Go for a bike ride along Elizabeth Quay for great views of the city.
Let’s say you only have a long weekend to spend in Perth, whether you’re flying in nonstop from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Darwin or Broome as part of a big Australian adventure or just passing through during an epic West Coast road trip. With 19 beaches to choose from, a burgeoning foodie scene, a lovely botanic garden that’s bigger than Central Park and a lively nightlife circuit, there’s a lot going on in Perth, Western Australia's remote capital city. Here’s a look at what you should do when you get there.
Pick A Beach, Any Beach
The key to a perfect weekend in Perth? Some serious beach time.
The most popular and easiest beaches to reach from the city center are Cottesloe (40 minutes by train), City Beach (30 minutes by bus) and Scarborough (25 minutes by bus), which has a great Sunset Market every Thursday night through April 30 that’s definitely worth checking out. Find your perfect patch of sand among the locals, just don’t forget your sunscreen. Pay attention to lifeguards and any alarm sounds, which can mean a shark has been sighted in the area and is swimming a little too close to shore. That’s right, folks, shark alarms are a thing here in Australia, but it’s good to know someone’s watching out for us.
Eat Your Heart Out Downtown
All that swimming is bound to give you an appetite. Lucky for you, there are heaps of restaurants, cafés, pubs and funky rooftop bars all over the city. Head upstairs to The Aviary for great views, tasty nibbles like salmon ceviche or sticky Korean-style fried chicken wings and a decadent cocktail from their espresso martini bar. If you’re closer to the waterfront, there are any number of seafood spots to choose from, though the best fish ‘n chips in town can be found hidden away in a little lane off Barrack Street at Grand Lane Fish House. Otherwise, you can find food from places like India, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Japan, France, Greece, Morocco, Turkey, Mexico and Hawaii, all over Perth, so take your pick. Can’t decide? Stop by the Twilight Hawkers Market in Forrest Place every Friday night through February 28 and try it all as you listen to live music.
Explore Kings Park & Botanic Garden
Stroll among the treetops on the Lotterywest Federation Walkway in Kings Park.
If you’ve been to Perth but haven’t had a stroll in Kings Park & Botanic Garden, were you even here? This 990-acre (400.6-hectare) oasis is larger than New York City’s Central Park and offers beautiful views of the city while acting as the perfect escape from it. Grab some food at one of its popular cafés, wander aimlessly along the footpaths, take a walk among the treetops on the Lotterywest Federation Walkway, pictured above, or let the kids unwind at one of its many playgrounds. Learn about the land’s indigenous people and their 40,000+ year history in the area on a guided walking tour by Nyungar Tours (70 minutes, $17 per person) or Go Cultural Aboriginal Tours (90 minutes, $40 per person), or ponder the lives of those lost in battle at one of the many memorials found throughout the park—the Court of Contemplation and Flame of Remembrance are quite moving.
Check Out The Nightlife In Northbridge
Perth’s Northbridge neighborhood is full of bars, pubs and restaurants with live music and rocking dance floors, so you really just have to ask yourself one question: what are you in the mood for? Mustang Bar is an institution, with live bands most nights, salsa on Tuesday and swing dancing on Friday. Those looking for something smoother should head to The Ellington Jazz Club, which offers live music and art exhibitions in a more intimate setting. Fans of all things whiskey, bourbon, country and blues should stop by Alabama Song for a fun-times-at-the-honky-tonk kind of night.
