If you’re stuck in your ways and always head to the same beach in Perth every weekend, maybe it’s time you mixed it up! Here are my top 10 best northern beaches in Perth.
1 – Mettams Pool
Most definitely the city’s best snorkelling spot for children and beginners. The naturally formed lagoon offers an abundance of marine life in shallow water barely a few feet from the shore. Inside the reef the water is calm and totally safe, while the surge can get little strong on the outside on a pushing tide.
With ample free parking close by, toilets, showers and wheelchair access directly onto the beach, makes this gem one of the best northern beaches in Perth.
One minute you can be swimming with the fish, and the next, enjoying a cup of coffee or a snack in one of the several cafes and eateries a just stone’s throw away.
2 – Cottesloe Beach
Cottesloe is probably known as Perth’s most iconic beach.
The southern section, sheltered by the break wall, is calm and fairly shallow making it nice and safe for younger children, while the northern section can provide some good waves for body surfers when the swell picks up. The pretty pavilion, about to undergo a huge renovation, nestled among the grassed terraces and tall pines overlooking the white sand and blue ocean, gives this beach it’s magical picture-postcard look.
Once a year in March this beach is transformed into an outdoor art gallery for Sculpture By The Sea, with local artists showcasing their sculptures and is a must-see for locals and visitors. There are plenty of top class cafes and restaurants close by with lots of free parking available.
The grassy knolls above the beach are the perfect spot for a family picnic or a sundowner. Sunsets from this spot are simply stunning!
3 – Mullaloo Beach
Mullallo beach has a beautiful long and wide white sandy beach stretching as far as the eye can see, with all the amenities you need. This wonderful all-round beach is perfect for taking long strolls or jogs, swimming and is also excellent for wind, kite and surfers when the surf and wind pick up, usually later in the day.
With plenty of free parking along the beach, free BBQs, multiple playgrounds, bathrooms, loads of cafes and the Mullaloo Beach Hotel, this really is one of Perth’s finest family beaches in the northern suburbs. Go early in summer if you want to be sure to get parking!
4 – Pinnaroo Point
Less than two kilometres south of Mullaloo is another gem, perfect for young families. Safe and calm waters for swimming, yet excellent for kite and wind surfing when the wind kicks in during the afternoon, and not a bad spot for fishermen to try their luck either.
Easy parking, clean toilets, shower blocks and the all the eating facilities a few minutes away at Hillarys Marina, make this another favourite northern Perth beach.
5 – Yanchep Lagoon
Yanchep Lagoon offers a stunning location with a long stretch of beach protected by shallow reef running for about 400 metres close and parallel to the shore, offering sheltered waters for the kids.
The coral and other marine life attracts snorkelers to this spot, but when the wind picks up and the water gets rough, strong waves and currents can spoil thing, so head there early to make the most of your day on the beach here.
6 – Burns Beach
Here’s another family favourite beach that is perfect for paddling, a bit of snorkelling, checking out the rock pools at low tide and throwing a line from the break wall on the north end. Parking is available but it can get pretty jammed on weekends, even with the recent addition of more parking along the southern end.
A casual stroll along the coastal path will take you to the foreshore lookout atop the limestone cliffs, from where you get panoramic views of the ocean. The Sistas Burns Beach Café is an excellent spot to catch a bite or enjoy a drink and watch the sun go down.
7 – Scarborough Beach
This long white sandy beach has everything to offer. Swimming, surfing, children’s playground, skate park, exercise equipment, massive grassed picnic areas, an amphitheatre for concerts right on the beach, and even a heated beach-side pool. In the mornings the beach gets overshadowed by the city’s high-rise buildings, but basks in glorious sunshine from midday on.
Restaurants, bars and cafes to cater for everybody ensure no one goes hungry. If you’re wanting a little more solitude, take a short walk to the south to Brighton Beach – just as gorgeous, but not as crowded. A little further on you’ll also find Peasholm dog beach for your four-legged friends.
8 – Floreat Beach
A grassed picnic and BBQ area overlooks this long white sandy beach, which can be one of the quieter beaches in the city, despite its beauty. Swimming, surfing and fishing are fairly popular here, while the northern section is popular for dog lovers.
A great board walk joining City Beach, a few hundred metres to the south, offers fantastic views of the ocean along the route.
9 – City Beach
City Beach has a lovely stretch of beach, similar to Floreat, offering good swimming conditions when calm but can become rough in the afternoons when the Freo Doctor arrives, making it popular with surfers. The two groynes also offer good fishing at times. During the summer months surf life-saving carnivals are held here regularly.
City Beach has a beautiful landscaped picnic area next to the very spacious parking lot, with toilets and showers, BBQs and picnic tables and is surrounded by a wide array of eateries.
Clancy’s Fish Bar is a fantastic place to enjoy great seafood with great views of the beach below and ocean. It’s the perfect place to watch the sun go down and we always take our visitors here to show off Perth!
10 – Hillarys Marina Beach
If you have little ones and want them to swim in the utmost safety, then head straight to the protected marina beach at Hillarys Boat Harbour.
With so many kids’ attractions in and around the water, families can spend the entire day here and not be bored.
There is ample parking both north and south of the marina, with wheelchair access to the grassed and shaded picnic area, super clean washroom and toilets, and tons of shops and restaurants all along the boardwalk. If that’s not enough, the Aquarium of Western Australia is a two-minute walk away.
End the day with an ice cream from my favourite spot, Bellisimo Gelato, and a walk around the boardwalk for spectacular views of the marina and the ocean.
And there you have it – my list of the best northern beaches in Perth. How many of these have you been to? Which one is your favourite? Let me know in the comments!
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