Margaret River With Kids: Where To Stay, Eat & Best Things To Do

We have been lucky to visit Margs (as fondly known) twice, and if it weren’t so far away, we’d totally set up shop! Known for its beautiful beaches and wineries, it’s actually an incredibly family-friendly location with so many activities, walks, & family friendly breweries that you could easily pack one a day over a 7-day trip! We have collated our favourite tried-and-tested activities, places to eat, beaches & walks below.

Looking for more family-friendly tours and activities in Margaret River? Browse our Margaret River activities link below & we also have more details about the activities we enjoyed further down in this post!

• Contos Beach is located within the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. Renowned for its dramatic cliffs and clear turquoise waters, the beach is a popular spot for swimming, fishing, and hiking along the nearby trails. To reach the beach from Caves Road, take the dirt road, and don’t forget to explore the rocks and rock pools while checking the surf conditions since the beach is unpatrolled; you can also enjoy a scenic 5km walk along the Cape to Cape track from Contos to Redgate Beach
• Hamelin Bay Beach is a stunning coastal destination located along the Cape to Cape Walk Track It’s famous for its friendly sting rays that swim very close to shore. There is also a campground walking distance to the beach. It gets very busy in summer with the campground on the doorstep, so consider visiting early in the morning or outside of school holidays
• Cosy Corner is a short drive from Hamelin Bay and offers a calm, protected beach ideal for families with kids. While parking is limited and it’s not patrolled, the gentle environment helps visitors feel safe and relaxed, and it’s less crowded than Hamelin Bay. Cosy Corner is about a 45-minute drive from Margaret River town
• Busselton Jetty is the longest timber-piled jetty in the Southern Hemisphere, extending over 1.8 kilometres into Geographe Bay. Visitors can stroll or cycle along the jetty, and there’s also a train service that runs along its length. At the end of the jetty, an underwater observatory allows guests to explore marine life in their natural habitat. To enjoy the underwater observatory experience, it’s essential to book train tickets in advance, either as return tickets or as part of a combo. There is ample parking available at the jetty and beach, with various dining options along the waterfront and a short walk to the town center.
• Canal Rocks is a breathtaking coastal attraction within Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, featuring unique rock formations and natural canals carved by the ocean. Aquarium is another section around the bay that is good for snorkelling. Check conditions before swimming as the rocks can bring strong currents, and don’t recommend swimming with kids. There is a safer area of the beach closer to the jetty.
• Injidup Natural Spa is a natural rock formation located along the Cape to Cape Track in Yallingup. The area is accessible via scenic walking trails that can be quite rocky, so bring good walking shoes, and also visit early morning or late afternoon – it’s quite a popular spot. There isn’t a huge amount of room for everyone, especially when you want to sit under the water splashing over the rocks. It’s really close to Swings and Roundabouts winery, so head there for lunch! We have more information about it further below.
• Yallingup Maze & Mini Golf is so much fun. The maze is quite dated now, but what’s great about it is that you can run, hide and play around using water guns, which the kids will love. There is a small cafe and playground for rest, and a new 18-hole mini golf course, very creatively designed with water features and well-maintained gardens.
• Jewel Cave, closer to Augusta, is one of the largest working caves in Western Australia. It has amazing crystal formations, including stalactites and stalagmites. This is a one-hour guided tour. We suggest you bring good walking shoes and a light jumper, as it’s about 17 degrees in the cave. The region has several notable caves to explore, including Mammoth Cave, Ngilgi Cave, and Lake Cave.
• Forest Adventures is an adventure park situated in the Ludlow Tuart Forest, approximately 10 kilometres north of Busselton. Spanning over eight acres of natural bushland, the park features six high ropes courses and flying foxes, with heights ranging from 3 to 19 meters. Activities include rope and wire challenges, zip lines totalling over 500 meters, unicycle courses, Tarzan ropes, a 13-meter base jump, BMX on a wire, and spider webs. The park is open Thursday to Monday, with last entry at 2:30 pm, and operates seven days a week during school holidays. Participants must be at least 7 years old and 110 cm tall. Bookings are essential to ensure availability.
• Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse, constructed in 1903. You can enjoy a guided tour to learn about the lighthouse’s history, surrounded by walking trails. Bring good walking shoes, particularly if you want to climb the lighthouse stairs. It can also get really windy up there!
• The Cape to Cape Walk Track is an epic 123 km along the coast of the Margaret River region. The track runs from Cape Naturaliste in the north to Cape Leeuwin in the south. We like walking from Redgate to Contos Beach. This Redgate-to-Conto walk is around 4–5km one way. We turned back halfway, or you can return the same way, or organise a car shuffle for the return trip. We used the All Trails app. Just a few friendly reminders for your trip: don’t forget to pack your swimmers, towels, and reef shoes! It’s also a good idea to wear sturdy walking shoes and check the weather and swell conditions before you dive in. And if you’re heading out in summer, starting early can help you beat the heat.

Gracetown beach feels like the wild side of Margaret River. Big ocean views, surf and that classic rugged WA coastline. It’s the kind of beach where you come to watch waves roll in, spot surfers chasing breaks and let the kids explore rock pools. We like the South end of the beach as it’s better for kids, and you can also bring dogs here.

Cosy Corner is exactly what the name promises. Tucked between low cliffs and bushland, this beach is usually calmer and far more protected than many in the region. It’s a great spot for families who want space to spread out, a relaxed swim and a beach that feels a little more hidden than the famous Margaret River surf spots. It’s not patrolled.

Meelup Beach is one of the most family-friendly beaches in the entire Margaret River region. The water is calm, the sand is soft and the bay curves around in a way that keeps the swell away. You can easily park up here all day.

Hamelin Bay is famous for one thing — the stingrays. They glide through the shallows so close to shore that kids can see them clearly as they pass by.

Eagle Bay feels quieter and a little more refined than nearby Meelup. The water is unbelievably clear, the sand bright white and the bay stretches wide enough that it rarely feels crowded.

Gnarabup Beach is where locals go when they want an easy beach day. It sits right near the Margaret River townsite, making it perfect for a swim, a quick surf or sunset fish and chips. With a playground and grassed areas nearby, it’s one of the easiest beaches in the region for families to spend a whole afternoon.

Below is our list of family-friendly restaurants and cafés in Margaret River, including several that offer gluten-free options.

Margaret River is also home to some of the most family-friendly wineries and breweries in Australia. Many have playgrounds, wide open lawns and relaxed dining spaces that make it easy to enjoy lunch with kids.

Here are six of our favourite family-friendly wineries and breweries in Margaret River that we’ve visited more than once!

Cheeky Monkey Brewing Co
Swings & Roundabouts
Colonial Brewing Company (CBC Co)
Margaret River Brewhouse
Mai Tardi Gelateria
HomeGround Margaret River Sports Bar & Kitchen ($1 chicken wings Monday!)
Beerfarm
Eagle Bay Brewing Co

Map of Margaret River