Exploring your own city

Just because you’re not in a foreign city, doesn’t mean you have to stop exploring. If you find yourself back home, why not discover your own city for a weekend? I’ve listed below 5 things to do in my home state, Western Australia.

Go to the beach

Western Australia is renowned for its sunny weather and beautiful beaches. For the majority of the year, it’s nice enough to head down to one of the many beaches located on the extensive Western Australia coastline for a nice walk or swim in the ocean.

With Scarborough, Trigg and City Beach being amongst the most popular, there are a bunch of smaller spots too which are perfect if you want to soak up the sun without having to fight the crowds. If you have kids, Hilaries Boat Harbour is a perfect spot which is ideal for kids as there are no waves.

Visit Fremantle

Fremantle is the port city of Western Australia, located just 19km southwest of Perth. It was first settled by the Swan River colonists in 1892 and declared a city in 1929.

Fremantle is must if you’re in need of a relaxing day. Starting as a small fishing port which now boasts a thriving artistic community, it’s a nice spot to enjoy a coffee at one of the many laid back coffee houses, wander through the Fremantle markets which has been running for the past 100 years (open on weekends only), take a stroll along the beautiful coast line or eat fish and chips while watching the sun go down.

For those looking to discover the cultural side of Fremantle, you can explore the beautiful architecture in the West End or visit one of the many museums located in area such as the Maritime Museum, Fremantle Prison and the Army Museum.

Walk along the Swan River

With over 3,000 hours of sunshine on offer each year in Western Australia, you’ll be unlucky to have a bad day. The Swan river is considered the heart of Perth, with the city located directly on its river banks. With a range of activities on offer such as jetskiing, sailing, fishing or a river cruise, it’s a lovely spot to enjoy a day in the Perth sun.

Wander through the Hills

With 8 national parks and 30 well marked trails, the Perth Hills is a terrific excuse the dust of your hiking boots and explore the Australian wildlife.

One of the most popular hiking trails, the Bibbulmun Track, spans over 1,000km from the suburb of Kalamunda to the South West town of Albany.

If hiking isn’t your style, you can enjoy one of the many year round festivals which the Perth Hills have to offer such as the Mundaring Truffel Festival, Perth Hills Wine Show, Darlington Arts Show or the Targa West Rally.

Go South

Each year, many West Australians flock South to enjoy one of the number of lovely travel spots located in the southern region of Western Australia. If you’re wanting to escape the hustle of the city, there are plenty spots in southern Western Australia such as Bunbury, Busselton, Dunsborough, Yallingup, Margaret River or Albany, just to name a few, which will provide you with a lovely getaway.

For the wine lovers amongst us, Margaret River has a world famous wine region which is a must visit. There are a slew of vineyards within the region which open their doors to the public for free wine tasting sessions. With world class wines on offer, it’s a memorable day in South of Western Australia.

Submitted on: September 23 2015