Travel & Touring | WA Things to Do
By: Monique Ceccato
There’s no better way to enjoy Australia’s sunniest capital than spending time on the coast.
Whether you simply want to swim or you’re more into snorkelling and sandcastle-building, here are 17 Perth beaches you can visit to engage in your favourite activities.
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- 11 of the best beaches in Perth for kids »
- 10 of Perth's best dog beaches »
- Best beaches north of Perth within three hour's drive »
- 13 of the best snorkelling spots in Perth »
- 5 of the best beginner surf spots around Perth »
1. Cottesloe Beach
Location: 23 minutes (12km) from the CBD
Best for: swimming, cafe culture, lunch with a view, sunsets, iconic photography, picnics on the grass, enclosed shark net
Lifeguards: daily in summer, 6am - 6pm
Accessibility: A wide, sloping road leads down onto the southern section of the beach. Beach wheelchairs are available for free hire between 1 October and 30 April, booked via SpacetoCo. An all-access bathroom is available at 149 Marine Parade.
There’s hardly a Perth beach more iconic than Cottesloe.
The stately Indiana Teahouse—currently home to the Latin-American-inspired Indigo Oscar bar and restaurant—is the subject of many of the city’s tourism campaigns.
Watching the sunset from the bar with a margarita in hand is the perfect summer night activity, but the colourful sky show is equally as enjoyable over a picnic on the grassy tiers right next door.
If you prefer a morning dip over dusk, you can make the most of the cafes that line Marine Parade. Pop into Magic Apple Wholefoods for a coffee and an acai bowl post-swim, or head to Cottesloe institution, Il Lido, for a green pea rosti and side of ocean views.
2. City Beach
Location: 21 minutes (11km) from the CBD
Best for: swimming, breakfast with a view, sauna, accessibility, picnics on the grass, sunsets
Lifeguards: daily in summer, 6am - 6pm
Accessibility: 60m of beach matting from the Surf Club to the high water mark and a beach wheelchair. Accessible bathrooms and changerooms under Odyssea City Beach. ACROD parking and wheelchair access
Finding space to set up your umbrella at City Beach is easy, given it’s one of Perth’s widest stretches of sandy coastline. Parking is similar, with no less than five large car parks—and a sixth a bit further north at Floreat Beach—along Challenger Parade.
On a good day, the water here is clear and calm, with just a tiny shore break suitable for all ages. When the swell is up, the waves can be quite daunting, so stick to the patrolled zone between the red and yellow flags.
Pre-swim, spend some time unwinding at Alchemy Saunas, then, post-swim, pop into Clancy’s Beach Bar for a burger or breakfast smoothie.
3. Mosman Beach
Location: 24 minutes (14km) from the CBD
Best for: dogs, swimming, surfing, walking
Lifeguards: no
Accessibility: N/A
Load up the car, dog and all, and head to Mosman Beach for a day of swimming, surfing, and throwing tennis balls into the water.
This stretch of beach runs into Leighton Beach in the south, sharing its off-lead dog exercise area. To the north lies South Cottesloe Beach. Along the 600m length of the beach is an artificial reef installed to create the surfable Cable Station break. While it’s no Cow Bombie or Main Break, there’s a decent enough wave in the colder months for a good surf session.
Grab an acai bowl and a shady spot under a beach umbrella from The Beach Bus food truck after your dip.
4. Mullaloo Beach
Location: 27 minutes (26km) from the CBD
Best for: swimming, kids, picnics
Lifeguards: daily in summer, 6:00am - 5:00pm weekdays, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm weekends
Accessibility: a beach wheelchair is available (call the City Of Joondalup on 9400 4226 or the Surf Club office on 9307 7766 to reserve), and beach matting extends from the surf club to the water’s edge. There are accessible bathrooms and changing rooms at the Surf Club. You’ll find two ACROD parking bays there and additional ACROD bays at the Mullaloo Beach Hotel and in the carpark off Tom Simpson Park.
With hardly any swell and ample shoreline for sandcastle building, Mullaloo Beach is the ultimate family beach.
There’s a playground and parklands overlooking the sand, too, and plenty of coastal pathways to cater an afternoon walk or bike ride.
If you’d prefer ocean views over ocean swims, call in for a coffee and breakfast at Swell Mullaloo Beach or the perfect lunchtime duo—fish and chips and a pint—at the Mullaloo Beach Hotel across the road.
5. Brighton Beach
Location: 20 minutes (14km) from the CBD
Best for: surfing, windsurfing/kite surfing, swimming, cafe culture
Lifeguards: weekends in summer, 8.30am - 5.30pm
Accessibility: accessible bathrooms at the beach end of Brighton Road
Brighton Beach has all the same appeal as its close neighbour, Scarborough Beach—clean sand, good swell, clear water, and proximity to cafes and bars—but you can expect around half the crowds.
At certain times of the year, local surf schools run out of Brighton, and when the wind is up, windsurfers and kitesurfers flock to this section of the beach.
Grab a coffee and brekky roll from the C-Breez Kiosk or head to Little Wave across the road and settle in to watch them from the dunes. If the sea breeze is too much, the dine-in option with wine and Fremantle octopus skewers is never a bad idea.
6. Yanchep Lagoon
Location: 47 minutes (54km) from the CBD
Best for: swimming, snorkelling, kids, fishing
Lifeguards: daily in summer, 8am - 4pm
Accessibility: accessible bathrooms at Yanchep Lagoon. A beach wheelchair is available from the Surf Club, and you can book it for free online.
The southern lagoon end of Yanchep Lagoon is arguably one of the best beaches for families with young children. The water here is so protected that it barely even laps at the shore, and it remains relatively shallow the whole way out to the reef.
If you fancy checking out what lives on the reef, pack a snorkel and fins and paddle around atop it. Beach fishing is permissible around the reef, and during the extremely limited season, abalone fishing is also permissible (if you hold the correct licenses and permits).
Head to Orion Cafe for lunch after your morning at the lagoon.
RELATED: 13 of the best snorkelling spots around Perth »
7. Trigg Beach
Location: 21 minutes (16km) from the CBD
Best for: surfing, cafe culture, kite surfing, fishing, bird watching
Lifeguards: weekends in summer, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Accessibility: accessible bathrooms are available at Clarko Reserve and South Trigg Beach
Swimmers and surfers can enjoy their respective activities harmoniously at Trigg Island Beach. Offshore, there’s a reef break that produces fairly consistent waves (though it’s best in winter), while inshore, swimmers can splash about in the clear water without crossing paths with errant boards.
At the beach's northern end is a rocky limestone outcrop, where you can throw a line in and catch whiting and bream or try your luck at spotting the different species of ocean birds that call it home.
If you get a little peckish, peruse the menus of the beachside and ever-so-popular Canteen Trigg or Island Market Trigg.
8. South Beach, Fremantle
Location: 31 minutes (26km) from the CBD
Best for: swimming, out-of-water activities
Lifeguards: no
Accessibility: A floating beach wheelchair is available for hire from the South Beach Cafe through SpaceToCo.
Kids will never bore at South Beach as there’s so much to do both on and off the sand. It’s one of the best spots to go ocean SUPing in Perth, so bring a stand-up paddle board, and it’ll make for hours of fun.
Swimming and sandcastle-building are also top-notch activities on this stretch of Perth coastline.
On the foreshore, kids can let loose on the playground or practice their three-pointers on the full-sized basketball court while you enjoy a coffee from the nearby South Beach Cafe.
9. Bennion Beach
Location: 21 minutes (16km) from the CBD
Best for: dogs, swimming, walking
Lifeguards: weekends in summer, 8.15am - 2.15pm
Accessibility: There is a carpark right above the beach (no specific ACROD bays)
If you like dogs, beaches, coffee, and long walks, consider spending the day down at Bennion Beach. Along West Coast Drive, this small bay is right on one of Perth's most beautiful coastal walks.
Grab an acai bowl or coffee from Bennies by the Beach food bus or take the dog for a wander up to Little Bay Bar and Eatery (it’s dog-friendly), where you can stop for breakfast or lunch before walking back for some well-deserved beach time.
Like most of the bays along here, there’s plenty of reef around, which protects the shallows from any oncoming swell. Dogs will love splashing about, and there are just enough clear sections of water for you to jump in for a swim, too. .
10. Scarborough Beach
Location: 21 minutes (15km) from the CBD
Best for: swimming, cafe culture, nightlife, night markets, general atmosphere
Lifeguards: daily in summer
Accessibility: There are a few gently sloping tarmac entry points to the beach. A beach wheelchair is also available through the City of Stirling Beach Services Team at the Scarboro Surf Life Saving Club. Multiple accessible bathrooms are along the foreshore.
Scarborough Beach’s allure is as much about the off-sand attractions as it is about the on-sand action.
Of course, the swimming here is second to none, with clear water, regular swell, and long stretches of white sand to lay your towel down on. But it’s easy to be distracted by everything else that Scarborough has going for it.
Cafes, bars, and restaurants line The Esplanade, groups gather for picnics on the foreshore’s grassy knoll at sunset, and kids run amok on the huge Whale Playground and nearby skate park.
Head down for an after-work swim on a Thursday night during summer, and you’ll catch the Scarborough Sunset Markets in full swing. If you’re not keen on the waves, you can always cool off in the open-air Scarborough Beach Pool instead.
11. Rockingham Foreshore
Location: 40 minutes (46km) from the CBD
Best for: beachside lunches, shopping, kids, walking, picnics, accessibility
Lifeguards: N/A
Accessibility: Find accessible bathrooms along the foreshore, which you can reach via wide, paved paths. Beach wheelchair loan is available from the Rockingham Visitor Centre and the Yacht Club. Beach matting is out on a seasonal basis.
Rockingham Foreshore Beach is to Rockingham what Geographe Bay is to Busselton.
Like its southern counterpart, the water here is impossibly still and gently deepens, making it the perfect place to bring little kids or anyone not so confident in tackling swell.
Pack an esky and make a day of it, firing up barbecues in the shady foreshore parks for lunch or popping into one of the cafes along the boardwalk for a ready-made sandwich.
At the boardwalk, you’ll find some fun play equipment built into the decking, including a shaded slide and climbing net.
12. Mettams Pool
Location: 21 minutes (16km) from the CBD
Best for: snorkelling, kids, cafe culture
Lifeguards: N/A
Accessibility: parking nearby and a paved ramp down to the sand
If there’s one place to put on your snorkelling hit list, it’s Mettams Pool.
The shallow lagoon has been carved out of the limestone reef, making for calm and protected waters when you’re within its bounds. As such, it makes a great beginner snorkelling spot.
There’s plenty to see on the shallow, protected side, including wrasse, herring, and blowfish. For the more confident swimmers and snorkellers, paths cut through the reef leading to deeper water where you’ll see larger schools of fish and, if you’re lucky, bottom-dwelling Striped Stingarees and harmless Port Jackson Sharks.
13. Hillarys Boat Harbour
Location: 26 minutes (21km) from the CBD
Best for: kids, shopping, sauna, waterfront lunches
Lifeguards: weekends and public holidays in summer
Accessibility: ACROD parking and accessible toilets. Ramp access to the beach and beach matting to the water.
Thanks to the surrounding jetties and structures, swimming at Hillary’s Boat Harbour beach is akin to swimming in a backyard pool.
The exceptionally calm bay is a hit with families, both for its lack of waves and the myriad of things surrounding it. Kids hungry? There are umpteen cafes lining the boardwalk where you can sate their appetite. Kids full of energy? There’s a small playground right on the beach.
And, if they’re over the beach, you can always visit the nearby Aquarium of Western Australia to keep them entertained. RAC members save on entry to AQWA.
14. Leighton Beach
Location: 25 minutes (15km) from the CBD
Best for: swimming, snorkelling, dogs, wind and kite surfing
Lifeguards: weekends in summer, 7.30 am - 11am
Accessibility: Accessible bathrooms are available
Few beaches in Perth can boast views of both Rottnest Island and the towering red container cranes at Fremantle Harbour.
You’ll be privy to both at Leighton Beach as you soak up the sun on the sand.
If the wind is up, you can add kite surfers and windsurfers to the view, their colourful sails dotted across the sky. But, for the most part, this is a calm and swimmable beach with little to no swell and patches of reef.
15. Pinky Beach, Rottnest Island
Location: 27-minute drive (20km) from CBD to Fremantle ferry wharf, 25 minutes by ferry, and 14-minute walk/3 minute cycle (1km) from Rottnest ferry wharf to Pinky Beach.
Best for: swimming, snorkelling, kids, iconic photos
Lifeguards: N/A
Accessibility: N/A
Pinky Beach is one of the most recognisable of Rottnest Island’s beautiful beaches and bays.
Marked by the historic Bathurst Lighthouse, this wide, sandy bay just a few minutes from the settlement is for swimming, snorkelling, or just sitting and enjoying the view.
Because of its location on the island, it’s shielded from south, southwest, and westerly winds; when you feel the sea breeze picking up, steer your bike towards the bay.
After a long day in the sun and salt, head up the stairs to Pinkys Rottnest Island for a well-deserved sunset cocktail.
RAC members save with discounted ferry tickets to Rottnest Island.
16. Coogee Beach
Location: 31 minutes (29km) from the CBD
Best for: snorkelling, swimming, walking, picnics, enclosed shark net
Lifeguards: weekends in summer, 8am - 12pm
Accessibility: A beach wheelchair is available at Coogee Beach Surf Life Saving Club. Contact them on 9494 1433 or clubadministrator@cbslsc.com.au to book. Accessible bathrooms are also available.
You don’t need a PADI dive certificate to explore Perth’s dive wrecks.
The Omeo Wreck—part of the larger Coogee Maritime Trail—is just 25m from shore at Coogee Beach and accessible to even beginner snorkelers. Most of the trail is around 2.5 to 5m deep, but at the western end, it drops to 7m.
Follow the underwater trail to see artificial bomboras and sunken sculptures teeming with sealife, or stay towards the beach’s southern end for swimming and sandcastle building.
17. The Spot, Two Rocks
Location: 52 minutes (58km) from the CBD
Best for: surfing, fishing
Lifeguards: daily in summer, 2.30 pm - 3pm
Accessibility: N/A
Getting to The Spot requires a 4WD and a little know-how.
Head north along Two Rocks Road from Yanchep towards Two Rocks, and you’ll see a turn-off to the left, leading you down an unsealed 4WD track. Follow it, and you’ll wind up at the centre of The Spot Beach, known for its tubing left-hand wave.
Like most good surf spots, it performs best in winter, so if you’re visiting in summer, leave the board at home and enjoy the beach for a crowd-free dip instead.
Continue with your sightseeing at Two Rocks and check out the famous 'King Neptune' statue.
Image credit: Tourism Western Australia
Heading to Rottnest? RAC members save on ferry trips with Rottnest Express and Sealink.* *Terms & Conditions apply. See www.rac.com.au/rottnest for details.
