A wine-tasting tour is the ideal way to get to know Margaret River (without having to worry about driving). Half- and full-day options are available; some tours also include visits to breweries or beaches. Alternatively, begin your day at Yahava KoffeeWorks, learning the ins and outs of coffee roasting.

If you’re not already on a full-day tour, make your way to a local winery, such as Leeuwin Estate. Besides tastings, activities might include a gourmet meal, a cooking demo, or a behind-the-scenes tour.

Enjoy a relaxing meal in downtown Margaret River, Dunsborough, or Augusta. Margaret River is the biggest of the three towns and has the most dining options.

Margaret River’s location on Australia’s southwest coast—where the Indian Ocean meets the Southern Ocean—provides whale-watching opportunities during the migration season, typically May to September. Start your day on a cruise departing from Augusta or Dunsborough.

Do as the locals do, and head to the beach. Take a surfing lesson, go canoeing on the river, or just chill on the soft white sand. Alternatively, learn about the region’s natural environment on a coastal tour.

If you’ve always wanted to see possums, kangaroos, woylies, or other marsupials, you might have to wait till evening, when they’re normally more active. Nocturnal wildlife tours usually teach you about the animals while taking you to the locations where they’re likely to be glimpsed.