In July of last year, I travelled to Perth with my son during the school holidays. Our flight was scheduled for 10:25 am, but due to delays both during departure and upon arrival at the baggage area, we arrived in Perth six hours later. To put it in perspective, this flight took almost twice the time it takes to fly from Sydney to New Zealand!
Day 1: Eastern Banks of the Swan River
I arranged a three-night stay at Crown Perth for our accommodation, and we absolutely loved it! The hotel’s pool area was particularly impressive. Check out some of the photos of the hotel.
Once settled at the hotel, we went for a stroll around Crown, and made a stop at TWR to grab some food before calling it a day. The evening was lovely, and we enjoyed the outdoor seating area at TWR while taking in the stunning view from the hotel.
Day 2: Perth Mint, Scitech and Swan River
Our morning was spent at Perth Mint, where we went on a Gold Tour to learn about the history of Australia’s oldest operating mint. The tour included witnessing a live gold pour and getting an up-close look at the world’s largest gold bullion, which weighed a whopping one tonne!
During lunch time, we visited the Scitech Science Centre, which is an interactive discovery centre that STEM enthusiasts will love.
In the late afternoon, we went for a leisurely walk around the Swan River and were delighted to spot many black swans, which the river was named after. The breathtaking scenery of the river, along with the view of the Optus Stadium and the Matagarup Bridge, left me completely awestruck.
This walk around the river turned out to be the highlight of my trip. It’s truly remarkable how such a simple pleasure of nature and the water can bring such a sense of calmness and joy.
Day 3: Elizabeth Quay and Fremantle
In the morning, we walked to Elizabeth Quay and the Barrack Street Jetty to catch a ferry to Fremantle. While waiting for our ferry, we made a visit to the Bell Tower. I must admit that I have never witnessed a sky as blue as it was on that particular day. It was stunningly blue!
Tip: If you’re planning a trip to Perth during the winter months, be aware that not all tourist attractions are open every day. Unfortunately, we missed out on quite a few attractions, including Rottnest Island. To avoid making the same mistake, it’s important to check the operating days and hours of attractions prior to your trip so you can plan ahead!
To cap off our trip, we had dinner at Silks Perth on our final night in the city. I was particularly impressed by the restaurant’s stunning decor, which added to the overall dining experience.
And just like that, our short trip for yet another school holiday came to an end. The following day, we flew back to Sydney and made sure to grab a Black Swan soft toy as an iconic Perth souvenir.
Stay tuned for my next blog post, where I’ll be sharing details about our next school holiday staycation. Any guesses where that might be?
Until then… sweet travels!