Positively Perth

Perth, Western Australia’s capital, is about as far away from Sydney as San Diego is from Miami (over 2,000 miles).

The city breathes casually with just over one million residents strolling through its small city center, utilizing four major (very clean) streets. A visitor feels like they’re in a city, but at the same time gets the comforting sense of a small town’s vibe.

Things to Do. A visit to Kings Park is a must. With approximately 1,000 acres, it’s understandably called the “lungs” of the city. Free guided walks begin at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily.

Cruise over to the creative, open-minded town of Fremantle (affectionately called FrEE-Oh) for the weekend. Street performers, fantastic fruit and vegetable markets, and an even cozier culture reside in this port town. From Fremantle, take a 25-minute ferry to Rottnest Island to spend a day with kangaroo cousins called “quokkas.”

Festivals and Events. The Perth Royal Show (late September – early October) eclipses all other events.

Australian Tidbit: The Australians might be the most relaxed nation in terms of, well, possibly everything. Their language reflects this with the practice of cutting down long words for easier communication.

Some common conveniences: “afternoon” = “arvo”; “sunglasses” = “sunnies”; “breakfast” = “brekkie.” (If your name is longer than two syllables, it will surely be cut down as well: “Dominic” turned effortlessly into “Domo.”)