One Free Day in Perth -- What Should I Do?
 

Hello,

I'm usually a VERY active traveller, but I actually need a shorter, less-intense day in Perth or the nearby area. I'll be in Australia on business for about 3 weeks (flying all over) and I only have a random day off here and there. My schedule is GRUELING... especially the travel before and after my day off in Perth, so I want to avoid any of those long full-day tours (normally I'd love to take the tour to the Pinnacles and sandboarding, etc. but a 11-12 hr. day will be way too much).

Any suggestions? This will be the last week in October (on a Sunday). I've heard Fremantle is nice to explore... ideas on how to easily get to/from Fremantle from Perth? Can you take a ferry?

I've seen some of the package day tours, but not much interests me so far. I'm open to any and all suggestions, so thank you in advance!

Carol :)
South Florida, USA

Hi Carol,

Yes, there is a ferry to Fremantle and it's a gorgeous trip. Once there, there's lots to engage you in wandering around, including a fabulous bookshop, some interesting art galleries, good coffee shops and restaurants. Have lunch on the balcony at one of the hotels.

"Freo" is a great sailing port and was the site of our (unsuccessful) defence of the America's Cup in 1987. (little brag ... having made history by winning it in 1983 :))

It's well geared for Sundays, all the shops will be open and there may be a market on.

http://www.visitfremantle.com.au/en/default.htm

Another nice low key thing to do is take the ferry to South Perth & visit the zoo. Even just wandering along the grassy esplanade beside the river is a very pleasant way to while away an hour or three.

Hi Carol -

I recently relocated to Perth and have been doing a bit of exploring myself.

You can also take the train to Freo, or take the ferry one way and the train back. We went to Freo via train last week - it took about 30 minutes and cost $8 round trip - the train to Freo leaves from the
station on Wellington Street.

The ferry to Fremantle leaves from the Barrack Street Jetty - you might want to take a look at schedules online before you depart to save time once you arrive.

The ferry to South Perth also leaves from the Barrack Street Jetty and is currently running every 30 minutes. The ride takes a whopping 8 minutes, and then it's a 10 minute walk to the Perth Zoo.

You might also consider walking up to Kings Park and spending the day there - it's absolutely beautiful, especially right now with the wildflowers in bloom.

And then there's the Swan Valley - there are many tours to the area from Perth City - lots of wineries to visit, as well as the Margaret River Chocolate factory, loads of restaurants, etc.

Ha, Melnq8 .."Freo".. already into the local lingo eh ...:)

Glad to see you're settling happily into one of my favourite places.
How's the house-hunting going?

You guys rock! Thank you so much for your suggestions and the helpful info on how to get around. Freo (I'm gonna jump in on the local lingo-action too) sounds perfect for me -- just what I'm looking for in an otherwise insanely packed 3 weeks of work and travel (which I hope I survive!) Bookstores, art galleries, coffee shops, etc. sounds perfect for a day off, and the added bonus of a nice ferry ride will be great (thanks for the idea of train one way, ferry the other!) I'm looking forward to seeing your beautiful country :)

In Fremantle, you might try lunch or dinner at Little Creatures, a lively brew pub on the water. Good beer, and the food was pretty good too. And an active social scene!

We were based in Fremantle for 3 days in May and took a day trip to Perth -- took the boat both ways (about 45 minutes). It was a really nice ride, and the crew was very informative, pointing out all the sites. (We were actually the only passengers on the way to Perth, so they invited us to sit on the deck up front so they could give us a personal commentary.)

Rottnest Island is an awesome place to relax, too -- if it's nice weather you could take the ferry from Perth to Rottnest (stops at Fremantle to pick up and discharge passengers). Rent a bike and cycle the island. Wonderful daytrip, but perhaps more than you want to do. Keep it in mind though.

Bokhara -

The househunting has been incredibly frustrating.

I meant to mention Little Creatures in my earlier post, but Aprilliacs beat me to it - we spent the afternoon there last week - great beer (and wine)with a nice outdoor area overlooking the water. Haven't tried the food yet, but hope to eventually.

Also Carol, be sure to check out Fremantle Markets if you do make it to Freo - I think it's open throughout the weekend, but can't swear to it. The market is in an enclosed area with vendors selling anything from wood crafts to fresh fruit and vege.

There's also a nice maritime museum and I think you can tour the Fremantle Prison.

Aprilliacs -- thanks for the heads-up on Little Creatures -- sounds perfect. And it's the name of one of my favorite CDs (Talking Heads) ;)

And Melnq, the markets and everything sound great. I'm happy I ended up with a day off in this area, 'cause it sounds like there's plenty of great stuff that's still relaxing.

Thanks again!
Carol

The Fremantle History Museum is interesting too.