13 day trips from Perth

With activities like dolphin-spotting, sandboarding, hot air ballooning and fruit-picking on offer, there’s a day out to suit all ages and interests.

So whether you’re heading inland, down south or up the coast, here are 13 of our favourite day trips from Perth.

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1. York

As WA’s first inland European settlement, the town of York offers a unique insight into WA’s settler history through its heritage precinct and well-preserved colonial architecture.

Head to the top of Mount Brown Lookout for sweeping views of the countryside, which is a carpeted in bright yellow canola fields around August and September, while in the York Bushland Garden you can see local wildflowers blooming in season. In town, Penny Farthing Sweets is an old-fashioned sweet shop also beloved for its quirky memorabilia. Enjoy lunch at one of York's old pubs or at one of its many cafés, including the Botanicalia cafe, which also has artisan's wares for sale. Or pack a picnic and head to the banks of the Avon River, then stroll down to the York wire suspension bridge, the first of its kind built in Western Australia, constructed in 1888.

One of York’s most well-known attractions is the York Motor Museum. It houses a massive collection of classic cars, Aussie race cars, motorcycles and vintage racing bikes alongside plenty of nostalgic motoring memorabilia and posters. One of its most notable exhibits is the ‘Never Never Tours’ Valiant ute that was used in the film “Crocodile Dundee”. It’s even signed by the film’s star, Paul Hogan.

• Distance from Perth: 98km, approx. 90min drive.

• When to visit: September to November for wildflower season, or mid-August to September for canola season.

2. Shoalwater Islands

The Shoalwater Islands Marine Park off the coast of Rockingham is dotted with a series of limestone islands, the largest two being Penguin and Seal islands. The park’s waters are home to Australian sea lions and around 200 local bottlenose dolphins, with tours that can take you out to swim and snorkel with them.

Just a short ferry ride offshore, Penguin Island is home to the largest colony of little penguins in Western Australia. On the island take the 1.5km Penguin Island Nature Walk to discover some of its beaches and hidden caves.

The reefs around the islands are abundant with sea stars, molluscs and plenty of fish; an idyllic environment for snorkelling and diving. You can also explore the Saxon Ranger Dive Wreck in Warnbro Sound. If you’re planning on diving here remember to get a permit first from the Rockingham Visitor Centre.

• Distance from Perth: 27km, a 40min drive.

• When to visit: All year round, but ferry tours of Shoalwater Bay operate from mid-September to early June.

3. Guildford

It may be well away from the coast, but Guildford is actually surrounded by water, with the Swan and Helena rivers running around much of the town’s boundaries.

As well as being the gateway to the Swan Valley wine region, Guildford has a National Trust classification as a historic town, with many well-preserved heritage buildings.

There are four self-guided heritage walk trails that take you past many of the town’s historic highlights, with 50 interpretive panels to view along the way. Call into the Swan Valley Visitor Centre on the corner of Swan and Meadow streets for maps.

With buildings that date back to the 1840s, the town has become well known for its antique and vintage shops, many of which are on James Street.

There are plenty of dining choices in this small but quaint package as well, from the iconic Alfred’s Kitchen for burgers, to many characterful cafes and fine dining options.

Padbury’s offers modern Australian cuisine in a beautiful 1860s building, along with a traditional high tea (bookings essential). Guildford is a hot spot for old pubs, including the Woodbridge Hotel and the Rose and Crown. The town’s little oasis - Gardens of Guildford – is also a great dining option, with its three eateries all wrapped in a leafy garden setting.

Time your visit for the third Sunday of every month and take a wander around the Stirling Square Markets. Find artisans’ wares, jewellery, clothing, plants, and much more, and grab a bite from one of the food trucks. The markets are held from February to December at the Stirling Square park, just near the Visitor Centre.

• Distance from Perth: 16km, a 35min drive.

• When to visit: Autumn to winter to avoid the summer heat.

4. Kalamunda and Walliston

Kalamunda and Walliston both boast excellent bushwalking trails, orchards, wineries and national parks.

In Kalamunda, the Bibbulmun Track, Mundy Regional Park and Rocky Pool Walk offer prime trails with epic views at bushland lookouts. The weekly Kalamunda Farmers Market each Sunday is a bustling event, with plenty of seasonal fruit and veg, baked goods and flowers on offer. The Zig Zag Drive that winds through the nearby Gooseberry Hill is a fantastic spot to watch the sun setting over the CBD.

One of Walliston’s most popular attractions is the S&R Orchard. The orchard hosts an annual blossom festival in September, and summer fruit-picking sessions from December to March each year. It’s a great place for a family day out, with live entertainment, tractor rides and food vans to enjoy.

• Distance from Perth: 29km, a 30min drive.

• When to visit: Winter for mountain biking in Kalamunda, or summer for S&R Orchard’s fruit-picking season.

5. Waroona

The ‘sea to scarp’ town of Waroona is a popular spot to visit thanks to its picturesque lakes, dams and weirs. Not only great for water-skiing, swimming and paddling, the banks of Waroona’s waterways are perfect for setting up camp and staying the night. There are camping facilities at the Lake Navarino Holiday Park, Waroona Dam or Lane Poole Reserve.

The ancient thrombolites at Lake Clifton in the Yalgorup National Park are also worth a visit. Just west of Waroona, this collection of rock-like living fossils make up the largest thrombolite reef in the Southern Hemisphere, and mark one of few places in Western Australia where you can see living thrombolites.

Other popular activities include horse-riding along the Darling Range with Langford Hill Riding Farm, birdwatching at Drakesbrook Weir and fishing and four-wheel driving along Preston Beach.

• Distance from Perth: 110km, 1hr and 15min drive.

• When to visit: Summer for idyllic camping and swimming conditions.

6. Yanchep

Best known for its sprawling national park that features a koala viewing boardwalk, walking trails that weave through cave systems and a population of western grey kangaroos, the town of Yanchep is an easy day trip destination with plenty to see and do.

Hop on a guided tour to explore the fascinating Crystal Cave, snorkel at the Yanchep Lagoon reef, take a walk trail that passes the remains of a ‘Ghost House’ and pick strawberries at a nearby farm in Carabooda (open weekends in spring and summer). If you’re eager to spend the night, pitch a tent on Henry White Oval within the national park.

• Distance from Perth: 55km, a 40min drive.

• When to visit: Summer for pleasant swimming weather, or spring to pick fresh strawberries.

7. Gidgegannup

Gidgegannup is a scenic area within the Perth Hills nature reserves, farming properties and fields of wildflowers in springtime. Located next to the Avon Valley, it’s a great place to hike alongside some impressive sights, such as Bells Rapids and Noble Falls.

Founded by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, the Paruna Wildlife Sanctuary offers several walk trails through jarrah, wandoo and powderbark forest to view some local endangered animal species. Join a two-hour guided walk at dusk to admire woylies, tammar wallabies, red-tailed black cockatoos and quendas in their natural habitat. The sanctuary is open from May to October each year, and bookings are essential.

If you’ve ever wanted to try horse-riding, the Zia Park Equestrian Centre is great for beginners and experts alike. The centre offers a cross country course, private riding trails through the surrounding bushland, and several large paddocks for training.

• Distance from Perth: 42km, approx. a 40min drive.

• When to visit: August to November for wildflower season, or May to October to explore the Paruna Wildlife Sanctuary.

8. Lancelin

Dubbed one of Australia’s best sandboarding destinations, the township of Lancelin is filled with beaches, inland walk trails and of course, crisp white sand dunes. The entire dune system stretches for 2km, and in sections, offers sandboarding down 450-degree-angle dunes. Entry is free but you’ll need to reserve your board before arriving.

Lancelin’s Back Beach is a great place to unwind after a day on the dunes. Thanks to a sandbar 20m from shore, the beach generally has small waves ideal for kids (or adults) learning to surf. It’s also a popular spot for kitesurfing, windsurfing or stand-up paddle boarding. When the sun starts to set, the dog-friendly garden at the Endeavour Tavern offers sweeping ocean views and hearty meals.

As a side-trip, if you’ve never seen the Pinnacles in real life, head another 75km (or 45min) north up Indian Ocean Drive to Nambung National Park, see what all the fuss is about and grab some snaps of this very otherworldly landscape.

• Distance from Perth: 126km, approx. a 90min drive.

• When to visit: Summer, or other dry months to make the most of the dunes.

9. Dwellingup

Set amongst picturesque jarrah and marri forests, the town of Dwellingup is filled with hiking, mountain biking and river trails perfect for those looking to get a little closer to nature.

Dwellingup’s trails vary in difficulty. The 8km Marrinup Loop Mountain Bike Trail (and its 4km-long shortcut option) is popular for beginners and kids, and keen bushwalkers will enjoy the 18km King Jarrah Walk Trail, which traces the Murray River and weaves through lush jarrah forest. For an adrenalin rush, try out the zipline and high ropes course at Treetops Adventures.

Other popular attractions include the Captain Fawcett 4WD Trail, the Hotham Valley Tourist Railway, which offers steam train rides through the forest to the towns of Etmilyn and Pinjarra, and the Forest Discovery Centre which showcases handcrafted wooden artworks and fine furniture.

If you’re planning to spend the night, there are more than 150 camp sites within the massive Lane Poole Reserve. Popular spots include Baden Powell, Stringers, Nanga Mill and Tony’s Bend – all must be pre-booked online.

• Distance from Perth: 108km, 1hr 15min drive.

• When to visit: Winter for the best conditions to canoe down the Murray River, springtime to view wildflowers on local trails, or May to October to ride the Hotham Valley Railway.

10. Guilderton and Moore River

The town of Guilderton is situated on the last remaining river estuary on the Swan Coastal Plain, the Moore River. There’s plenty to do around Guilderton, including swimming, sandboarding and surfing.

One of the best ways to explore Moore River is by paddling. There are a few options for canoe or kayak hire in Guilderton, and the river can be paddled upstream for about 12km, until Boobabbie Bridge. There are more than 100 species of birdlife on the Moore River waterway, so be sure to keep an eye out.

For keen fishers, Guilderton Beach is a great place to cast a line. Tailor, flathead, herring, mulloway and whiting can all be caught from the shore. There’s also a fishing boardwalk at Stephens Crescent.

• Distance from Perth: 92km, 1hr drive.

• When to visit: Summer for pleasant swimming, paddling and fishing weather.

11. Serpentine and Jarrahdale

Wineries, waterfalls and forest trails – if you don’t have time to drive to WA’s Southern Forests region, take a 60min drive south-east of Perth for a day in the Serpentine/Jarrahdale region.

Pack a picnic and spend a lazy day at Serpentine Falls in Serpentine National Park. If you have the time and energy, the walk trails through the park will reward you with some stunning scenery and views, including from the granite outcrop at Baldwins Bluff Trail.

Not far away, the small town of Jarrahdale has a rich history and even has a small museum in the old post office.

To feel like you really are ‘down south’, head to Millbrook Winery in Jarrahdale. Set on a chestnut farm with 20 stunning acres of vineyards and an award-winning restaurant, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported somewhere else entirely.

If you’re a mountain bike enthusiast, bring your bike out for a day on the MTB trails at Langford Park. There’s a large network of trails here suited to all skill levels. The park also has a picnic area with tables and barbeques.

• Distance from Perth: 60km 1hr 15min drive to Serpentine

• When to visit: July to November for wildflowers, winter and late spring for waterfalls

12. Mandurah

Once a popular seaside retreat for Perth locals, Mandurah tends to fall off the radar a bit these days as a daytrip option from Perth. But it’s taken a national award to remind us all just how much Mandurah has to offer.

In September 2023, Mandurah was named Australia’s Top Tourism Town as part of the Australian Tourism Industry Council’s ‘Top Tourism Town’ Awards. When you take a good look around, it’s not hard to see why.

Waterfront dining options range from fine dining to casual, with lots of options for fresh seafood.

With an estuary twice the size of Sydney Harbour, you could spend a lot of time just exploring Mandurah from the water.

And there are so many interesting ways to do just that. You can take a dolphin tour to meet the estuary’s resident dolphins, bring a crab scoop and find your own lunch in one of Mandurah’s famous crabbing spots. You can also dine out right on the water in one of the barbeque boats available for hire.

Mandurah has some excellent bike trails and if you don’t feel like bringing one, you can hire one once you’re there, with electric bikes also available for hire.

• Distance from Perth: 70km 1hr 5min drive

• When to visit: Year-round

13. Swan Valley

An easy 35min trip from Perth, the Swan Valley has some of WA’s oldest grape vines and wrapped around them is an ever-growing array of restaurants, cafes, breweries, and gourmet food sellers offering everything from cheese and chocolate to olive oils.

But food and wine is only part of the story. In addition to the world-class wineries the region is famous for, the Swan Valley has so much to offer families too. Have a swing at the18-hole Supa golf course, or give mini golf a shot.

There are three different animal attractions, including Caversham Wildlife Park, the West Australian Reptile Park and the Swan Valley Cuddly Animal Farm.

For something a little different, Swan Valley Station incorporates a boutique nursery, coffee shop and picnic grounds where you can spread a rug or relax on the lawn in a beanbag. There’s also a lake stocked with silver perch, marron and yabbies where you can actually fish for the perch and take home your catch.

At the Maalinup Aboriginal Gallery, in addition to browsing local Aboriginal artworks and giftware, you can also sample bushtucker at one of the bushtucker talks and tastings, and buy produce made from bushtucker, including jams and relishes.

• Distance from Perth: 25km 35min drive

• When to visit: Year-round