How to Spend a Perfect Weekend in Scarborough, WA

With more sunshine hours than any other state capital, it’s little wonder Perth locals use their time wisely by spending it by the ocean. With beachside suburbs such as Scarborough – a laidback neighbourhood twenty minutes drive from the Perth CBD – offering a wealth of delicious dining options and outdoor activities, it’s time to head for the horizon and discover how sweet seaside living can be. Here’s how to spend a perfect weekend in the Scarborough.

Saturday

Morning

You’ll need fuel for this morning’s activity so swing past resident favourite The Hardware Store Cafe for a topnotch takeaway. Rest assured the utmost care is taken with coffee here and if you can’t resist a bite, there’s The Sambo: bacon, fried eggs, tomato relish, dill pickle, rocket, cheddar, parmesan that travels well.

Bring your loot with you as you begin your journey down the Scarborough-Trigg Heritage Trail. The coastal loop – which begins and finishes at the Scarboro Surf Life Saving Club – is for wanderers who like to take their shoreline views at a strolling pace. Longer loops however, including the 3.2-kilometre circuit of the Trigg-Bushland Reserve route, yield other benefits such as a path through a range of native bird and wildlife, as well as pretty seasonal wildflowers.

Afternoon

Take your wanderings into more dangerous territory (or so says your bank account) by trawling the area’s best fashion boutique, Ginger Owl for a unique piece. Take your pick from Australian labels with a boho lean such as Faithfull the Brand, Sol Sana, Auguste the Label and MLM.

Evening

How to Spend a Perfect Weekend in Scarborough, Western Australia

Is there anything this white-walled café can’t do? Offering breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and takeaway menus, you could happily subsist on the extensive list of offerings from Drift Kitchen from dusk ‘til dawn but the evening meals are of particular interest. With a coastal flair in starters such as cured salmon with pickled pawpaw and wasabi cream or seared scallops with salmon caviar and crispy prosciutto, mains are of a heartier ilk. Think lamb backstrap with red wine-braised potato and cabbage drizzled in a chocolate jus, for example, or a wet-aged sous vide beef fillet with lashings of Café de Paris butter, which are enticing enough to tempt anyone away from the extensive pizza menu.

Sunday

Morning

Want to start your morning off perfectly? Head down to the beachfront The Yoga Room Scarborough for a Sunday morning stretch. Recently opened, this small, intimate studio offers morning weekend classes to help you squeeze in some savasana before brekkie.

After your sweat session, it’s time to reward yourself with a little something at Health Freak Café. Don’t be deceived – items on this menu may masquerade as purely nourishing but they’re also delicious, too. Just try to turn your nose up at the prospect of a vanilla sticky date pecan ice-cream bowl (dairy-free and vegan though it may be). Smoothie bowls are also in abundance here – we’d recommend the Green Smoothie bowl with the mango, avocado, spinach and a sprinkle of matcha powder to maintain your holier-than-thou attitude.

Afternoon

Certainly the pristine stretch of Scarborough Beach is your best bet for a dip but adjacent to the sand is one of the neighbourhood’s most popular new drawcards: the geothermal beachside pool. This eco-friendly pool is naturally heated thanks to the Yarragadee acquifier, eschewing the need for conventional gas boilers. Heading to the area in winter? You won’t shiver at the thought of getting wet here: Scarborough beachside pool maintains a pleasant 26-28 degree temperature all year round.

Evening

As a west-facing beach, Scarborough has the unique advantage of being perfectly positioned for a stunning sunset. Grab a drink and take a seat on the balcony of the beachfront Scarborough Beach Bar to enjoy the day’s end from a vantage point that even residents never seem to tire of. If hunger strikes post-sunset, the bar’s menu is flush with pub-grub choices such as slow braised beef cheeks with parmesan mash or a battered Spanish mackerel with signature chips dotted with herbs and served with aïoli.