6 Best Sights in Perth, Western Australia

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. "Sunday sessions"—afternoon beer drinking in two local pubs at the Ocean Beach Hotel and the swanky Cottesloe Beach Hotel, both of which have good, ocean-facing accommodations—are also held here. South of the Cottesloe groyne is a reasonable reef surf break, but it's often crowded. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; surfing; snorkeling; sunset; walking.

On the south side of Perth's Central Business District lies the ever-expanding Elizabeth Quay, a public area brimful 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. 

Tip: Feel like a kid again and take a spin on the classic carousel.

Running parallel to Murray Street and linked by numerous arcades, the Hay Street Mall is an extensive, mainstream shopping area teeming with intriguing places. The mall is also a brilliant place to people-watch and support local buskers. Make sure you wander through the arcades and malls that connect Hay and Murray Streets, such as the Carillion City and Piccadilly Arcade, which have many more shops. Also, look for the monument dedicated to Percy Button, Perth's original street performer.

The opulent His Majesty's Theatre, which opened on Christmas Eve 1904, is admired for its Federation Free Classical style on the outside and by those who step inside (think red velour). His Maj, as it's locally known, is home to the West Australian Opera company and the West Australian Ballet, and hosts most theatrical productions in Perth; there's also a comedy lounge downstairs called The Maj. 

Tardiness is frowned upon—you will not be permitted inside until a break in the performance.

Locals boast that 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. 

Imagine an eerie moonscape where pale yellow limestone formations loom as high as 15 feet. Now see the image in your head displayed before you at Nambung National Park, set on the Swan coastal plain 200 km (125 miles) north of Perth, along the scenic Indian Ocean Drive. At the park you can walk among those otherworldly formations in the Pinnacles Desert, home to one of the world's most spectacular karst landscapes. Geologists believe the pinnacles were created by the dissolving action of water on exposed limestone beds that formed under wind-blown sand dunes. Only a tiny proportion of them have been uncovered. The 1.2-km (0.7-mile) return walk starts at the parking area. There's also a 4-km (2½-mile) one-way Pinnacles Desert Loop scenic drive (not suitable for large RVs or buses). Stop in to the Pinnacles Desert Discovery Centre to see interpretative displays focused on the region's unique geology, flora, and fauna. August through October the heath blazes with wildflowers. Note the rules: no pinnacle climbing, no dogs, no littering (no receptacles are provided, so take your trash with you), and no camping. There is no drinking water available throughout the park, although water is available to purchase at the interpretative center and gift shop.

Indian Ocean Drive is a frequent crash zone; please take care and avoid driving at dawn, dusk, and dark.