Scarborough Beach
The basics
Located outside the city center, Scarborough Beach isn’t typically part of standard sightseeing tours or hop-on hop-off bus routes, but it is included in a few longer tour itineraries that highlight Perth’s surrounds. Many visitors drive or take public transport from the Central Business District (CBD), or you can stop by during a leisurely drive along the West Coast Highway, which follows the city’s entire coastline.
Things to know before you go
- Scarborough Beach is ideal for those who like a lively beach scene with plenty to do and see.
- The beach is patrolled by lifeguards and surf life savers during the day in the summer but not all the time, so exercise caution when swimming.
- The beach features restrooms, showers, picnic tables, a playground, and parking lot.
How to get there
Scarborough Beach is a 20-minute drive northwest of the Perth CBD or a 45- to 55-minute journey via the Joondalup train line and city bus to the Scarborough Beach bus station.
Trip ideas
When to get there
The wind comes in off the ocean later in the day, sometimes very heavily, so go in the morning for swimming and sunning. If you’re planning to kitesurf, windsurf, or watch, you’ll catch the action in summer afternoons and early evenings. The beach faces straight west, making it the ideal place to watch the sunset.
The Esplanade
Off the sand, you can find restaurants, cafés, bars, and surf shops along the Scarborough Esplanade, which runs parallel to the beach. Much of the activity is centered around the Rendezvous Hotel.
- Trigg Beach
- City Beach
- Aquarium of Western Australia (AQWA)
- Hillarys Boat Harbour
- Northbridge
- Scitech
- Kings Park & Botanic Garden
- Cottesloe Beach
- Swan River
- Fremantle Passenger Terminal (Perth Cruise Port)
- Nostalgia Box
- Perth Cultural Centre
- Art Gallery of Western Australia
- Western Australian Museum – Perth
- London Court