Lightscape at Kings Park and Botanic Garden
Perth's biggest winter drawcard returns for 2026, and it's one of our favourites. Lightscape transforms Kings Park and Botanic Garden into a 1.8-kilometre illuminated trail running every Wednesday to Sunday evening from 5 June to 26 July 2026.. This year's program features more than 20 large-scale light installations from international and local artists, including "Herbum" by French artists TILT, towering light stems reaching eight metres high, and "Mycelium Network" by UK artist Stevie Thompson, an installation inspired by the underground fungal networks that connect entire forests.
Since its debut in 2023, Lightscape has drawn more than 400,000 visitors, and we can see why: wandering glowing pathways with mulled wine or hot chocolate in hand, against the backdrop of native WA flora, is about as good as a Perth winter night gets. Tickets are available through Ticketek, with a free shuttle running from Perth Busport on event nights. And because Kings Park is less than a kilometre from us, it's an easy walk back to a warm room.
Tip: book ahead, sessions sell out, especially on weekends.
Plateful Perth — A Whole Month of Food
If Lightscape is the visual highlight of winter, Plateful Perth is the edible one. Running throughout August, this City of Perth initiative turns the CBD into a month-long celebration of dining, with dozens of exclusive events, set menus and offers across the city's restaurants and bars. Past editions have included progressive dinners, chef-hosted degustations, cocktail masterclasses, drag high teas, food-and-film supper clubs, and curated wine and produce nights, all designed to get locals back into the city for a proper night out during the cooler months.
It's the perfect excuse to try somewhere new without leaving the precinct, and honestly, we are a little biased here. Our own dining line-up keeps us busy all month. New for this year, we are putting forward De Baun & Co.'s meat platter, Grand Orient's six-course dining experience inspired by a clandestine society of tastemakers, and Aurora Rooftop Bar's interactive cocktail experience inspired by Alice in Wonderland.
Step Inside at WA Museum Boola Bardip
When the weather turns, the WA Museum Boola Bardip is one we always point guests toward to fill a few hours indoors with the whole family. Located in the heart of the Perth Cultural Centre, the museum blends striking modern architecture with the heritage walls of the old Perth Gaol, giving it a character all its own before you have even reached the first gallery. Inside, its permanent exhibitions cover everything from natural history and First Nations culture to WA's social history and scientific innovations, with hands-on displays, interactive screens and immersive exhibits designed to hold the attention of younger visitors as much as adults.
The standout drawcard right now is OceanXperience, an immersive exhibition that turns visitors into marine scientists aboard a recreation of the world's most advanced ocean research vessel. Kids and adults alike get an RFID wristband on entry and move through zones like Mission Control, the Wet Lab and the Sub Hangar, running real research missions from tracking orca pods to studying hammerhead sharks, all using actual footage from genuine ocean expeditions. Most families spend a good 60 to 90 minutes moving through it, longer if the kids want to revisit their favourite zones, with general entry to the museum's permanent galleries remaining free.
Winter School Holidays in the City
July's school holidays bring a wave of family-friendly programming across Perth, with the City of Perth typically pulling together a full fortnight of activities to keep kids entertained through the cooler weather. Past programs have included craft sessions and pyjama storytimes at the City of Perth Library, hands-on cultural workshops tied to current museum exhibitions, and pop-up entertainment scattered throughout the Perth Cultural Centre and CBD. Many of these activities are free or low-cost, and several run indoors, making them an easy fallback if a rainy day disrupts your plans.
Because the line-up is refreshed every year and dates can shift, it's worth checking the City of Perth and Visit Perth events calendars closer to your travel dates rather than locking in a fixed itinerary too early. Between the library programs, museum activities and whatever pop-up events the City rolls out for that particular school holiday period, there's usually enough on offer to fill several afternoons without needing to leave the city centre.
And if you are after a sure thing rather than waiting on the calendar to drop, we have got a cheeky discount of our own. Guests who book our SOS (School Holiday Staycation) rate get a discount across Funlab venues, so there is always a backup plan if the weather (or the kids) call for it.