Perth, australia
SEE
Perth is a beautiful slice of heaven and one of our most favorite trips. We rented a large van from the airport and took several day trips during our visit. You definitely need to rent a car for Perth, but it was super easy/affordable to do so.
Caversham Wildlife Park: This is an absolute must-do when visiting Perth, as it is one of the last places in Australia that allow visitors to hold koalas. There are very limited koala-holding spots available and you cannot purchase the koala tickets in advance; you have to be in-person to purchase tickets from the gift shop. We really didn't want to miss the koala cuddles, so we arrived to Caversham one hour prior to the park opening (9AM open, 8AM arrival) and were second in the queue. Here's the tricky part: You can purchase park tickets online in advance that are good for up to 90 days, but you don't book with a specific date. However, at the park entrance there are two queues: one for visitors who pre-purchased tickets online and the other for visitors who wanted to purchase at the gate. Sometimes one line will be much shorter than the other, so I would recommend waiting to purchase tickets until you reach the park and evaluate the entry queues. However you decide to enter the park, once you get past the ticket booth, make an immediate right to the gift shop counter. This is where you can purchase the highly coveted koala holding tickets, as well as a ticket to take a photo with a large wombat. We ended up booking both because how many opportunities do you get to meet a wombat?! The koala tickets will sell out quickly as they only allow a limited amount of koala holders a day. You must arrive early to the park if you absolutely want to hold a koala. You also must be over 150 cm tall to hold a koala, so it might not work out for little kiddos. After securing our koala/wombat tickets (and sighing a breath of relief!), we headed to visit and feed the kangaroos. This was a good strategy, as the kangaroos are very interactive and hungry in the early hours but more lethargic in the afternoon. We fed kangaroos in Hobart a few months prior to our Perth trip and it was a completely different/slight disappointing experience as we visited late in the day and the roos were *done*. After feeding the kangaroos (and taking many cute pictures!), we headed to the Farm Show. It's a cute activity and really great for younger kids. After our wombat photo, we had seen most/all of the park and were ready to head out for lunch. Plan to spend about 3-4 hours at Caversham. The morning is definitely the best time to visit. Do it for the koalas! :)
Road trip to Pinnacles National Park and Lancelin Sand Dunes: Pinnacles is a must-see, beautiful desert with iconic rock structures. We followed the linked recommendations and did a road trip to visit the Pinnacles, enjoyed lunch at The Lobster Shack, then stopped at Lancelin Sand Dunes on the way back to Perth. Lancelin is a great place for kids. You can rent sand boards from a stand in the parking lot and enjoy riding down the white sand dunes.
Rottnest Island: Also a great day trip. Take a ferry from Fremantle to Rottnest. Best to purchase tickets ahead of time to ensure a seat on the ferry, but they also sell them at the dock. Most people rent bikes and bike around the island. The bike rental process is super easy and includes a helmet (gel seats and baskets available for added charge). They will also give you a map that shows the three different types of bike routes you can take around the island. Grab sandwiches/waters/snacks to-go and pack them with you on the trip, as there are no stops along the route. Stop along the route for breathtaking views of the coast. Wear sunscreen! The Australian sun is so dangerously hot. Rottnest is also home to the cute, smiling quokkas!
Thomas Dambo's Giants of Mandurah: Tracking down the infamous Giants are a fun way to spend the day in Mandurah! Most of the Giants are located a short walk/hike from the parking lot. They're iconic and a cool way to bop around Mandurah. Stop at the Mandurah Visitor's Center for a map of locations (and cute Giants magnets!).
SHOP
Fremantle Market: Huge and busy market with local goods, food, and other souvenirs.
Pandora: We're late to the Pandora Party, but Pandora Australia has super cute exclusive charms featuring the Sydney Opera House and koalas holding surf boards.
UGGs: I was on a quest to find authentic, made in Australia UGG slippers. Many UGG shops will sell UGGs that are actually made in China with synthetic materials and not great quality. If shopping for UGGs, check the tag to see where they were made; even if it says UGG Australia on the outside. We ended up finding non-UGG branded slippers that were made in Australia at a nice airport shop outside a Priority Pass lounge. Super soft and cozy...they never leave my feet. Fun fact: I've been a huge fan of UGG since I lived in Siberia, Russia. They absolutely saved my feet from the -50 Siberian winters! Fan for life.
Costco: A little slice of home! The Costco in Perth feels exactly like Costco in America, with the exception of some local savories like Aussie Steak Pies at the food court. When you've been living in Southeast Asia for a while, a visit to Costco is truly a trip highlight.
Maltesers Gold: Another reason why we traveled to Australia twice in three months is because I fell in LOVE with Maltesers! They are somewhat similar to Whopper chocolate malt balls, but so much better. The Gold variety are made with caramelized white chocolate and truly incredible. I also love the Honeycomb flavor, and will dabble in the OG chocolate flavor when in a pinch. You can find the original flavor in other countries but the special variations can only be found in Australia.
SAVOR
Yo-Chi: We first fell in love with Yo-Chi when we were in Sydney...honestly, it may have been part of the reason why we needed to go back to Australia a few months later! We went at least once a day, sometimes twice. My fav combo: Ube frozen yogurt with strawberries and rainbow mochi. Iconic.
Indigo Oscar: Located literally on Cottesloe Beach. Gorg view looking right over the water. Food was also pretty incredible. Most of the entree plates are sharing size, so you can try a great variety of the menu.
Coogee Common: Converted historic hotel, farm-to-table restaurant. Stroll the vegetable garden while waiting for your table. The ingredients here are so fresh and delicious; I still dream about the ricotta and honey appetizer.
Lobster Shack: Kitschy tourist stop, but turns out, I love kitschy. ;) The food is fine, but the views, gift shop, and overall atmosphere are the real winners. There's also a lobster mascot that comes out and takes photos with visitors! Lunch choices are limited near the Pinnacles; this is a great and easy stop to re-fuel before heading to Lancelin Sand Dunes.
STAY
We stayed at the Four Points by Sheraton Perth. It's a bit dated, but the location was convenient and walking distance to restaurants and shopping. The breakfast was basic, nothing too exciting, but they did have a gluten free section with breads and a dedicated GF toaster. There is a parking garage next door to the hotel and it was easy/inexpensive to park our van there throughout our visit. There is also a small convenience store next door to the hotel that quickly became our daily stop for snacks and drinks. The employees here are so friendly; they knew my dad loved Diet Coke, so one day when they ran out of coke, the employees popped around to other stores to stock up so that dad could have his daily bev. Really sweet and thoughtful.