Perth & WA Recommendations
I just spent a month on the west side of down under. Now, a lot of times we hear people say they’re going to Sydney or Melbourne on the east side, but it’s rare you meet a person who is planning to tack on the extra 4-hour flight to get to the OTHER side. So yes, I did go to the complete opposite side of the world as Minnesota (& yea! maybe I did it for love!). At this point, I haven’t explored the east side, so I can’t really compare the two. What I can do, however, is tell you what you gotta do in Perth. Here we go…
FOOD & DRINK
Bobaboba – I have never been a huge bubble tea person…until now. A perfect sweet little treat. My fav is the White Peach Lychee Crush.
Nandos – With all these british people I’ve met traveling I HAD to try a “cheeky Nandos”. What I ordered wasn’t the best but I don’t hold it against Nandos. Who goes there and orders a pita?
Bagelos – get the BLT or the Bronsalini and thank me later.
Get Chunky – thick, rich, warm cookies served with ice cream….I’ll stop before you book a flight for that alone.
Hoodburger – a good ole greasy smash burger
The Aviary Rooftop – great atmosphere for rooftop drinks.
Matso’s ginger beer- Not a place, but a beverage. An alcoholic ginger beer has changed my life and become my drink of choice.
Meat pie – nowhere in particular for this one, you just gotta try one because they’re big here.
Cottesloe Beach Hotel – great atmosphere for hanging out and grabbing a drink
Grill’d – super good fast-ish food in Mount Lawley which is an area I LOVED. They have a program called Local Matters which gives back to local causes. After you order they give you a token and you get to choose which bucket to put it in, which donates to that cause. Super cool!
Picabar – great outdoor beer garden type of feel
Sayers Sister– Realllllllly good brunch and super fun artistic atmosphere.
Nicer/fancier
Rockpool – went here for a last hurrah meal. The food was soooo good. Definitely try the “mac & cheese” appetizer. I got the tortellini for my meal and it only came with 5 or 8 which, when he said that I was like, ummmm last time that was enough raviolis for me I was 4 years old. But it was very rich and I was surprisingly pretty full….And you know it’s extra-level fancy when they put the napkin on your lap for you.
Hunter & Barrel – incredible steak, excellent sauces. You gotta get a side of mushroom sauce.
Furaibo izakaya – My mouth is watering as I just think about the miso butter and garlic soy black pepper sauce I dunked my steak into here. So incredibly delicious.
18 Knots Rooftop Bar – located on the 18th floor of Doubletree by Hilton Perth Waterfront, it’s a nice place to have a glass of wine overlooking the city and water.
ACTIVITIES
Caversham Wildlife Park – wanna see kangaroos, koalas, and all the other native wildlife in Australia? Don’t worry, these things won’t try to kill you
Rooftop Movies – possibly my favorite thing we did the entire trip. You go up there and it’s decked out with vibrant colors. You can grab food & drinks up there or bring your own! The burgers were sooo good but the fries were not
Maniax Axe throwing – kind of random but it was a fun thing we did.
Scarborough Sunset Markets – I looooved this one. Thursday nights in the summer there are a whole ton of food trucks. We got a Gyro and Birria tacos which were sooo good. Then we went down to the amphitheater where there was live music as you watch the sunset and people dance around. It was extremely windy though so I don’t recommend wearing a dress. I was fighting the battle all night. Rounded out the night with donut fries topped with Nutella and ice cream. Absolutely zero complaints.(besides the wind)
Surf – As we all know, I’m a wannabe surfer girl. I didn’t shred any waves this time around but it’s a popular thing to do.
Dive – Also unfortunately just ran out of time to do this as I was in Australia to visit my sweetheart, not just backpacking as per usual. But I will most definitely dive when I return.
Cottesloe beach
Karinyup – A super nice shopping mall if you need a day out of the intense heat and sun.
Carnac Island Boat charters – okay so this is kind of a big thing but if you want to have a party or a big group, get yourself on a boat.
Visit Wineries in Swan Valley – I have never been on a wine tour until I came here and it is a super popular thing to do. Aussies love a wine tour.
BEACHES & PARKS
Kings Park – This park sits above the city and provides expansive views, botanic gardens, nature bridges, and a lovely place for an afternoon picnic.
Coogee beach – Another poular beach. A lot of people come here for the Omeo shipwreck snorkel. Unfortunately, when we went the conditions were just too rough to venture out, but I’ll be back.
Scarborough beach
Esplanade park- Didn’t make it here but there’s a ferris wheel and that just sounds so fun.
Yanchep National park
Mettams pool beach – a nice little quieter beach close to some very popular beaches
Trigg beach – Try out Canteen Trigg while you’re at it
Hyde Park – grab a pastry at the nearby bakery and take a gander along the paths.
WEEKEND TRIPS
Margaret River
Take a trek down to Margaret river for the weekend. It’s about 3.5 hours south of Perth. Funnily enough, the area really reminded me of a place I grew up going with my family called Door County, Wisconsin. Check out my article on Margaret River for recs.
Rottnest Island
A short ferry from Perth, Rottnest is home to Quokkas, gorgeous waters, and many beaches. Check out my article on Rottnest Island for recs.
I’m definitely no expert on Perth and I’m not claiming to be. There is still so much I didn’t explore or do or eat. My purpose in traveling isn’t necessarily to find things to make content, but I make content based on my experiences. This is just what I found and enjoyed. Let me know if you make it to the far side of Aus!
