A guide to Perth, Western Australia

Locals take pride in Perth's remoteness; they wear it like a badge of honor. It’s one of the world's most isolated cities (the next closest city, Adelaide, is over 2000km away), but when you eventually land on Perth's golden shores, you'll quickly realize Western Australia's flourishing capital is worth the extra mileage.

Here on the west coast – where I grew up and still call home – there's a whole lot of sun, with Australia's sunniest capital averaging over 8 hours a day of clear skies (just make sure to slap on the sunscreen!). As for cooling off, there are 19 pearl-white, sandy beaches fringed with brochure-blue waters to choose from.

The cosmopolitan capital – that locals affectionately call "Ptown" – also has a burgeoning dining, bar and arts scene, and makes a great base for visitors planning to explore the wider region. Indulge in exhilarating adventures and simple life pleasures, all set against impressive backdrops of beaches, rivers, street art-covered laneways and even a world-class wine region. Here's everything you need to know to plan your time in Perth.

When should I go to Perth?

Perth's Mediterranean climate makes the sun-kissed city a great place to visit year-round. However, there are times when the sun can be too much of a good thing, with hot, dry summer days often experienced from December to February, with some days exceeding 40°C (104°F). The winter months (June to August) are typically not considered "beach weather," with rainy and windier days.

To avoid cooler days and the chance of enduring a heatwave, the ideal time to visit Perth is during autumn (March to May) or spring (September to November), when gloriously warm "beach weather" is experienced. For a budget-friendly holiday, avoid crowds and peak pricing during school holidays in December to January, the Easter period (March or April), early July and late September.

Perth's consistent temperatures set the stage for festivals and events year-round, with one of the biggest, the multi-arts Fringe World Festival, held annually in January and February. Another way to sense Perth’s vibrancy is the wildflower season from late August to November. The annual Everlastings Kings Park Festival in September celebrates a state in bloom. Over 12,000 native flora species flourish in Western Australia, making it home to the world’s largest wildflower collection.

The vivid spectacles continue at sea, where you can spy Perth’s returning residents on a whale watching tour. Visit Australia’s largest underwater canyon, Perth Canyon Marine Park, to see endangered blue whales in April and May, or catch a glimpse of humpback whales making their annual migration along the coast from August to November. 

How much time should I spend in Perth?

While you can quickly grasp the city center in 48 hours, it's best to plan for more time to escape the concrete jungle. Allow at least a week to truly appreciate Perth and embrace local life at a slower pace.

Give yourself 3 days to explore the city center’s attractions, including WA Museum Boola Bardip and the Art Gallery of WA (AGWA), entertainment precincts, Northbridge and Elizabeth Quay and Perth’s prized landmark Kings Park and Botanic Garden. Get a feel for Perth’s relaxed way of life by spending 2 days exploring buzzing port city Fremantle, including a day trip to Wadjemup/Rottnest Island or Shoalwater Islands Marine Park. Taste the best of Perth’s seasonal produce, boutique breweries and epicurean goodies with a day trip to picturesque wine regions, Swan Valley or Perth Hills. For nature lovers, allow yourself a day to experience Perth’s waterways with a bike or kayak tour or explore its rugged side on foot on a guided hiking adventure with The Hike Collective.

Is it easy to get in and around Perth?

Besides its isolation, Perth also claims another title – for better or worse – as the world's longest city. The greater Perth metropolitan area extends roughly 150km along the coast from Two Rocks in the north to Dawesville in the south; its linear urban sprawl makes it difficult to navigate.

It’s possible to visit Perth’s coveted destinations (Fremantle, Swan Valley, Guildford, Mandurah) with public transport, ride share services (such as Uber or DiDi), and organized tours. However, if you would like to maximize your time in Perth and explore further afield, hiring a car will expand your itinerary options allowing for visits to beaches, national parks and reserves on a whim, and be most convenient timewise.

Public transport – including buses, trains, and ferries – is available, but it requires forward planning and takes considerably longer to travel across the city. Meanwhile, the Airport Line train service to/from Perth Airport connects to the city center in less than 20 minutes and costs A$5.

Top things to do in Perth

Beach hop your way along the coast

No need to worry about playing towel Tetris at the beach: there 19 beaches to choose from, each with long stretches of pristine sands and clear waters. Catch an Indian Ocean sunset at Perth's famous Cottesloe Beach. Conditions are perfect on this side of the coast for windsurfing too, with beaches Leighton, Scarborough and Trigg attracting wave riders.

If you’re more into discovering what’s happening below the surface, pack a snorkel and mask. The waters teem with marine life a few fin strides from shore, with Mettam’s Pool and the Coogee Maritime Trail among Perth’s best underwater playgrounds.

Join a walking tour to understand the city's heritage

Put in the legwork to better understand Perth's heritage and cultural make-up by joining a walking tour of its architecture and street murals. There are many tours available led by Perth-proud guides, such as Two Feet and a Heartbeat, Oh Hey WA and Hidden deTours, eager to flaunt the city's quirky and offbeat sights.

For a history lesson like no other, immerse yourself in the rich traditions and storytelling of Perth's Traditional Custodians of the Land – the Noongar people who have lived in the southwest region for over 40,000 years – on an Indigenous-led cultural tour from Warrang-Bridil, In Culture Tours or Go Cultural. 

Take a day trip to Wadjemup/Rottnest Island, Perth's favorite island playground

Perth's favourite "overseas" getaway, Wadjemup/Rottnest Island, is a 30-minute ferry ride from the mainland. Dubbed "Rotto", the car-free island is famous for its smiling marsupials, quokkas. Besides its cute, nonchalant social media-star residents, the island boasts other gorgeous marvels: a blue-marble coastline with 63 beaches and 20 bays, thriving reefs, rugged limestone cliffs and salt lakes. Migrating whales, dolphins, and Australian sea lions are often sighted frolicking in the island's warm, clear waters.

The best (and most fun) way to get around Rotto is on two wheels. Bike hire is available at the ferry terminal (prebookings required with your ferry service provider) and Pedal & Flipper, which also offers snorkel hire. Another option is to explore the island in air-conditioned comfort onboard Quokka Couches, offering hop-on/hop-off shuttle services around the island.

To sink your teeth into the islands’ heritage and natural allure, join a tour. There’s a handful of free guided walking tours delving into the island’s WWII guns and tunnels, shipwrecks, prison past, Wadjemup Lighthouse and wildlife. Passionate local Laura the Explorer offers bike tours of the islands’ best bits. Come face to face with the island’s checkered history at Wadjemup Museum. The museum – housed in the Old Mill and Hay Store – confronts the island’s grim past with Indigenous incarceration, as well as highlighting its creative side with a sculpture park.

Other island must-dos include wandering its historical settlement area, grabbing a pie from island institution Rottnest Bakery, joining the merriment at Hotel Rottnest’s beer garden and having a sundowner tipple at Sunsets Bar & Dining. 

Indulge in award-winning wines in the Swan Valley

Sip decadent drops in the state's oldest wine region, Swan Valley, a 30-minute drive from the city center. With vines first planted in 1829, Australia's second-oldest wine region has since morphed into an indulgent mix of multiple award-winning wineries, galleries, breweries, cideries and artisanal makers.

Join a guided tour throughout the region with Out & About Wine Tours or d’Vine Wine Tours. River cruises with Swan Valley Tours and Captain Cook Cruises go direct from the city center. For a one-of-a-kind kangaroo safari through the world-class fairways at The Vines Resort, hop on a golf-cart tour followed by 18 holes of mini golf.

Visit one of the world's largest urban parks

Kings Park and Botanic Garden is Perth's crowning natural attraction. The 400-hectare reserve is one of the world's largest urban parks, offering sweeping panoramas of the Swan River and an ever-growing skyline, just a 10-minute drive from the city center. Highlights include over 3000 native plant species, including the iconic bottle-shaped boab tree, a 620m walkway that crosses over a canopy of eucalypt trees, multiple playgrounds, bush trails, cycle paths and historical monuments.

Spend a day in Fremantle, Western Australia's most eclectic destination

Fremantle, or as "Freo" as locals like to call it, is, in short, a vibe. The southern port city is a colorful tapestry of all sorts: beaches, street art, Victorian-era buildings, and even a convict quarter, home to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Fremantle Prison. From harborside to heritage sites, the walkable city exudes a quirky character and ethos, best reflected in its lively cafe, restaurant and bar culture, as well as mega-brewhouses Gage Roads Freo Brewery, Little Creatures and Running with Thieves by the sea. 

Enjoy heritage and nature on a family day out at Whiteman Park 

Whiteman Park is a treasure trove of natural and cultural delights, just a 30-minute drive north of the CBD. The 3732-hectare biodiversity hot spot boasts over 400 native plant species, wetlands and a diverse array of fauna, including kangaroos, all surrounded by banksia woodlands. Between the blooms is Caversham Wildlife Park, the Motor Museum of WA, the Revolutions Transport Museum, a tractor museum, heritage train and tram rides, and extensive bush trail and bike path networks. With multiple kids' playgrounds and barbecue facilities, a visit to this unique conservation reserve is an affordable day out for the family.

Have a lunar-like landing in the outback

The second-best thing to walking on the moon is a visit to Nambung National Park. Better known as the Pinnacles, the 17,487-hectare park is one of the state's renowned natural attractions for its lunar-like landscape. The otherworldly park features a vast array of ancient, weathered limestone pillars scattered across shifting desert sands. The traditional owners of the land, the Yued people, refer to the Pinnacles as "Kwong-kan" (sandy place) and believe the rocks are the fingers and hands of warriors engulfed by the earth for defying their elders.

The Pinnacles is a 2-hour road trip north of Perth, with day tours available to see these pointed wonders. Try Lumineer Adventure Tours, Pinnacle Tours or Australian Pinnacle Tours.

My favorite thing to do in Perth

Give your legs a workout exploring the ever-evolving Beaufort St. Linking Perth’s city center to suburbs Highgate, Mount Lawley and Inglewood, the hip and happening strip is peppered with chic cafes, restaurants, kitsch bars of all sizes – from speakeasies to rooftops – independent shops and a curious surplus of ice cream parlors and bakeries to satisfy the sweet spot.

Need to chill for a bit? Take a slight detour to visit one of Perth's most enchanting green spaces, Hyde Park. Century-old fig, jacaranda and London plane trees beautifully line pathways in this peaceful park. Grab a bite from nearby Chu Bakery and enjoy it on a park bench while observing birdlife in the park's two ponds and people watching at its finest. 

How much money do I need for Perth?

Perth isn't exactly known for being a budget-friendly. However, heading to the beach or exploring many of the urban parks is completely free. 

For good-value eats, visit Northbridge's Chinatown or William St, Fremantle Markets, and the newly renovated Fremantle Food Court for a plethora of street food options, or one of the many independent bakeries that have emerged in Perth over the years. Meanwhile, there are some luxe, pinch-me experiences you won't be able to find anywhere else. Maybe you'll want to eat your way through WA with a one-of-a-kind degustation at Hearth Restaurant, championing native ingredients and local delicacies, or live out your action star fantasties with an epic bridge climb and zipline at the iconic Matagarup Bridge.

• Room at a 3-star hotel: from A$100    

• Transperth DayRider (unlimited rides on trains, buses, ferries): A$10.40

• Long black coffee from Mary Street Bakery: from A$4

• WA's famous continental "Conti" roll – a crusty bread roll filled with a mix of Italian cold cuts (such as ham, salami, mortadella, coppa), Swiss cheese and Mediterranean condiments (sun-dried tomatoes, olives, pickled eggplant) – from The Re Store: from A$8.50 

• A pint of Single Fin beer from Gage Roads Freo Brewery: from A$13.50 

• Dinner for two at a trendy restaurant: from A$80