Before I would put in for a day trip out of Perth I like to know what the group can stand in terms of driving. You make a plan for 2026 that is workable and you are fine with the time and cost, but try to factor in your tolerance for six hours behind the wheel after an overpriced pie at the servo and one good lookout.
Then there is my short list. For a full day I go to Rottnest Island, or Swan Valley where one can have an untroubled lunch and some wine. Exploring things to do near Perth offers many delightful experiences. A coast run through Fremantle and Cottesloe is straightforward enough. And when I am in the mood for WA to be something else by the time I eat, the Pinnacles are hard to beat. Anything beyond that is down to stamina.
Some will make a virtue of it and put Wave Rock, a couple of photo detours, a bakery and a sunset on the docket for a July day. It is a punishing way to go about things and the whole thing comes undone. I prefer to be practical here and give you the real figures in AUD, the travel times and which traveller is suited to what.
Quick Picks
Give a place room if you have a free day. A self-drive or a tour from Perth will do, but you don’t set up for a winery the same as you do for the beach, nor do you take the same pace with wildlife as a long run north on the highway.
Allow some margin. You should be on the Mitchell Freeway but someone has to have a coffee, the kids will crack, ferry lines get backed up and the weather has other ideas by 11 am.
| Destination | Travel Time From Perth | Best For | Rough Day Cost | Who Should Avoid It |
| Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) | Ferry, 25 to 90 minutes from your point of departure | The quokkas, cycling and beaches of Rottnest | AUD 120-220 per adult | Those with no head for the wind or bikes, or who won’t book in advance |
| Swan Valley | A 25 to 40 minute car ride | An easy plan for lunch and the valley’s wineries | AUD 40-180 per person | If you are a driver after a big tasting day |
| Pinnacles Desert (Nambung National Park) | Car, 2 to 2.5 hours either side | Sandboarding at Lancelin and desert views | AUD 70-180 per person | Not for those who don’t want to be on the road early or drive back weary |
| Fremantle And Cottesloe Beach | 30 to 45 min, train or car | Markets, the beach and a simple day out | AUD 20-100 per person | Anybody looking for wilderness |
| Penguin Island And Mandurah (Mandjoogoordap) | 45 to 75 min in the car | Family days out and wildlife cruises | AUD 50-180 per person | Don’t come if you are going to overlook seasonal access and the wind |
| Yanchep Or John Forrest | 40 to 60 min by car | Some bush time and koalas on a short walk | AUD 20-60 per person | Travellers of an alpine hiking bent |
| Margaret River / Busselton | In the region of 3 to 3.5 hours each way | A premium day out | AUD 120-300 per person | Leave it if you are low on stamina |
| Wave Rock (Hyden) | Four hours or so each way | A bucket-lister from Perth | AUD 100-260 per person | Families with very young children unless they are well organised |
Making The Right Choice
I tend to plan these from the weakest link in the car. Be it a six-year-old at his wits end by three, a driver with no desire for country roads once it is dark, or a couple talking of a relaxed day while they put together a schedule with more snacks than an Airtasker route.
Being two hours from Perth is not a two-hour affair. Put in a fuel stop at Muchea, some roadworks off Wanneroo, the usual toilet and parking laps, a queue at the bakery and the one who has lost his hat and you have made a 10-hour slog of it without much effort.
On Transport
Fremantle is the sensible option for a train from Perth. Simple and cheap.
You can manage Rottnest without a car provided you put in at Elizabeth Quay, Hillarys Boat Harbour or Fremantle for the ferry. But don’t be a last-minute sort on a sunny January Saturday or during the school holidays. Book early, weeks ahead if need be.
For the likes of the Pinnacles, Yanchep and John Forrest, Mandurah and Wave Rock you are better off to self-drive. There is a freedom to it, though you may find one person nursing a Coke Zero at lunch while the rest hold forth over a second tasting. Travel writers with their glossy pieces don’t mention that part.
Companions make a difference
When I have children with me, the plan has to be able to take a 1 pm mood swing and come out the other side. I am after unpretentious food, some elbow room and toilets that are not an ordeal. For that I will put my money on Penguin Island, Yanchep, Mandurah or Fremantle; they are dependable. A day trip to Margaret River is rarely as easy to put together.
Couples can put in an easier day in Swan Valley given the short travel times and the fact one can keep things loose. Then there are friends from Sydney or Melbourne who want to see what WA is all about in postcard form. I would point them to Rottnest or for a Pinnacles excursion from Perth so it is more of an experience than a “nice beach and some fish and chips.”
Rottnest as it should be
There is a reason Wadjemup is the classic. You have the quokkas (which have made a name for themselves in excess of some small towns), bike tracks, good swimming and car-free roads in clear water.
I don’t like to leave Rottnest to chance. The ferries go, you waste time if you are late with the bike hire, and an afternoon wind will make a lazy ride hard work when you had it in your mind to do the full loop in the summer heat and called it “pretty manageable”.
A matter of timing and ferries
The run from Fremantle is generally the swiftest way to get off, though many opt for Hillarys Boat Harbour or Elizabeth Quay. Catch an early ferry and the day is transformed: calmer water, no sense of being rushed at 2:30 pm because everyone else is still making their way to The Basin, and more time for the beach.
It is not cheap either. Between admission and return fares you are already ahead of a train to Fremantle, and with a couple of cold drinks, lunch, a snorkel and the bikes a couple will be over AUD 300 without any extravagance.
Where people get caught
They put too much stock in the map. The island loop is very doable on paper. Go for a swim at Pinky Beach, put in some photos, find some shade and wait for your food, then try to head back into a headwind and you will find the clock has got away from you. In the last part of the ride you will see your share of riders with dead legs and a thousand-yard stare.
Have some sun protection and pick a side of the island. It is better to have two decent swims and a shorter ride than to put in the miles and end up on the ferry with salt on your face and a muffin for dinner.
Swan Valley, no bother
This is where I tell people to go for a day out that doesn’t require any sort of operation. From central Perth you are there in under 40 minutes, have a good meal and put in a few purchases and be home before the evening traffic sets in.
Its simplicity is what makes it. Good for a small party or a couple who would prefer to be under a tree with something to eat rather than tramping around in 33 degrees for another lookout.
Wine, food and the river
You can cover a lot of ground in a small space. The wineries are close by to the distilleries, produce shops and breweries and the like. Some will throw in a river cruise so someone isn’t tied to the wheel all day.
A guided tour from one of the Perth outfits has its merits since you don’t have to hold the keys, but self-drive is the economical way to do it if you are disciplined. Expect to pay in the region of AUD 40-80 a head for a modest affair with lunch and a stop or two, far more on a Saturday if you are putting tastings and bottles on top of a big meal.
For a short day
If the thought of sitting in a car for half the day is unappealing, this is the answer and among the least expensive options from Perth. Book a proper lunch and don’t attempt to sample half the valley before 5 pm.
Folks will overdo it. Make three or four stops and leave it at that, otherwise you are left with nothing but parking, receipts and traffic and having to say “Quick one and we’ll be on our way” for the rest of the day.
Pinnacles
One would think the road to the Pinnacles is unremarkable until you come to Nambung and it is as if another planet has been put down in the vicinity of Cervantes. There is the attraction of it. Make an early start from Perth and, provided the traffic is good, a complete change of view will be yours by late morning.
For those in search of a self-drive excursion from Perth that doesn’t seem like they have not been anywhere, the Pinnacles are hard to beat. You can make Lancelin part of it too but then you have to face the fact you are in for a full day with early alarms and a weary drive back.
Driving, Stops, And Sand
It is common to see the day trip from Perth to the Pinnacles done in conjunction with some sandboarding at Lancelin or a visit to Cervantes. The going is 2 to 2.5 hours either way under normal circumstances; on a long weekend or public holiday though, when half the cars are making for the north, that figure becomes less reliable.
A self-drive keeps costs straightforward: entry to the park, your food and fuel, board hire should you have Lancelin in mind. A guided tour will set you back more but is worth considering if the group is keen on stargazing in the Pinnacles Desert and no one fancies being back on the highway after 10 pm.
Safety And Season Notes
There is little respite from the heat in summer, the light is hard and what shade there is does nothing to stop the warmth coming back at you. The shoulder months and winter are kinder, yet a coastal wind can put a damper on a Lancelin outing and the journey home from the north is only enjoyable if the driver has not been run through. I make it a habit to consult the Bureau Of Meteorology Western Australia before any protracted drive in the state. It takes five minutes and spares you from making a poor decision.
An Easy Win In Fremantle And Cottesloe
On days when I am not in the mood for 5:30 am alarms, ferry reservations or having to time my arrival at a national park, I go to Fremantle and Cottesloe. No trouble at all to put in a late departure from Perth, have a good meal and some historic streets underfoot and be on the beach by afternoon.
Take the train and it is by far the best of the Perth day trips, even for those without a car. The route is uncomplicated and flexible enough that an hour’s delay is no great matter.
Beach Time, Markets, Heritage
My preference is to do Fremantle and follow up with Cottesloe. Have the markets and old streets in the morning and the city side can have its turn while you are at the beach later. Rail and local transport will see you there, or a car for a bit more latitude between stops, but try parking on the coast on a warm weekend and it is an exercise in patience. In peak season the foreshore is swamped with sunset crowds so don’t be putting in a firm dinner reservation unless you are prepared to put in the work.
Wildlife To The South
I put families who want some action in their day in the direction of Mandurah, Penguin Island or the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park. Boats and beaches are of assistance and the prospect of an encounter with something sporting flippers is better still.
You are looking at 45 to 75 minutes’ driving, contingent on where you put off and the state of the Kwinana Freeway, which is preferable to half your outing being spent behind a windscreen en route to one major draw.
Access, Dolphins, Penguins
Penguin Island is straightforward in theory until the marine conditions or the wind or a seasonal closure intervene. Do yourself a favour and check the operator and access details before leaving Perth; “we’ll sort it out” is a formula for let down children and overpriced chips in the car park here.
The wildlife cruises in Mandurah are more accommodating of different ages. You can’t count on dolphins but an hour or two on a boat is more agreeable to many than being put through a lengthy walking itinerary. The bill for a beach day might be modest, but add in lunch and a cruise and you could be over AUD 100 per head.
Bush Walks That Don’t Require A Long Haul
When the coast is being lashed about there is no sense in it, a shaded trail is the wiser option. For bush time near the city I go with Yanchep and John Forrest National Parks. They are practical, an hour at most, and give you a proper reset with a short walk and fresh air, no mission required.
Koalas, Caves, And Short Trails
There is no denying the koalas are what draws one to Yanchep. The park is good value for a half day, yet you can make it of a full one by way of some picnic time, the caves and an easy walk or two. John Forrest is more of a bush affair and not as put together, to the liking of some. Then again, neither requires you to be in top physical shape or have the best equipment; decent shoes and water will do. Mind the tracks after a rain for they can be slick, and on a hot day the sun has a way of catching up with those who think a short walk is an excuse not to prepare.
Long Days Worth It
You could look at a Perth day trip on paper and think it is manageable but find it rather demanding come the actuality. Margaret River, Wave Rock, Busselton Jetty are of that ilk. Doable, provided you are serious about it.
These are substantial days. An early start, your route and snacks in order, no 8 am dallying around the house looking for a hat.
Margaret River And Busselton
The appeal of a Margaret River excursion from Perth is the region’s polished tourism and the fact you get coast, food and wine all in one go. But there is the matter of distance. At three to three and a half hours each way with stops to make, it is for the confident driver or one who puts the onus on a guided tour from a Perth operator.
For a plan with a single focal point, Busselton Jetty is the neater option. You might tick off both it and Margaret River in a day if you try, but you will be compromising and not give yourself the time to put your feet up in either.
Wave Rock And Mulka’s Cave
Head inland for a change of scenery from the coast and you will find the dry country and long roads leading to the curved rock wall of Wave Rock and Mulka’s Cave. Memorable stuff.
In fair conditions it is four hours either side so consider this a self-drive day in earnest. I would not put anyone there who has a dislike for long country runs or is with toddlers prone to melting in their car seats, or is one of those who goes foggy in the late afternoon; the drive back is when the romance of the day wears thin.
One-Day Planning Checklist
The trick to a good day out of Perth is often to do less than expected. Go with a plan that fits the energy you have, not the iced coffee and optimism you might conjure up.
- Limit yourself to an optional add-on and a principal destination
- Look at the weather and any marine or bushfire warnings the evening prior and once more in the morning
- Make pre-bookings for ferries, a bike or a well sought after tour
- Have your water, phone charger and sun protection to hand
- Factor in parking, queues and the traffic on the way back
- On a longer drive, have it settled ahead of time who is in fit shape to get you home
Gideon Bennett’s Take
Put me on the spot for an all rounder and my answer is the same. A classic big day is Rottnest Island, Swan Valley for the least trouble, Fremantle and Cottesloe for the coast without fuss, Pinnacles for the most dramatic shift in landscape you can have in a day. To see wildlife make for Mandurah or Penguin Island down south. Yanchep and John Forrest are reliable for a bit of bush and walking. There is also Margaret River, Busselton Jetty and Wave Rock for the bigger regional trips, but only if you have the stomach for them and don’t expect to breeze through in good humour.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Best Day Trip From Perth?
Rottnest Island gets my vote as it has the beaches, the wildlife and the whole away-for-the-day vibe. For strange scenery the Pinnacles are hard to beat, while Swan Valley is the easier proposition if food and wine are what you are after. A simple outing at lower cost is to be had in Fremantle and Cottesloe.
What Are Some Good Day Trips I Can Take From Perth By Train?
Fremantle is the obvious choice by train, it does not ask much of you and still makes a good day of it for couples, families or the solo traveller; Cottesloe is a fine addition. One can make of Rottnest a day without a car by taking rail to a ferry.
Where Should I Go 2 Hours From Perth?
A couple of hours out from here and I would put in a trip to Yanchep National Park, Mandurah or the Penguin Island area, some of the Swan Valley; there is room for an odd extra stop. Then there are the Pinnacles, which for the majority will be over two hours away, yet an early start and they are good for the day.
The Cheapest Day Trips Out Of Perth?
You will find that getting to Fremantle, Cottesloe or John Forrest National Park does not cost as much as some other excursions, transport and entry fees being what they are. The same goes for the Swan Valley provided you do not put down money for tastings all afternoon but have one meal and make your stops in a more relaxed fashion.
Is a long self-drive preferable to going with a guide?
Not always. While one has the flexibility of the open road at places such as the Pinnacles, Yanchep or Mandurah, it is another matter when you consider Margaret River or Wave Rock. Factor in the fuel, parking and the wear and tear of driving back to Perth on your own, and a late stargazing run at the Pinnacles is better left to someone else.
