Best Beaches in Perth: Cottesloe, Scarborough and the Indian Ocean Strip
Perth's beaches are on the Indian Ocean, which makes them different from most Australian city beaches. The water is clear, the sand is white, and the surf is generated by Southern Ocean swells that travel across thousands of kilometres of open water before arriving at the coast. The trade-off is that the ocean is cold for most of the year, and the swell can be significant even on days that look manageable from the car park.
The city beach strip runs roughly from Cottesloe in the south to Trigg and Hillarys in the north, about 30 kilometres of coast that's accessible from the CBD. Most of Perth's population lives within a reasonable drive of at least one beach.
Cottesloe Beach
Cottesloe Beach rates 4.6 stars across 3,809 reviews on BeachCheck, which makes it one of the most reviewed beaches in Western Australia. It's the beach Perth is most associated with, and the one that tends to appear on postcards and in articles about the city.
The beach itself is long and backed by Norfolk Island pines. The Indiana Tea House, a colonial-era building on the beachfront, is one of the more recognisable structures on the Perth coast. Cottesloe is patrolled and generally suits a wide range of swimmers.
The surf is less consistent here than at Scarborough or Trigg, and the beach is more sheltered in parts, which makes it more accessible on rough days. On a flat day in summer it's a good swimming beach. On days with a solid south or southwest swell it can get more lively.
The suburb itself is affluent and the strip along Marine Parade has good cafes and restaurants. Cottesloe has a particular culture around Sunday afternoon: the pub (the Cottesloe Beach Hotel, known locally as the Cott) is a fixture. It's busy in summer, with a mix of beachgoers and post-swim drinks.
Sculpture by the Sea runs at Cottesloe annually in March and involves large sculptures displayed along the beach and cliffs. Worth knowing if you're visiting in that window.
Getting there: Cottesloe train station on the Fremantle line is about 10 minutes' walk from the beach. By car, parking on Marine Parade fills up fast on weekends.
Scarborough Beach
Scarborough Beach rates 4.7 stars on BeachCheck and sits about 14 kilometres north of the CBD. It's been redeveloped in recent years, with the foreshore now featuring a large outdoor amphitheatre, a pool, food outlets and upgraded parking.
The surf at Scarborough is more consistent and more powerful than Cottesloe. It's a proper ocean beach with beach break waves, and it sees a regular surfing crowd. The surf school presence here is significant. It's also where surf lifesaving is taken seriously: the Scarborough Surf Life Saving Club is active and the beach is patrolled through summer.
On weekends the foreshore gets busy with markets, outdoor events and the general foot traffic that comes with a beachside precinct that's had money spent on it. Weekday mornings are quieter and better if you just want the beach.
The Sunset Coast stretch north of Scarborough gets less crowded the further north you go.
Getting there: There's no direct train, but buses run from the CBD and from Stirling station. By car, parking has improved with the redevelopment.
Trigg Dog Beach
Trigg Dog Beach is immediately north of Scarborough and is Perth's go-to off-leash ocean beach. It's a proper Indian Ocean beach, which means actual waves rather than the calm bay beaches that characterise some other city dog beaches.
The off-leash area is clearly marked. It's popular on weekend mornings, and if your dog is social you'll likely encounter others. The section is large enough that there's usually space even when it's busy.
Trigg Point (the surf break) is on the southern end of Trigg Beach and is a recognised reef break for surfing. It's not in the same conversation as Scarborough for consistency but it picks up swell well.
Peasholm Dog Beach
Peasholm Dog Beach is at the southern end of Scarborough Beach, clearly separated from the main patrolled swimming area. If you're at Scarborough and have a dog, this is the section. It's off-leash and well-used.
The proximity to the Scarborough foreshore precinct means you can combine a dog walk with a coffee or a meal at the redeveloped area.
City Beach
City Beach is between Cottesloe and Scarborough and is popular with Perth families. The beach is wide, the facilities are well-maintained, and the suburb behind it has a large park. Patrolled through summer. The access road (Kinross Road to City Beach Road) fills up on summer weekends.
Beaches to the North and South
Hillarys Boat Harbour: Not a surf beach, but the sheltered area inside the harbour wall is calm and suitable for kids who aren't confident in ocean swells. The Aquarium of Western Australia (AQWA) is next door.
Fremantle and South Fremantle beaches: Bathers Beach (inside the harbour wall) and South Beach (exposed, patrolled) are Fremantle's two main options. Fremantle has good food and the beach day pairs well with exploring the town.
Rockingham: About 45 minutes south of Perth, Shoalwater Bay is where you can do snorkelling trips to see wild sea lions and dolphins with Penguin Island nearby.
Perth Beach Culture
The beach is more embedded in daily Perth life than in most Australian cities. The city's eastern location on the continent means Perth gets the latest sunset times of any major city, and long summer evenings at the beach are a regular part of the local calendar. Watching the sun go down over the Indian Ocean from Cottesloe or Scarborough on a summer evening is a specific Perth experience that's hard to replicate elsewhere.
For a full list of rated beaches across Western Australia, including Margaret River's Canal Rocks and Busselton Jetty, check the WA beach directory on BeachCheck, which covers 151 beaches with ratings, reviews and facilities.
2026 top WA beaches: Pinky Beach Rottnest (#2 in Australia) and Hellfire Bay (#5) both featured on Tourism Australia's 2026 Best Beaches list.