North-Western Beachside
City precinct
Scarborough
Renowned for its beachside cafe society, the beach here is a top spot for surfers and sailboarders. The five-star Rendezvous Observation City Hotel dominates the landscape, reminiscent of the Gold Coast resorts. On weekends the Scarborough Fair Markets set up stalls just opposite the hotel, where you can shop for antiques, bric-a-brac, arts and crafts plus – of course – surf gear and hippie wear. Cnr Scarborough Beach Rd and West Coast Hwy; open 9am–5.30pm Sat–Sun.
Hillarys Boat Harbour
This ocean-side complex houses a marina, a world-class aquarium (), and Sorrento Quay, a ‘village’ of shops, cafes, restaurants and resort apartments. If the beautiful sandy beaches are too tame for you, try The Great Escape, a leisure park with waterslides, miniature golf and trampolines. Ferries to Rottnest Island run from Hillarys, and there are whale-watching cruises from September to November. If you visit in March, be sure to attend the Milk Carton Regatta, a fundraising event for the local telethon. Competitors in this wacky boatrace build their craft entirely from milk cartons, then dress up to coordinate with their creative craft and paddle for glory. The day also includes a sand sculpture competition that produces amazing results and plenty of other beachside entertainment. Southside Dr, Hillarys; Boat Harbour, (08) 9448 7544; Sorrento Quay, (08) 9246 9788.
Aquarium of Western Australia (AQWA)
The highlight of this attraction, housing five different aquariums, is an incredible 98-metre underwater tunnel aquarium, surrounded by approximately 3 million litres of the Indian Ocean. Here you’ll see thousands of marine creatures including sharks, stingrays, seals, crocodiles, sea dragons and turtles. For the ultimate underwater sensation, visitors can snorkel or swim with sharks. Hillarys Boat Harbour, 91 Southside Dr, Hillarys; (08) 9447 7500; open 10am–5pm daily.
