Cape Town is South Africa’s leading holiday destination for good reason: its unique location means a genuinely wide range of activities for families. It’s a city where you can go hiking, watch penguins, play on beaches and enjoy wildlife, adventure and cultural tours. And since Cape Town is such a good place to hire a car, many family activities are easily experienced and require no guide – though local experience is useful if you plan to visit popular places like Table Mountain or Cape Point at a busy time of year.
And while we’ve chosen family activities that can be enjoyed throughout the year, it’s also important to note that some activities – private guiding for example – should be booked in advance while other local activities – like whale watching – are seasonal or are subject to weather conditions on the day; it’s a good idea to be flexible with your activity schedule in Cape Town!
We’ve highlighted our top Cape Town activities for families – a mix of year-round activities to do yourselves and others that are better if you engage a guide for maximum experience. Contact us for more information.
TOP 10 CAPE TOWN ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES
The Table Mountain Cableway (All ages)
Cape Town’s most famous landmark rises 1000 metres (3400 feet) above the city, offering panoramic views of two oceans and rugged mountains ranges. Take the easy way up and down with the cable car – it actually rotates as you go, providing everyone with views – and if you’ve got young kids in prams or pushchairs, you’ll get priority access and assistance from cableway staff.
Top Tip: buy fast track tickets if it is busy and you avoid the long queue for the cable car.
Go Hiking with the Family (8+)
You can hike to the top of Table Mountain via Platteklip Gorge – a well-used and non-technical trail – and take the cable car down but we’d recommend hiring a guide for access to other hiking trails in and around the Cape Town area. Walk in mountains, forests and along wild beaches on easy, moderate or challenging hikes and see birds, animals and flowers plus amazing views – great for nature-loving families.
Top Tip: ensure the cable car is running before you hike up Table Mountain – strong winds close it!
Cape Point and Boulders Beach (All ages)
It’s easy to combine these two popular activities: Cape Point is the dramatic end of the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, full of wildlife, unspoilt beaches and walking trails. It’s the best place to see animals like baboons, ostrich and antelope. Boulders Beach penguin colony lies on the way to Cape Point and makes an unforgettable experience for children, especially if you take them onto the beach itself for a paddle with the penguins.
Top Tip: go to Boulders Beach first – it gets busy by mid-morning & very busy in the afternoon.
Easy views from Lions Head (8+)
Set next to Table Mountain, Lion’s Head is easy to access and quicker to the top than neighbouring Table Mountain. The views are truly amazing from the summit (easily as good as from Table Mountain) but you don’t need to go to the top with young children: it’s easy walking lower down and has great views everywhere. Drive a little further on to Signal Hill to watch the sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.
Top Tip: start your walk from the trailhead on Signal Hill Road – there’s a coffee pop-up station!
Flower Power – Kirstenbosch Gardens (All ages)
Known as the finest botanical garden in the southern hemisphere, Kirstenbosch delights everyone who visits it. The mountain backdrop is magnificent, the gardens exquisite and there is more than enough to keep children entertained: an aerial walkway through the forest canopy, a life-size model dinosaur exhibit, green lawns & clear-water streams plus bathrooms and restaurants but we recommend finding a shady spot and enjoying a bring-your-own picnic.
Top Tip: mornings are cooler and less busy at the Gardens – bring binoculars for the birdlife.
Up in the Trees at Acrobranch Constantia (3+)
Conveniently located at the heart of the Constantia Wine Valley, Acrobranch is where adventurous families tackle a choice of three giant obstacle courses that send them climbing, crawling and swinging their way through the forest canopy. It’s professionally run, caters for both beginners and superheroes and is a lot of fun for everyone – why not book lunch at a nearby Constantia wine farm for afterwards?
Top Tip: Constantia is close to Hout Bay with a child-friendly beach and the popular World of Birds.
World of Birds Hout Bay (All ages)
Set 30 minutes from Cape Town in the coastal village of Hout Bay, World of Birds is what it says it is: a world full of birds. Stroll through large aviaries with both local and exotic birds flying past you, and discover what other animals are there – monkeys, mongooses and meerkats are the perennial favourites. There is a café there for light meals or you are welcome to bring a picnic, best enjoyed on the terrace overlooking the flamingos.
Top Tip: the walk-in Monkey Jungle is open from 11:30 – 13:00 and 14:00 – 15:30; kids will love it.
Underwater at the Two Oceans Aquarium (All ages)
From shark tanks and kelp forests to giant crabs and stingrays, Cape Town’s aquarium is as bio-diverse as the local oceans they showcase. It’s a fascinating opportunity to go face to face with the creatures of the deep and there are plenty of familiar faces too – ‘Nemo’ clownfish, African penguins and sea turtles among many others. All under one roof, the aquarium is the ideal rainy-day family activity and sits at the heart of the V&A Waterfront which makes it easy to add on shops and restaurants.
Top Tip: the sharks of the predator tank are feed daily at 15:00; the penguins at 11:30 and 14:30.
Cruise the V&A Waterfront (All ages)
Famous for its shops & restaurants, the V&A Waterfront is still a working harbour and a local boat cruise affords a closer look at South Africa’s favourite holiday destination. It’s flat, easy-going water in the harbour and there’s always lots to see – tugboats at work, returning fishing boats, Cape fur seals – and the air is filled with seabirds and the sounds of a busy harbour. It’s all set against the magical backdrop of Table Mountain and makes for great family photographs.
Top Tip: walk around the V&A Waterfront and compare boat tour prices – there is a lot on offer.
Take the Hop-on Hop-off Bus (All ages)
Cape Town’s big red double-decker bus is the easiest way to get around Cape Town’s biggest landmarks if you don’t want to do the driving. Stopping off at just about everywhere from the V&A Waterfront to Kirstenbosch Gardens and Camps Bay beach, the Hop-on Hop-off Bus also makes a stop at Hout Bay’s World of Birds and has an audio guide to listen to as you go. Additional red bus tours are guided and include the Winelands, Hermanus Whale Coast and the Cape of Good Hope.
Top Tip: book at the Aquarium or as you board the bus (with bank card) but it’s cheaper online.
