This blog was originally published at https://www.urbanadventures.com/blog
So, you’re heading Down Under and are thinking of including a trip to Perth in your travels – good choice!
Aside from some of the best city beaches in the country, some pretty rad restaurants and bars (Northbridge area, we’re looking at you!) and plenty of opportunities to watch quintessential Aussie sports like Australian Rules Football or cricket, there’s lots to know about our most remote capital city.
We’ve put together the key information you need to know if you’re planning a trip to Perth.
Things to do in Perth
Cottesloe Beach in Perth. Image by Gordon Bell via Shutterstock.
The city comes alive for almost two months at the end of January to the beginning of March with hundreds of amazing shows, concerts, and performances for the Fringe World Festival and Perth International Arts Festival. You can pick up tickets on the festival websites or at the box offices set up around the city – events range from free to over $100, featuring international music acts, comedy, performance art, and exhibitions. For local art exhibitions and live music gigs all year round, check out the Fremantle Arts Centre located in a historic building that was originally a lunatic asylum.
If you’re a sports fan, you’ll want to check out a Perth Wildcats basketball game. Tickets start at $25 and are available at Perth Arena Box Office or online at the NBL box office. The Perth Wildcats have fantastic fans, and there is an electric atmosphere in their amazing new venue. It’s family-friendly activity and if you want to share in the local spirit, make sure to wear red!
Perth is also a great city to enjoy the outdoors. Hit up one of the local beaches for swimming, people-watching, or working on your surfing skills. You could also head for the hills, the Perth Hills, to hike or mountain bike overlooking incredible views. After all that activity, you’ll probably want to relax with a glass of wine at one of the wineries in Swan Valley!
Getting around Perth
There are three forms of public transport in Perth: bus, train, and ferry and you can easily plan your journey is on the Transperth website and you can grab tickets on buses and at train stations. Fares range based on zone from AUD 2.80 (1 zone) to AUD 11.60 (valid for all zones, all day).
Perth is also home to some pretty sweet FREE public transport in the form of The Transperth Central Area Transit (CAT) buses. They are free in Perth’s Central Business District (CBD) as well as Fremantle CBD. No ticket is required in the Free Transit Zone (FTZ) for buses, but for trains, you’ll require a SmartRider card available for purchase at a Transperth Info Centre in Perth Underground or Perth Station.
Metered taxis are available with fares varying based on distance. Or, if you prefer to get around on your own two feet, the city is quite compact and we highly recommend exploring both Perth or Fremantle by walking.
What’s on in Perth
Wine tasting in the Swan Valley is ALWAYS on! Image by Feraru Nicolae via Shutterstock.
If you want to stay in the loop for what’s going on in Perth, there are some great resources updated daily with local events. Visit Perth City and Great About Perth are good places to start, and if you’re feeling a little hipster or join one of our small group tours and you can just ask your local guide.
Perth day tours
Our friends at Urban Adventures offer awesome day tours around Perth, all led by local experts that will give you a taste for local life in the city. If you’d like to add a day tour to your itinerary, we have a few brilliant ones for you to check out.
A City Way Out West
Break into Western Australia’s capital on this Perth tour that includes many things, the most important being a local tradition of great importance and cultural significance: a free drink at the local pub!
Fremantle: Convicts and Colonials
Freo was once a bit like an unpolished diamond: a little rough around the edges but incredibly valuable and now, a highly sought after location. Hear classic Aussie tales of jailbreakers, bushrangers, convicts, and rogues on this Fremantle tour hot with history, heroes, and high drama.
Perth Private Tour
Put our team of local experts to work to build the perfect itinerary just for you. If you’re not sure, we’ve got plenty of ideas for what you might want to include. If you let our team of expert locals know your interests, they will come up with all kinds of things.
Want to experience the best of what Perth has to offer? Join a small group tour with Adventure Tours Australia.
Hero image by Robin Mackenzie via Shutterstock.
