Perth Cultural Centre
About a ten minute walk north gets you to the Perth Cultural Centre. It is home to the Western Australian Museum (Boola Bardip), the Art Gallery of Western Australia, the State Theatre Centre and Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts. Easy to lose half a day here, whether you duck into a gallery or just grab a coffee and sit in the open plaza for a bit.
When you are ready for a drink, Picabar is tucked into the corner of the PICA building and it has become a bit of a local institution, the kind of place regulars quietly claim as their own. Craft beer on tap, a solid food menu, and a courtyard that is just as good for a lazy afternoon glass of wine as it is for watching the evening crowd roll in.
Local tip: the courtyard fills up fast after 5pm on weekdays when the nearby offices clock off, so if you would rather not hover by a table waiting for a spot, aim for a late lunch or turn up right on open.
Image credit @Tourism WA
Yagan Square
Just past the Cultural Centre, Yagan Square is the meeting point between the CBD and Northbridge. There is a market hall for a quick bite, food trucks most days, plenty of public art, and on Friday evenings there are often Noongar dance and storytelling performances in the amphitheatre. Worth a wander even if you are just passing through on the way to dinner.
If you're hungry, the square's food and drink scene now lives at Stories, a multi-level precinct across five storeys with restaurants, bars, a rooftop and the CBD's biggest beer garden. It's a big step up from the old market hall days, and locals rate the Pourhouse for a casual pub feed or the rooftop if you want a drink with a view over the square.
Local tip: the square looks completely different after dark, when the digital tower and canopies light up. If you're walking through anyway, time it for early evening rather than the middle of the day.
Image credit @Tourism WA
Northbridge
Northbridge is right next door and it is where a lot of Perth's evening life happens. There is a good mix of bars, live music venues and restaurants covering just about every cuisine. William Street is the main artery, and it's worth walking the whole stretch at least once: you'll pass old-school Italian delis and butchers, Asian grocers and noodle houses, and Perth's Chinatown all within a few blocks of each other.
Tucked into the laneways off it you will find some genuinely excellent small bars, the kind of places with no sign out front that you wpuld only stumble on if someone told you where to look. If a big night out isn't your thing, there are also plenty of quieter cafes and wine bars nearby for something more low-key.
Local tip: spot an unmarked steel door with a queue outside in the laneways off William Street? That's Sneaky Tony's. Say the password (find it on their socials, we are not doing all the work for you) and you are in for 300 rums and a very good excuse to skip the big obvious bars.
Image credit @Tourism WA
Elizabeth Quay
It's a flat, easy walk down to Elizabeth Quay, Perth's riverside precinct with waterfront paths, restaurants and genuinely nice sunset views over the Swan River. There is a decent amount to do beyond just the walk too. The Bell Tower is worth the climb for 360-degree views if you don't mind a bit of a queue, and Barrack Street Jetty is where you will find river cruises heading out to Fremantle bell or the Swan Valley.
For food, grab fish and chips by the river, or duck into Little Creatures, which finally made the jump over from Fremantle and now pours pints on the ground floor of Nine The Esplanade, right on the water. Good for an evening stroll after dinner or a lazy Sunday morning, and honestly one of those spots that looks different every time you visit depending on the light.
Local tip: save the queue at the Bell Tower for another day and jump on the Transperth ferry to South Perth instead. Same skyline, same river, ten minutes each way, and for the price of a bus fare you get a much better view of the tower than you would standing in it.
Image credit @Tourism WA
RAC to Optus Stadium
If you are in town for a concert or a game, you are well placed. RAC Arena is a short walk from the hotel and hosts most of the major touring acts and big sporting events that come through Perth. Optus Stadium is a bit further out on the Burswood Peninsula, about fifteen minutes by public transport, with shuttle buses running from Elizabeth Quay on event days. It's worth the trip even outside game day, since the surrounding parkland has walking trails, a boardwalk and good views back over the river.
For smaller shows, His Majesty's Theatre (a beautiful heritage building from 1904) and the Perth Concert Hall both host regular performances and are an easy walk from the hotel. If it's more your scene, HBF Park for soccer and rugby, or Crown Perth's entertainment precinct with its casino, theatre and restaurants, are both a short taxi or train ride away.
Local tip: got time before kick off? Matagarup Zip+Climb lets you climb 314 steps to a platform 70 metres above the river, then zip line back down at 75km/h. Not into heights? There's mini golf at the base instead.
Image credit @Tourism WA