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Perth after Dark: The Best Things to Do in the City at Night
- The Perth Night Market Scene
- Inglewood Night Markets
- Scarborough Sunset Markets
- Kalamunda Night Market
- Perth’s Best Breweries and Bars at Night
- Little Creatures Brewery
- Terrarium
- Tiki as FK
- Nighttime Live Music and Performances
- Perth Concert Hall
- His Majesty’s Theatre
- The Regal Theatre
- The Best Nighttime Outdoor Activities in Perth
- Stroll around Kings Park and Botanic Garden
- See the animal sculptures at Mindeerup
- Enjoy the cool nighttime sea breeze in Port Beach
- Nighttime City Sights and Attractions
- Elizabeth Quay
- Perth Observatory
- City of Gosnells’ Ghost Walks
- Fremantle Prison Torchlight Tours
It’s getting dark and the sun is starting to set, but you’re still itching to explore Perth. It’s a good thing, then, that my city has lots of nighttime activities and attractions!
Let me tell you what I think are the best places to visit in my city at night. These include the night markets, bars I love to visit, and the best attractions and events to go to once the moon is up in the sky.
The Perth Night Market Scene
One of the things I love about Perth is its night markets, as these places let you interact with people from all walks of life. These lively activity centres are full of food, performances, souvenirs, and so much more.
Here are some of the best night markets in the city you shouldn’t miss out on:
Inglewood Night Markets
Address: Beaufort St, Inglewood WA 6052, Australia
Start your foodie adventure with a visit to Inglewood Night Markets, one of the biggest night markets in Perth. This market is located on Beaufort Street and is open from 6 to 9 in the evening every Monday during the summer season.
What’s great about the Inglewood Night Markets are the impressive food stalls in the area. Here you’ll find a diverse range of street food featuring cuisines from different nations.
Some stalls I always come to visit here are Miam Miam a bite of France, Osakaya Okonomiyaki, and Filipino Favourites.
There are also a lot of shops in the Inglewood Night Markets selling non-food items like souvenirs and homewares. The wide range of shops you can find here is one of the biggest reasons why this night market is so popular in Perth.
Another big reason to check out the Inglewood Night Markets is the free shows and parties you can enjoy.
Scarborough Sunset Markets
Address: 152 The Esplanade, Scarborough WA 6019, Australia
The Scarborough Sunset Markets is another night market I regularly visit with my friends. Its seaside location makes it a great spot to try out Perth’s foods while enjoying the cool sea breeze.
It’s open to visitors every Thursday evening between the months of November and April.
Like the Inglewood Night Markets, Scarborough Sunset Markets is also a fun place for foodies thanks to the many food trucks in the area. These food trucks feature both local and international dishes.
This night market also has a wide range of local goods, such as artwork, clothing, dog treats, and vintage souvenirs.
Of course, any beachside event wouldn’t be complete without a beach party! Make sure you don’t miss out on the free shows held here, like DJ parties, cultural dances, guest celebrity appearances, and more.
Kalamunda Night Market
Address: Haynes St, Kalamunda WA 6076, Australia
Let’s finish off our tour of the best night markets in Perth at the Kalamunda Night Market. This market is always on my list of places to visit during the Christmas season.
The Kalamunda Night Market is near the Central Mall and is open to the public between the months of October and April on select Friday nights.
A big reason why I always visit here every Christmas is the holiday-themed experience it brings every Christmas season.
During Christmas, the market is full of decorations and activities to foster a holiday spirit among its visitors. A lot of the shops here also sell Christmas-themed items, which I tend to buy to give to my friends and family.
Like the other night markets I’ve mentioned before, the Kalamunda Night Market is also filled with many food trucks that a foodie will love. Of course, this market also hosts a lot of musical performances and live shows.
Perth’s Best Breweries and Bars at Night
Now that we’ve tried out the local street food and bought some cool knick-knacks from the night markets, it’s time for us to taste the best liquors from the best breweries and bars in Perth!
Little Creatures Brewery
Address: 40 Mews Rd, Fremantle WA 6160, Australia
Business hours: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Let’s visit one of the most famous breweries in the city, the Little Creatures Brewery. This brewery is located at the famous Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour and is a place I frequently visit because of its unique beer flavours.
My friends and I love the area here called The Great Hall. There you can drink beers straight from the tap and eat delicious snacks.
As I said before, Little Creatures Brewery is so popular thanks to its unique beer flavours. Some flavours that caught my eye (or tongue, rather!) during my visits were Squeaky Clean, Freo Vice, and the Ancient Traveller.
Aside from The Great Hall, you can also visit The Brewhouse, which is the brewery’s beer garden and social space. Here, you’ll be able to chat with other beer enthusiasts and also buy some merchandise from the souvenir shop.
Terrarium
Address: Tenancy 2, 99 St Georges Terrace, Howard St, Perth WA 6000, Australia
Business hours:
- 4:00 PM – 11:45 PM (TUES-SAT)
- 2:00 PM – 11:45 PM (FRI)
The Terrarium is a cool rooftop bar that you can visit in the Perth CBD. Its terrace is filled with plants, which is a breath of fresh air, especially in the middle of the city’s urban landscape.
A great thing about the Terrarium is the wide range of alcoholic drinks it offers. Some of these drinks are beers, wines, cocktails, and whiskies.
The food menu isn’t as long as their spirits menu, but it features good food like their quesabirria and charcuterie that’s great when paired with a cool bottle of champagne.
Tiki as FK
Address: 91a James St, Northbridge WA 6003, Australia
Business hours:
- 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM (WED and THURS)
- 4:00 PM – 2:00 AM (FRI and SAT)
Let’s end our bar hopping by visiting Perth’s nightlife centre, Northbridge. A favourite bar of mine in Northbridge is the Tiki as FK, which is heavily inspired by the Tiki cocktail lounges of the 60s.
This is also a rooftop bar where you can get stunning views of the Perth skyline at night. The main highlight of Tiki as FK is its flavoured cocktails, which are great for casual drinkers and beginners.
A lot of their drinks are mixed so well that you can almost forget that you’re drinking an alcoholic drink. My personal favourite here is the Piña Colada.
Aside from great drinks, Tiki as FK also serves some mean barbeques and grilled meats. The only thing I don’t like about this place is its prices, which are a bit higher compared to most bars in Northbridge.
Nighttime Live Music and Performances
The fun doesn’t stop at night here in Perth. The city is also full of live musical performances and shows that you can watch late at night.
Here are some theatres in the city where you can watch the best of Perth’s talents.
Perth Concert Hall
Address: 5 St Georges Terrace, Perth WA 6000, Australia
The Perth Concert Hall in the Perth CBD is the most prestigious concert hall in Western Australia. It’s considered one of the best concert venues in the entire country, and it was designed by the famous acoustician Sir Harold Marshall.
A lot of the shows held here are concerts and musicals. The Perth Concert Hall is the main performance venue for the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.
Aside from local talent, the Perth Concert Hall has also held live shows by famous musicians like Ray Charles and Sting.
This concert hall is pretty huge, as it can seat more than 1,700 people. Guests who also want to eat a quick dinner before a show can also order from any of the restaurants and cafes inside the concert hall.
His Majesty’s Theatre
Address: 827-905 Hay St, Perth WA 6000, Australia
Another place you can visit to enjoy live performances and shows at night is His Majesty’s Theatre, which is a few blocks away from the Perth Concert Hall.
Like the Perth Concert Hall, His Majesty’s Theatre is also a popular spot to watch concerts and musicals. However, the shows here are more varied, as they also feature other genres, like comedy and ballet.
I come here with my friends from time to time to see the latest shows. A recent performance I watched and something I highly recommend you check out is Ballet to Broadway.
If you’re peckish while in the middle of watching a show, don’t worry, because His Majesty’s Theatre also has some restaurants you can try out. You can actually have a dish delivered to your seat during a show’s intermission.
The Regal Theatre
Address: 474 Hay St, Subiaco WA 6008, Australia
If you’re looking for a more laid-back and casual experience, then I recommend that you check out The Regal Theatre in Subiaco. This theatre is dedicated to showcasing a lot of the city’s local talent at affordable prices.
Comedy fans will love this theatre. The Regal Theatre is a popular venue for many Australian comedians, like Sean Woodland and Lawrence Mooney.
Aside from comedy shows, The Regal Theatre also occasionally features live music performances. As a fan of jazz, I already bought myself a ticket for an upcoming jazz music performance here called Soulphonic.
The Best Nighttime Outdoor Activities in Perth
After a live show in one of the best theatres in Perth, it’s a good time for us to slow down and do some relaxing outdoor activities. Here we’ll discuss the best outdoor places in the city that you can still visit late at night.
Stroll around Kings Park and Botanic Garden
Address: Fraser Ave, Perth WA 6005, Australia
An obvious choice when talking about the best outdoor places in Perth, Kings Park and Botanic Garden is the biggest public park here and is open 24/7.
A lot of the park sections are closed at night for your own safety, but there are still some places around the park that you can enjoy in the middle of the night. One of those that I really like is the DNA Tower.
This 15-metre-tall tower offers its visitors an unobstructed view of the Perth skyline and the Indian Ocean. Its amazing view makes it one of the best spots in the park to capture some selfies.
Another good place you can visit in the park late at night is the State War Memorial. It has vast grass fields where you and your friends can sit down while enjoying a great view of the city.
See the animal sculptures at Mindeerup
Address: S Perth Esplanade, South Perth WA 6151, Australia
The Mindeerup in South Perth is an outdoor location that’s better to visit during the night. The massive animal sculptures in this place look best when they’re lit up by the park’s nightlights.
The biggest sculptures you’ll find here are of the frilled-neck lizard and the numbat. There are also some smaller sculptures here, like the family of meerkats and the flock of emus.
Make sure to visit Mindeerup between the months of October and April, then May and September, to see its latest light show, Karl Kep Ngoornd-iny. This sound and light show uses projection technology to tell the story of the city’s indigenous people.
Another good reason to visit Mindeerup is the famous restaurants and cafes spread throughout the area. Some of these restaurants are still open late at night, so make sure to check one out if you’re in the mood for a late-night snack.
Enjoy the cool nighttime sea breeze in Port Beach
Address: Port Beach Road, North Fremantle, Western Australia, 6159
Let’s finish off our evening walk around the city by visiting Port Beach in Fremantle. This beach isn’t as popular with tourists as Cottesloe Beach, but it’s one of the best beaches for us locals to relax on.
A big reason why I regularly visit this place at night is the strong sea breeze that blows through it. It’s very relaxing for me, especially during the hotter nights of summer.
The only downside I see with Port Beach is its proximity to Fremantle’s busy industrial district. The industrial zone is filled with container boxes and machinery, which can sometimes ruin a great photo of the sea.
However, the industrial zone dies down during the night, so you can enjoy the beach in peace. Another good reason why you should visit this place is it offers a great view of nearby Rottnest Island.
Nighttime City Sights and Attractions
How about we end our night tour of Perth by checking out some cool attractions in the city? You’d be surprised to know that there are still some popular sights in the city that are open to visitors after 6 PM.
Elizabeth Quay
Address: The Esplanade, Perth WA 6000, Australia
Elizabeth Quay is one of the hottest places to visit in Perth thanks to its central location. It’s full of attractions and activities that can be enjoyed by almost anyone, both young and old.
It’s very easy to spot because it’s lit brightly during the night. Visitors at Mindeerup can actually see Elizabeth Quay just across the Swan River.
Some of the famous attractions you can check out here are The Island, the Bell Tower, and the Spanda. Elizabeth Quay is also full of restaurants that are still open late at night.
I sometimes visit this place whenever I want to see the Swan River. It has a walkway that connects The Island to the city, which you can use to stroll around and see the evening glow reflecting from the river.
Perth Observatory
Address: 337 Walnut Rd, Bickley WA 6076, Australia
The Perth Observatory is the oldest observatory in Western Australia and is a great place to visit if you’re a fan of astronomy. It regularly hosts nighttime tours of the observatory, where guests have the chance to see the night sky through a telescope.
They offer lots of cool activities and programs that you should definitely try out. My personal favourite is the Star Adoption programme, where they let you “adopt” a star and dedicate it to a special someone.
Of course, naming a star and dedicating it to someone doesn’t mean that you own it. It’s just a simple yet thoughtful project by the observatory, with the goal of raising funds to keep it running.
I recommend that you visit the Perth Observatory during the winter season since it’s the best time to see the southern skies. However, reserve in advance because this place is very popular during the winter.
City of Gosnells’ Ghost Walks
Joining one of Perth’s many ghost tours is certainly a great way to have a memorable experience of the city. A ghost tour that I particularly like is the one held in Gosnells, near the eastern edges of Perth.
It’s a local legend among residents of Gosnells that the city is still home to many spirits of the settlers of the area during the Colonial Era. Some of the tour’s highlights are the old Wilkinson Homestead and the spooky Kenwick Pioneer Cemetery.
The Kenwick Pioneer Cemetery was an eerie experience for me, as it was rumoured that you could find a headless horse rider here at midnight.
Each tour group has a maximum capacity of 25 people, and they are handled by a professional tour guide. From what I can remember, the tour lasts almost an hour and a half.
Fremantle Prison Torchlight Tours
As one of Perth’s oldest structures with an especially dark past, Fremantle Prison is one of the spookiest places you can visit in the city. The staff here knows it, and that’s why they’re offering horror-themed tours they’ve dubbed “Torchlight Tours.”
Visiting Fremantle Prison is a very scary experience, especially if you know its history. It was built in 1859 using convict labour, and throughout the decades, it kept some of the deadliest murderers in Western Australia.
This prison executed 44 people throughout its history until it was officially closed in 1991. One of the most infamous criminals executed here was Martha Rendell, who was found guilty of murdering her three children.
It’s rumoured that the spirit of Martha Rendell still haunts the prison and that her face occasionally shows up at the prison chapel windows.
The staff here really knows how to set the tone and atmosphere during the tour. I was very terrified during my visit!
I highly recommend you try it out during your visit to Perth. However, this ghost tour is one of the most popular ones in the city, so make sure that you schedule a reservation as soon as you can.
