Categories > Guides and Tips
Frosty Fun: A Winter Date Night Guide in Perth
- What to Do in Perth for Your Winter Date Night
- View the latest artworks at the Art Gallery of Western Australia
- See the beauty of Elizabeth Quay and the Swan River at the top of The Bell Tower
- See the beautiful Lightscape art installations at Kings Park and Botanic Garden
- Watch the night sky in detail at the Perth Observatory
- Get your hearts pumping by signing up for the Fremantle Prison’s Torchlight Tour
- Have a romantic dinner aboard one of Captain Cook Cruises’ Evening Cruises
- Watch the latest arthouse flicks at the Windsor Cinema
- Have a fun ice skating session at the Cockburn Ice Arena
- Where to Eat in Perth
- C Restaurant in the Sky
- The Meat & Wine Co
- Rambla On Swan
Looking to impress your significant other with a romantic date night? Don’t worry because the City of Lights has plenty of stuff you and your date can enjoy together!
While the city is always a lovely place all year round, Perth’s chilly atmosphere during winter is always a beautiful time for couples to hang out and enjoy the best activities the city has to offer.
Without further ado, here’s a guide to help you and your loved one have the best winter date night in Perth!
What to Do in Perth for Your Winter Date Night
View the latest artworks at the Art Gallery of Western Australia
Website: https://artgallery.wa.gov.au/
Address: Perth Cultural Centre, Perth WA 6000, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 9492 6600
Operating hours: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (WED-MON)
Start your date with a visit to the biggest art gallery in Perth! Located in the Perth Cultural Centre, the Art Gallery of Western Australia hosts an impressive collection of more than 18,000 artworks made by the state’s best artists.
Some paintings you should definitely check out during your visit are George Pitt Morrison’s The Foundation of Perth 1829 and Frederick McCubbin’s Down on His Luck.
Aside from traditional paintings, The Art Gallery of Western Australia has also started to exhibit newer forms of art to keep engagement high among their visitors.
One of their newest exhibits, Exquisite Bodies, is a multi-sensory exhibition where visitors can participate and create unique sculptures out of three-dimensional blocks. It’s designed to be enjoyed by anyone, even those who have disabilities.
If you’re curious to learn more about their newest exhibitions, make sure to visit their website.
| Pro tip: The Art Gallery of Western Australia has its own store where you can buy limited-edition items and clothing. I recommend you buy something special here for your date to make them feel more loved! |
See the beauty of Elizabeth Quay and the Swan River at the top of The Bell Tower
Website: https://www.thebelltower.com.au/
Address: Barrack Square, Riverside Dr, Perth WA 6000, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 6210 0444
Operating hours: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (WED-SUN)
Price: $62 (for romance package)
Another great way to begin your date night is with a visit to Elizabeth Quay’s The Bell Tower. A visit to The Bell Tower, known for having the second-largest set of changing bells in the world, will be one of the most memorable parts of your winter date night.
Of course, the best way to experience The Bell Tower with your partner is by availing the romance package. This package includes tickets for two, a customisable love lock, and a chance for you and your partner to ring the bells yourselves.
If you know about Paris’ Pont des Arts, then you already know what a love lock is for. It is believed that attaching a love lock, known as a symbol for a couple’s eternal love, to one of The Bell Tower’s railings helps strengthen your love for one another.
After attaching your love lock, you can take some time strolling at the top of the tower and marvel at the amazing view of the Swan River and the Perth skyline with your partner.
Make sure your cameras are ready to capture this beautiful moment together.
| Pro tip: If you don’t have the time to attend The Bell Tower tour, you can simply buy the love lock itself. Priced at $35, the love lock includes an engraving of your names and the date you visited the tower. |
See the beautiful Lightscape art installations at Kings Park and Botanic Garden
Website: https://www.lightscapeperth.com.au/
Address: Fraser Ave, Perth WA 6005, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 9480 3600
Operating hours: 5:45 PM – 11:00 PM (WED-SUN)
Price: $40 per adult
While Perth shines bright all year round, it shines even brighter come winter! Between the months of June and July, Kings Park and Botanic Garden is filled with amazing art installations made by Lightscape.
Once the sun sets, the park transforms into a live canvas as its trees and gardens are lit up with colourful lights that imitate the famous wildflowers you’ll find in the park’s botanic garden.
Aside from the larger-than-life flowers, visitors are also treated to a wide range of light tunnels that will surely leave an impression on you and your partner!
To make sure every guest has an amazing experience, Lightscape only allows a limited number of visitors every night to see their light art installations. You can reserve your slots via their website.
After visiting the exhibition, I recommend you make the most out of your visit to the Kings Park and Botanic Garden and check out some of its other attractions as well like the DNA Tower and the State War Memorial.
The DNA Tower, in particular, is an amazing place to go to during the night, as it’s a great spot to capture amazing shots of the surroundings. This 15-metre tower lets you see not only the entire park but also the Perth skyline!
| Pro tip: Unsure what time you and your partner will be able to visit the Lightscape exhibition? Then get yourselves an Anytime pass, which is a special ticket that lets you enter and exit the exhibition freely within its operating hours. |
Watch the night sky in detail at the Perth Observatory
Website: https://www.perthobservatory.com.au
Address: 337 Walnut Rd, Bickley, WA 6076
Contact details: +61 8 9293 8255
Operating hours: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM (MON-FRI), open late at night on select dates for scheduled tours
Price: $40 per adult
Now that you’ve seen the best artificial lights of the city, it’s time to see the bright stars that shine above it! The best place to do just that is at the Perth Observatory located in the town of Bickley, east of the Perth Metropolitan Area.
They offer various night sky tours all year round. However, their stargazing tours are best experienced during winter, as it’s when the night skies are clear enough that you can see the galactic centre.
Their Winter Night Sky tours are priced at $40 per adult. For a more romantic experience, you can also avail of their Star Adoption program and dedicate a star to your significant other’s name.
| Pro tip: Already thinking of tying the knot? You should know that the Perth Observatory is actually available as a venue for your wedding and pre-wedding photography sessions! Their wedding venue package already includes an exclusive night sky tour, which can serve as a great activity for you and your wedding guests to enjoy. You can learn more about this package by leaving them a message here. |
Get your hearts pumping by signing up for the Fremantle Prison’s Torchlight Tour
Website: https://fremantleprison.com.au/tours/torchlight-tour/
Address: 1 The Terrace, Fremantle WA 6160, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 9336 9200
Operating hours:
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (SAT, SUN, MON, TUES, and THURS)
9:00 AM – 9:00 PM (WED and FRI)
Price: $28 per adult
One of the best ways to strengthen your relationship is with a good old-fashioned horror-themed activity! For an authentic experience, make sure to sign up for the Fremantle Prison Torchlight Tour.
This UNESCO Heritage Site has a darker side, as many of Western Australia’s most dangerous criminals were incarcerated here. It has also seen its fair share of executions until the abolishment of the death penalty in 1985.
With your tour group being guided only by a few torchlights, the Torchlight Tour will take you to the most haunted places of the prison, including its solitary confinement cells, whipping post, morgue, and infamous gallows.
A ticket to this tour will cost you $28 per person. You’ll encounter a couple of scares and surprises during the tour, so make sure that you and your partner are mentally prepared and have no serious health issues before signing up.
| Pro tip: If English isn’t your primary language, the Fremantle Prison has multilingual handheld audio guides available for their tours. The languages currently supported are Japanese, Mandarin, French, German, Korean, Spanish, and Italian. |
Have a romantic dinner aboard one of Captain Cook Cruises’ Evening Cruises
Website: https://www.captaincookcruises.com.au/
Address: Barrack Street Jetty, 3 Birdiya Dr, Perth WA 6000, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 9325 3341
Operating hours (office): 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM (MON-SUN)
Price: $170 per adult
Another amazing date idea you can do on a winter night is a romantic evening cruise across the majestic Swan River. Unlike your typical Transperth ferry ride, Captain Cook Cruises prefers to go for a more scenic ride with their cruises.
Their most popular evening cruise is the Swan River Dinner Cruise, which is a three-hour cruise that begins and ends at Barrack Street Jetty. It will pass by many of Perth’s popular riverside suburbs like South Perth and Fremantle.
During the cruise, you and your partner can enjoy a delicious dinner buffet with desserts. If you’ve already eaten somewhere else, you can visit the bar where you can get complimentary beers, wines, and soft drinks to enjoy for the night.
Aside from the amazing view and good food, their vessels also have entertainment options which you can enjoy with your partner, such as a dance floor. They have DJs onboard to ensure every guest will have a great time partying and dancing.
| Pro tip: Captain Cook Cruises has a 3D virtual tour of their vessels available on their website. Check it out so you’ll know in advance which of their boats is better for you and your partner before booking. |
Watch the latest arthouse flicks at the Windsor Cinema
Website: https://lunapalace.com.au/m/cinemas+7+windsor-cinema
Address: 98 Stirling Hwy, Nedlands WA 6009, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 9386 3554
A movie date never gets old! And one of the best places to do that is at the Windsor Cinema, an art deco cinema located in the lovely suburb of Nedlands.
Built in 1937, Windsor Cinema is actually one of the oldest cinemas you can visit in Perth. It may not have the advanced audiovisual equipment you’ll see in newer cinemas, but its nostalgic atmosphere is what makes watching a film here so special.
Like other cinemas, Windsor Cinema also shows the biggest blockbuster films in their theatres. However, they are best known for showing arthouse films that aren’t typically shown in mainstream cinemas.
You can check what films they’re currently showing as well as buy your movie tickets on their website.
| Pro tip: Are you or your partner a cinephile? Then get yourselves a Luna Palace Cinema Club membership card! This membership card only costs $25 annually, and it grants you a couple of perks when watching movies in Windsor Cinema like discounted tickets and more. |
Have a fun ice skating session at the Cockburn Ice Arena
Website: https://www.cockburnicearena.com.au/
Address: 401 Progress Dr, Bibra Lake WA 6163, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 9411 0300
Operating hours:
8:00 AM – 10:00 PM (SAT)
8:00 AM – 6:30 PM (SUN)
9:00 AM – 6:30 PM (MON)
9:00 AM – 10:00 PM (TUES, THURS, and FRI)
Price: $22 per adult
It may not snow in Perth during winter, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a fun ice skating session with your partner! Visit the Cockburn Ice Arena, one of the biggest indoor ice skating rinks in the city.
Here, you’ll have the chance to enjoy various ice activities like ice skating, ice hockey, and even ice biking. Ice biking is great for total beginners, as it doesn’t require you to learn how to balance on ice compared to traditional ice skating.
If you and your partner are fans of ice hockey, you can also watch professional ice hockey action here! The Cockburn Ice Arena is the home arena of the Perth Inferno, Western Australia’s women’s ice hockey team.
| Pro tip: If you’re looking to enjoy ice skating with your partner on a budget, make sure to visit the Cockburn Ice Arena on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 8 PM and 10 PM! This is because they offer tickets at discounted prices during those hours. Known as Cheapskate Sessions, ticket prices during those hours are only $15 instead of the usual $22. |
Where to Eat in Perth
Of course, a date wouldn’t be complete without a romantic dinner! Lucky for you, Perth is full of amazing restaurants that are just waiting to give you and your partner a one-of-a-kind dining experience!
To help you avoid the hassle of having to check every restaurant in the city, I’ve compiled a small list of amazing restaurants that are known for their delicious dishes and romantic ambience suited for two lovebirds strolling on a winter night!
Take note that a single $ means their dishes cost less than $15, $$ means the price is anywhere between $15 and $35, and $$$ for prices that are $36 and more.
C Restaurant in the Sky
Website: https://www.crestaurant.com.au/
Address: Level 33/44 St Georges Terrace, Perth WA 6000, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 9220 8333
Operating hours:
12:00 PM – 4:30 PM, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM (MON-FRI)
12:00 PM – 4:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM (SAT)
12:00 PM – 4:00 PM, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM (SUN)
Pricing: $$$
For the most exquisite dining experience, make sure to reserve a table at the C Restaurant in the Sky. It’s a one-of-a-kind restaurant, as it’s the only revolving restaurant you’ll find in the entire state of Western Australia!
Located at the top of St. Martins Tower, this restaurant performs a complete rotation every 90 minutes. Throughout those 90 minutes, you’ll have the chance to enjoy sweeping views of the Perth skyline and the Swan River.
Their dinner course is a full-course meal complete with a main dish, an entree, and a side. A couple of noteworthy dishes they offer are king salmon ceviche, crispy skin barramundi, and my personal favourite, Wagyu beef sirloin.
Aside from fine meals, this restaurant also offers a list of alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails you and your partner can enjoy before wrapping up the dinner.
| Pro tip: You can actually save a lot of money by availing of C Restaurant in the Sky’s Early Bird Dinner promo. With this promo, you and your partner are guaranteed window seating for only $170 instead of the usual $222. This promo is available from Friday to Sunday. Of course, it’s best that you book early, as there are only limited slots every week for this promo. |
The Meat & Wine Co
Website: https://themeatandwineco.com/perth-restaurants/perth-cbd/
Address: Ground Floor/108 St Georges Terrace, Perth WA 6000, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 6163 8880
Operating hours:
12:00 PM – 10:00 PM (SUN-THURS)
12:00 PM – 10:30 PM (FRI and SAT)
Pricing: $$$
Located in the middle of the Perth CBD, The Meat & Wine Co is a world-class steak restaurant made famous by their African-inspired menu. Their signature African basting guarantees you’ll have a unique and delicious dining experience here.
The menu here consists of a wide variety of dishes including seafood, salads, steaks, ribs, and artisanal cheeses. They also sell aged steaks made from Angus and Hereford cattle grown in Victoria.
A great way to end your dinner date is with a glass of wine in your hands. For that, The Meat & Wine Co offers a list of wines produced by South African and Western Australian winemakers to ensure you have an immaculate wine-tasting experience.
| Pro tip: It might surprise you, but The Meat & Wine Co can arrange their meals to be prepared as vegetarian or vegan! Make sure to let one of their staff know in advance if you have dietary restrictions or preferences so they can adjust their meals based on what suits you best. |
Rambla On Swan
Website: https://ramblaonswan.com.au/
Address: South Shore Shopping Centre, 39/85 S Perth Esplanade, South Perth WA 6151, Australia
Contact details: +61 8 9367 2845
Operating hours: 11:30 AM – 12:00 AM (TUES-SUN)
Pricing: $$
Rambla On Swan is an amazing restaurant for those looking to enjoy an outdoor dining experience. Located in South Perth near the Mends Street Jetty, this restaurant lets you enjoy a delicious dinner with an amazing view of the Swan River.
Their menu consists of Australian dishes with ingredients sourced locally. They mostly offer seafood like kalbarri gold band snappers, oysters kilpatrick, and salt and pepper calamari.
Rambla On Swan also has a bar where you can get cocktails, wines, and beers. A drink I definitely loved during my last visit here was the Aperol spritz.
| Pro tip: Make sure to arrive early if you plan to dine here! Rambla On Swan doesn’t require guests to book, so customers are free to choose wherever they want to be seated. |
