Perth rainstorm. Photo by WA Today
It certainly doesn’t rain much in Perth. Perhaps that’s why I like it so much, after spending most of my life in soggy Seattle. I must have timed my arrival to Perth perfectly because I’ve been living here 4 months and it’s rained twice. The entire summer has seen a total of .02mm of precipitation. Great for beach-going, bad for water reserves.
Well, that all ended with a gigantic hail/rain/lightning/thunder storm today, one that unfortunately caused serious headaches in the form of home and automobile damage and power outages across 150,000 homes.
It got me thinking: what’s there to do in this sun-loving city when the weather turns wet? I’ve come up with ten ideas:
1. Visit a museum
West Australian Museum. Photo by WA Visitor Centre
Choose between the West Australian Museum (for dinosaurs, butterflies and birds), Edward de Courcy Clarke Earth Science Museum (for plate tectonics, fossils and meteorites) or Berndt Museum of Anthropology (for Aboriginal art and cultural items).
2. Fill up on popcorn at the cinema
Rainy weather gives you the perfect excuse to watch those Oscar-winning movies you haven’t had time to see yet (anyone else dying to see Crazy Heart?). Browse Perth’s dozens of cinemas to find the closest one to you.
3. Drink a cocktail in a small bar
A mojito definitely cheers up a rainy day, so choose one of Perth’s beloved small bars, like 399, Helvetica or Ezra Pound. You can sip as you watch the waterlogged people walk past, wishing they were you!
4. Read Cloudstreet
If it’s too wet to walk, why not sit down to read the Tim Winton classic? Set in Perth – and soon to be a television mini-series – this book is a must for Perthites. It’s a fantastic story of two families sharing a dilapidated old house and lots of ups and downs. Betcha you’ll be saying “fair dinkum” before you’re done.
5. Sip a cappuccino in a coffee shop
This is what us Seattleites do when it’s wet outside (thus explaining why the coffee there is so good!). We grab a book, laptop or a friend and drink lattes in huge mugs. Perth’s great coffee havens include Vic Park’s The Imp, East Freo’s Hubbles Yard and Cottesloe’s Cimbalino.
6. Dance
Do it for fun, for the thirsty grass or both. Just do it.
7. Catch a play at the theatre
There’s still a few months to go before the opening of the new State Theatre Centre. In the meantime, Perth has many theatres like Black Swan Theatre and His Majesty’s Theatre, which have a packed schedule of plays on offer.
8. Visit an art gallery
There are heaps of great art galleries here in Perth. The Art Gallery of Western Australia is a free museum that houses one of the world’s best collections of Indigenous art, as well as West Australian, national and international art and design. Perk: free wifi! Equally worthy of a visit is the Fremantle ArtsCentre.
9. Give your wallet some exercise
That’s right, go shopping! Check out this list of Perth’s top 10 shopping precincts.
10. Stay home
Don’t you love how a rainy day can justify extreme laziness? Enjoy it!
Great about Perth 
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