Perth with Kids: An 7-Day Family-Friendly Itinerary
Looking to spend some quality time with the kids on a family holiday? Perth in Australia checks all the boxes — think: fantastic wildlife, fresh produce, and a welcoming kid-friendly culture.
How to rent a car in Perth
Road trips are great for when you travel with little ones in tow. Enjoy the flexibility of planning your itinerary as fast or as slow as you wish, without having to worry about rushing for trains or buses. Even better: you can easily store your strollers, or throw all your miscellaneous items into the boot. Having a car also doubles up as a mobile diaper-changing station!
Get your car using Klook’s easy car rental, which allows you to browse lots of options — from reputable companies like Avis or Europcar — at one glance. Easily add on children’s car seats, as well as insurance (which is a must!). If your plans change, you’ll also be able to take advantage of free cancellations and full refunds, depending on the car package that you choose. Sweet, huh?
Bonus: we know that long road trips can also be tricky for kids who find it difficult to sit still. To make things easier, all drive durations in this itinerary have been kept to under an hour!
Day 1: Fremantle
Distance: 26.4 kilometres
Drive duration: 30 minutes
Pick up your car from the airport, and take a short 30-minute drive to Fremantle. The scenic port city is one of the best side trips from Perth city, and is known worldwide for its eclectic market, classic fish and chips, and intriguing maritime history.
Must-do at Fremantle
Try the fish and chips
Photo credit: Cicerello’s Fremantle on Facebook
Fremantle and fish and chips seem to go hand in hand. Make a beeline for Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour, where you can dig into a platter — with a view! Iconic places to dine at include Cicerello’s, which was founded in 1903; as well as Kallis Fish Market Café, which dates back to 1926. At both establishments, you’ll find the classic fish and chips; as well as items like garlic prawns, oysters, and indulgent seafood platters.
#KlookTip: Cicerello’s is also home to Western Australia’s largest private aquarium, which you can visit for free! Keep a lookout for a guided experience at the touch pool by the Marine team during the school holidays too!
Other Fremantle highlights
Photo credit: Fremantle Markets on Facebook
- Stroll along Cappucino Strip, the main thoroughfare
- Visit the WA Maritime Museum and WA Shipwrecks Museum
- Trawl the weekend market
- Go on a rickshaw sightseeing tour
- Try parasailing
- Go on a tour of Fremantle Prison
- Hunt down street art on a walking tour
Stay at: Perth City
Distance: 55.5 kilometres
Drive duration: 25 minutes
Day 2: Perth Wildlife Encounters
Distance: 15.9 kilometres
Drive duration: 50 minutes
Today’s agenda: Penguin Island! Drive to Shoalwater for a short ten-minute ferry ride to Penguin Island. Drop by Pengos café for breakfast, which is just next to Shoalwater Bay. Have a picnic on the grass, and let the children have a romp at the playground.
Don’t forget to check in thirty minutes before the ferry, which departs hourly from 9am to 3pm. Return ferries from Penguin Island back to Shoalwater depart ten minutes past the hour — with the final departure at 4pm —, and do not require advance booking.
#KlookTip: You can choose to just book the ferry tickets, or combine them with a fantastic 30-minute guided walk. We recommend the latter!
Must-do at Penguin Island
Spot wildlife from a cruise
Photo credit: Penguin Island
Take to the seas on a 60-minute dolphin, sea lion, and penguin cruise in a glass-bottom boat, with colourful fishes swimming beneath your feet. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife along the coastline, and see whether you can spot any sea lions, pelicans, dolphins, as well as all kinds of birds of prey.
During the winter months, or when Penguin Island closes when the temperature exceeds 35 degrees celsius, there’s a wildlife cruise and lunch package available. Otherwise, the Family Fun Splash Cruise promises great fun for the whole family, where you can experience swimming in a boom net attached to the boat.
#KlookTip: The best time to visit Penguin Island is from September to May. The island closes from June (after the Western Australia Day long weekend in early June) to October each year for the penguins’ breeding season; and may close anytime throughout the year in the case of inclement weather.
Other Penguin Island highlights
Photo credit: Penguin Island
- Have a picnic
- Visit the Discovery Centre’s touch table
- Go on a snorkelling cruise
- Join a sea kayak tour
Stay at: Perth City
Day 3: Caversham Wildlife Park
Distance: 36.2 kilometres
Drive duration: 38 minutes
Established in 1988, Caversham Wildlife Park has been proudly owned and operated by an Australian family all this time. The park is home to Western Australia’s largest private collection of wildlife, with a whopping 200 different species! Caversham Wildlife Park is actually part of the larger Whiteman Park, which has lots to offer kids too.
Must-do at Caversham Wildlife Park
Get up close and personal with the animals
Photo credit: Caversham Wildlife Park
There’s just so much to see and do at Caversham Wildlife Park. Start with the ‘Meet the Wombat and Friends’ session at 9.30am, where you’ll be introduced to around 20 species. At 10am, head for the farm show, where you can watch a sheep being sheared, and volunteer to milk a cow.
That’s not all: at 12pm, head to the penguin enclosure to watch them being fed. Spend time at Molly’s Farm interacting with the animals, plus visit the hatchery and nursery; and look at some scaly friends at the Reptile House.
Other Whiteman Park highlights
Photo credit: Whiteman Park on Facebook
- Go on a bush walk
- Have fun at the Children’s Forest
- Take a guided ‘Nocturnal Woylie Walk’ tour every Friday
- Ride on a heritage tram or vintage train
- Visit the Motor Museum of Western Australia, Revolutions Transport Museum, and the Tractor Museum
- Rent a pedal go-kart
- Cook up a feast at the coin-operated barbeques
- Try an orienteering course
- Find your zen at the Healing Place
Stay at: Swan Valley
Distance: 7.2 kilometres
Drive duration: 12 minutes
Day 4: Swan Valley
Swan Valley may be Western Australia’s oldest wine region, but it has plenty to offer kids!
Must-do at Swan Valley
Book a farm stay
Photo credit: Settlers Rest Farm Stay on Facebook
Book a farm stay for your only night out of Perth city. We recommend either Settlers Rest Farm Stay or Poplars Farm Stay, both of which are only ten minutes apart from each other. Stay in rustic accommodation fitted with all the creature comforts, and have fun exploring the farm!
The highlight of any farm stay is getting to interact with the animals. Seize the chance to feed the animals, collect eggs, and more. The whole experience might just be your kids’ highlight of the trip!
Day 5: Swan Valley
Photo credit: Pasta in the Valley on Facebook
Spend the morning at the farm, before checking out for lunch. Fantastic kid-friendly lunch options include Sandalford Estate and Bailey Brewing Co., which have big playgrounds; Oakover Grounds, which has a natural playground and free-to-use paddle boats on the lake; as well as Pasta in the Valley, which wows with a pasta-making area (every Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 11am or 2pm to 4pm) and a sand play pit.
Must-do at Swan Valley
Go on a free scavenger hunt
Photo credit: Swan Valley, Perth Western Australia on Facebook
What says family bonding over an exciting scavenger hunt? Rally the troops for the Kids in the Valley Trail, Great Valley Rally, or the Amazing Valley Chase.
Other Swan Valley highlights
Photo credit: Whistlers Chocolate Co Swan Valley on Facebook
- Go on the award-winning food & wine trail, including stops at Mondo Nougat Factory, Whistler’s Chocolate Company, Morish Nuts, and more
- Check out the sculpture trail at Swan Valley Station
- Play a game at Supa Golf or Vines Mini Golf
- Visit the Western Australia Reptile Park
- Battle it out at Paintball Skirmish
- Have fun at Outback Splash
- Play laser tag at Laser Corps
#KlookTip: During the holiday season (June to July), Swan Valley comes alive with a wide range of kids’ activities! Bookmark this website to see what’s happening.
Day 6: Fruit picking
Distance: ~27 kilometres, depending on location
Drive duration: ~30 minutes, depending on location
Photo credit: Kien’s Strawberry Farm on Facebook
Enjoy a day of fruit picking at one of the farms around Perth. Fruit picking seasons are strawberries from July to January, mangoes from February to March, plums from February to March, apples from April to July, cherries from late November to late December, loquats from September to November, lychees in February, grapes from late December to mid-April.
#KlookTip: The above seasons are approximate and may vary by year. The night before you visit any farms, be sure to check their respective Facebook pages to see if they are open for fruit picking.
For strawberries, head to Kien’s Strawberry Farm or Sue and Tim’s Fresh Farm. For mangoes, hit up Perth Mango Farm. For plums, apples, and cherries, The Fruit Corner is a good bet. For cherries, Carmel Cherry Farm is good too! For grapes, go to Grumpy Grapes Vineyard, where you can also go for a guided walk through the vines.
Photo credit: Core Cider
Definitely include a visit to Core Cider in your itinerary, which has an Old Apple Shed Cider Maker’s Tour available for eight pax and more. Go on a tour of the apple shed, and learn how apples are turned into cider. The best part? The tour ends with a delightful tasting!
#KlookTip: Don’t miss out on the various festivals at S&R Orchard, such as the Pick Your Own Summer Fruits Festival from December to March, Autumn Festival in June, and Spring Blossom Festival in September.
Stay at: Perth City
Distance: ~30 to 40 kilometres, depending on location
Drive duration: ~35 to 50 minutes, depending on location
Day 7: Last Day in Perth
Photo credit: Core Cider
On your last day, take it slow and enjoy Perth city itself. You won’t need a car to get around the city, as it has a wonderful public transport system. In fact, the free CAT bus route runs throughout the inner city, covering most of the main attractions. For a fuss-free to sightsee, the hop-on-hop-off bus tour is always a good option too!
#KlookTip: Get the best bang for your buck with up to 40% off attractions with the handy Klook Pass Perth.
Must-do at Perth city
Have a picnic at King’s Park
Photo credit: Kings Park and Botanic Garden on Facebook
Kick back and relax at King’s Park, and let the kids run around freely whilst the adults enjoy a leisurely picnic. If you have kids under six, they’ll love the Ivey Watson Playground that features a fire truck, castle, and pirate ship. Another option is the Saw Avenue Picnic Area, which has climbing logs, a climbing net, and a fort for kids of all ages.
In winter, the park also transforms into a sparkling wonderland with the Lightscape installations.
Other Perth city highlights
Photo credit: Blue Boat House on Facebook
- Take a photo at the Blue Boat House
- Explore Elizabath Quay
- Cruise along Swan River
- Take a tour of Optus Stadium
- Visit the Perth Mint
More Perth Inspo
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