Things to do in Margaret River with the kids

With heaps of family-friendly things to do, wholesome food options for tiny bellies, and venues designed for both children and parents in mind, the Margaret River Region is a destination ready and primed for the ultimate family holiday.

From tasty food experiences and sugar-fuelled play, to nature playgrounds and outdoor adventure courses where you can hang out all day – here’s our guide to the best family-friendly activities to experience during your next Margaret River staycay.

Spend the morning browsing a local farmers’ market

A trip to the farmers’ market is an absolute must-do when visiting Margaret River. Not only is it a great place to pick up the freshest of locally grown and produced food, but the market provides a wonderful chance for you to teach the kids where their food comes from.

You’ll find the Private Properties team at the Margaret River Farmers’ Market each Saturday morning, devouring gourmet croissants and bacon and egg rolls; and the Busselton Foreshore Markets for its beachside setting, a plate of delicious Poffertjets (Dutch mini pancakes) and (in-season) the juiciest, sweetest strawberries you ever did taste.

Pick-your-own fruit

From filling baskets to the brim, to sneaking a few morsels of nature’s candy straight from the bush to your mouth – there’s something oh-so-satisfying about picking your own fruit. Load the family into the car and head to Lorien Blueberries, where you can fill empty tubs with as many blueberries as you can harvest.

You can also visit The Berry Farm and forage for all sorts of berries, before feasting on berry-laden cottage-style scones and pies from the farm’s café. NB: do check in with each farm for seasons and opening times.

Blueberries picked at Lorien Blueberries. Image: Lily Yeang.

Feast and play at these family-friendly eateries

The Margaret River Region is an incredibly family-friendly destination, evident in the many cafes, restaurants, breweries and wineries that cater for the whole family. You’ll find kids’ menus at most establishments, but we love dining at Cheeky Monkey Brewing, Margaret River Brewhouse, CBCo Brewing and Wild Hop Brewing Co thanks to their adult- and child-pleasing menus and onsite playgrounds.

Then there’s Clancy’s Fish Pub Dunsborough, which is located right next to a zip-line adrenaline park; new kids on the block Southcamp in the centre of Dunsborough; and Beerfarm, where the kids can slide down a giant slip-and-slide that ends in the farm’s dam in summer.

For yummy pasta and a slightly fancier setting, try Barnyard 1978, which also has a playground, fish pond and chickens; or grab a pizza and relax out on the lawn at Aravina Estate and let the kids run wild in the playground.

Discover sweet tooth heaven

Oh sugar! There’s plenty of it in the Margaret Rive Region, so much so you could literally go on an all-day, sweets trail adventure. Little sweet fiends will love scooping up some of the best ice cream in WA at Simmo’s Ice Creamery, and burning off the subsequent sugar high at the venue’s fun park and mini-golf course.

For a sweetly educational (shh! Don’t tell the kids) experience, visit The Colony Concept, where you can taste honey and learn about how it’s made. Down the road, marvel at the beautiful, almost-too-pretty-to-eat French desserts at Maison LASSIAILLE.

If you’re exploring Busselton, do pop into Claudio Bakehouse for mouth-watering pastries and hand-piped cannoli, and Mano Wraps for a beautiful, flower-like dessert crepe filled with all your favourite toppings (we pick Nutella, strawberries and whipped cream).

Walk, ride or fly through nature

Margaret River is renowned for its awe-inspiring landscapes and beautiful scenery, so while you’re visiting with the kids, make an effort to see it. There are a number of trails and tracks that snake through the region’s best bits, so pack your lunch and get ready to meander down tranquil bush, forest, river and/or sea paths. For an easy, kid-friendly stroll, try Rotary South Bank River Trail, which starts by the Margaret River Rotary Park and ambles between towering native trees, original settlers’ buildings and “Old Kate” – an old heritage steam engine that you can climb and board.

For some of the most spectacular coastal views, head along a section of the Cape to Cape Track. Love to ride? Jump on your bike and ride down parts of the Wadandi Track, a 31km trail that passes through forest, by vines and between farmland. And for a dizzyingly unique forest experience, why not try zip-lining through the trees at Forest Adventures?

Play all day at these free playgrounds

Hours can be spent (or killed) at a well-designed playground. The Busselton Foreshore’s Sea Play on the Bay playground is a Private Properties’ family favourite, thanks to shipwreck-themed equipment, a giant whale tail that rains water and its proximity to the beach (and bar – Shelter Brewing Co and the Equinox Restaurant and Bar are located on either side of the playground). Nearby is a smaller playground designed especially for toddlers and, for the two-wheel adrenaline seekers, the Busselton Skate Park.

Got a little nature explorer? Visit Djiljit Mia Nature Park in Dunsborough, an Indigenous-inspired park that includes a rope sway bridge, rope serpent, log balancing equipment and water and sand play.

Keep the fun times rolling at these fun parks

In need of a one-stop-kids’ entertainment-shop? Then plan an outing at one of the region’s fun parks, which offer the complete parent holiday survival package – kid-friendly activities, somewhere to feed them once they’re done, and a place for the parents to sit back and relax while the kids have fun.

We love Amaze’n Margaret River, which features a giant hedge maze, 18-hole mini-golf course and an onsite café; and Yallingup Maze, home to a wooden, fort-style maze comprising 1.6km of winding passageways, a state-of-the-art mini-golf course, and a café where they serve puzzles alongside the food.

A Maze’n Margaret River

Meet kangaroos, cows, chickens and everything in between at these animal farms

Soft, cuddly, and cute – farm animals really are adorably sweet. No matter if you’re big or small, a day spent at an animal farm = fun for all. Grab a bucket of veggie scraps and feed the animals at Sunflowers Animal Farm and Country Life Farm, meet the scaly, slimy and hairy at Discover Deadly or encounter the largest mammal on earth up close on a whale watching tour.

You can also see what’s floating below the ocean at the Busselton Jetty’s underwater observatory, including starfish, nudibranchs, dolphins and maybe even a mermaid.

Surf, swim and splash through the South West

Nature’s very own waterpark, Margaret River is home to some of the best surf, swim, and water sport spots in the state (if not the world). Little groms can practise their surfing skills at a number of beaches, but our picks would be Yallingup Beach, Redgate Beach and the Margaret River Mouth Beach.

The crystal clear, calm waters of Eagle Bay are perfect for all-day beachside antics, while tiny tots will enjoy the slightly warmer, shallow waters of Geographe Bay (we recommend south of the Busselton Jetty).

Image: Ryan Murphy courtesy of margaretriver.com

Find fun indoors

When the weather’s a mess, don’t distress. Future Ninja Warriors will love running, jumping and bouncing around Ninjas in Mocean’s indoor obstacle courses and playing at Odyssey Play Centre – Busselton’s largest indoor playground. Little mer-people can discover a treasure trove of ocean trinkets and an extensive shell collection at The Mermaid’s Cave, and try their hand at old school arcade games right next door at Balls of Steel Pinball, while older kids can discover a mind-bending world of illusions and puzzles at Wow Illusions, feast on popcorn and a choc top while enjoying a new movie at Orana Cinemas, or catch a live show/performance at Margaret River HEART.

And while they’re not quite “indoors”, the Margaret River Region’s caves are certainly under cover, and make for an exciting, below the ground adventure.

Ngilgi Cave. Image courtesy of margaretriver.com

Ready for your next family-friendly holiday? Make one of our favourite Margaret River holiday homes your perfect homebase.

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