Perth sits on the edge of the Swan river and there is so much more to the city than downtown. Hire a car and pick it up in the city or at Perth Airport and check out Fremantle or the beautiful beaches of the Sunset Coast or the picturesque Avon Valley. Perth is the gateway to Western Australia, and a cheap rental car is your ticket to ride. WA is a state that embodies Australia’s contradictions, wilderness and cultivation, ancient and modern, wet and very, very dry. With national land marks like the Swan River, and urban marvels such as Perth's glittering skyline and sports stadiums, driving is the only way to see it all.

Perth also offers some highly-recommended retail therapy on classy King Street, Hay Street and Murray Street, which you must be sure to top off with a 10-2o minute drive out to the many cafes and restaurants than line the beachfronts at Cottersloe or Scarborough. Wine lovers should not miss the Margaret River and if you love the wilderness, hire a 4WD and make a visit to the Kimberley a must-see.