Western Australia Itineraries | WA Road Trip & Travel Routes

Western Australia is huge, so the best itinerary depends on how much time you have, the season and how far you want to drive. A long weekend works well for Perth, Fremantle and Rottnest Island. Five to seven days is enough for Margaret River or the South West. Ten to fourteen days works better for the Coral Coast to Exmouth. Longer trips can include Broome, the Kimberley gateway or a slower south coast route to Esperance.

Do not try to cover too much. A car is useful for most WA itineraries, and some routes work best in certain seasons. Summer heat matters for inland and outback routes. Winter and shoulder seasons can be better for the Coral Coast and Goldfields. The South West is usually the easiest choice for shorter trips from Perth.

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Number of daysArrival citySeasonDaily drivingVehicle

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Quick chooser: best WA itinerary

3 daysPerth, Fremantle and Rottnest Island.

5-7 daysMargaret River and the South West.

7-10 daysAlbany, Denmark and Esperance.

10-14 daysCoral Coast to Exmouth.

14+ daysPerth to Broome or Kimberley gateway.

3-4 daysKalgoorlie and the Goldfields.

Best with kidsPerth, Rottnest, Margaret River, Albany or Coral Bay.

Best for beachesEsperance, Coral Bay, Exmouth and Margaret River coast.

Winter sunKalbarri, Coral Bay, Exmouth and Broome.

Less drivingPerth, Fremantle, Rottnest and Swan Valley.

Compare WA itineraries

Itinerary	Days	Best for	Best season	Driving difficulty
Perth and Fremantle	3	First-time visitors, no long driving	Year-round	Easy
Margaret River and South West	5-7	Wine, food, beaches, forests	Spring to autumn	Easy
Albany, Denmark and Esperance	7-10	Beaches, national parks, south coast	September to April	Moderate
Perth to Exmouth Coral Coast	10-14	Ningaloo, snorkelling, Kalbarri, Shark Bay	April to October	Moderate
Perth to Broome / Kimberley gateway	14+	Big WA road trip, remote coast, outback	May to October	Challenging
Kalgoorlie and Goldfields	3-4	Outback, mining history, heritage towns	April to October	Easy-moderate
Perth, Swan Valley and Rottnest	3-5	Food, wine, island day trip	Year-round	Easy

Choose by trip length

3 days in WA

Use a short visit for Perth, Fremantle, Rottnest Island and Swan Valley. This gives you city views, beaches, food, markets and an island day trip without spending the whole visit in the car.

5-7 days in WA

Choose Margaret River, Busselton, Dunsborough, Yallingup and the South West. Albany and Denmark can work as an alternative if you prefer cooler coast, forests and national parks.

7-10 days in WA

A South West and South Coast route can include Albany, Denmark, Esperance and Cape Le Grand National Park. This is a stronger beach and national park itinerary than a quick wine-region loop, but the driving days are longer.

10-14 days in WA

The Coral Coast route from Perth to Kalbarri, Monkey Mia, Coral Bay, Exmouth and Ningaloo Reef works best with ten days or more. It is too rushed for a long weekend.

2 weeks or more

Use two weeks or more for Perth to Broome, a Kimberley gateway trip, a slower Coral Coast route, South West plus Esperance, or a Goldfields plus South Coast itinerary. Perth to Broome is a major long-distance route and may work better one-way with a flight back.

Itinerary cards

Perth and Fremantle Long Weekend

3 daysEasy

The simplest first taste of WA: city, coast, markets, harbour history and an island day trip.

Start / finishPerth

Best forFirst-time visitors, short stays, no long driving

Best seasonYear-round

Road typeCity roads and ferry if visiting Rottnest

Day 1

Perth: Perth CBD, Kings Park, Elizabeth Quay and Northbridge or the riverfront.

Day 2

Fremantle: Fremantle Markets, Fremantle Prison, heritage streets and the harbour.

Day 3

Rottnest or Swan Valley: Choose an island day trip or a food and wine day closer to Perth.

View Perth guide View Fremantle guide Perth accommodation Fremantle accommodation

Margaret River and South West

5-7 daysEasy

A flexible sealed-road loop for food, wine, beaches, caves, forests and calmer driving days.

Start / finishPerth

Best forFood, wine, beaches, caves, forests

Best seasonSpring, summer and autumn

Road typeSealed main roads

Day 1

Perth to Busselton or Dunsborough.

Day 2

Dunsborough, Yallingup and Cape Naturaliste.

Day 3

Margaret River town, wineries, caves and local produce.

Day 4

Gnarabup, Prevelly and Boranup Forest.

Day 5

Augusta and Cape Leeuwin, or return to Perth.

Optional

Extend to Pemberton, Walpole, Denmark or Albany.

View Margaret River guide Margaret River accommodation WA road trips

Albany, Denmark and Esperance South Coast

7-10 daysModerate

A cooler coastal route for beaches, granite headlands, forests and national parks. It is beautiful, but the Perth to Esperance distances are not small.

Start / finishPerth

Best forBeaches, national parks, cooler coast, road trips

Best seasonSeptember to April

Road typeMostly sealed main roads

Day 1

Perth to Albany.

Day 2

Albany, Torndirrup National Park, The Gap and Natural Bridge.

Day 3

Denmark, Greens Pool, Elephant Rocks and Valley of the Giants.

Day 4

Albany or Denmark to Esperance.

Day 5

Esperance town and Great Ocean Drive.

Day 6

Cape Le Grand National Park, Lucky Bay and Hellfire Bay.

Day 7+

Return inland via Ravensthorpe / Wave Rock, or extend slowly.

View Albany guide View Esperance guide Albany accommodation Esperance accommodation

Perth to Exmouth Coral Coast

10-14 daysModerate

WA's classic long coastal drive, with Kalbarri, Shark Bay, Coral Bay, Exmouth and Ningaloo Reef. It needs time, especially if you are driving both ways.

Start / finishPerth or Exmouth

Best forNingaloo Reef, snorkelling, Kalbarri, Shark Bay, Coral Bay

Best seasonApril to October

Road typeSealed main roads, with some side trips needing checks

Day 1

Perth to Geraldton.

Day 2

Geraldton to Kalbarri.

Day 3

Kalbarri National Park and coast.

Day 4

Kalbarri to Monkey Mia / Denham.

Day 5

Shark Bay, Shell Beach, Eagle Bluff and Monkey Mia.

Day 6

Denham to Carnarvon or Coral Bay.

Day 7

Coral Bay.

Day 8

Coral Bay to Exmouth.

Day 9-10

Exmouth, Cape Range National Park and Ningaloo Reef.

Optional

Extra nights in Exmouth or return south slowly.

Kalbarri guide Monkey Mia guide Coral Bay guide Exmouth guide Coral Bay accommodation Exmouth accommodation Ningaloo accommodation

Perth to Broome / Kimberley Gateway

14+ daysChallenging

This is a major long-distance WA itinerary, not a quick holiday loop. Many travellers drive one way and fly back, but one-way car-hire fees and flight schedules need checking before you commit.

StartPerth

FinishBroome, or return to Perth if time allows

Best seasonMay to October

Road typeLong sealed highways, remote distances, variable side trips

Main stops

Perth, Geraldton, Kalbarri, Monkey Mia / Shark Bay, Carnarvon, Coral Bay, Exmouth, Karijini or Port Hedland route if adding inland stops, then Broome.

Allow time

Use 14 days as a fast minimum. Add more days if you want reef tours, national park walks, rest days, detours or a safer pace.

View Broome guide Broome accommodation Campervan guide WA road trips

Kalgoorlie and Goldfields

3-4 daysEasy-moderate

A practical outback-history route on sealed main roads. Avoid treating Wave Rock as a simple Kalgoorlie local stop - it works better as a fourth-day detour on the way home.

Start / finishPerth

Best forOutback history, mining, heritage towns, road trips

Best seasonApril to October

Road typeSealed main roads

Day 1

Perth to Kalgoorlie via Great Eastern Highway.

Day 2

Kalgoorlie, Hannan Street, Super Pit and Boulder.

Day 3

Coolgardie and return to Perth.

Day 4 option

Coolgardie to Hyden / Wave Rock, then Wave Rock to Perth the next day.

View Kalgoorlie guide Kalgoorlie accommodation Kalgoorlie campervan stays

Choose by travel style

First WA tripPerth, Fremantle, Rottnest, Margaret River or the South West.

BeachesEsperance, Albany and Denmark, Margaret River coast, Coral Bay, Exmouth.

Food and wineMargaret River, Swan Valley, Perth and Fremantle.

WildlifeRottnest Island, Monkey Mia, Ningaloo, Exmouth, Broome and Albany whale season.

Outback and historyKalgoorlie, Coolgardie, Goldfields, Wave Rock and Lake Ballard.

CampervanMargaret River, South West, Coral Coast, Kalbarri and Exmouth. Use legal campgrounds and check booking rules.

No 4WDPerth, Fremantle, Margaret River, Albany, Esperance town, Kalbarri main lookouts and Coral Coast towns. Some side roads still need checks.

Winter sunCoral Coast, Exmouth, Broome and Kalbarri.

Best time for WA itineraries

Perth and Fremantle: year-round.
Margaret River / South West: spring to autumn; winter can still work for food and wine weekends.
Albany / Denmark / Esperance: spring to autumn; cooler and windier in winter.
Coral Coast / Exmouth: April to October is usually the easier window.
Broome / Kimberley: dry season, roughly May to October.
Kalgoorlie / Goldfields: April to October; avoid extreme summer heat where possible.
Wildflowers: timing varies by region, often winter to spring depending on location.

Driving notes for WA itineraries

Distances in Western Australia are much larger than they look on a map. Plan fuel, food, water, rest breaks and overnight stops before leaving major towns.

Do not drive tired.
Avoid driving at dawn, dusk and night in remote areas where possible.
Check road conditions for remote or unsealed side trips.
Check park alerts before national park walks.
Summer heat can make inland and gorge walks dangerous.
Not every beach, lookout or campground is 2WD accessible.
Mobile reception can be limited outside towns.
Carry water.

Road type note

Main town-to-town routes listed here use sealed roads. Some beaches, national parks, campsites, gorges, lookouts and remote side trips may require gravel roads, 4WD access or current condition checks.

Budget note

Budget ranges on this page are rough accommodation estimates only. They do not include fuel, food, tours, park fees, ferries, travel insurance, car hire, one-way rental fees or flights. Costs can rise quickly during school holidays, long weekends and peak road-trip seasons.

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need for Western Australia?

You can see Perth, Fremantle and Rottnest Island in 3 days, but most WA road trips need more time. Allow 5-7 days for Margaret River or the South West, 7-10 days for Albany and Esperance, and 10-14 days for the Coral Coast to Exmouth.

What is the best WA itinerary for first-time visitors?

For a first WA trip, start with Perth, Fremantle, Rottnest Island and Margaret River. This gives a mix of city, coast, food, wine, beaches and short driving distances.

Can you travel around WA without a 4WD?

Yes. Many major WA routes use sealed roads, including Perth to Margaret River, Albany, Esperance, Kalbarri, Monkey Mia, Coral Bay and Exmouth. Some beaches, campsites, national park tracks and remote side trips may require gravel-road caution, high clearance or 4WD.

What is the best 7-day WA itinerary?

A strong 7-day itinerary is Perth to Albany, Denmark and Esperance, or Perth to Margaret River and the South West at a slower pace. Choose Esperance for beaches and national parks; choose Margaret River for food, wine, caves and forests.

Is Perth to Exmouth worth the drive?

Yes, if you have enough time. Perth to Exmouth works best as a 10-14 day Coral Coast road trip with stops such as Kalbarri, Shark Bay, Coral Bay and Ningaloo. It is too rushed for a short holiday.

When is the best time for a WA road trip?

It depends on the region. The South West works well from spring to autumn. The Coral Coast, Exmouth, Broome and the Kimberley are usually better in the cooler dry-season months. Inland and outback trips are more comfortable outside extreme summer heat.

Should I drive one way and fly back?

For long routes such as Perth to Exmouth or Perth to Broome, a one-way drive with a flight back can save time. Check car-hire one-way fees, flight schedules and accommodation availability before deciding.

What is the best WA itinerary with kids?

Good family-friendly choices include Perth and Rottnest Island, Margaret River, Albany, Denmark, Coral Bay and Exmouth. Look for shorter driving days, self-contained accommodation, beaches, wildlife and flexible activities.

What is the best WA itinerary for beaches?

Esperance and Cape Le Grand are among the strongest beach itineraries. Margaret River, Albany/Denmark, Coral Bay, Exmouth and Ningaloo are also excellent beach-focused options.

What is the best WA winter itinerary?

For winter sun, look north to Kalbarri, Shark Bay, Coral Bay, Exmouth and Broome. For food, wine and cosy stays, Margaret River can also work well in winter.