Find the 8 best road trips in WA

Western Australia is the largest state in Australia and has so much to offer!

Once you venture out of Perth, you will discover Western Australia’s vast coastline, national parks, forests, deserts and many natural wonders.

Exploring the state by taking a road trip to a rural destination is the perfect way to ensure you don't miss out on any of Western Australia's hidden gems.

Road trips give you the freedom to stop at places you discover along the way, giving you plenty of stories to tell when you get back home!

To help you decide where to take your next trip, we have put together a list of locations with road trip itineraries, so you can start preparing for your next adventure!

Perth to Karijini road trip

If you are travelling from Perth to Karijini, you could take the fast route and cut straight through the state, but where is the fun in that?

We suggest turning your drive into a 5-10 day road trip along the coastline so that you can explore different towns along your way. 

Here is our suggested road trip itinerary for driving up to Karijini:

1. Embark on your road trip with a 2-hour drive from Perth to Jurien Bay. While travelling up, make a stop at the Pinnacle Desert. Then once you arrive in Jurien Bay, you can go fishing or swim with Jurien Bay sea lions before staying the night.
2. Wake up and hop in the car for a 3-hour drive to Horrocks. When you arrive, you can go for a 4WD along the beach, explore the pink lake and enjoy locally caught seafood.
3. The next day, take a 1-hour drive to Kalbarri. While staying, hike through Kalbarri National Park while admiring the wildflowers or look over the park from the Kalbarri Skywalk.
4. Take to the road for 4.5-hours while travelling to Carnarvon. Once you have arrived, you can visit the One Mile Jetty and go scuba diving. If you stay for two nights in Carnarvon, you can take a day trip up to Turquoise Bay or Coral Bay and see the manta rays.
5. Get up early and finish your road trip with a 7.5-hour drive from Carnavon to Karijini next to Tom Price. When you arrive at your final destination, you can hike through Karijini National Park or conquer Mount Nameless and Mount Bruce.

Perth to Shark Bay road trip

Break up your road trip to Shark Bay by turning it into a road trip up the coral coast of Western Australia, stopping in at two little towns on your way.

This trip can take you three to five days, depending on if you wish to stay and explore each town for one or two nights.

Here is our suggested itinerary for travelling to shark bay:

1. Start your journey with a 2.5-hour drive up to Jurien Bay. On your way, you can visit the Limestone Pinnacles in Nambung National Park. Once you arrive in Jurien Bay, you can enjoy the town in many ways, including skydiving or swimming with Sea Lions.
2. The next day pack up and drive 2.5-hours to the serene Horrocks. While staying in Horrocks, you can explore the Willy Gully Caves and spend all day at the beach, snorkelling, sliding down sand dunes and maybe even take your surfboard out and catch a wave or two.
3. Hop in the car for the last 3-hour stretch of your Western Australia road trip to Shark Bay. There you can spend your time swimming with dolphins, exploring Edel Land National Park, see Monkey Mia, visit the stromatolites and go diving and snorkelling.

Perth to Geraldton road trip

Perth to Geraldton is one of the best WA road trips you can take if you are a WA resident looking to escape the city for the weekend.

A straight drive up to Geraldton takes around 4 hours. So why not break up the drive into a few short distances before staying a night or two.

Here are a few towns we recommend stopping at on your way up to Geraldton:

1. Hit the road for a 45min drive from Perth to the town of Yanchep. Stretch your legs through Koala Boardwalk in the Yanchep national park and see if you can spot any Koala's hidden in the trees.
2. Drive for 40min inland to visit the town of Gingin and take a tour of the Gravity Discovery Centre.
3. When you're ready, travel for 45min to Ledge Point. There you can stop for some fresh seafood for lunch.
4. Drive for 40min along the coast and make a quick stop at Wedge Island, where you can stretch your legs by taking a stroll along the white sandy beach.
5. Make a trip a further 30min north at Cervantes. While there, explore through the natural pinnacles at Nambung National Park.
6. Hop back in the car for a short 20min drive up the coast to Jurien Bay, where you can go swimming with the Sea Lions.
7. Travel 80min for the last stop along your way at Dongara. There you have the chance to fill up the car, get something to eat and stretch your legs along the Calico Trail.
8. Finish off your journey with a 45min drive to Geraldton, where you can see the remnants of shipwrecks, swim, surf, and watch the sunset after a long day.

Perth to Walpole road trip

If you are taking a trip from Perth to Walpole, we suggest extending the usual 5-hour drive into a whole day of exploring the southwest as you make your way down.

You would be doing yourself a massive disfavour if you didn't extend your road trips as you would miss out on creating fantastic memories along the way at beaches, wineries and landmarks.

Here is our list of stops you should make on your road trip to Walpole:

1. Leave Perth early and drive 40min down to Rockingham, enjoying breakfast at one of their many cafes along the beach.
2. Take a 1.5-hour drive down to Bunbury and visit the famous Bunbury Farmers Market, where you can stock up on some snacks for the road.
3. Continue your road trip with a 1-hour drive to Bridgetown and visit the Jigsaw Gallery, which supports many photographers and artists.
4. Get back in your car for a short 30min drive to Manjimup, which is a beautiful place to stop for some lunch and maybe a glass of wine.
5. Finish your road trip with a 1-hour drive to Walpole, where you can explore the untouched forests, pristine waters and go Walpole whale watching.

Perth to Jurien Bay road trip

Taking a road trip from Perth to Jurien Bay is an excellent way to make the most out of this short trip to the north of WA.

Jurien Bay isn't too far from Perth, making it a perfect day trip or ideal for a weekend getaway.

This road trip is also a terrific choice for those new to road trips as there are lots of stops along the way to Jurien Bay. You also won't need a high powered 4WD to make it to any of the stops along the way.

Here is our list of places to see on your little road trip getaway:

1. The first stop is 1-hour north of Perth at Guilderton, where you can visit Moore River, the Guilderton Lighthouse and the Leaning Tower of Gingin.
2. Continuing 30min along the road is your next stop at Lancelin, where you can get your sandboards out and slide down the Lancelin sand dunes.
3. Another 45min drive up is Nambung National Park, where you can explore through the natural Pinnacles Desert.
4. 15min up the road is Cervantes. Cervantes is known for their crayfish, so why not try some for lunch, then take a walk along the beach.
5. Hop back in the car for the last 20min of your journey to Jurien Bay, where you can walk or ride along the Turquoise Way trail, go on a sea lion tour or hire a Jurien Bay fishing charter.

Great Ocean Drive road trip

There is so much to explore down south, and it is so beautiful all year round.

So, if travelling around Esperance, you should explore along the Great Ocean Drive, which is believed by many to be Australia's most beautiful stretch of road.

This 40km stretch of road takes you along some stunning beaches, wineries and forests.

Here a list of places we think you should stop at while driving along the Great Ocean Drive:

1. Stop at the Rotary Lookout and take in the view of Esperance’s magnificent beaches.
2. Visit Lucky Bay, a beach with some of the whitest sand in the country and frequented by kangaroos who you can take a selfie with - but remember to keep your distance!
3. Go to Frenchman Peak or Cape Le Grande National Park and explore the cave toward the end of the hike.
4. Explore the rock pools of Nine Mile Beach.
5. Spot some humpback whales at Dolphin Cove.
6. Stop at Observatory Point Lookout, where migrating dolphins and whales swim very close to shore.
7. Take your 4WD or sandboard to Wylie Bay to enjoy the sand dunes.
8. Visit Lucky Bay Brewing for a beer tasting.

Perth to Kalbarri road trip

Perth to Kalbarri is a beautiful scenic drive up to the coral coast of Western Australia, which is why we recommend taking your time on this road trip.

Take the extra time and explore this part of the world with all the national parks, wineries, beaches and natural wonders while travelling up the southwest.

This road trip up north can take you 4 to 10 days, depending on how long you would like to stay at each location.

Here is our recommended itinerary for getting the most out of your road trip:

1. Start your road trip with a 2-hour drive to Jurien Bay. While staying in Jurien Bay, you should enjoy lunch at the Lobster Shack and have some of their famous fresh lobster. While staying, you can also go sandboarding and visit the Pinnacles Desert.
2. When you're ready for your next destination, pack up and drive for 2-hours along the coast to Geraldton. Enjoy your time there by visiting the HMAS Sydney II Memorial, taking a day trip to the Abrolhos Islands and visit some wineries.
3. Continue your road trip by hopping in the car for a 1-hour drive to Horrocks. While there, you can spend your days at the beach and take the opportunity to get some professional family photos at the Oakabella Homestead and enjoy their rustic tearoom.
4. Get back on the road for the last hour stretch up to Kalbarri. Enjoy your time by wandering through the Kalbarri or Francois Peron National Park, visit the Hutt River Province, spend a day in Monkey Mia and maybe even go on a cruise around the coral coast.

Perth to Esperance road trip

If you are travelling to Esperance, perhaps experiencing to many local Esperance restaurants, we highly suggest taking the scenic route along the southwest edge.

Travelling from Perth to Esperance usually is an 8-hour drive, but we recommend extending your journey into a seven-day road trip. 

On this road trip, you can explore the vast coastline, visit the world-renowned wine region and visit the tourist attractions each town has to offer.

Here are the places we recommend you visit when travelling along the southwest edge:

1. Take a 3-hour drive along the west coast to Eagle Bay where you can have lunch and a beer tasting at the Eagle Bay Brewery and visit the Injidup Natural Spa.
2. Continue on the road for 45min to Margaret River where you can spend the first night of your road trip. While staying in Margaret River, you should explore their vineyards on a wine tour, go whale watching and visit the Margaret River Chocolate Company.
3. The next day, travel 1.5 hours to Pemberton, where you can visit the Beedelup Falls in Beedelup National Park, go for a swim and visit a restaurant in Hamelin Bay. 
4. Continue your drive for another 1.5-hours to Walpole, where you will stay the night. You can go on the Valley of Giants Treetop Walk and go for a swim in Mount Frankland National Park or the freshwater Circular Pool.
5. When you're ready for your next destination, get back in your car for a 45min drive to Denmark, where you can visit Elephant Rocks & Greens Pool.
6. Get back in the car for another 45min drive to Albany, where you can stay the night. While visiting Albany, you can go on a whale-watching cruise, visit the National ANZAC Centre and visit Torndirrup National Park or Middleton Beach.
7. With one more day of travel left, get up early for a 4-hour drive to Hopetoun and stop along the way at Bremer Bay, visit Fitzgerald River National Park or walk over the Granite Skywalk.
8. Finish your road trip to Experience with a 2-hour drive. While visiting the beautiful town, enjoy Cape Le Grand National Park, the Pink Lake, and all the outback adventures Experience has to offer.

Book accommodation before you leave

When travelling around Western Australia, Summerstar Tourist Parks has plenty of accommodation options to suit your road trip adventure.

Now if you're excited about a road trip, all you need to do is choose where you want to go and start packing!