Australia’s Perth is like the quiet sibling of the bigger cities of Melbourne and Sydney. A small city with plenty of natural tourist attractions, it is home to some of the best beaches in Australia and great food.
If you are looking for somewhere to relax, enjoy the food, and take in unparalleled scenery, Perth is sure to live up to that expectation. Best travelled with a private hire car, Perth is widespread and whimsical when explored.
Personally, I loved the seeing the quokkas (small marsupials), pigging out at Fremantle Market, and treating myself to some decadent snacks at Subiaco Farmers Market over the weekend. Fascinated by the diversity of food, activities, and sights, I was amazed by all I could do in Perth.
Here is a list of my favorite things to do in the City of Light, my top 10 things you have to try out when in Perth, Western Australia:
Must eat!
1. Get your toast fix at ToastFace Grillah!
It’s 7 am in the morning and you wake up, hungry, just looking to get something to fill you up and satisfy those taste buds. Toastface Grillah is just the place for you.
Situated right smack bang in the city, yet hidden away in a small side-street along Grand Theatre Lane, is my favourite toasty shop. Toastface Grillah serves up piping hot toast with some of the most interesting combinations I’ve seen to date.
Peanut butter, banana, brie and maple syrup, all sandwiched together for the perfect grilled toast. Got you drooling yet? And, if you don’t have a sweet tooth in the morning, pick up a Trillacheese, a toastie filled with all kinds of cheese, such as Cheddar, Emmantel, and Gruyere. Alternatively, try their signature Peal Grillz, a mix of Stilton blue cheese, lime chutney, cinnamon, pear, and fruit bread.
Yum Yum.
Do note that while they have a small outdoor seating area, the spaces are limited so a takeaway might be the next best option if you intend to try out this unconventional toastie place.
Toastface Grillah
Address: Wellington St & Barrack street, Perth WA 6000, Australia
Price: from 3.80 USD
Opening Hours: Monday - Friday 7 am- 4 pm, Saturday 9 am - 4 pm, Sunday 10 am - 4 pm
Duration: around 1 hour required
Contact: +61 409 115 909
Website: Toastface Grillah
2. Pig out at Fremantle Market
No top-10 list is complete without Perth’s crown jewel, Fremantle Market.
Famous for its wide variety of local produce, such as fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and meats, Fremantle Market is only open during the weekend, making it a hotspot for tourists to explore when dropping by the City of Light.
If shopping for local produce isn’t really up your alley and breakfast / lunch is still on the cards, there is a section for cooked food. There are plenty of dishes to try out, from smoked burgers and gozleme to jam-filled doughnuts.
For something a bit saltier to wake up those taste buds, try out the potato spiral from Fremantle Fish and Chips. Moving on to your main course, be delighted with gozleme, a pancake-style dish with side sauces such as hummous, chilli, and garlic sauce to dip in and get messy!
End off your degustation experience with some of the best doughnuts in town from Levi’s Doughnuts. Brilliantly done and sweetly sugar-coated with their own jam bowl, Levi’s Doughnuts are the best doughnuts I’ve ever had!
Fremantle Market
Address: South Terrace & Henderson St, Fremantle WA 6160, Australia
Price: from 5 USD
Opening Hours: Friday 9 am - 8 pm, Saturday and Sunday 9 am - 6 pm
Duration: around 2 hours required
Contact: +61 8 9335 2515
Website: Fremantle Market
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3. Shop for local produce at Subiaco Market
Subiaco Farmers Market, or known to locals as Subi Market, is a small but well-established farmers market that only happens every Saturday. Starting from as early as 7 am, locals flock to Subi Market to get their groceries and breakfast.
With close to 40 stalls in the area, there is no shortage of things to get at Subi Farmers Market. From fresh produce to pet treats, there is something for everyone, tourists included! Be wowed by the local craft scene and taste the decadent sweet treats that some of the owners have to offer.
The only downside of visiting Subi Market is that when it rains, there is hardly any shelter around. Carry an umbrella if you suspect rain is on the cards, just to be safe!
Subi Farmers Market
Address: Subiaco Primary School, 271 Bagot Rd, Subiaco WA 6008, Australia
Price: from 5 USD
Opening Hours: Saturday 8 am - 12 noon only
Duration: around 1 hour required
Contact: +61 406 758 803
Website: Subi Farmers Market
Must see!
4. Watch cute quokkas at Rottnest Island (from USD 79.0)
Native to Perth’s Rottnest Island, quokkas are the main reason that most people flock to Rottnest Island.
Cute, small, and seemingly always in a good mood, these little nocturnal marsupials belong to the “big foot” family, of which kangaroos and wallabies are also included.
Inquisitive, visually appealing, and apparently fearless, the quokkas on Rottnest Island have learned to adapt to humans being around. While they may appear at your feet, all friendly and nice, be careful when handling those selfie sticks; when quokkas feel threatened, they exchange their sunshine smiles for those big feet equipped with razor-sharp claws!
Also, please avoid picking up the small marsupials because even slight motions can frighten them. Other than that, feel free to take a picture of / with them and explore Rottnest Island on a bicycle, because, other than the quokkas, the views are amazing!
Rottnest Island Round-Trip Ferry from Perth
Duration: 7 to 8 hours
5. See wombats lazing around Caversham Wildlife Park (from USD 150.0)
Only 25 minutes from Perth city, Caversham Wildlife Park is home to Australia’s native animals. But, unlike a zoo where you can only see animals from behind glass windows or bars, Caversham Wildlife Park allows and encourages visitors to interact with and learn about the animals.
At Caversham, you can see kangaroos hopping around freely within their enclosure and you are welcome to head inside, feed them some free pellets, and take photos with them. Additionally, head down to the koala meet and greet session where you can pet the koalas and see them chomp down on eucalyptus leaves.
Best of all, get a photo with the lazy wombat that just sits on the trainer’s lap for the hour-long photo-taking session. Since the photo-taking session is only about an hour long each time, be sure to get there early and get queuing!
Penguin Island and Caversham Wildlife Park Day Trip From Perth
Duration: 10 hours
Must do!
6. Bask in the sun at Kings Park
Fancy one of those lazy, laid-back days?
Dust off that old picnic basket and take it on a trip to Kings Park! One of the world’s largest and most scenic inner-city parks, Kings Park boasts Aboriginal and European history.
Visitors can appreciate the panoramic views of the two main rivers, the Swan and Canning Rivers, the Perth city skyline, and the Darling Range. Here is where those walking / running shoes will come in handy! There are bushland walking trails, clean gardens, and acres of parkland for visitors to explore and learn about the 3,000 species of flora.
I would recommend just taking a day to explore Kings Park, preferably one of the warmer, non-rainy days. While there are a few food outlets to dine at within Kings Park, a picnic basket filled with bread, cheese, and maybe a glass of wine for the adults, will suffice for a great day out!
The park offers free guided botany walks that run daily, so, if you’re interested in flora, do check it out!
Climb to the observation deck to get great scenic views of the city skyline and towering buildings in the distance.
Kings Park
Address: Perth WA 6005, Australia
Price: Free!
Duration: around 4 hours required
Contact: +61 8 9480 3600
Website: Kings Park and Botanic Gardens
7. Get that mandatory Instagram shot at Crawley Edge Boatshed
While many pictures look like Crawley Edge Boatshed, also known as the Little Blue House, is in a secluded area with great views of the river, many would be surprised to know that this popular ‘Instagram home’ is located right next to a road!
Although there’s nothing particularly special about this attraction, it is definitely an iconic thing to see when in Perth. Taking a great picture involves getting the boatshed in the background with the blue skies bordering the picture.
Just one for the memories, right?
Situated on the Swan River, the site is common in many wedding photo shoots, so if something special is on the cards, consider taking the opportunity to check out this place.
Crawley Edge Boatshed
Address: Swan River, Perth Western Australia, Australia
Duration: around 1 hour required
Website: Crawley Edge Boatshed
8. Listen to the waves at Cottesloe Beach
With at least 19 sandy, pristine beaches around Perth city, it is no wonder that many people know of the high standards of the beaches in Perth.
Cottesloe Beach is one of those destinations that is perfect for just a day of relaxing and spending time lazing on the beach. Whether you’re an avid surfer or just want to hang around and listen to the waves beat against the jagged rocks, Cottesloe entertains, and does it exceptionally well.
Its shades of blue blend perfectly as the ocean water meets the land. Even more stunning is the sunset, with even locals flocking to the nearby cafes and food stops that line the beach front to catch a glimpse.
I personally loved Cottesloe because it smelled so fresh and calming at the same time. I would definitely recommend sitting around the grassy areas near the beach front and just enjoying a glass of wine, because lazy days are sometimes the best days! Feast your eyes on the calm but sometimes erratic waves, rather like a motion picture on playback!
If you happen to be around Perth in March, Cottesloe Beach plays host to an outdoor art gallery, Sculpture by the Sea.
Cottesloe Beach
Address: Cottesloe, Western Australia 6011, Australia
Duration: 2+ hours required
Website: Cottesloe Beach
9. Shop till you drop at Carousel, Westfield
With brands ranging from JB HiFi to Cotton On and Supre, there is something for everyone at Carousel, Westfield.
About 20 minutes from Perth city, Carousel is one of the biggest shopping malls around Perth. With a whopping 293 individual stores and 9 major anchor tenants sitting in this massive shopping centre, you can be sure to shop till you drop.
When you’re tired and need a break, check out the food centre within Carousel that offers close to 10 different cuisines all in one area, and at reasonable prices too!
Top tip: if you’re visiting Australia and intend to head off within 60 days, don’t forget to claim back the additional tax fee at the airport. This is only applicable if you have spent more than 300 AUD (227 USD) in a single receipt at participating outlets. This way, you can get back close to 10% of what you spend on large, expensive items.
If you do intend to get the tax waived on those items, please remember to show your goods to an authorised officer at the airport.
Carousel, Westfield
Address: 1382 Albany Hwy, Cannington WA 6107, Australia
Opening Hours: Monday - Wednesday, and Friday 9 am - 5.30 pm, Thursday 9 am - 9 pm, Saturday 9 am - 5 pm, and Sunday 11 am - 5 pm
Duration: around 4 hours required
Contact: +61 8 9458 6344
Website: Carousel, Westfield
10. Visit the longest timber-piled jetty in the Southern Hemisphere (from USD 210.0)
About 300 kilometres (186.4 miles) from Perth city centre is Busselton Jetty. Although it is a long drive from the city centre, I promise you the view of the open ocean is magnificent and well worth the 3-hour drive down.
Hailed as the longest timber-piled jetty in the entire Southern Hemisphere, it is definitely one of those places you need to go to see to believe. In fact, the jetty is so long that locals have started a mini-train business so that tourists don’t have to walk the entire journey. You can just sit on the train and relax as it takes you all the way out to the front.
Crystal clear waters, almost-white sandy beaches, and a long pier for those romantic walks are what await you if you decide to take the challenge and travel down south to Busselton Jetty.
Busselton Jetty
Address: Busselton Beachfront, Busselton WA 6280, Australia
Price: from 166.57 USD
Duration: around 12 hours required
Website:
Margaret River and Geographe Bay Region Day Trip from Perth
Duration: 12 hours
Ready for another great vacation? I am!
I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling all pumped and excited for another vacation in Perth!
With so many new things to discover and a multitude of old things to revisit, the City of Light never seems to disappoint.
Final tip! Be weather-proof. Rainy days are common in the Perth area, despite the possibility of warm weather during the summer. So be properly dressed for success and a perfect vacation will travel your way!
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