perth or Fremantle to Rottnest Island, where you can relish a day of outdoor activities such as snorkeling, bike riding, and looking for the resident quokkas. If you don’t want to leave the city for the whole day, opt for a whale-watching cruise from Hillarys Boat Harbour. For something more gourmet, book a half-day tour to the Swan Valley for wine tasting as well as samplings of beer, cheese, and chocolate. If you’re more of a history buff, you’ll enjoy a tour to the port town of Fremantle, known for its café scene and historical attractions—particularly Fremantle Prison, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. When evening rolls around, explore Perth’s dining establishments with a restaurant and bar discount pass, which offers savings at participating businesses.

Day 3: Day Tripping

Perth’s top two day trip destinations lie along the coast of Western Australia—one north of the city and one south. Outdoor lovers will want to go north to the Pinnacles, a group of limestone rock formations that create an otherworldly landscape inside Nambung National Park. Tours often include stops at Caversham Wildlife Park to see koalas and the town of Lancelin, known for its large sand dunes where you can try your hand at sandboarding. South of Perth lies the Margaret River wine region, where you can go wine tasting at a local winery, plus visit attractions such as the Busselton Jetty and Mammoth Cave. If you have time for more than one day trip, consider the Perth Sightseeing Pass to save on multiple tours that suit your interests.

With the turquoise Indian Ocean on one side and the Swan River on another, Perth has plenty of natural beauty to be discovered. It’s also home to walkable neighborhoods, cultural sights, and family-friendly attractions that provide many ways to spend a lovely day. Here are some ways to spend 24 fabulous hours in Perth.

Morning: Visit Local Attractions

Get oriented with Perth on a morning walking tour—replete with coffee and chocolate—to see the art and cultural sights of the city center. Then explore more of Perth on a hop-on hop-off bus tour, which allows you to get off at any of the designated stops to visit attractions independently at your leisure. If you’re interested in wildlife, don’t miss a visit to the Perth Zoo or Aquarium of Western Australia; if you’re more of a history buff, head to the Perth Mint for a guided tour.  

Afternoon: Explore the Swan River

Running along the edge of the Central Business District and separating Perth from the historical town of Fremantle, the Swan River is the flowing heart of the city, with several options for cruising. Traveling by boat is a relaxing way to enjoy lunch, get to Fremantle, or simply admire the scenery along the riverbanks: King’s Park, yacht clubs, quiet bays, and impressive homes. Many boats depart near the Bell Tower, where you can visit the observation deck and learn about the Swan Bells. Alternatively, see Perth from above on a helicopter tour for views of the river, white-sand beaches, and the Indian Ocean.

Night: Dine Out

If you’d rather check out the Swan River during the more romantic evening hours, opt for a dinner cruise to admire the lights of the city from the water while you enjoy a full meal and Australian wines. Or discover the local wine and cocktail scene on a twilight tour to the Swan Valley wine region or a walking tour of Perth’s watering holes. If you’d rather eat and drink on your own, consider a Perth restaurant and bar discount pass to receive savings at participating establishments.

With two days in Perth, you can spend one day exploring the top sights and cultural attractions in the city, and another relishing an activity that highlights the region’s natural beauty, history, or winemaking. Here are a few ways to create a 48-hour itinerary in Perth, Australia’s 4th-most populous city.

Day 1: City Sightseeing

**Morning:**Get an introduction to Perth on a morning walking tour of the city center’s cultural sights while enjoying a cup of coffee. Then explore independently on a hop-on hop-off bus tour, or perhaps check out attractions such as the Perth Zoo, Aquarium of Western Australia, or Perth Mint.  

**Afternoon:**Separating central and western Perth from the southern suburbs, the Swan River is the flowing heart of the city. Take a lunch or sightseeing cruise to admire the riverfront scenery, which includes King’s Park, yacht clubs, and impressive homes. Many boats depart near the Bell Tower, where you can visit the observation deck.

**Night:**You have another chance to experience the Swan River on a dinner cruise, when the more romantic evening hours allow you to admire the twinkling city lights while enjoying a full meal and sipping Australian wines. Alternatively, discover the local bar scene on a walking tour of Perth watering holes.

Day 2: Surrounding Activities

**Morning:**Hop on the ferry from either Perth or Fremantle to spend the day on Rottnest Island, known for its outdoor activities, including swimming at white-sand beaches, bike riding, and looking for resident quokkas. If you don’t have all day, you can still get out on the water with a morning whale-watching cruise from Hillarys Boat Harbour.

**Afternoon:**Head to the Swan Valley wine region on a half-day tour of culinary delights such as wine, beer, cheese, and chocolate. If you’re more of a history buff, opt for a tour to the port town of Fremantle, known for its café scene and historical attractions—particularly Fremantle Prison, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

**Night:**You have another chance to check out the Swan Valley on a twilight winery experience with dinner. Alternatively, explore Perth’s dining establishments on your own with a restaurant and bar discount pass, which offers savings at participating businesses.

With a mind-boggling 12,000 species of wildflower blanketing the hills, valleys, and coastal cliffs, Western Australia boasts the world’s largest collection of wildflowers—many of which are native species that you won’t find anywhere else on earth. Here are the best ways to experience Australia’s spectacular wildflower displays.

When to Go

Western Australia’s wildflower season begins as early as June in the north of the state, and moves south as the season progresses, with the final blooms dying out along the southwest coast in December. From Perth, the best time for wildflower tours are between July and November, with August and early September offering the most magnificent photo opportunities.

Where to Go

In the north, wildflower hotspots include the Cape Range National Park, Millstream Chichester National Park, the Shark Bay World Heritage Area, Kalbarri National Park, and along the northwest Coral Coast. Around Perth, the wildflower trails of the Swan Valley, the Darling Ranges, Rottnest Island, and Nambung National Park are the most popular choices for a day trip viewing, while the Perth Botanic Gardens in Kings Park are in full bloom throughout September. Farther south, add the Warren National Park, Peaceful Bay, and the Stirling Range National Park to your list of viewing options. 

How to Go

Unless you have your own transportation, the easiest way to admire WA’s wildflower plains is on a day trip from Perth. Most full-day tours make a number of stops to see and photograph the wildflowers, and to visit natural wonders such as the Pinnacles Desert, Wave Rock, and Mulka’s Cave. Generally tours are run by a botanist guide who can point out wildflower species such as orchids, red and green kangaroo paws, banksias, and bottlebrushes.

A little more than two hours north of Perth, the Pinnacles limestone formations are located inside Nambung National Park. The surrounding Pinnacles Desert provides the chance to see more of Western Australia outside the city and discover the sport of sandboarding. Here are a few ideas for choosing a day trip that suits your interests.

Highlights

• Sandboarding typically takes place on the large sand dunes of Lancelin, a coastal town just south of Nambung National Park.

• Some day trips include a stop at Caversham Wildlife Park where you can see Aussie animals like koalas and kangaroos.

• Combine your desert adventure with wine tasting by selecting a day trip that includes the Swan Valley wine region just outside Perth.

• To explore native bushland and wildlife, opt for a tour that includes Yanchep National Park.

Despite being Australia’s largest state, Western Australia produces just a tiny percentage of the country’s wine. However, there are still some excellent wineries to explore and the top wine-growing areas are all within easy reach of Perth. Here are some of the must-try varietals and wine tours in and around Perth.

Must-Try Varietals

There are three main wine regions close to Perth—the Swan Valley, Margaret River and the Great Southern wine region. The Swan Valley is the hottest wine region in Australia, with an early grape harvest (in January) that produces grapes such as verdelho, chenin blanc, and chardonnay. Further south, the Margaret River wine region is known for its cabernet sauvignon, merlot, sémillion, sauvignon blanc, chenin blanc and chardonnay. Finally, the Great Southern is Australia’s largest wine region—encompassing the Porongurups, Mount Barker, Albany, Denmark, and Frankland River regions—and produces a diverse selection of red, white, rose, and sparkling wines including Riesling, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, Shiraz, and malbec.

Must-Do Experiences

• Sip wine and dine on gourmet cuisine as you float along the Swan River on a Swan Valley wine cruise.

• Combine wine tasting in the Margaret River with regional sights such as Busselton Jetty, Mammoth Cave, and Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse on a day or multi-day tour from Perth.

• Pair delicious cuisine with carefully selected wines at the Sandalford Winery.

• Visit boutique wineries, whiskey distilleries, and cider houses on a tour of Perth Hills.

• Learn more about the winemaking process as you stroll the vineyards and take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Upper Reach Winery.

• Feel like a VIP with a scenic flight to the prestigious Leeuwin Estate, where you can enjoy a romantic lunch and private wine tasting.

• Master the art of wine tasting and sample Western Australian wines without leaving Perth by taking an introductory wine class.