Day Trips Perth: Best Holiday Spots for a Weekend Away 

Whether it’s a gourmet getaway, nostalgic coastal retreat, or country escape, locals and visitors to Perth are spoiled for choice when it comes to holiday options just a day trip away. 

We’ve done the ground work and road-tested the best Perth day trips so you can spend less time planning and more time packing! 

Mandurah

As a seaside holiday destination, Mandurah holds a nostalgic place in the hearts of many Perthites but this coastal city just a 50-minute-drive south of Perth has had a major re-vamp in recent years. Aside from its new boho beach vibe, chic clothing and homewares boutiques, and Insta-worthy cafes and bars, you still have all the natural attractions for which the Peel region is known. With beautiful bays and an estuary and inlet that’s twice the size of Sydney Harbour, you can immerse yourself in multiple marine activities including boating, surfing, jet-skiing, kayaking and bird and dolphin spotting.  

Rottnest Island

No weekend guide would be complete without including Perth’s favourite playground, ‘Rotto’. Just a short ferry ride away, Rottnest is a marine paradise, filled with beautiful white-sand beaches, coral reef and turquoise bays. As well as swimming, snorkelling and biking around this A-class nature reserve - and making friends with the resident quokkas – there’s a good selection of beach-side restaurants, cafes and bars to refuel and refresh. And from Samphire Rottnest’s luxury resort, through to cosy cottages, and Discovery Rottnest Island’s glamping grounds, your accommodation options are covered.  

Swan Valley

Wine lovers rejoice! Perth’s oldest wine region is also its closest. Located just 25 minutes from the city, it’s home to over 40 world-class wineries, and the area is also filled with some seriously good breweries, cideries, and distilleries. But that’s not all. With much of WA’s produce grown here, foodies will delight in its fabulous farmers’ markets. Alternatively, follow the Swan Valley Fresh Produce Trail to buy direct from the farm gate, lunch at local restaurants and stock up on artisan goodies such as those from Whistler’s Chocolate Factory, Mondo Nougat, and The House of Honey.  

Jurien Bay

Approximately two and a half hours north of Perth along the Indian Ocean Drive, Jurien Bay is situated on the Turquoise Coast. This coastal paradise is aptly named, especially at Sandy Cape where the aquamarine waters are sheltered by a small bay perfect for frolicking, snorkelling and fishing. After checking the tides, you can drive directly onto the beach, set yourself up for the day, and sandboard for unabandoned sandy adventures. About an hour north of Jurien Bay, you’ll need your four-wheel drive to access the lush Stockyard Gully National Park, home to an impressive cave system stretching over 400 metres and leading to an underwater river. Cushioned with soft, cool sand underfoot, this picturesque cave provides much-needed relief during the warmer months and is home to colonies of kangaroos, birdlife, bats and bees. Don’t forget your torch as it’s pitch black inside.

Busselton

Measuring 1.841km, Busselton Jetty is the longest timber-piled jetty in the southern hemisphere and one of the few natural underwater observatories in the world, located at the end of the jetty and reached by foot or train. You can take an undersea walk, snorkel or scuba dive below the surface. Situated about two and a half hours south of Perth and in the Margaret River Region, there are a couple of exciting projects in the works in Busselton, with the 2023 opening of the Busselton Performing Arts and Convention Centre and the ongoing foreshore development, including a new Hilton Garden View Hotel. In the meantime, there are many attractions in Busselton, including fantastic cafes, Shelter Brewing Co., Origins Markets and a cultural precinct featuring the ArtGeo complex. Every August and September, Busselton participates in the Margaret River Open Studios, where local artists open their studios to the public, and CinefestOZ, Australia’s premiere destination film festival. 

Image credit: Margaret River Discovery Tour & Leeuwin Estate 

Margaret River

A little further a-field but well-worth the 3.5-hour-drive is WA’s most famous wine region, Margaret River. Internationally renowned for its wine, the area is also home to some of the country’s best surf beaches, old growth forest and farm-fresh produce. Lunch at award-winning restaurants like Leeuwin Estate or Vasse Felix, then treat yourself at Margaret River Chocolate Factory or Simmo’s Ice Creamery. Then hit the coast for a magical swimming experience at Wyadup Rocks. Also a popular wellness destination – with yoga and meditation retreats galore – you’ll find ‘Margs’ (as the locals call it) the perfect place to relax, recharge and reset.  

Lancelin 

Fancy some surfing of a different kind? Head to the quaint fishing village of Lancelin. Located 2-and-a bit hours north, here you can rent a sandboard and try sliding down some of Australia’s biggest dunes! Alternatively join a quad bike or 4WD tour. After working up an appetite, head to the Lobster Shack overlooking the beach at nearby Cervantes for an indulgent seafood lunch. But the must-see highlight of this area is the Pinnacles. These ancient natural limestone structures rising eerily from the golden sand of Nambung National Park, give the landscape an other-worldly feel. Don’t forget your camera! 

Perth Hills  

Head for the hills! Packed full of country charm, the collection of villages resting within the Darling Range, just 45 minutes from Perth is where you’ll find farmers markets, cosy pubs, antique shops and art galleries. Catering for nature lovers too, you can stop to smell the flowers at Araluen Botanic Park, chase waterfalls at Lesmurdie Falls, or follow one of the many hiking or biking trails within the area’s national parks – including the world-famous Bibbulmun Track.   

Image credit: Collie River Valley & Collie Mural Trail

Collie  

This small coal mining town 2 hours south-east of Perth has transitioned to tourism over the last few years. Instagram feeds have been filling fast with pics of its bright blue swimming hole, Diamond Lake, while art lovers have been flocking to see the world’s largest dam mural – a stunning new work, painted on the side of Wellington Dam. And while nearby forest trails are popular with walkers and mountain bikers, for happy campers content to stay put, there’s the likes of Lake Kepwari and Honeymoon Pool.  

Albany 

And if you’ve got an extra day to spare, make the most of a long weekend in the historic coastal city of Albany. From swimming at isolated beaches and hiking up granite peaks, to exploring the surrounding wineries and exciting cuisine-crossing restaurants in town (such as chef Amy Hamilton’s French-Vietnamese restaurant and cocktail bar, Liberte) outdoor types and foodies alike will love what’s on offer here. Located in the heart of the State’s Great Southern region, Albany is a 4.5-hour-drive from Perth.    

Avon Valley

Located about 90 minutes east of Perth, the Avon Valley offers plenty of opportunities to delve into wildflowers during spring, explore scenic walking trails, go hot-air ballooning and white water rafting on the Avon River, particularly when it's moving rapidly during winter. The region is home to seven historic towns such as Northam, Toodyay, Goomalling, New Norcia, Beverley, Brookton and York, established in 1831 and home to Western Australia’s first inland European settlement and the site of the York Motor Museum. Northam is the starting point of the Public Silo Trail spanning over 1,000 kilometres an iconic public art exhibition of murals painted onto grain silos, and where you delve in Nyoongar culture at the Bilya Koort Boodja Centre. While exploring the Avon Valley don’t forget to sample fresh produce from roadside stalls or markets, including jams, olives, honey and chocolate, or see if you can discover the best ‘parmi’ at a country pub.

Dwellingup

Set within towering jarrah and marri forests, Dwellingup is a favourite for hiking and mountain biking. Trails vary in difficulty ranging from beginners to the intrepid, including the Murray Valley Mountain Bike Trail and the iconic Bibbulmun Track stretching 1000km from Kalamunda to Albany. If that seems like a lot of exertion, then the Hotham Valley Tourist Railway steams through the heart of the forest and there are plenty of cafes, pubs and a cidery in the region. One of the most picturesque spots covers over 55,000 hectares at Lane Poole Reserve where you’ll discover undulating forests and the Murray River perfect for canoeing, fishing, swimming or admiring from the river bank over a picnic.

Feeling inspired and ready to jump in the car for one of the best day trips from Perth? Before you head away treat yourself to a pampering session at one of Perth's best beauty salons and top of your day of with a visit to these delicious bakeries.