5 Best Sights in Perth, Western Australia

This is one of the few inner-city parks to dwarf New York City's Central Park; it covers 1,000 acres and grants eye-popping views of downtown Perth and its riverfront at sunrise, sunset, and all times in between. Once a gathering place for Aboriginal people, and established as a public space in 1890, it's favored for picnics, parties, and weddings, as well as regular musical and theater presentations, plus the excellent summer Moonlight Cinema (in Synergy Parkland, on the western side). Each September, when spring arrives, the park holds a wildflower festival and the gardens blaze with orchids, kangaroo paw, banksias, and other native wildflowers, making it ideal for a walk in the curated bushland. The steel-and-glass Lotterywest Federation Walkway takes you into the treetops and the 17-acre botanic garden of Australian flora. The Lotterywest Family Area has a shaded playground for youngsters ages one to five, and a café for parents. The Rio Tinto Naturescape is fun for bigger kids who enjoy climbing and exploring in nature. Free 90-minute walking tours depart from Aspects Gift Shop on Fraser Avenue daily.

Perth's poster beach is as beguiling as it is relaxing, what with its soft cream sand, transparent blue waters, and strip of beachy pubs and restaurants. Naturally, it's very popular, particularly on Sunday, when people of all ages picnic on the grass beneath the row of Norfolk pines that also hosts masses of squawking birds. The water is fairly calm, though punchy waves can roll through, crashing mainly in shallow depths. Afternoon après-beach is tradition in the two local pubs at the Ocean Beach Hotel and the swanky Cottesloe Beach Hotel, both have good, ocean-facing accommodation. South of the Cottesloe groyne (beach protection structure) is a reasonable reef surf break, but it's often crowded. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.

On the south side of Perth's Central Business District lies this ever-expanding promenade, a public area brimming with restaurants, cafés, playgrounds, ice-cream parlors, boat excursions, larger-than-life artworks, and the swanky Ritz-Carlton hotel. Although construction is ongoing, EQ is a bustling hub and a great meeting spot. Transperth also has a bus depot, train station, and ferry crossing here making access without a car easy.

The opulent His Majesty's Theatre, which opened on Christmas Eve 1904, is admired for its Edwardian style on the outside and by those who step inside (think red velour). The Maj, as it's locally known, is home to the West Australian Opera company and the West Australian Ballet, and also hosts a variety of productions, including comedic, theatrical, and musical; there's also a basement lounge called Downstairs at The Maj that is host to many whodunit dinner experiences and special shows during the Perth Festival. Tours of the theater, including an interesting Behind the Scenes, are available on occasion. 

This impressive colosseum is home to annual cricket test matches and Australia's beloved AFL, aka Footy. But you'll also see rugby, soccer, and music concerts held here. Stadium tours take you behind the scenes while The OZONE's Halo tour lets you see it from above by walking the entire circumference of the roof. Not adventurous enough? Try hanging off the side on the Vertigo tour.