A remote yet stunning town on Western Australia’s south coast, famed for its dazzling blue beaches and squeaky white sand, Esperance is worth a visit. Wondering what to see in Esperance, and places to visit? This guide will take you through the top things to do in Esperance, from natural attractions, scenic hikes and foodie gems worth visiting.
Explore Cape Le Grand National Park
One of the highlights of Esperance is exploring the incredible scenery in Cape Le Grand National Park, located about 45 minutes east of Esperance town.
Cape Le Grand National Park can be visited on day trips from Esperance town. If you’d like to stay overnight, limited camping sites are also available in the park – but I’d recommend booking these early as it’s a popular spot! Bookings can be made up to 180 days in advance.
The two campgrounds in Cape Le Grand are Lucky Bay Campground and Le Grand Beach Campground.
Park entrance fees ($17 per vehicle, 2024 prices) are payable per vehicle for each day entering the park.
A lot of your time in Esperance will likely be spent checking out the amazing beaches. A summary of the highlights are included below, read more in my detailed guide on Esperance’s best beaches.
Lookout for Kangaroos at Lucky Bay
Once you’ve entered Cape Le Grand National Park, head to Lucky Bay. Lucky Bay is famous thanks to the kangaroos that sometimes hang out on the beach, and in 2023 was rated number one in Banana Boat’s annual World’s 50 Best Beaches list.
In terms of spotting kangaroos, I’ve shared my tips here… but regardless, this beautiful beach is worth a visit thanks to its incredibly vivid turquoise blue waters.
Plus, it’s a novelty driving out onto the compacted sand along the beach in a 2WD!
Plan the ultimate road trip with my Perth to Esperance Road Trip Guide!
Hellfire Bay and Hike to Little Hellfire Bay
After checking out the long stretch of Hellfire Bay, you can hike over to it’s smaller sibling.
The short 15 minute hike from Hellfire Bay to Little Hellfire Bay offers scenic views of the coast as well as the chance to spot some wildflowers.
Visit the Whistling Rock at Thistle Cove
Thistle Cove is a smaller beach worth checking out as it is a lot quieter than previously mentioned beaches. At the same spot you can also check out the sometimes whistling “Whistling Rock”
Hike the Summit of Frenchman’s Peak
Driving into Cape Le Grand National Park you will begin to see the peak appear in the distance as you head in towards to the coast. Its namesake is due to the resemblance in shape of a hat worn French troops in the 1800’s.
This hike was a highlight of our time in Esperance, despite the heavy clouds which turned into drizzly rain as we reached the summit. Whilst not a long hike, it is fairly steep and involves scaling up a large steep rock face.
Reaching the top, climb down into a cave for amazing views of the surrounding park and coastline.
Make sure to head out of the cave and continue on to the peak for stunning 360 degree views.
The Frenchman’s Peak hike took us a 1.5 hour round trip from the car park to the peak and back. This was at a fairly fast pace, so I’d allow at least 2 hours.
Stroll along the Esperance Foreshore
The Esperance foreshore has recently been revamped and is worth a stroll along the waters edge.
Park near the Coffee Cat Van and walk down the foreshore towards the Whale Tail sculpture by local artist Cindy Poole.
This leads you to the James Street Precinct, where you will also find picnic benches and BBQs as you head towards Taylor St Quarters, one of Esperance’s best restaurants.
If you’re up for an uphill hike, you could continue on walking along the Esplanade to the Rotary Lookout (or just drive 5-minutes from town). This lookout provides an elevated view across the town and surrounding beaches.
Sightsee at Esperance Stonehenge
This is one of the more unique and unusual things to see in Esperance.
A full size replica located out of town on the way to Cape Le Grand National Park, the Esperance Stonehenge is made out of Esperance pink granite quarried from a local site.
An entrance fee of $14 per adult (2024 pricing) is payable to visit.
Drink Craft Beer at Lucky Bay Brewing
Lucky Bay Brewing is so good, that we visited it twice during our 4 days in Esperance!
You’ll find Lucky Bay Brewing a short drive 10 minutes out of town. The microbrewery has a great line up of beers and the woodfired pizzas were delicious!
You’ll find live music here on weekends too. Check out their Facebook page for seasonal opening hours.
We had a tasting paddle each and took home some of their canned beers we loved the beer so much.
Explore the Great Ocean Drive Loop
Esperance’s Great Ocean Drive is a 40 km circular loop featuring stunning scenery, amazing beaches, rocky out cliffs and a wind farm. You’ll find some of the best Esperance attractions along this drive.
Check out the 23 stops and attractions on the full drive here, and I’ve included my highlights below.
Check out the Blues of Twilight Beach
A visit to Twilight Beach is one of the top things to do in Esperance. It is close to town on the Great Ocean Drive and is a popular swimming spot.
You might see people jumping off the large rock in the middle of the bay. This beach is patrolled by surf life savers on weekends over the summer months too making it a family friendly beach option.
Visit the Lookout at Observatory Point
Further along the Great Ocean drive you’ll come across Observatory Point which has two look outs.
The lookout to the left takes you down a long set of wooden stairs over to the point, while the lookout on the right and up the stairs provides some interesting information about the early explorers of the region.
This is also a spot to sight whales if you time it right!
Marvel at 11 Mile Lagoon
Eleven Mile Lagoon was my favourite beach in Esperance!
I’ve shared why this is my favourite beach over on my best beaches in Esperance guide, so I’ll let the photos show why I think this is one of top things to do Esperance.
Stop by Esperance Pink Lake
Located on the Great Ocean Drive, unfortunately Pink Lake is no longer pink due to the environmental changes. In fact, it hasn’t been pink for 10 years now.
Whilst doing the drive loop, it’s still worth checking this large salt lake out from the viewpoint on Eleven Mile Beach Rd. Be warned that you won’t be seeing any bright pink waters unlike Hutt Lagoon Pink Lake near Kalbarri.
Get your Caffeine Fix at Downtown Espresso
Before a big day of exploring, stop by Downtown Espresso to get your caffeine fix.
Downtown Espresso has the best coffee in Esperance! This is also the street front sister store to the coffee van, located along the foreshore.
Spend a day on Woody Island
Located 15km’s off the coast of Esperance, Woody Island is small island touted for its snorkelling and swimming spots, and hiking trails along the island.
You can even camp on the island, with luxury glamping options available for those wanting a unique experience.
Admire Wylie Bay from Above
This spot about 15 minutes out of town is awesome for getting some aerial shots of the sand bar.
It’s a lot of fun walking out across the sandbar, but make sure you go at low tide!
If you have a 4WD, there is a track that leads out onto the beach, otherwise park on the road and walk down to the beach.
Take a scenic flight over Lake Hillier Pink Lake
The insta-famous Pink Lake of Esperance is actually located outside of Esperance, on Middle Island in the Recherche Archipelago.
To access this remote area, a scenic flight or helicopter ride is required.
Lake Hillier pink lake is only viewable from above, with scenic flights taking about an hour. As you might expect, flights are expensive (starting from around $400).
Discover Lake Warden (an actual Pink Lake)
In recent years Lake Warden has taken on a pink hue. This is a great alternative for those wanting to see a pink lake on a budget.
Lake Warden is located on the left side of the South Coast Hwy on your way in to Esperance town.
Watch the Sunset and Drink Wine at Taylor St Quarters
One of the best restaurants in Esperance, Taylor St Quarters is located on the foreshore overlooking the Bay.
An old home which has been refurbished, the Quarters is a great spot for coffee, lunch, sunset drinks and dinner.
Live music is held over the summer months, with options of outside and inside seating making it a great option for dinner in Esperance.
Visit the Local Markets on the Weekend
Held every second Sunday a month, this local market includes market stalls with fresh local produce, fruit and veggies and arts and crafts.
Head down to the Museum Village between 8.30am and 12.30pm. Check out market days before visiting.
Gin Tasting at Esperance Distillery Co
Esperance is home to a micro-distillery, run by a father and son team who use local native ingredients in their range of small-batch gins inspired by nearby attractions, such as their Blue Haven Gin and Middle Island Pink Gin.
Pop into the Esperance Distillery Co where, for a small fee, you can do a guided tasting of their range of spirits. They also run a gin school experience where you can craft your own gin.
Final Thoughts – Esperance Things to Do
That wraps up my complete guide on what to do in Esperance. From beautiful beaches, exciting hikes and eye-catching pink lakes, these are the best things to do in Esperance WA. Esperance is such a special place to visit as part of your Western Australia road trip, making it worth the long drive!
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions about things to do around Esperance.
how many days do you suggest to spend in Esperance?
Hey! I recommend at least three days 🙂