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Two days isn’t long enough for Margaret River. That’s just a fact you’ll have to make peace with. It is long enough for a proper taste, though: a river walk, a surf beach, a long lunch, a limestone cave, a stand of giant karri trees and the lighthouse at the very corner of the continent.
This plan is deliberately unhurried. Margaret River rewards people who slow down, and punishes people who try to fit in six wineries and three caves before lunch.
How we planned this
- Everything here is a real, established attraction. Opening hours, tour times and prices change, so we link to official sources rather than quoting them. Check before you go.
- Driving times are kept short. The region is bigger than it looks on a map, so each day stays in one area.
- There’s always a designated driver. If wine’s on the agenda, someone isn’t drinking, or you book a tour. See our winery guide for options.
- There’s a rainy-day swap for each outdoor stop.
Before you go
- Getting there: Margaret River is roughly a three-and-a-half-hour drive south of Perth, depending on stops. You can also fly into Busselton Margaret River Airport; check its site for current routes. You’ll want a car once you’re there.
- Visitor info: the Margaret River visitor site has maps, events and opening hours.
- Book ahead: winery lunches and cave tours can book out on weekends and in school holidays.
- Watch for wildlife: kangaroos are common on country roads, especially around dawn and dusk. Slow down.
Where to base yourself
Staying close to town means you can walk to dinner and won’t spend half the weekend in the car. For this itinerary, we’ve used River Reach Chalet as the base.
Disclosure: River Reach Chalet was previously our founder’s business, and our founder still has a financial interest in it.
It’s a cosy two-bedroom bush chalet that sleeps four, about two minutes’ walk from the river and a short drive from town. That makes it an easy base for both days: the river walk on Saturday morning starts more or less at the door. There are no pets and no parties. You can book it direct through Margaret River Holiday Houses.
It’s not the only good option. Our guide to where to stay in Margaret River compares town, bush and coast bases.
Friday night: arrive and settle in
Aim to arrive before dark if you’re driving from Perth, because of the kangaroos. Grab dinner in town; the main street has plenty of options, and on a Friday night it’s worth booking. Then get an early night. Tomorrow starts with a walk.
Day 1 (Saturday): river, surf, lunch, caves
Morning: walk by the Margaret River
Start with a walk along the river. From Rotary Park in town, the Bunnitj Biddi trail (formerly the Ten Mile Brook Trail) follows the brook through Wooditjup National Park, and early morning is when the birds are loudest. Keep an eye out for black cockatoos in the treetops.
Then head into town for coffee. The Margaret River Farmers’ Market runs every Saturday from 7:30 to 11:30am at the Margaret River Education Campus on Bussell Highway, and it’s a good place to pick up picnic supplies and gifts.
Late morning: Surfers Point and Prevelly
Drive out to the coast at the river mouth, about ten minutes’ drive west of town. Surfers Point is where Margaret River’s famous big-wave surf breaks. Even if you’re not surfing, it’s worth watching from the lookout. The nearby beaches at Prevelly and Gnarabup are good for a wander along the sand.
Swim safely: many beaches in the region have strong currents and big swell. Swim only where it’s patrolled or clearly safe, and check Beachsafe for conditions.
Lunch: a winery
This is the long, lazy bit. Pick one winery with a restaurant and book a table. The region’s best known for Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, and many cellar doors pair tastings with food. See our winery guide for ideas, and sort out your designated driver before lunch, not after.
Afternoon: a limestone cave
The Leeuwin-Naturaliste ridge is riddled with limestone caves. Two easy options south of town are: – Mammoth Cave, a self-guided visit with an audio tour. – Lake Cave, a fully guided tour down to an underground lake.
Check the caves’ pages for opening hours and bookings before you go.
Caves are cool inside all year, so this is also your rainy-day plan.
Evening
Back to base, then dinner in town or a simple meal in. If the sky’s clear, step outside: away from the main street, the stars are something else.
Day 2 (Sunday): karri forest and Cape Leeuwin
Morning: Boranup Karri Forest
Drive south on Caves Road to the Boranup Karri Forest. Karri are the tallest trees in Western Australia and among the tallest in the world, and walking among them is genuinely humbling. Boranup Drive has a hard limestone base and is suitable for two-wheel-drive cars; it winds through the forest and loops back to Caves Road. Check conditions after rain.
Rainy-day swap: Jewel Cave, in Augusta, is a fully guided tour of WA’s largest show cave.
Late morning: Hamelin Bay
A short detour west takes you to Hamelin Bay, a sheltered beach where you may see wild stingrays in the shallows near the boat ramp. They’re wild animals with a venomous barb in the tail, so Explore Parks WA asks you to look without touching, keep your distance and not feed them. Follow any signs.
Lunch: Augusta
Have lunch in Augusta, the quiet town at the mouth of the Blackwood River.
Afternoon: Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse
Finish at Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, at the south-western tip of Australia, often described as where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet. You can walk the grounds. Tours of the tower itself have been affected by restoration work, so check the official visitor site for what’s open and how to book. On a windy day, you’ll understand why there’s a lighthouse here.
Then it’s the drive home. From Augusta, allow about three and a half hours or more to Perth.
Make it three days
If you can stretch it, add a day in the north of the region. You could walk part of the Cape to Cape Track near Yallingup, visit Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse, swim at Meelup Beach near Dunsborough, or walk Busselton Jetty on the way back to Perth. Our South West WA nature day guide has more.
Take some of it home
Pick up chocolate, cheese, olive oil and wine on the way. Our guide to gifts from Margaret River covers where to look and what travels well.
More Margaret River guides
- Where to stay in Margaret River: town, bush or coast
- Margaret River with kids
- What to pack for a South West WA bush stay
Written by our editors. Check opening hours and conditions with official sources before you travel. Last checked: 31 October 2026.