Why Group Road Trips Are Better in One Van
Anyone who has organised a group road trip in multiple cars knows the drill. You spend the first 20 minutes trying to synchronise departure times. Someone gets left behind at the first servo. One car goes ahead and misses the turn-off. By the time everyone arrives, half the group is annoyed and the other half missed the best views because they were navigating from the back seat.
One van solves all of it. Everyone leaves together, everyone arrives together, there's a shared playlist, shared snacks and shared stories. The trip starts the moment you leave the driveway — not when you finally regroup at the destination.
This guide covers the best group road trip destinations from Perth, how to plan for the km, and how to make the whole thing work smoothly.
Best Group Road Trip Destinations from Perth
🗿 The Pinnacles — 2.5 Hours North
One of Western Australia's most iconic landscapes — thousands of limestone pillars rising from the desert floor in Nambung National Park. The Pinnacles are genuinely surreal, especially at golden hour. Combine with the coastal town of Cervantes and Hangover Bay for a full day out.
🍷 Margaret River — 3 Hours South
The full package — world-class wineries, ancient limestone caves, surf beaches and incredible food. A day trip is doable but a weekend gives you time to do it properly. See our full Margaret River Group Day Trip guide →
🌊 Busselton & Dunsborough — 2.5 Hours South
Busselton has the longest timber jetty in the Southern Hemisphere (nearly 2km) and an underwater observatory. Dunsborough is a relaxed town with great beaches and proximity to the Geographe Bay wineries. Closer than Margaret River and great for families or groups who want beaches over wineries.
🦔 Wave Rock — 3.5 Hours East
A 2.7-billion-year-old granite wave, 15 metres high and 110 metres long. It sounds underwhelming on paper and looks extraordinary in person. Combine with Mulka's Cave (ancient Aboriginal rock art) and the Hippo's Yawn formation. A genuinely unique WA experience.
🦈 Monkey Mia & Shark Bay — 8 Hours North
For groups up for a proper adventure — wild dolphins feeding at the shore every morning at Monkey Mia, the extraordinary Shell Beach made entirely of tiny shells, and the World Heritage Shark Bay. This is better as a multi-night trip. Our weekly hire includes 1,400km which covers this comfortably.
Planning Your Km — Don't Get Caught Out
Our van hire includes a set km allowance depending on your hire period. For road trips, planning the km is important so there are no surprises:
- Full day hire: 200km included — enough for day trips within ~100km of Perth (Swan Valley, Perth Hills, northern beaches)
- Weekend hire (Fri–Mon): 600km included — covers Busselton, Pinnacles, Dunsborough comfortably
- Weekly hire (7 days): 1,400km included — Margaret River return, Wave Rock return, multi-stop trips
- Excess km: 30c per km over your allowance — just calculate upfront so you know the full cost
Pro tip: For a Pinnacles day trip (~490km return), a weekend hire at $280 gives you 600km included — no excess charges. For Margaret River (~540km return), the weekend hire just covers it. For Wave Rock (~680km return), budget for ~80km excess charge ($24) on top of the weekend hire rate.
Rotating the Driving — How It Works
One of the questions groups often have: can multiple people drive the van? The answer is yes — any fully licensed driver in your group (full Australian licence, 21+) can drive during the hire period. You don't need to nominate everyone upfront.
For a 3-hour drive each way, rotating every 60–90 minutes keeps everyone fresh and nobody stuck behind the wheel for the full trip. Make sure everyone who plans to drive meets our requirements (full Class C licence, 21 or over, not on a provisional).
What to Pack for a Group Road Trip
- A proper playlist: Sorted before you leave, agreed by the group. Non-negotiable.
- Snacks and a cooler: The van has plenty of room. Stock up before you head out — servo prices hurt.
- Cash for national park fees: Some locations don't have card facilities.
- Sunscreen and hats: WA sun is serious even in winter.
- A fully charged phone per person: Offline maps downloaded for areas with patchy coverage.
- A flexible mindset: WA is big. Things take longer than they look on Google Maps. Build buffer time in.
Booking Your Van for a Road Trip
The earlier you book, the better — especially for weekends. Our vans book out quickly over school holidays and long weekends.
When booking, select the hire period that covers your km needs. If you're unsure which option is best for your trip, give us a call on 0451 774 732 and we'll help you work it out. Or check live availability and book online →