From touring a spooky prison to playing ten-pin bowling, there are plenty of fun things to do in Perth that don’t involve drinking. Wondering where to start? We’ve got you covered. Rally up a group of friends and start planning because these are our top eight fun activities to do in Perth for the ultimate sober night out.
Embark on a night tour of Fremantle Prison
You don’t have to be studying history to marvel at the Fremantle Prison. This heritage-listed prison was built by convicts between 1852 and 1859 and acted as a high-security prison until 1991. Rich in history and brimming with eerie stories, Fremantle Prison offers a guided Torchlight Tour every Wednesday and Friday evening so you can explore inside the prison’s walls at night. As you wander this historical detention centre, you’ll hear tales of convict escapes, riots and hangings. Be warned – things may get a bit spooky!
Go ice skating
A fun indoor activity to enjoy year-round is ice skating. Cockburn Ice Arena (pronounced ‘co-burn’) is open daily and has awesome “cheapskate sessions” – perfect for students on a tight budget. Held every Tuesday and Thursday night between 8pm and 10pm, the $15 fee also includes skate hire. If you’re interested in ice skating on the weekend, the ice rink is open until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays. To set the mood, you can even cue your own songs to play on the rink’s speakers. You’ll surely be hungry after a session on the ice, so try the rinkside restaurant Cabin 401 Bar & Grill, serving up North American-inspired eats (think cheeseburgers, wings and fried chicken with waffles).
Get competitive with arcade games, mini-golf and bowling
Funlab is responsible for a range of fun activities and late-night events in Perth. Get a group together and try ten-pin bowling at Strike Bowling, play arcade games at B. Lucky & Sons and Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq, or enjoy a round of mini golf at Holey Moley Golf Club.
Spread out across Perth, you’ll usually find a few of these activities within the same building or side by side. For example, Strike Bowling and B. Lucky & Sons are under one roof in Forest Chase, making it a hub for some of the most popular activities in the Perth CBD. Karrinyup Shopping Centre and Fremantle are also home to multiple activities that will help you embrace the sober nightlife around Perth.
Watch a film at an outdoor cinema
There’s no better way to enjoy balmy summer nights than by exploring the wide range of outdoor activities in Perth. One of the best places to spend a sober night out is at any of Perth’s outdoor cinemas. Rooftop Movies in Northbridge has views of the city’s skyscrapers while Moonlight Cinemas is hosted on the lawns of the iconic Kings Park. You can also visit Telethon Community Cinemas, which has locations spread across Perth and surrounding areas, including at Murdoch University, Edith Cowan University in Joondalup, Burswood and Bassendean. These open-air cinemas usually run between November and April.
Go stargazing at Perth Observatory
Perth Observatory’s night tours let you experience the galaxy’s beauty through a range of large telescopes. The observatory’s volunteers will help you make the most of the experience by pointing out the amazing constellations, planets and dying stars above. There’s also a museum and meteorite exhibit to visit afterwards. Here you’ll find cool instruments on display that were used to watch the night sky many years ago when the observatory first opened in 1896.
Try axe-throwing
Have you ever thrown an axe as hard as you can against a wall? We didn’t think so. Spoiler alert: there’s nothing quite like the sweet satisfaction of hurling an axe against a wooden bullseye (especially if you’re in need of some stress relief from your studies!). Lumber Punks in East Perth is open daily until 8.30pm, and each session starts with a safety induction and brief training before your group moves into a private lane to begin the fun. You’re also welcome to bring your own food, so grab your friends and some snacks, and get throwing!
Break out of an escape room
Also on the list of fun things to do in Perth are escape rooms. Try Escape This in Northbridge, which has adventure-themed rooms (think a bank heist or a frantic rush to avert a nuclear disaster) and horror-themed rooms if you’re brave enough to outsmart vampires and ghosts. Escape Hunt in Fremantle is another great option. Here you can tackle rooms like Alice in Puzzleland, Sky Mission, Wild Western Jail Break and more. Most escape rooms last for one hour and have varying levels of difficulty. After you’ve chosen the theme of your room, it’s time to start cracking the code to get out of there.
Order fish & chips and watch the sunset
When exploring the sober nightlife around Perth, you can’t skip out on the city’s stunning sunsets. Unlike the East Coast of Australia, Perth has west-facing beaches and spectacular sunsets over the Indian Ocean. To soak up the sunset from the sand, pack a picnic blanket and hop on the train from the CBD to Cottesloe Beach or Fremantle’s Bathers Beach (both accessible on the Fremantle train line). Order fish and chips from Amberjacks in Cottesloe or Twin Fin or Cicerello’s in Fremantle and settle in for a wholesome evening.
Images supplied by Fremantle Prison and Tourism Western Australia
