City Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Perth, Western Australia. This white sand beach offers a wide range of activities such as swimming, surfing, and fishing and is home to several restaurants and cafes.
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City Beach Location
City Beach is the closest beach to Perth, 10 km from the city.
International and domestic visitors will fly into Perth Airport. Find details about visas, prohibited items, currency, and safety in this Australia Travel Guide and tips on arriving into WA and other essential travel information in this Western Australia Travel Guide.
There are car hire booths at Perth airport, but it’s best to pre-book your car rental. Choose from Avis, Budget, Europcar, Sixt, Hertz, Enterprise, and Thrifty.
To compare rental car company prices, I use Discover Cars, an award-winning car rental comparison website. They offer competitive pricing in over 10,000 locations worldwide and are have a high rate of customer satisfaction. Another option is Rentalcars.
Drivenow is a good resource to compare campervan hire in Western Australia as it includes all the large companies like Britz, Maui, Jucy as well as smaller ones.
How to get to City Beach
City Beach is a 15-minute drive from Perth city. Several buses travel between Perth and City Beach. Use the Transperth Planner to plan your journey.
If driving, there’s a large car park with free parking.
City Beach Facilities
- Toilets
- Showers
- Changing Rooms
- BBQS
- Picnic Tables
- Volleyball Nets (summer only)
Things to do at City Beach
City Beach Surf Life Saving Club patrols the beach in the summer, performing rescues and first aid each summer season. The tower at the end of the southern groyne provides additional surveillance.
The two purpose-built groynes block large waves from the main area, making it ideal for inexperienced swimmers most days. The groynes are also great for fishing off.
The waves here are low, making it ideal for beginner surfers, but in winter, the surf breaks at the groynes are popular and can be crowded. Watch out for rips.
The beach is 500m long with a large grassed area, perfect for picnics, bbqs, and watching the sunset.
City Beach is family-friendly with a playground, child-friendly restaurants, and a grassed area to play.
A list of things to do at City Beach:
- Surfing
- Fishing
- Swimming
- Picnic
- Watch the sunset
- Play beach volleyball (summer only)
- Walk along the coastal path
- Hire an electric scooter
- Take the kids to the playground
- Dine or have a drink at one of the restaurants
City Beach Restaurants & Bars
There are a few restaurants that line the beach to choose from. Clancy’s Fish Bar is laid back with a fun vibe attracting a young crowd and families. The stylish Hamptons is perfect for couples and friends looking for a sophisticated venue with incredible beach views. Odyssea has something for everyone, from coffees to a fine wine while watching the sunset.
Best Time to Visit City Beach
The best time to visit City Beach for water activities is from November to March, when the weather is warm. Head to the beach in the morning before the sea breeze hits the shore as it can be extremely windy, and the sand whips you! The ocean is at its warmest at the beginning of March and coldest in September.
The shoulder seasons of autumn and spring are nice for beach walks, cycling, and enjoying the local food and drink scene.
City Beach Accommodation
We use Booking.com for most accommodation bookings as they offer free cancellation on most rooms, have a loyalty program (Genius), a price match guarantee, the site is user-friendly and they have great customer support. We also book through Stayz for private accommodation as they are often cheaper than Airbnb.
City Beach is an upmarket residential area, so there aren’t any hotels in the suburb. However, Scarborough Beach is only five minutes away by car.
See this Scarborough Beach guide to find out the best places to stay.
Beach Dangers in Perth
Let’s be clear: many dangers face visitors to most beaches worldwide, not just in Perth. No tourist has been attacked by a shark in WA. Although they do happen, it is extremely rare. Sharks have attacked a few people each year, but over one hundred die from drowning over the same period.
Non-tropical marine stingers, such as the Bluebottle (Physalia) or Hair Jelly (Cyanea), are usually found south of Geraldton (including Perth). Their stingers are not generally life-threatening but can cause discomfort if you get stung.
The number one danger on Perth beaches are rips and, on average, are responsible for nineteen deaths annually. Read this guide from Surf Lifesaving on spotting a rip and getting out of one. It could save your life.
Stick to patrolled beaches, never swim/snorkel/surf alone, pay attention to the signs, and swim between the red and yellow flags.
For full information on beach dangers in WA, visit Surf Lifesaving.
Western Australia Travel Guide
For other ideas on where to visit in Western Australia along with the best things to do, where to stay, how to get around, and other essential information, click on the link below.
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