Three major national parks lie within close proximity to Esperance. Stokes National Park, with its tranquil inlet surrounded by a forest of paper bark trees, provides a haven for birdlife. Cape Le Grand National Park features rugged coastal scenery with magnificent bays protected from the power of the Southern Ocean by imposing granite headlands and islands. Western Australia's fourth largest national park, Cape Arid National Park, remains largely inaccessible except to four-wheel-drive vehicles. The park is ideal for fishermen, naturalists and bushwalkers who really want to get away from it all. In and around Esperance there are many interesting places to visit. Among these are the Pink Lake and Twilight Beach tourist drive, Esperance Museum and Museum Village.

Take a relaxing stroll along the old tanker jetty. Esperance is renowned for its beach and rock fishing with sallmon, skippy, herring, mulloway, tailer, groper, shark and other species being caught. There is a wide choice of accommodation with a variety of hotels, motels, self-contained units, chalets, cottages and caravan parks being available. A number of excellent restaurants offer meals ranging from fast food take-aways to superb cuisine with local seafood being the speciality.