Cape Town is full of incredible things to do, from whale watching to shark diving, hiking and history, there is something to do in Cape Town for everyone. Cape Town is a beautiful coastal town in South Africa, and is one of the more popular cities to visit in South Africa. Here are 17 things to do near Cape Town on your South Africa trip to complete your Cape Town bucket list!
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Explore Cape Town’s Famous Mariner’s Wharf
Located in Hout Bay, just a short coastal drive from Cape Town proper, is a cute little wharf with a few shops, incredibly fresh seafood, and some stunning ocean and mountain views. Along the docks, you’ll see colorfully painted fishing boats, and if you’re lucky, you may see some of Africa’s Brown Fur Seals! If the weather is nice, you can plan to spend some time on Hout Bay Beach, and maybe even see a sand castle contest!
Shop and Dine at Camp’s Bay
If the more rugged Hout’s Bay isn’t for you, then Camp’s Bay (Kampsbaai) may be your perfect beach escape. This area has upscale shopping, dining, and incredible views of the 12 Apostles Mountains. Along with the more upscale vibe, Camp’s Bay Beach boasts gorgeous white sand and favorable swimming conditions. Think a more “Miami Beach” type experience than the Mariner’s Wharf, which has a more nautical feel.
Walk the Colorful Streets of Bo-Kaap
The neighborhood of Bo-Kaap is a colorful neighborhood and cultural space within the city of Cape Town. This area was historically a segregated area for a large multicultural population, with the majority identifying as Muslim. This area, situated on the hillside above Cape Town, is now one of South Africa’s most instagrammable places to visit, as the small streets are lined with colorful homes and cars. Take a walking tour to learn about the area, its historical significance, snap some colorful pics, and take the time to say hi to the locals, should they offer their hospitality to you!
It is important to remember while visiting Bo-Kaap that these are people’s private homes. Avoid loud and disrespectful behavior, and do not knock on doors or trespass on property. Tour guides typically can tell you which homes are accepting of photos on steps, if any.
Take a Whale Watching Tour
Just about an hour from Cape Town is a little town called Hermanus, known for it’s fishing, but also for it’s whale watching. This little coastal town is the hotspot for ocean adventures, and is a great spot to see ocean wildlife. Look for whale species like the humpback whale and southern right whale. Similar to the traditional safari, the ocean has their “Big 5”, that you can search for on your whale watching tour out of Hermanus. These incredible whales are a sight to be seen, so be sure to bring your favorite camera!
Take in the Fishing Town of Arniston
Close to Cape Aghulas, you can find one of many small, picturesque fishing villages called Arniston. On the Western Cape, you may find this small fishing village dotting the African coast with white stone cottages, wild horses, picturesque fishing imagery, and maybe even wild horses, and a cute but delicious little restaurant called Wileen’s! Wileen’s is a little mom and pop cafe lining the coast, with gorgeous views and a humble menu. Chat with the family and sit outside to enjoy the best views and local feel while you drive through Arniston.
Visit Aghulas National Park and see the Indian and Atlantic Oceans Meet
From Cape Town, Aghulas National Park is about a two and a half hour drive, but definitely worth the visit, especially if you stop along the way. In fact, Arniston is a good stop to include when you visit Aghulas, and Elim is a cute little fishing village that you may pass through on your way. The little village is unique with it’s white walls and thatched roofs, is said to be one of the most picturesque villages in the Cape. This village is definitely photo-worthy, so have your cameras out as you drive through.
Once you get to Aghulas National Park, you’ll see the lighthouse, as well as be on the southernmost tip of Africa! The area is mostly paved, relatively flat, and easy to walk around, so is accessible for most travelers. Walk around, check out the lighthouse, and be sure to read up on the history as well. There are museums, a shipwreck graveyard, flower season, and even some off-road trails to explore. Keep your eyes out in the ocean too, as the whales swim and migrate through the waters in winter (June to September).
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Go on a Safari or Game Drive
No trip to Africa is complete without going on safari. While Kruger National Park is the most popular, and Hluhluwe-Imfolozi is the oldest park, there are plentiful places around Cape Town to experience a safari. Head out to Oudtshooren for a 2 day offroad safari to maximize your time in SA, or opt for a day trip safari from Cape Town!
Be sure to pack your camera, comfortable clothes, patience, and consider booking a game drive for a couple days, as wildlife is never guaranteed.
Haggle at one of Cape Town’s Markets
Cape Town is full of markets, from the popular Greenmarket Square, one of Cape Town’s oldest public spaces, to the Old Biscuit Mill, and many others. These open air markets are full of handmade goods, foods, clothes, art, and more! At the more informal markets, like Greenmarket Square, you can haggle prices with the vendors. Even if you aren’t accustomed to bargaining with someone, it is a unique thing to try at least once! Note that the more formal markets or vendors may have prices listed, and aren’t as open to or will not haggle at all. Pay attention to what others are doing, or how the vendors are operating to discern if haggling is appropriate!
Visit South Africa’s Wine Country
Similar to California’s Napa Valley or Italy’s Tuscan vineyards, South Africa has a gorgous region known for it’s wines near Cape Town. Franschhoek and Stellenbosch are just a couple of the beautiful vineyard towns comprising the Cape Winelands region. Hop aboard the wine tram, or jump onboard a street hailed tuktuk for a more personal and adventurous experience. South Africa is known for it’s wine region, so if you’re planning to visit South Africa, be sure to check out this post for the best vineyards to visit in South Africa!
Watch Kite Surfers on Bloubergstrand Beach
Just to the west of Cape Town, you’ll find a beach with gorgeous views of Table Mountain and Lion’s Head, great winds for kite surfing, and plenty of hotels or guesthouses to stay in. If gorgeous views and watching the waves roll in, then Bloubergstrand Beach may be perfect for you. Bloubergstrand Beach is also perfect for watching the sunset over the ocean as it throws colors towards Cape Town. Stay at the Blaauwberg Beach Hotel for a contemporary luxury escape and incredible views!
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Scuba Dive Gordon’s Bay
If you want a beach vacation, or are an avid diver, then Gordon’s Bay is a must visit on your trip to Cape Town. Gordon’s Bay boasts unique dive experiences like kelp forest dives and reef dives. Bikini Beach is popular for surfing and offers a sandy beach lined with small apartments overlooked by the mountains, while Gordon’s Bay Main Beach is a longer stretch of beach to relax on. There’s lots of cute cafes to eat at, and plenty of quieter places to stay than the bustling city center!
Victorian Changing houses at Muizenberg Beach
The picture perfect, colorful changing houses line the white sandy Muizenberg beach amongst a sunning backdrop of mountains. It’s truly a postcard-worthy beach and one of the most picturesque in the area. The little huts were built during the Victorian era for people to change in and out of swimming clothes, protecting them from the sun and store their belongings while they enjoyed the beach. Today, these colorful changing houses are a perfect spot for photos, or just enjoying the beach with a colorful backdrop.
Dive with Great Whites
If adventure is your forte, then South Africa leaves no shortage of adventure, especially when it comes to shark diving! South Africa is known for having a pretty decent Great White Shark population, and taking a diving tour is a great way to get up close and personal with these amazing creatures. Book a cage dive experience if you’re nervous in the water or around sharks, or if you’re an experienced diver, can book an open water shark dive. Of course, with any wild animal interaction, we are in their home and it is so important to protect them!
While I didn’t have time to do the South African shark dive that I was hoping for (I visited in winter), I have cage dived with sharks in Bimini, Bahamas and free dived with sharks in South Florida, and highly recommend the experience, and will be booking a shark dive next time I’m in South Africa!
Visit Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope
Unlike Aghulas above, Cape Point holds it’s claim to fame as being the most southeastern point on the Cape Peninsula. If you look at a map of the point, you can see why it holds that title. Cape Point is also stunningly beautiful, with sheer cliffs, incredible ocean views, and a ton of biodiversity on land. This nature reserve offers hiking, trails, drives, and is a nature lover’s dream.
Still within the same area as Cape Point, the Cape of Good Hope, Africa’s most Southwestern point, offers gorgeous hikes and trails to explore. The views of the water are incredible, and if you’re lucky, you may even see the colors of False Bay and the Southern Atlantic Ocean meet!
Chapman’s Peak Drive
Chapman’s Peak is a mountain just south of Cape Town proper and within the cape peninsula. This drive is noted as one of the prettiest drives in the world, with many movies and television shows filming with the mountainscape in the background. Along this drive, you will find famous mountain views like the 12 Apostles Mountains, stunning views of the Southern Atlantic, and a great sunset view! This road is a toll road, so be sure to have cash on hand for the toll stations.
Take the Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour
Arguably the best way to see a lot of Cape Town in a short amount of time is by hopping on the double decker bus that offers guided tours. Once onboard, you’ll don your headset and listen as the driver tells you information about Cape Town and the sights you are seeing. See something you want to explore? Hop off at the stop and spend some time exploring, then wait for the next bus and you’ll continue your tour! There are a variety of routes available, and you can customize it by spending as much time as you’d like in each stop. Do note the start/end times of the last buses, as they’re not a 24/7 bus operation.
Table Mountain & Lion’s Head
Arguably the most recognizable mountains in the Cape Town landscape are Table Mountain and Lion’s Head mountain. Both of these are popular for visitors, and offer lots of hiking trails with gorgeous ocean or city views. According to AllTrails, both the Lion’s Head Summit hike and many of the Table Mountain hikes are considered moderate to hard, due to the rockiness and steepness of the trails. Opt for early morning hikes to avoid crowds, and avoid hiking after dark for the safest hiking experience.
If you want to visit the summit of Table Mountain without the hike, consider taking a tour that includes a ride on the cable car! From there, you can ride up to the top of Table Mountain, explore, then come back down with a cable car. Definitely the more relaxed way to experience Table Mountain!
If you simply want to bask in the glory of the mountains, there are lots of viewpoints that are drivable with pull off stops that give you lots of gorgeous views of Cape Town, Table Mountain, and Lion’s Head!
Victorian Wharf
If shopping is something you like to do on vacation, then visiting the Victorian Wharf Shopping Centre is right up your alley. This waterfront shopping center is home to hundreds of shops, artesian vendors, lots of restaurants, and some pretty gorgeous views of the bay. The historic harbor is said to be the most visited tourist destination in South Africa. When we went for dinner and some art shopping, there was also live music and dancers outside!
Boulder’s Beach Penguins
Arguably one of the most popular attractions in South Africa is Boulder’s Beach, which is known for their African Penguins, and of course, the giant boulders that line the beach. Here you can see the African Penguin, which is the only penguin in Africa, and even get up close to them if you’re lucky! A common misconception is that you can swim with or hangout with the penguins on Boulder’s Beach, but the small beach you can actually hang out with them on is called Foxy’s Beach! Note that the penguins are protected, and Boulder’s Beach is a national park, so payment for entry will be required!
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