24 Hours in Fremantle: A Perfect Day

AM
If Perth is like Los Angeles, with its immense sprawl between the desert and the water, then little "Freo" is its Venice Beach -- an oceanside nook bubbling over with gritty bohemian charm. Instead of driving from central Perth, opt for the hour-long boat ride along the scenic Swan River. Fuel up with a flat white along Cappuccino Row, named for the preponderance of Italian storefronts along the main drag, before following High Street down to the crumbling Round House, Western Australia's oldest structure -- a prison, natch. From the ruins you can see one of the most ambitious public art stunts, Arc d'Ellipses -- ribbons of yellow paint scrawled along the historic facades that look like a contiguous swirl.

PM
Pause for lunch at one of the local artisanal restaurants, like Bread in Common (BreadInCommon.com.au), Strange Company (StrangeCompany.com.au) or Stable Hands (StableHandsFremantle.com.au), then spend the rest of the day with Fremantle Tours (FremantleTours.com.au), run by Michael and Lucy, two locals with a true passion for travel. Hop on one of their bikes to check out stops like the Fremantle Prison, now a World Heritage site, and the Rainbow Sea Containers, a testament to Fremantle's free and queer spirit. As the sun sets, grab a glass of wine at Bathers Beach House (BathersBeachHouse.com.au), the only seaside establishment with a liquor license, then gorge on flatbreads and pale ales at the Little Creatures brewery (LittleCreatures.com.au).