Summer in Perth: Things to Do, Where to Stay & How to Survive the Heat
There’s something special about spending summer in Perth. Sure, it’s sweltering hot but it’s also one of the most festive times of the year.
Perth summer heat can be brutal. If you’re planning to visit from overseas, expect a dry heat with high temperatures. It’ll be worth it though!
Long golden days stretch into salty evenings. The air smells like sunscreen and sea breeze. The ocean glows peach at sunset and the whole city seems to slow down just enough to enjoy it.
We’ve been lucky enough to call Perth home for the last 5 years, soaking up the endless beach days, the city’s sunshine and all the summer festivals.
If you’re planning to visit during the warmer months – or you’re a local looking for fun things to do in Perth – summer is when the west coast truly shines.
In this guide, we’ll share our personal favourite things to do in Perth in summer, best places to visit, free markets in and around Perth, and tips for staying cool!
What to Expect from Summer in Perth
If we could sum it up in a few words, summer in Perth is:
- Endless amount of sunshine
- Refreshing dips in the Indian Ocean to cool down
- Balmy evenings under palm trees with a refreshing drink
- Buzzing sunset and food markets
- Iced lattes and coastal or river walks
The days are hot! Expect dry heat and temperatures in the low to mid-30s °C.
However, temperatures can often exceed that, and that’s when locals rely on the Fremantle Doctor (the local sea breeze) that sweeps in most afternoons to cool everything down.
But as we mentioned, there are ways to stay cool. Most shopping centres, cafes and restaurants around Perth have air conditioning running during the hot months, locals seek out the shade and stay close to beaches and pools for quick dips.
Our favourite beaches in Perth.
Where to Stay in Perth in Summer
In our opinion, the best places to stay in Perth for the summer are in suburbs with access to the beach, parks with shade or near Perth CBD if you prefer the city vibes.
We would recommend:
- Fremantle: Known for its lively atmosphere, mix of historical and modern attractions and great access to Rottnest Island
- Scarborough: The ultimate beachside hangout with foreshore bars and sunset markets
- Cottesloe: The most iconic beach in Perth; perfect for morning dips and evening swims.
- Victoria Park: Home to a diverse range of cafes, pubs and restaurants. This one is for the foodies!
- Perth CBD or Northbridge: Best for shopping, nightlife and for city experiences
When researching hotels, make sure you have access to public transport whether it’s bus or train. Walking longer distances during summer in Perth can get unbearable quickly.
Public transport around Perth is unfortunately not the best, especially around areas like Scarborough and Cottesloe, so it’s worth taking that into consideration before booking your stay.
You’ll also want to make sure your room has proper air conditioning! We personally don’t think ceiling fans are enough during peak summer times, so air conditioning will be a must.
Here are some great options for the suburbs we mentioned above:
- Budget: Quay Perth
- Family friendly: Crown Metropol Perth
- Boutique: Alex Hotel
- Luxury: COMO The Treasury
Festivals and Best Things To Do in Perth During Summer
The reason you should plan to spend your holiday in Perth is not just for endless beach fun and sunshine. It’s also to experience the liveliest months of Perth. Suburbs turn a vibrant purple colour from the blooming jacaranda trees, there are countless events and festivals on and the city truly comes to life.
From mid-November to around March, Perth will be buzzing with life, sunset markets, street food and events.
Here are some of the best things to do in Perth this summer!
1) Watch A Movie at the Rooftop Movies
One of the best things to do in Perth during summer is climbing up to the Rooftop Movies and watching the sun set over the city’s skyline as your favourite movie is about to start.
It’s such a fun thing to do in Perth with your friends, partner or family. Grab some popcorn, sink into a bean bag and enjoy the show!
They have food and drinks available to buy before the movie starts.
You can check what movies are currently running here.
2) Explore Perth’s Summer Markets
The best way to spend a magical balmy evening in Perth is at one of the markets.
Some of our favourite markets in Perth to check out this summer include:
- Scarborough Sunset Markets – 6 November, 2025 – 28 May, 2026, every Thursday from 5 pm to 9 pm
- Fremantle Markets – Every Friday-Sunday from 9 am to 6 pm
- Twilight Food Market – 3 October, 2025 – 24 April, 2026, every Friday from 4:30 pm to 9:30 pm
- Subiaco Night Markets – Every Saturday from 4 pm to 9 pm
- Summer x Salt Markets – 18 October, 2025 – 21 March, 2026, every 2 weeks on Saturdays
- Jacaranda Festival in Applecross – 23rd of November (2025) from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm
3) Coffee and Açai Bowl Along the Foreshore
It’s such a simple activity but it’s one of our favourites to do together during summer in Perth.
Get an early start to beat the heat and head to South Perth Foreshore, grab a coffee to go and enjoy catching up while taking in the stunning views of Perth’s skyline.
Reward yourself with a fresh and yummy açai bowl from The Açai Corner and rest up on the grassy area.
4) Join A Cruise
See Perth from a different perspective and join a Swan River cruise. GetYourGuide have tours departing from Perth and Fremantle.
They also do both one-way or return tours, so it’s a great option if you’ve been exploring Perth and need to head back to Fremantle or vice versa!
If you want to treat yourself to an even bigger experience, they also do cruises out to Swan Valley that’ll let you explore some of the best wineries in the area.
As two wine-lovers, we highly recommend spending a day or half a day exploring Swan Valley!
If you’re not as interested in spending time in the city or hitting the wineries in Swan Valley (we’ll forgive you…) is to join a cruise from Mandurah.
Mandurah is considered one of the BEST places in Western Australia to see wild dolphins, so if that sounds more like your vibe, we recommend this tour here.
5) Experience the Christmas Lights
We’re not sure how we feel about seeing Christmas decorations in the shops before Halloween, but once December rolls around, you bet we’ll be heading out to see the Christmas lights!
One of us grew up in the northern part of Europe, so seeing Christmas lights (and the huge amounts of it) in the peak of summer, it took some getting used to, but it’s such a fun and festive thing to see around Perth.
You don’t need to overthink witnessing the Christmas lights in Perth as many people go all in and decorate their houses in the most amazing and extravagant ways.
One of our favourite ways to break up our week during summer without too much effort, is to just go for a drive, put some Christmas music on and find the best Christmas lights.
Keep an eye out on Synergy’s website where people in the community can register as a decorator. It opens for registrations on November 7th 2025.
If you prefer to walk through Perth’s dedicated Christmas light trails, some of the best places to do it include:
- Rio Tinto Christmas Lights Trail
- Wanneroo Botanic Gardens
- Subiaco Twilight Trail
- Mandurah Christmas Lights Trail
Consider joining a Christmas Light Cruise in Mandurah. It’s a great way to see them from a different perspective through the Mandurah canals.
Final Tips for How to Beat the Heat in Perth this summer:
Wear breathable clothing: It can help regulate your body temperature and prevent sweat from accumulating on your skin. We’re all for normalising things that are, well… normal, and sweating is one of those things. However, if you’re feeling self-conscious about it, consider wearing colours that don’t show sweat marks as easily.
Stay hydrated: This is so important! Heat waves in Perth are not uncommon and temperatures can at times be in the mid-40s. Drinking water frequently and staying hydrated can prevent heat stroke and heat stress.
Cover up: Always wear sunscreen and remember to reapply after going in the water or if you’ve been sweating. Consider wearing clothes that help cover up your skin to avoid getting sunburnt.
Seek shade: Look for spots in the shade or bring beach umbrellas on beach days to create your own. Plan activities around peak temperatures and stay indoors around midday when the sun is often the harshest, e.g. grab lunch or coffee and stay at the cafe, go shopping indoors or hit the museums.
If you can manage the dry heat, summer in Perth is truly a magical time of the year to visit.
In case you are looking for inspiration on how to plan your trip, check our full Perth Itinerary here.
Hopefully we’ve convinced you to plan a summer trip to Perth!
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