Where do I even begin…
Our hearts truly belongs to this city of incredible opportunity, adventure, culture and FUN! So it’s going to be hard to narrow it down to the best things to do. But here goes.
Being born and bread in Cape Town, the love for the mountain and ocean truly runs through our blood. Any opportunity to run/hike up a mountain is gold and any moment there is a bit of swell we are there. So the first place we have to talk about are the mountains surrounding you. They are your compass while in Cape Town. If you are a bit more of a fitness freak, you could explore so many different hikes or walks at varying levels and many that the kids could enjoy too. Elephants eye in the Southern Suburbs offers a fun cave exploration and a spectacular view over the southern suburbs. You can hike from the Tokai entrance or Silvermine Dam making it a bit shorter and more manageable for the little ones. If in summer, you can then take a dip in the Silvermine Dam afterwards. WARNING, IT IS FREEZING. You will be surrounded by the indigenous fynbos including the King Protea and so many different types of plants. Fynbos is an incredible plant and has adapted in so many ways to survive the harsh summers and fire seasons of Cape Town. In fact, they need the fires to help with germination. Another beautiful mountain to explore by foot or cable car is the iconic table Mountain which lies in the heart of the city. This is a tough walk up Platteklip Gorge, so ensure you are equipped and physically fit enough to tackle this one. If not, rather opt for the cable car and enjoy the views along the way. Dress warmly no matter the weather as if the infamous table cloth comes over (clouds blown in from the South East) you will be in the clouds and sopping wet. If adrenaline is more your thing, take a trip up Lions Head which is right next to table mountain and book in to go paragliding from the top. On a clear day you will be able to see for miles while you glide over the Atlantic Seaboard. A slightly more family friendly outing might be to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. It is the most magnificent garden set at the foot of the Constantia mountains. You could spend the whole day here exploring the gardens, the Boomslang Tree Canopy walk, rivers and vast grass areas for a picnic. If you go in summer, we would highly recommend visiting a Sunday Sunset Concert where they use the gardens as an amphitheatre to some of the best musicians in the country.
If you are interested in taking a drive south to Cape Point, you will not be disappointed. There are beautiful walking trails, white sand beaches that frame the nature reserve and of course you will no doubt see a few different types of animals namely, Zebra, Ostrich, different buck, tortoises and of course the baboon. Although most of the animals will keep their distance, do be aware of the baboons as sadly they have become accustomed to visitors and know its an easy target for food. So keep your distance and try not to carry food on you if you can help it or keep it in a sealed bag in your backpack. There are people who track and follow the baboons but they can’t be everywhere so do be aware. I wouldn’t suggest using the bbq facilities. If you make your way to the very point of the national park (no this is not where the two oceans meet) you will be able to do a very manageable walk on a bricked pathway up to the lighthouse to be rewarded with a fantastic view over the ocean.
On your way to or from Cape Point, there are plenty of things to see and do. A highlight for us is to visit the penguins in Simons Town. The only place in the world you can get up close to African penguins. You can choose to do the free boardwalk visit (which I would say is more than enough) or the paid walk to the beach. If you chose the free route, you walk on a track covered by trees and alongside bushes. Be sure to look down as you will see the penguins right at the fence sometimes and you will notice their nesting barrels along the way (they are wild and not caged in). The noise they make is like nothing else you have experienced. They did used to be called the Jackass penguin after all. While you are in Simonstown, you could visit Boulders Beach for a day in the sun with crystal clear waters and monstrous boulders to explore. You may even see a dassie (a small mammal also known as the rock rabbit) or penguin at the beach. Be sure to visit the little markets along the streets where the local people are selling their craftsman skills in little souvenirs. They are incredibly talented and would appreciate the support. So much better to support the local people of a country than the big chain stores in my opinion.
If you were driving along the southern peninsula via Kommetjie, you could visit Higgildy Piggildy for the kids to stretch their legs and pet some farm animals and to grab a coffee. If you are looking for surf, kommetjie is also usually firing. Ensure you have a wetsuit as the water can get very cold on the western side of Cape Town. Continue your drive along the coast and ensure you take a scenic drive over Chapmans Peak. This is one of the most scenic drives in the world with the roads carved out from the sides of the mountain and the ocean just crashes on the rocks below you. It is usually very busy on a weekend with runners and cyclists, so ensure you take it slow and enjoy the view. At the end you will reach Hout Bay, which is a great place to stop for some lunch or even a chance to see seals in the harbour. We love the Dunes restaurant where you can have fish and chips looking right over the sea and a playground for the kids or if you wanted something a little more casual head over the the Bay Market for some shopping and find some traditional food to try like biltong different sweet treats and don’t forget the gelato to take with you. (It’s not only local food)
Carry on your travels along the coast to hot some of the most famous beaches in Cape Town; Llundudno, Camps Bay, Clifton. They are all incredible but do get very busy so make sure you head there early to find a parking spot if you are wanting to stay. There are cafes and restaurants all along the coast to enjoy during the day or for the picturesque sunsets. you will be spoilt for choice and it may just depend on where you can find a spot. Or grab the most delicious and beautifully presented sushi from Willoughby’s at the V&A Waterfront, and have picnic on the beach or grass area – always a great option with kids.
Another highlight is the Two Oceans Aquarium near the waterfront. We absolutely love going to the aquarium every time we go back for a holiday as its so kid friendly and lots of interactive displays and different means of learning. There are also huge shark tanks to observe. If you hold a PADI dive certificate or would like to refresh yours, you could do this at the aquarium too. If you wanted to get into the real big blue, Gansbaai is one of the best places to do shark cage diving or you could opt to snorkel or dive with the the highly acrobatic and inquisitive Cape fur seals around the coast.
One of our favourite activities in the Western Cape Region (this is the whole province which includes Cape Town) is wine tasting. The Western Cape is known for their wines, but the best part is that is has become the goal of all wine farms to create the ultimate seating experience for people to come and enjoy the wines at the vineyards. you are spoilt for choice and you will not be disappointed in the scenery on show. But this needs a whole blog on its own. Wine Anyone?
If you are looking to travel under 2 hours outside of Cape Town, but still in the Western Cape area, then Hermanus is the perfect location. You will be spoilt for choice with accomodation, beaches, clifftop walkways, boat explorations, vineyards, mountains to explore and the restaurants are some of the best. If you are visiting between June and November you will be in the premier spot for spotting the Southern Right Whale right from the shoreline. If you are interested in a multi-day hike you could explore the Whale Trail which is about an hours drive from Hermanus in De Hoop Nature reserve. Your accomodation and food is all included, all you need to do is focus on taking in the glorious views. We haven’t been able to do this yet, but it comes highly recommended.
The African people are some of the nicest people you will meet. Their culture is evident in Cape Town and with that comes high energy, lots of dancing and singing and the most beautiful smiles. Be street smart (as you should be everywhere in the world) but enjoy the beauty that is Cape Town.