We recently went to Western Australia. We stayed in Perth with the kids and had a few great nights at the beautiful Novotel Perth Langley. While we love finding kid-friendly activities in the city of Perth, we’d love to know what the best day trips are from Perth!
Whenever we get the chance, we love to get out of the city skies up and seek out more natural environments. I think in a world that’s so technology driven, sometimes it’s that connection with nature that calms our souls and rejuvenates the batteries! Plus the benefit of being able to reconnect with your family and really have a good time together where conversations are freer, playing together, laughing and walking hand in hand is the norm! To us, the value and benefits of spending time together in nature are priceless!
Believe it or not, but we had never heard of Rottnest Island until we stayed in Perth. Thought we didn’t even know this amazing island existed? Well, we sure missed out! After visiting this beautiful natural paradise, we’ve decided to make it one of the best islands to visit in Australia!!!
Find a super handy detailed guide on what to do in Rottnest Island!
Rottnest Island, Western Australia
One of the best islands in Australia
We’ve been to several of Australia’s islands! We have our favorite adventure islands like Fraser Island, and we have other places to relax like Hamilton Island. rottnest blew us away! We didn’t expect to find such sensational islands so close to the mainland.
Rottnest Island has some of the best beaches I’ve ever seen! The shades of blue found on every beach and bay on this island never cease to amaze me! This beautiful place forces you to slow down to its laid-back, casual vibe! It forces you to relax and takes pleasure in forcing you to fill your lungs with fresh air! No cars are allowed on Rottnest Island; this is one of the things that makes this island so special. So exploring on foot, by bike or by bus is the norm here!
While we’d classify this island as one of the best day trips on Perth’s list, we actually fully believe this island is worth more than your time! So, if you can, why not book a few nights!
For more information about Rottnest Island.
Where is Rottnest Island located? Rottnest Island is located off the coast of Western Australia, approximately 18km from Fremantle. If you are travelling from Perth to Freemantle, you can easily reach the town by train or, if you rent a car, it takes about 30 minutes by car.
How do I get to Rottnest Island from Freemantle? The easiest way to get to the island is to take the ferry from Fremantle to Rottnest Island. The ferry from Shed B takes only 25 minutes! To use your AMEX card, you will need to book online. Visit the Rottnest Express Ferry website here to find out the ferry times to Rottnest, as well as to book the ferry and prepay for various activities on the island.
Ferry from Fremantle to Rottnest Island
What to do in Rottnest Island.
1. Discover the Rottnest Island Short-tailed Dwarf Kangaroo
Another one of our firsts was meeting the cute little short-tailed dwarf kangaroos on Rottnest Island! This island is the main home of these little marsupials and they are really cute. They’re so curious, and with all the tourists on the island, they weren’t afraid to take a selfie! As you can see, Lily really likes the Rottnest Island Short-tailed Dwarf Kangaroos. So damn cute hey!
Rottnest Island Short-tailed Dwarf Kangaroo
-2.
2. Rottnest Island Bike Rental
I think exploring the island by bike must be the most popular thing to do in Rottnest! Everywhere you go, you’ll see people riding bikes ……. You can even find bike racks at the main popular beach spots! Lily convinced us to rent some bikes, even though we had a little 3 month old baby! Luckily, we had a baby bag for her, so we just decided to slow down and do smaller rides instead of trying to bike around the whole island! There’s something to be said for the wind blowing through your hair as you pass by some incredible scenery! It was very enjoyable and totally relaxing!
P.S. You can also bring your own bike on the ferry. That way you don’t have to return and return your bike before closing time. I think there is something to be said for having your own cruiser bike 🙂 .
Rent a bike in Rottnest Island, Washington
Here we are riding our bikes past Government House Lake ……. I wondered where we were going? I want to know why Lilly is so eager to get to her destination??? Well, I guess you will have to keep reading to find out!
Rottnest Island Activities – Bicycles
You can easily rent your bike from Pedal & Flipper, located in the main town area (right behind the Rottnest Hotel), where your ferry will drop you off! They have a very efficient system and offer a wide variety of bikes (including kids bikes, bikes with training wheels, bikes with trailers and bikes with child seats)! They even offer electric bikes for those who prefer an easier option to explore! They also rent a range of other equipment, such as snorkeling gear. A convenient one-stop rental store!
Bike rentals on Rottnest Island
Rottnest Island bike rental rates: $30 per day for adult bikes.
Rottnest Island Online Bike Rentals: If you prefer, you can pre-order bike rentals online here.
Rottnest bike rental service is open from 8:30am to 4:00pm (bikes need to be returned by 3:30pm)
