Perth Travel Forum

I'm planning to visit Perth, Australia, this coming 3rd quarter in September 2009 with my family of 4. This is our 1st visit to Perth. However, we are thinking of driving around or taking the public transport by ourselves to places of interest in Perth. Question is :-
1) Is it save enough for a 1st time family of 4 to be travelling around by ourselves?
2) If rental of car for about 6days is feasible enough, How much does it cost to take the car from airport & return back to the airport?
3) Shopping is in our priority list, so, Any recommendation to a bargain hunting spree?
4) Any special places of interest along scaborough Beach as we will be staying @Observatory Rise Apartment?
Pls pls anyone reply our help?????

perth seemed to me an extremely safe city - a very civilised place indeed - i was only there for a week recently mind

i can't answer ny of your other questions I am afraid

Hi

1. Yes it's safe to travel around. Commonsense prevails of course.
2. Check with the car hire company. Charges vary with different companies. Maybe start with Budget Car Rentals.
3. What are you shopping for? For clothes maybe try Harbour Town in West Perth. Try the clourful Fremantle Markets on the weekend for bric-a-brac. Perth city is more vibrant when Friday night and Sunday afternoon shopping happens.
4. Scarborough beach is rather isolated from attractions. Great beach but it won't be swimming weather in September (it can get dangerous for swimmers). I suggest finding more centrally located accommodation. If you stay there everything is still an easy drive away nonetheless. Nearby is the Hillarys Boat harbour with several eateries and a pub. Drive south towards Fremantle and check out the beaches on the way.

Hope your stay in our pretty city is an enjoyable one.

Perfectly safe to trvael around, though I would avoid Northbridge and Scarborough late at night as they are nightlife areas and can get 'rowdy'(can't imagine you'd be out with children after 11pm).

You can get a shuttle bus from the airport to your accomodation if it is in the city centre. I too would not recommend Scarborough for a winter stay. There's lovely beach and promendade, most popular during summer months. But it's an easy trip by bus or car to the city centre.

Perth is not reknowned for it's shopping! The Fremantle markets will have the locally produced items. Many shops/studios in Fremantle selling Aboriginal artworks.
What sort of bargains are you looking for?

Perfectly safe to trvael around, though I would avoid Northbridge and Scarborough late at night as they are nightlife areas and can get 'rowdy'(can't imagine you'd be out with children after 11pm).

You can get a shuttle bus from the airport to your accomodation if it is in the city centre. I too would not recommend Scarborough for a winter stay. There's lovely beach and promendade, most popular during summer months. But it's an easy trip by bus or car to the city centre.

Perth is not reknowned for it's shopping! The Fremantle markets will have the locally produced items. Many shops/studios in Fremantle selling Aboriginal artworks.
What sort of bargains are you looking for?

Perfectly safe to trvael around, though I would avoid Northbridge and Scarborough late at night as they are nightlife areas and can get 'rowdy'(can't imagine you'd be out with children after 11pm).

You can get a shuttle bus from the airport to your accomodation if it is in the city centre. I too would not recommend Scarborough for a winter stay. There's lovely beach and promendade, most popular during summer months. But it's an easy trip by bus or car to the city centre.

Perth is not reknowned for it's shopping! The Fremantle markets will have the locally produced items. Many shops/studios in Fremantle selling Aboriginal artworks.
What sort of bargains are you looking for?

hi, u may refer to my perth page for question 1 to 3. :)

Hi Raymie and welcome to vt! Coming from Singapore you will probably laugh at our little shops :o) But Harbour Town is probably a good place to have a look. Catch the free yellow cat along Wellington Street to the Harbour Town stop. Good idea to have a car here, especially if you are staying at Scarborough. As mentioned before, up the road from Scarborough is Hillarys Boat Harbour. I love the shops there and they are especially good for gift shopping. Plus at Hillarys there's Aqua which is a great place to take the kids. www.hillarysboatharbour.com.au. And if you head further north from Hillarys till you get to Whitfords Avenue and hang a right then you will come to a big shopping centre called Whitford City - http://westfield.com.au/whitfordcity/ - Whitford City is also opened on Thursday night....but does not open on Sunday. On the weekend Freo markets is great for trinket shopping and Subiaco markets is not too bad. If you have a car then a couple of fantastic day trips to do with the family are Yanchep National Park & Whiteman Park/Caversham Park.

September is a wonderful time to come here to Perth and the wild flowers will be out in full bloome! Kings Park will have lots!

Cheers, Ann :o)

If you have a car do not stay in Perth City or Fremantle because parking will be a problem, a very costly problem. Scarborough is a great place with a car. When you want to visit Pert City just use the public transport which is good from Scarborough.

With the car get on the Freeway and head south to Mandurah for a day, only an hour away and an easy drive after 9am.

Agree with Anne's comments.
Mike